Windex on paint

[MIBKC]

Is it bad to wipe the car down with Windex? What will it do to the wax?

[davey g-force]

Re: Windex on paint

It won't do any permanent damage (assuming car is clean before wiping down), but it will deplete or remove your wax.

[The Guz]

Re: Windex on paint

I agree. With the ammonia and IPA in it, it would probably degrade any wax on the car. It won't damage the paint.

Is there a reason why you are using it on the paint?

[MIBKC]

Re: Windex on paint

I personally do not. A coworker and I debated this.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Windex on paint

Glass cleaners will strip paint and even somewhat dull down the finish, although only very slightly. No permanent damage will occur, but it's not a good idea to use glass cleaner on a regular basis on the paint. Some consumer glass cleaners intended for household use contain high amounts of alcohol, ammonia, or both and will remove wax very quickly. Worse than that, though, is the lack of lubricants that even a budget quick detail spray contains. These lubricants are what allow QD sprays to let you safely wipe away light dust and fingerprints without scratching the paint. They also won't strip wax or dry out the paint over time. Too much alcohol can actually cause the paint to swell, and you don't want to constantly subject paint to the swelling/contracting cycle all the time. Of course, this assumes that one would be using a high alcohol/ammonia content glass cleaner on an almost daily basis. Best idea is to just not use it on paint at all.