CruxGNZ

I was at my local JoAnn fabrics for supplies (go ahead, laugh it up) on another project and saw they had these tiny little misters. They were on sale for $3.87 for the package of three, so I picked 'em up. They work fantastic! The mister atomizes the water, glass cleaner, Rain-X or what have ya perfectly. It's not like one of the cheap ones, where a sneeze does a better job of atomizing the contents. It's also small enough to fit in your pocket or keep under your seat with a cotton handkerchief. Just giving you guys a heads up.

I used to use spit to clean my facebshield, but since this thing is so dang small and lasts a lot longer than you would think, I'll find a spot for this mister.

scottiemann

do you drool into the mister to refill it?

just messin with ya... but on a serious note, what are you using for face shield cleaner in it?

CruxGNZ

Droooool haha

I have some Rain-X window cleaner, so I'll give that a shot.

FYI - I just filled it up with water to see how many sprays you can get out of it. Results were ~82 sprays or mists. I takes just two sprays with this to cover your entire face shield with its contents
(I didn't feel like spraying the entire contents out, so I just spayed about half for this)

smokinjoe73

Thats a great idea. I have a mini spray bottle but thats way more compact. I use invisible glass with water repellent.

Kind of a glass cleaner but like the name makes the glass invisible.

CruxGNZ

You have good results with Invisible Glass, hey? Since you ride in all weather, I'll assume you found what works best.

Rain-X works alright I guess. It leaves streaks and requires more buffing out than just regular water. I think I'll give that Invisible Glass cleaner a shot.

My wife, out of all people, explained to me what the spray is like on that mister. She said, "It's like a perfume spray". Very fine droplets.

Since I got three of these things for cheap, I took one, filled it with water (so it has the weight) and dropped it a few times on the concrete basement floor. Besides the cap popping off just slightly, there were no issues.

nnjhawk02

Cruz not a bad idea, but I have a cheaper solution.

Take some paper towels, 2 to 3 sheets (the good stuff -Bounty or similar) dampen with water & glass cleaner > then insert into a zip lock bag (gallon size or quart) and carry that with you. The bag keeps it moist and you can use it for a while before its toast.

xeris

Both good suggestions.
Be aware that glass cleaners (ones with ammonia) can cause some plastics to fog.

skokievtr

I don't know about where you ride but "in season" here between the gnats, grasshoppers, locust, hornets, bees, UFOs (and the odd feathered friend trying to take you out) and what not you need to clean your face shield every hour (sometimes even less) or two or you'll be literally flying blind. Consequently, you must have a wetting/cleaning/dissolving/rinsing solution that quickly not only removes the crusty, smearing carcasses of the flying vermin but will lift them away without scratching the plastic face shield, wind screen and headlight lens.

Over the 40+ years I've been riding I've tried many solutions, wipe cloths, squeegees, treatments and associated procedures to utilize them. My current methodology (which varies based on availability and cost) are very, very soft cotton rags (soaking them in bleach with a mild detergent accelerates the softening process) and good quality, thin microfiber "towel" in conjunction with a spray bottle with a capacity of 5 oz. and a relatively fine sprayer filled with SprayWay Glass Cleaner (PN: 5RVTF, Sprayway Inc. | Pioneers in Aerosols since 1947 | World's Best Glass Cleaner, Addison, IL a local company to me) along with a cut down toothbrush.

Procedure is: Spray on SprayWay while holding helmet face shield up, let "soak" 5 seconds, work solution around with toothbrush, mist again if required, using cotton rag wipe shield east-west (length-wise) only once like using a squeegee, mist again and lightly "buff" with microfiber towel, if there is time and always if rain is evident, apply standard Rain-X (carried in a used 1 oz. eye drop bottle and have never had a problem with it damaging face shields, etc) and buff in with microfiber towel.

