# Windex removes UV coating?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windex-removes-uv-coating/161455>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 14, 2003, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windex-removes-uv-coating/161455 "2003-03-14T22:41:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_Pebs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Johnny\_Pebs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Pebs)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windex-removes-uv-coating/161455/1 "2003-03-14T22:41:41Z")

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I was cleaning my glasses at work the other day and one of my cow-irkers said “you know that stuff eats the UV coating off of your glasses, right?”. C’mon it’s _glass_ cleaner right? Has anybody else heard of this and know if it’s true?

Pebs

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**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windex-removes-uv-coating/161455/2 "2003-03-14T22:47:00Z")

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It’s funny you mentioned it.

I washed a pair of glasses in Windex, and it did ruin them, taking off the UV coating.

Windex is a glass cleaner, not a plastic cleaner.

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**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windex-removes-uv-coating/161455/3 "2003-03-14T23:20:14Z")

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I read somewhere not to use Windex on auto gass if it’s been tinted because of the ammonia. I buy auto glass cleaner at the auto parts store just in case; it’s ammonia free.

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**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windex-removes-uv-coating/161455/4 "2003-03-14T23:59:51Z")

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SC Johnson does advise against using Windex on Lexan and advises testing on tinted windows with the notation that care of tinted windows may vary: [http://www.windexglasscleaner.com/windex\_answers.asp](http://www.windexglasscleaner.com/windex_answers.asp)

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_Pebs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Johnny\_Pebs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Pebs)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windex-removes-uv-coating/161455/5 "2003-03-21T14:31:54Z")

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Hmm, guess I’ll stop using Windex then. Thanks for the answers.

[sub]I actually forgot I even posted this one until today.:o[/sub]

Pebs