Removing fine scratches from windows help
Whilst cleaning our caravan today, my partner decided to use a nylon scourer to remove a stubborn mark on the Perspex window....or course it left a number of fine scratches on the inside of the smoked Perspex.
Having looked on the internet...some sites suggest polishing it with a metal polish such as Brasso..I'm a bit nervous of trying it...does anyone have any suggestion?
Thanks in advance for your replies
Nigel
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I use Brasso on mine on mine regularly with no ill effects. Caravan nearly 15 years old and have done this since new.
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T cut polish could be another option but but very careful, you could end up with a nasty dull patch in the window rather than a few scratches. Unless it was really annoying I'd be tempted to leave it.
Good luck
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The late John Wickersham did some videos on this, the later stages of this one might help with your fine scratches:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6q0qGu_14I
I would point out the great danger of using any products not specifically prepared for use on acrylic. Many ingredients in non specific polishes and cleaners have the delayed ability to release the inherent locked in stresses causing some months later a rash of micro crazing. Once these have developed they are there permanently.
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Hi Red face. Polymer windows. Learned from first job after school in a factory making contact lenses from perspex. Lenses polished to optical grade using metal polish. Brasso will remove surface scratches such as those from overhanging bushes quite easily. Also works on plastic light lenses.
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Brasso contains two ingredients, isopropyl alcohol and ammonia both known to be aggressive to acrylic is releasing inbuilt stresses with, some months later, the formation of micro crazing. This irreparable damaged can be quite delayed in occurring, week through to many months.
Now that is different to say it will inevitably happen, but probably will as our windows being heat moulded are certain to have plenty of areas where stresses are locked up ready to respond.
Other true "glass" cleaners contain acetic acid [vinegar] which along with quite a few others is a known issue.
So the use of Brasso or other non acrylic specific polishes and cleaners is very ill informed advice, as these windows rarely come at under £300 to replace.
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Ocsid I cannot and will not argue with someone like yourself who has greater technical knowledge than I do and I fully respect what you have eluded to in your post.
What I can say is that I have used Brasso on my caravan windows very intermittently when surface scratches were evident with none of the effects that you describe. It could have been that I was lucky, that the caravan is now 15 years old and the materials used are not the same as now or the fact that the caravan is German and perhaps they use different materials to British manufacturers. In all honesty I don't know which if any of these is the reason. I should also add that I have only used Brasso on the external surfaces of the windows. Maybe that could make a difference.
I suppose when using any sort of product where there is potential for damage or adverse reactions a test on a small invisible area is advisable,
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