Rain-X on soft top windows
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JK Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 311
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From: Springfield/Stirling, NJ
Rain-X on soft top windows
just wondering if anyone ever used Rain-x on their soft top windows before. i have it on my wind shield and side windows, but i wanted to know if it could be done on the plastic ones. sorry if it was a stupid question, many thanks 
JK Super Freak
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,564
Likes: 7
From: United States
You're on the right track, though. You can save your soft-top windows from a lot of unnecessary swirling, and also vastly improve visibility in wet conditions, by keeping them polished up (just like Rain-X on a glass windshield).
Soft top windows pick up a lot of grit that doesn't always come off during normal washes (especially the back window...wow). WHen it rains, that keeps the water from beading up and distorts visibility.
Instead, when I owned my soft top, I would use a basic carnauba wax. Apply to CLEAN soft top windows (i.e. after a wash) using an up-down motion. Vertical wiping will cause any hairline scratches caused by any touching to be less visible-- horizontal scratches are more noticeable, as are circular swirls, so up/down is the best when using anything on plastic windows. Apply the wax, let it haze, and wipe it off in the same motion with a microfiber cloth. Be careful not to get any on the top material itself or you might have some white/dried wax. It's unsightly, but it will eventually break down and wash off.
Water will bead on the windows again, and visibility in wet conditions will vastly improve.
Over time, through normal driving (and without wax), your windows will pick up grit and particles that don't wash off with normal washing. Especially the back window. I recommend "stripping" the window first before you apply any wax. To do this, you'll need a claybar.
1. Wash the window normally on the Jeep, making sure it is absolutely free of dirt and particulates, and then rinse.
2. With a clean bucket, mix up some sudsy solution (dish soap, or carwash soap, either works) in high concentrate. Better yet, just apply some of the soap and a little water to the windows.
3. With the claybar, use light pressure and run it in vertical motion on the outside of the windows as described above. The soap/water should be treated like lubricant, allowing the claybar to slide easily. You'll feel it hang on the grit in places. If you feel like it's picked up a particle (you can sometimes feel and hear it), stop, look at the claybar and pick out anything it's picked up.
4. Once you've done the plastic windows, rinse them.
5. Dry
6. Apply wax.
It's important to use only carnauba wax. NOT cleaner waxes, NOT polish, just plain wax. The petroleum distillates in the cleaner waxes will eventually eat up the windows.
When you're done, the windows should feel absolutely smooth and almost frictionless to the touch...much like they are brand new. The wax also helps hide any hairline or swirls in the plastic, so you should get a great exterior visual improvement out of the deal for older windows.
Last edited by jk_sea; May 1, 2013 at 06:50 AM.
JK Freak
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 700
Likes: 0
From: columbia, sc
It's not a good long-term use product for plastic. My understanding is that the alcohol in Rain-X dries and will eventually cause the plastic to become brittle (accelerated with normal exposure/UV damage).
You're on the right track, though. You can save your soft-top windows from a lot of unnecessary swirling, and also vastly improve visibility in wet conditions, by keeping them polished up (just like Rain-X on a glass windshield).
Soft top windows pick up a lot of grit that doesn't always come off during normal washes (especially the back window...wow). WHen it rains, that keeps the water from beading up and distorts visibility.
Instead, when I owned my soft top, I would use a basic carnauba wax. Apply to CLEAN soft top windows (i.e. after a wash) using an up-down motion. Vertical wiping will cause any hairline scratches caused by any touching to be less visible-- horizontal scratches are more noticeable, as are circular swirls, so up/down is the best when using anything on plastic windows. Apply the wax, let it haze, and wipe it off in the same motion with a microfiber cloth. Be careful not to get any on the top material itself or you might have some white/dried wax. It's unsightly, but it will eventually break down and wash off.
Water will bead on the windows again, and visibility in wet conditions will vastly improve.
Over time, through normal driving (and without wax), your windows will pick up grit and particles that don't wash off with normal washing. Especially the back window. I recommend "stripping" the window first before you apply any wax. To do this, you'll need a claybar.
1. Wash the window normally on the Jeep, making sure it is absolutely free of dirt and particulates, and then rinse.
2. With a clean bucket, mix up some sudsy solution (dish soap, or carwash soap, either works) in high concentrate. Better yet, just apply some of the soap and a little water to the windows.
3. With the claybar, use light pressure and run it in vertical motion on the outside of the windows as described above. The soap/water should be treated like lubricant, allowing the claybar to slide easily. You'll feel it hang on the grit in places. If you feel like it's picked up a particle (you can sometimes feel and hear it), stop, look at the claybar and pick out anything it's picked up.
4. Once you've done the plastic windows, rinse them.
5. Dry
6. Apply wax.
It's important to use only carnauba wax. NOT cleaner waxes, NOT polish, just plain wax. The petroleum distillates in the cleaner waxes will eventually eat up the windows.
When you're done, the windows should feel absolutely smooth and almost frictionless to the touch...much like they are brand new. The wax also helps hide any hairline or swirls in the plastic, so you should get a great exterior visual improvement out of the deal for older windows.
You're on the right track, though. You can save your soft-top windows from a lot of unnecessary swirling, and also vastly improve visibility in wet conditions, by keeping them polished up (just like Rain-X on a glass windshield).
Soft top windows pick up a lot of grit that doesn't always come off during normal washes (especially the back window...wow). WHen it rains, that keeps the water from beading up and distorts visibility.
Instead, when I owned my soft top, I would use a basic carnauba wax. Apply to CLEAN soft top windows (i.e. after a wash) using an up-down motion. Vertical wiping will cause any hairline scratches caused by any touching to be less visible-- horizontal scratches are more noticeable, as are circular swirls, so up/down is the best when using anything on plastic windows. Apply the wax, let it haze, and wipe it off in the same motion with a microfiber cloth. Be careful not to get any on the top material itself or you might have some white/dried wax. It's unsightly, but it will eventually break down and wash off.
Water will bead on the windows again, and visibility in wet conditions will vastly improve.
Over time, through normal driving (and without wax), your windows will pick up grit and particles that don't wash off with normal washing. Especially the back window. I recommend "stripping" the window first before you apply any wax. To do this, you'll need a claybar.
1. Wash the window normally on the Jeep, making sure it is absolutely free of dirt and particulates, and then rinse.
2. With a clean bucket, mix up some sudsy solution (dish soap, or carwash soap, either works) in high concentrate. Better yet, just apply some of the soap and a little water to the windows.
3. With the claybar, use light pressure and run it in vertical motion on the outside of the windows as described above. The soap/water should be treated like lubricant, allowing the claybar to slide easily. You'll feel it hang on the grit in places. If you feel like it's picked up a particle (you can sometimes feel and hear it), stop, look at the claybar and pick out anything it's picked up.
4. Once you've done the plastic windows, rinse them.
5. Dry
6. Apply wax.
It's important to use only carnauba wax. NOT cleaner waxes, NOT polish, just plain wax. The petroleum distillates in the cleaner waxes will eventually eat up the windows.
When you're done, the windows should feel absolutely smooth and almost frictionless to the touch...much like they are brand new. The wax also helps hide any hairline or swirls in the plastic, so you should get a great exterior visual improvement out of the deal for older windows.
