Customer Reviews

WINDSHIELD TREATMENT -3.5 OZ.

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This stuff is the best example I can think of, of a product that not only works but far exceeded my expectations. As one reviewer mentioned, it will cause wintertime ice to easily flake off. Ditto for summertime bug removal. It repels rain so well that it is a viable alternative to doing an expensive windshield wiper mechanism repair (for those of us that drive old cars). I work as a highway patrolman (er . . patrolperson) for a living, and quickly learned that windshield wipers tend to lift off of the windshield when when having to drive at 80-90+. No problem with Rain-X as this is where it works best -- aided by the wind to blow your windshield clear. MANY TIMES I have driven to a call at high speed, in blinding downpour rain, with my wipers turned off and seeing perfectly (and enjoying my coffee), while other traffic is stopped on the shoulder or crowded in under bridge overpasses (I still can't figure out the purpose of that) due to no visibility. And I find that it lasts for several weeks on a car that is not garaged. My highest recommendation. Three thumbs up! Oops - make that two thumbs up.

What is good about this stuff?

- As others have pointed out, it makes glass hydrophobic, meaning it causes water to bead up. That means that water, and the dirt that comes with it, is easier to push off the glass with wipers, keeping the glass cleaner. Also, it is easier to see through wet glass when the water is beaded up, so you might not need to use the wipers as much. Also, if you are travelling at high enough speed (typically highway speed), the wind will blow water off the glass, so again, you might not need to use the wipers. (Interestingly, the more your windshield is "raked" or slanted, the higher speed you need.)

- It makes glass easier to clean. Dust and even snow and ice sweep off pretty easily. Dried bugs come off more easily.

- It lasts pretty long for what it is. There are other products, like waxes, that do something similar for auto paint, but wax wears off fairly quickly. If you tried to use something like wax on windshield glass, the wipers would rub the wax off quickly. RainX bonds very tightly to the glass, in a very, very thin coating, making it hard to wear off. Depending on how much you use your wipers, you can go quite a while without having to reapply it.

- It isn't all that expensive.

What is bad about it?

- It seems to use alcohol as a solvent (and not the good kind of alcohol either), so the fumes can make you dizzy, especially when you are doing a large area of glass.

- (The real problem) It works great when it is newly applied, but when it begins to wear off, it is worse than nothing. When the wipers begin to wear through the RainX coating, you get thin streaks where the water is sticking to the glass. It actually looks worse than if you had never used RainX at all. So if you start using it, you sort of have to commit to reapplying it once in a while, forever.

So I am a bit reluctant to start using it on a windshield. I would use it on all the other glass on a car though, because that glass isn't rubbed by a wiper, so the RainX treatment might last a very long time. I would use it especially on the external side view mirrors, because snow seems to build up on those pretty easily, and it is important to be able to see with them. I would also use it on headlight covers, provided they are glass (do NOT use RainX on plastic.) The RainX would help keep dust and dirt from building up on the headlights, so they would shine more brightly.

I love Rain-X. The rain literally beads up and rolls right off your windshield. It keeps my windshield nice and clean. It's almost like you don't even have to put on your wipers when you're driving and there's a light rain.

In heavy rain at highway speeds, Rain-X is amazing. Water blows off the windshield faster than the wipers can remove it. In light rain, or at slower speeds, there is little advantage to Rain-X.
Where Rain-X becomes a serious danger is in misty, foggy conditions or if there is dew on the glass. Under these situations, there appears to be too little water to form large enough beads for the wipers to remove, resulting in a heavy haze that will NOT be removed by your wipers(or quickly reforms). Driving into the low morning sun/oncoming headlights etc. with that type of haze results in inpenatrable glare that makes safe driving impossible. I have experienced this effect in different cars and using various forms of Rain-X (the above liquid and the premixed washer fluid.) Because of this very dangerous side effect, I cannot recommend Rain-X if you live in an area where dew or misty conditions occur.

I have been using this product for 10 years and it has never failed me.

Three things to do before your first application to ensure excellent results:
- Get new wipers, or clean the road grime off the old ones. Use a paper towel, soaked with rubbing alcohol. You will be surprised how much black gunk comes off your wiper blades before they are clean.
- Use an "auto glass stripper" to scrub and clean your windshield. If your windshield is 2+ years old, it will have road grime residue that is invisible. The auto glass stripper is an abrasive liquid compound that will take all the road grime off. It will also take Rain-X residue off. It just scrubs the glass down to its pristine, original finish.
- When repeated applications of Rain-X doesn't seem to work as well as it did the first time, clean the wipers and scrub the windshield with the auto glass stripper again.

Your windshield doesn't have to be totally squeaky clean for Rain-X to work. I have splashed Rain-X over questionable rental-car windshields before, and I still got excellent results. I always keep Rain-X and a roll of paper towels in my car.

Just fling some over a spot on the windshield, rub it in with the paper towel, let it dry, buff off the residue, use your windshield wiper fluid and wipers to get the excess off, and enjoy.

Its a great product it coats when it rains when you just put it on you dont even need to use the wipers but it does take some work to make sure its not smeared looking. Clean your glass good with windex first then apply and polish off. I dont really buy any of those as seen on TV items but this is the first one that really works well also if you side windows squeak this will help with that as well since is a slippery it will help with weather stripping. Remember this works best when over about 40mph... and you will have to keep reapplying a few times a year

I use it for the glass shower. Once it is applied, it works great.

I gave this little bottle a try after hearing some reviews and commercials about it for several years. Application was easy: thoroughly clean the windshield, apply the stuff with a cloth in circular motions, let it dry for a few minutes, and wipe off. Had two rain storms since, and each time the water beaded up nicely on the windshield. Below 35 mph, the droplets will stay in place. The wipers have an easy time though - no streaks even if your blades are a little worn. Visibility is improved by seeing large water droplets instead of a sheet of rain pouring down the windshield. At about 35 and above the water slicks right off to the edges. I still would use the wipers in heavy rain though. I haven't had a chance to try it in cold/snow/fog weather conditions (it's summer), so I don't know how that would affect it. Side note: I applied it on my wife's older car (with more knicks and scratches in the glass), and she didn't notice much improvement. Could be the type/condition of the windshield, or maybe she just expected more out of it.

Either way, for the three bucks it cost at the local store, I'd say it's worth it. The product is good, it does what it claims, and the price reflects the small, but nice benefit it provides.

Works as advertised. Works best in heavy rain. Like the other reviewers say, it makes it easier to clean dead bugs off and ice.

I keep my car garaged all the time, at work and home and it seems to last forever, at least through one rainy season. I also do the side mirrors and side windows because water can bead up on them too.

My only cons is that it's difficult to apply from the bottle and a lot seems to soak up in the towels that I apply my Rain-X with, and it's rather labor intensive to apply. Other than that, it works great during the rainy season. Now they have spray bottles too, so I'd recommend that intead.

This is the greateast invention to winter driving I've ever found I have told all my friends and coworkers about this stuff.

I remember an Ice,sleet storm of early 05 I sprayed this on the

windshield of my car the ice FLAKED off EASILY !!!!!!! Please

purchase this item.If the scale to rate this item went any higer

I'd give it as high as a 10.Please I recomend this for any winter driver HIGHLY.