Rain-X additive?

Joined
Apr 17, 2012
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Location
West Michigan
Anybody have any success running the rain-x fluid additive? Picked up a bottle a couple of years back and when I mixed it up per the directions just ended up with oily, smeary mess. I really like the rain-x washer fluid but don't love spending $5/ga on it.
 
Rain-X was great when I started driving over 30 years ago. I have no idea what they did to the original formula but I swore off Rain-X a long time ago. Maybe it's better now?
 
I want to try something like it on my LED headlights. Dew does a number on them, turns light into glare as I'm sure y'all noticed before. Any suggestions for something better than Rain-X?
 
I want to try something like it on my LED headlights. Dew does a number on them, turns light into glare as I'm sure y'all noticed before. Any suggestions for something better than Rain-X?
I like Invisible Glass Clean&Repel on glass and Lexan but some other people here have said it didn't work for them. I must point out that, in the case of headlight lenses, I apply Invisible Glass on top of acrylic sealant.
 
I want to try something like it on my LED headlights. Dew does a number on them, turns light into glare as I'm sure y'all noticed before. Any suggestions for something better than Rain-X?

Hydrophobic coatings usually don't prevent dew or frost, they may even make it worse. You could try Dr. Beasley's LS-10 which is one of the few hydrophilic products out there. Note: I have never tried this product, you may also want to look into anti-fog coatings for goggles etc.

https://www.drbeasleys.com/nano-ls-10.html

If not, on plastic headlight housings any paint sealant or coating will work well, so you could try something that borders on superhydrophobic like Fireball Pirouette or Sonax BSD.
 
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I like Invisible Glass Clean&Repel on glass and Lexan but some other people here have said it didn't work for them. I must point out that, in the case of headlight lenses, I apply Invisible Glass on top of acrylic sealant.
Most glass sealants are cationic and only bond well to glass not plastic. A paint sealant will be just about ideal for plastic lenses.
 
Most glass sealants are cationic and only bond well to glass not plastic. A paint sealant will be just about ideal for plastic lenses.
It seems to me that the headlight lenses stay cleaner longer with the hydrophobic coating. I'll test it by applying the product to only half of the lens and wait a week for a direct comparison.
 
It seems to me that the headlight lenses stay cleaner longer with the hydrophobic coating. I'll test it by applying the product to only half of the lens and wait a week for a direct comparison.
It will stay cleaner for sure, but it doesn't help with fog or frost.
 
It will stay cleaner for sure, but it doesn't help with fog or frost.
Never had a problem with fog on headlight lenses. One squirt with the headlight washers and any condensation comes off. We get frost maybe for a few hours on 3 days every year. Didn't see any frost on my headlight lenses when driving around in the Sierras last winter when there was light snowfall. No frost on the headlights in the morning either. The ragtop was frozen stiff.
 
It will stay cleaner for sure, but it doesn't help with fog or frost.

Yup. Easy to see this on non-heated rear view mirrors. They still fog.

Unware if they still do, but Rain-X used to specifically market an anti-fog product. It was a greasy, smeary mess.

These days, Rain-X is streaky sadness water.

Griot's glass sealant works like old Rain-X used to. Amazon has come to their senses and no longer charge double the MSRP for it, so it's now easier to obtain as well.
 
Yup. Easy to see this on non-heated rear view mirrors. They still fog.
They still have non-heated mirrors? :p
Unware if they still do, but Rain-X used to specifically market an anti-fog product. It was a greasy, smeary mess.
We spit in our diving masks and rinse with water because the lenses won't fog up for a while. Saliva is an effective surfactant. Anti-fog products are nothing but surfactants. Please, do not draw any unfortunate and ill-conceived conclusion.
 
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