One of the best ways to improve winter driving safety is to invest in a good rain repellent. When applied to your glass it provides an invisible hydrophobic layer of protection.
Different ways of protecting your glass are available, from the simple spray-on examples that only offer a month of protection up to professionally applied ceramic glass coatings that last for a few years.
We’ve found SOFT99, a Japanese car care company that offers rain repellents that it claims are easy to apply but can offer months of protection from a single application. Originally developed for the aviation industry, we’ve been testing its glass polish and repellent to see if it’s any good.
SOFT99 Glaco at a glance
While the Glaco range is absolutely massive and includes everything from simple spray-ons to a little option for coating reversing cameras and mirrors, the two we’re testing are the Glaco Class Compound Roll On and the Glaco Glass Roll On.
Both options are designed with ergonomics in mind, featuring built-in applicators (so there’s no worry of finding or cleaning a separate one) and are operated by simply squeezing the bottle to dispense the product.
SOFT99 Glaco Glass Compound Roll On
Price: £11.99 | VIEW OFFER
SOFT99 Glaco Roll On
Price: £15.99 | VIEW OFFER
is it easy to use?
There’s little benefit to a rain repellent if it’s convoluted to apply or has an insanely long curing time (how long it takes before you can get it wet). With this in mind, this two-stage approach does take longer but the results last much longer.
The Glaco Compound is applied to clean glass and is really easy to use (squeeze the body and use the attached foam applicator) and while it may look like a beige wax, it will turn whiter as it’s worked into the glass. Its job is to break down any existing rain repellents as well as any stubborn oils that aren’t shifted during regular shampooing. Once applied you simply hose the Compound off and your glass is ready for a coating.
The Glaco Roll On couldn’t be easy to use. Like the Compound, it features a built-in applicator and is operating by squeezing the bottle. As such, the application is simple and it’s really easy to regulate how much product you’re using. After applying it to every inch, wait 10 minutes before buffing away any excess product and you’ll be left with months of protection.
As such, while it’s a little more work than a simple spray-on, if you prepare and coat your glass as you wash it, it’s really easy to apply and the results will be long lasting. There are only two real drawbacks to Glaco, the risk of streaks and packaging. The former relates to how you apply the Roll On – make sure to use both linear and circular motions to avoid streaks. Regarding the packaging, the English instructions are printed in tiny writing on a sticker that’s added over the top of the regular packaging and rather hard to read.
Does it work as a rain repellent?
SOFT99 claims the Glaco range works as an ‘invisible wiper’ and at certain speeds (30mph) will render the wiper useless (although SOFT99 don’t recommend driving in the rain without wipers). In our testing the hydrophobic qualities are clear, rainwater beaded off the windscreen with ease and there’s none of that annoying juddering action with the wipers as seen with cheaper rain repellents.
We tried the Roll On on both treated (using SOFT99 Glaco Compound) and untreated windscreens and the difference in performance was noticeable. Put simply, using both products together and you’ll get more effective and longer-lasting protection.
Verdict
Very easy to use and with long-lasting hydrophobic action, SOFT99’s Glaco series is definitely worth considering for some extra safety and visibility on the road. It performs far better than a simple spray-on repellent and is easy to integrate into a car wash too. The fact you don’t need to faff with finding and cleaning a separate applicator only sweetens the deal.
SOFT99 Glaco Glass Compound Roll On
Price: £11.99 | VIEW OFFER
SOFT99 Glaco Roll On
Price: £15.99 | VIEW OFFER
How we tested SOFT99 Glaco:
We applied the SOFT99 Glaco to three separate cars, one without preparation from the SOFT99 Compound and two with a treated for preparation. All three cars were washed as stated by SOFT99 and we used the same SOFT99 Creamy Shampoo, before using a drying towel to ensure the glass was clean.
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