Opening my latest copy of Evo magazine revealed a surprise hidden away in the packaging. Out fell two little sachets, both from ArmorAll, containing samples of their latest car care products. The first was one of their new Glass Wipes and the second a sample of their Shield wax (separate review to follow).
ArmorAll Glass Wipes
The timing couldn’t be better. I’d had a new windscreen fitted a couple of months ago and hadn’t yet got round to cleaning off the horrible smears and fingerprints that only became apparent when it misted up. So without further ado I wandered outside to try the new miracle wipe.
If you’re familiar with wet wipes (if you’ve got kids you’ll have used more than enough) then you’ll know what to expect. A thin slither of a cloth-like material that’s wet to the touch and has a lightly perfumed aroma. Just place a wipe in your hand, move it across the glass and voilà! Job done.
Looking at the cloth afterwards revealed that it was now covered in a thin layer of grime so it had clearly wiped something off the glass. A quick scan of the windscreen and it looked like it had lived up to the ‘streak free’ promise.
Sadly, that quick scan proved to be misleading. The following morning was cold, the first cold start in a while, and the inside of the windscreen was showing some condensation. What it was also showing was a very streaky finish in which I could easily make out the movement of my hand across the windscreen, as well as the spots I’d missed. So much for the streak-free finish! It now needs sorting out with a proper microfibre cloth, defeating the point of using the wipes in the first place.
ArmorAll Glass Wipes come in a plastic tube of 25 for about £6 or a pouch of 15 for about £5 so aren’t hugely expensive and one wipe is enough for a windscreen. Cleaning all of your glass inside and out would take 4-6 wipes.
After my experience I’d say that ArmorAll Glass Wipes are OK if you need to do a quick clean. Sadly, if you want to do a proper job you’re better off investing in a microfibre cloth and a cheap glass spray.