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Best plexiglass canopy cleaner?

Thanks! Just ordered a can of Plexus. Previously we used Lemon Pledge on our C-172. Seemed to work well, and repelled water.
 
VuPlex comes off the same production line as Plexus, but is available in the cafe blinds section at Home Depot for $5 per can, instead of in a specialist aviation shop for $20 per can.

http://vuplex.co/

- mark
 
I use Plexus and don't have to go to anyplace all that special to find it. My local motorsports has it, apparently it is wonderful on motorcycle helmets.
 
Cleaner

I have a vote for Flight Jacket by Aero Shell. It’s liquid with a very fine polish.
Does a great job cleaning and polishing. I also use Plexus for a quick clean.
 
Canopy cleaner

I had left electric tape on the outside for two years while sanding snd Plexus removed the sticky residue easily.
 
Pledge

All the replies seem good. I often use Pledge. My wife says I smell better after...
Not that any water falls from the sky where I am now, when I flew daily in Ketchikan... we used Pledge. Even the mechanic approved.
 
All the replies seem good. I often use Pledge. My wife says I smell better after...
Not that any water falls from the sky where I am now, when I flew daily in Ketchikan... we used Pledge. Even the mechanic approved.

Yes...we used Pledge (Lemon) on my C-172 for years with great results.
 
I've used Plexus for a hundred years on motorcycle helmets/windshields and airplanes, no plans to switch now.
 
And comments like yours is why a can of Plexus was ordered!

Plexus can be purchased at most motorcycle shops...

Use it with a clean cotton T shirt to apply and buff.
but clean the canopy first with clear water and a terry cloth. Rinse often.
 
I use Davies Klear-to-Land, Plexus and Plexo interchangeably. I kind of like the Davies Klear-to-Land the best.

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Best Windshield Cleaner

I've used about everything and I've found 210 Plastic Cleaner and Polish the best and cost 40% less than Plexus.
 

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Try Speed!

Interesting; the link to Van's recommendations advises against Pledge, but I've used it for 30 years and my A&P for for 20 years before that at it works as well as anything else mentioned here, IMO. It's also cheap and my bride stocks it at home!

One of the local RV guys recently turned me on to Mother's Speed waterless wash and wax. I've tried just about all of them on my cars, and some on my planes, and I'll have to say, the Mother's Speed works better than anything I've tried on the paint and plexi. It's also cheap @$7.99 and is now my go-to for cleaning my plane.
 

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Novus Plastic Polish #1

Been using Novus Plastic Polish #1 to clean my plexi for about 23 years. Have tried others and still like Novus the best.

I reuse the 8 oz container by purchasing the 64 oz size and refilling. Ends up costing around twenty-five cents per ounce purchased in bulk.

Here is the LINK to the SDS.
 
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I have used Plexus for a long time or just water. I think I get just about the same result but plain water is far cheaper. Plexus cost has gone up very much compared to a few years back. But I use it if I need to clean from inside which is much easier than water
 
You guys should check the SDS of these.

Check the SDS just so you know (mostly) what is being used.

I have been trying seeking a canopy cleaner that does not erode, melt, leave a haze, and leaves the canopy crystal clear, so this is an interesting thread.

These cleaners are all over the map for ingredients. Some are ethanol, and isopropyl alcohols, some petroleum HC solvents emulsified in water, and some more complex solvents that are water miscible. Interesting that the waxy effects come from silicones to some mix of petroleums. One even had ammonia. One had d-limonine a citrus solvent very friendly to plexiglas and vinyl. No conclusions are implied or inferred about how any of them work in practice.

The 7 uses a vinyl for the tip lenses and it is not happy with alcohol. A test piece softened and left finger prints with isopropyl alcohol if left on for a few min. A quick spray and wipe might not be noticed for a while. Be warned before using some of these on your tip lens until you check.
 
Check the SDS just so you know (mostly) what is being used.

I have been trying seeking a canopy cleaner that does not erode, melt, leave a haze, and leaves the canopy crystal clear, so this is an interesting thread.

These cleaners are all over the map for ingredients. Some are ethanol, and isopropyl alcohols, some petroleum HC solvents emulsified in water, and some more complex solvents that are water miscible. Interesting that the waxy effects come from silicones to some mix of petroleums. One even had ammonia. One had d-limonine a citrus solvent very friendly to plexiglas and vinyl. No conclusions are implied or inferred about how any of them work in practice.

The 7 uses a vinyl for the tip lenses and it is not happy with alcohol. A test piece softened and left finger prints with isopropyl alcohol if left on for a few min. A quick spray and wipe might not be noticed for a while. Be warned before using some of these on your tip lens until you check.

I have to admit that I hadn't looked at the SDS of the Zep product but it does have a small amount of isopropyl alcohol. I looked at Plexus and it has some alcohols, as well. I wonder what the threshold for alcohols to be safe on plexiglass? It apparently isn't zero because some alcohols are in Plexus and presumably others. The Zep product says that it is OK to use on plastics and I assumed that their lawyers wouldn't let them advertise it if it wasn't so.

Thanks for raising the awareness.

John
RV-7
 
I have to admit that I hadn't looked at the SDS of the Zep product but it does have a small amount of isopropyl alcohol. I looked at Plexus and it has some alcohols, as well. I wonder what the threshold for alcohols to be safe on plexiglass? It apparently isn't zero because some alcohols are in Plexus and presumably others. The Zep product says that it is OK to use on plastics and I assumed that their lawyers wouldn't let them advertise it if it wasn't so.

Thanks for raising the awareness.

John
RV-7

I was surprised after testing rubbing alcohol (IPA) on my tip lens. Just had wild hair and tested a scrap piece before a scratch removal/polish exercise. I had mixed a water based spray solution of IPA of under 10% and was using on the plane. I did not notice it did any harm to the tip lens but only used it 5 times or so. Maybe the ZEP test is spray and wipe (??). My test was with 93% IPA, and it got soft enough to leave a finger print after a wet pad left on for a couple of minutes. Plexus includes a tiny amount of coconut extract, it has cleaning and antistatic properties, and it smells good.

Happy cleaning!
 
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I’m surprised no one has mentioned Aviation Laboratory’s Clear View. I like it better than Plexus, it’s easier to wipe off and very effective.
 

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I went with Clear View. Wasn't really happy with the initial result, however the canopy (while new and relatively unused), hadn't been cleaned in over 5 years (no flying and hangared), so it was filthy dusty/dirty.

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I then switched to this Koenig product, and it cleared up extremely well (canopy is now invisible).

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Just an added tip from my experiences with cleaning auto glass... Make sure you use a chemical-free applicator. I use cheap napkins from the grocery store (you know, the 500 in a pack, white, less than $2 a package, ones). Paper towels always streak, no matter what product you are using (I use Invisible Glass).
 
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