Never dry-wipe
The most common way transparencies get scratched is wiping dust off while it's dry. Every dry pass drags grit across a soft surface. Always flood the surface with clean water first so contamination floats free before any cloth touches it.
Avoid the wrong chemicals
- No ammonia-based glass cleaners (most household window sprays) — they attack acrylic and cause crazing, the fine network of surface cracks that fogs a windscreen permanently.
- No solvents, alcohols, or petroleum-based cleaners unless the manufacturer specifically approves them.
- Use plain water or a dedicated aircraft-transparency cleaner, and a manufacturer-approved plastic polish for haze.
Never use paper towels — only soft, non-scratching cloths
The single most common mistake we see is reaching for paper towels or shop towels to wipe a windscreen. Paper is made of compressed wood fibres — it feels soft to your hand, but under any pressure it drags across acrylic like fine sandpaper and leaves a permanent haze of tiny scratches. Household tissues, terrycloth rags, and any cloth that has already touched paint, wheels, or the belly do the same damage. Only ever use clean, dedicated microfiber or soft cotton made for delicate surfaces.
Flood the surface first, then use that clean microfiber or soft cotton cloth to gently lift contamination — no scrubbing, no circular grinding. Fold to a fresh face often so you're never rubbing trapped grit back across the panel, and dry with a separate clean cloth using straight, light strokes.
- Never: paper towels, shop towels, tissues, or terrycloth — they scratch and haze soft acrylic.
- Always: clean, dedicated microfiber or soft cotton cloths, kept only for transparencies.
- Keep windscreen cloths separate from paint, wheel, and belly cloths — a single embedded particle leaves a permanent mark.
Dealing with haze and light scratching
Light hazing and fine scratches can often be reduced with a proper acrylic polishing process using aviation-appropriate products. Deep scratches, heavy crazing, or anything in the pilot's primary field of view are a maintenance matter, not a cleaning one — they should be assessed by a qualified shop.
Common questions
Can I use paper towels to clean an aircraft windscreen?
No — this is one of the most common ways windscreens get scratched. Paper towels, shop towels, and tissues are made of wood fibres that abrade and haze soft acrylic transparencies even though they feel soft in your hand. Use only clean, dedicated microfiber or soft cotton cloths made for delicate surfaces, on a surface you've flooded with water first.
Can I use Windex on an aircraft windscreen?
No. Ammonia-based glass cleaners like many household window sprays damage acrylic transparencies and cause crazing. Use plain water or a cleaner specifically formulated for aircraft acrylic, applied to a flooded surface with a clean microfiber cloth.
What causes crazing on aircraft windows?
Crazing — a fine network of surface cracks — is caused by incompatible chemicals (ammonia, solvents), stress, and UV exposure over time. Using only approved cleaners and never dry-wiping helps prevent it; existing crazing should be evaluated by a qualified shop.
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