jtilley wrote: |
I think Windex contains ammonia, which is a mild solvent for many plastics. In most cases the effect probably is so slight that it wouldn't matter, but I'd be a little nervous about using Windex on clear plastic. (I used to work in a museum, where we had an ironclad rule: never use Windex to clean a plexiglas case. It may take months of daily applications, but eventually the stuff will start looking grey and blurry.) |
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Yes, it contains ammonia. However, ammonia is not a "solvent" for plastic. What it is, is a highly aggessive chemical that will attack almost anything. And if it will attack acrylic paint, it will also attack acrylic plastic, albeit much more slowly. Your experience with plexiglass museum cases is indicative—but there are other factors at work, too. Styrene is not an acrylic, neither is butyrate. However, see below!
For modeling applications, any damage to clear parts (you would probably have to soak them) can be repaired the same way minor scratches are. (Polish and dip in Future.)
However, remember what I said about "attack almost anything"? Long exposure to higher concentrations of ammonia will embrittle styrene (and other polymers), and will alter the surface on a microscopic level. Fine sanding is recommended in such cases. This will remove the altered surface plastic.