I keep this "kit" in my tail trunk (it could easily fit in a tank bag, backpack, fanny pack or even large pocket) in a quart size Ziploc freezer bag with the rag & towels on top to give them a chance to breath and dry between use. I also always brush the dead bug carcasses off the rags and microfiber towels (I carry 3 of each that are about 5" x 5" in size) with the toothbrush after every use before "bagging" them, and wash & dry them at home as needed with my rotating stock.

Sprayway out of the aerosol can foams quite a bit to aid its wetting/penetrating action but it loses its effervescence when filled into my mobile spray bottle unfortunately but still works better than anything else I tried and does not contain ammonia. My second favorite solution is Sparkle Glass Cleaner which also does not contain ammonia (which kills plastic).

My new face shield cleaning tool acquisition is the V-Sponge I posted up about not too long ago but I have not unfortunately had an opportunity to test it prevented by weather, work and my inability to find time to finish the maintenance and reassemble the **** end of my VTR.

Great dissertation, eh?

xeris

There may be others as good but Sprayway is far and away the best cleaner I have used.

Wolverine

+1 on Sprayway. I've been using it for years. "Borrowed" some from work one day and discovered how well it works. They used it in the pre-press dept to clean film/plate exposure equipment. Never had a need to try anything else. I now buy it in my local Target.

And BTW, we need to know what these "other" projects are that took you to JoAnn Fabrics j/k Nice find.

twist

just a note, rain-x has alcohol in it and alcohol is the enemy of plastics, especially the type used on helmets and face shields. It can cause crazing and delamination. I know this because I work with acrylics and plexiglass. I used it on one helmet and it totally crazed the exterior shell. Just sayin.

VTR1000F

I guess I assume it's common knowledge, but if you lay a damp paper towel over your face sheild, screen, bodywork, whatever for several minutes to soften the bugs, they then just wipe away. Follow-up with whatever other cleaning product you like, but, like Skokie points out, around here everything is covered in bugs again in ten minutes, so I don't bother with anything else.

I'm gonna have to try this Sprayway on glass, though.

EDIT: Sprayway offers a glass cleaning wipe they claim to be safe on plastics. Maybe that's a good mobile option.

skokievtr

I buy it by the case wherever I can get it the cheapest...I use it on everything, even clothes

I've read that too and it has a warning about it and they do make a version for plastic that's hard to find but, as I said (knock on plastic), I've used it on face shields (though not very often and nothing else but glass) and never have had an issue (and some of my face shield are more than 5 years old; old enough I don't wear the helmet much if at all)

In the shop and when I have time I soak microfiber towels in warm water with a bit of dish soap, and let it soften the bugs. But on the road I don't have time for that at stops (only for GPS, Gas, **** & Smoke and maybe also DUI, Drink, Unload & Ingest), so I use the Sprayway. Now that I'm going to run my big trunk this season I may just carry the aerosol can, though on a hot day...NOT!

BTW, if you ever get out of quaint little Geneseo and head toward the "City", let me know and I'll show you the sites...

CruxGNZ

Well, damn, I remember buying some glass cleaner a year or so ago at Target, but couldn't recall the brand. Went downstairs and...


It appears I already have that Sprayway stuff. It foams up on contact, so I'll have to spray it in one container, let it settle, then pour it into my mister. Seems like to much messin' around, but if it works, then it's worth it I guess. However, those Sprayway wipes sound like a really good option!

skokievtr

Uh, read my post 8 again...

CruxGNZ

What did I miss? Your ziplock baggie with Sprayway soaked paper towels idea?

twist

a cheap and great helmet cleaning product is pledge. It does a good job of sheeting rain, too although not as good as rain-x and it can't be put in that little spritzer bottle. Pledge on the face shield wiped off with a old fashioned cotton diaper works great. Works on painted parts of the bike between washes too.

skokievtr

You definitely did miss it. I did not say I soaked paper towel with Sprayway (paper towel is a no-no on plastic). If you reread my entire post I stated I used cotton and microfiber clothes and "Sprayway out of the aerosol can foams quite a bit to aid its wetting/penetrating action but it loses its effervescence when filled into my mobile spray bottle unfortunately but still works better than anything else I tried...")