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Reading this thread I just gotta say I heard about Lemon Pledge maybe somewhere in the mid '80s. I worked at an RV Mfgr and some of the old timers came up with some interesting things.
Like Lemon Pledge, and Pam the spray on cooking oil. They sprayed Pam all over the front of their RV's. Those RV's had plexiglass windows in the front. It kept the bugs from sticking. A quick spray from the carwash wand and they were as clean as new.
Now a lot of these old boys also used Pledge on their very expensive Hot Rods and Custom Cars. Just walk through a car show and you can smell it. If it worked on their expensive custom paint jobs it must be good right?
I don't know about the Pledge formula changing but I tried it on my bike a couple years ago and was impressed. It didn't harm anything I just quit using it because I was given some Turtle Wax Liquid Ice. That stuff is great and I even use it on the leather!
Now I've recently bought a Memphis Shades windshield and they recommended their product All Kleer for their windshields so I got some. That stuff made the windshield shiney and slippery! It looks great, and they claim it removes bugs, is a fog inhibitor, and a rain repellant. It's designed for aviation and faceshields too. However there is a warning on it to not use it on "colored/mirrored film coated plastic unless pre-approved by manufacturer." It contains Isopropyl Alchohol so I don't know about HD's Hardcoated Lexan windshields.
Just thought I'd share.
From my Polaris General owners manual. All the body panels are plastic. Like I mentioned above, less static cling for dust. Mud actually comes off easier. They denounce automotive products.
From my Polaris General owners manual. All the body panels are plastic. Like I mentioned above, less static cling for dust. Mud actually comes off easier. They denounce automotive products.
Clearview Shields recommends Pledge on their products too.
I asked a detailer who is well known and respected in the industry what his thoughts were regarding Lemon Pledge as a detailing product. He doesn't completely trash it, but he makes some really great points. I can't respond better than what he has to say here:
Here's the deal, just the act of rubbing SOMETHING over a surface has a cleaning effect, a polishing effect and a protecting effect. The real secret is actually using the product. We all know people that buy stuff but never actually use it. Could be the greatest thing since sliced bread but if it's just collecting dust on a shelf in the garage the for all practical reasons it actually doesn't work because it's not being used.
I've worked at thousands of shows. Car shows. Boat Shows. RV Shows. One time while working as the Meguiar's Rep at an RV show, I saw a salesperson wiping a car down in their booth with Lemon Pledge. I was astonished. I asked him why he was using Lemon Pledge. He pointed to the hood and said,
Look how wet the paint looks?
He was right. The paint looked wet. It was wet in an oily way as he created a film of product on the surface. Hey if it works for him that's all that's important. Over the course of the show I saw fingerprints and smudges on the hood from people "touching" it. (that's what people do to cars on display, they touch them). Of course at some point he would wipe the hood down and re-spray the Lemon Pledge to re-create the really wet looking finish.
Here's the deal, while this might look cool and work for a show, in the real-world if any of us tried this dirt and dust would land on the oily film and the act of cleaning the hood would risk grinding the dirt/dust into the paint. Might, might not cause a problem, kind of depends on how you wash or blast the car with water or a foam gun etc.
For me I would prefer a dry hard shine, not a wet oily shine. That said,
Just the act of rubbing SOMETHING over a surface has a cleaning effect, a polishing effect and a protecting effect.
So if someone likes using Lemon Pledge on anything - works for me.
For small, intricate parts and even small panels, something like Lemon Pledge would probably be quick, fast and easy, (I like quick fast and easy), it will make these things look good, (that's the goal), and if the person is regularly using this product and process as a part of maintaining their motorcycle then it works.
I just use a good detail spray ( Adams pink stuff) right now. I have 2 bottles of GM detail spray that i really like.
So many good products out there why use a Pledge.
If someone wants to use furniture polish on their bikes, go for it, it’s your bike. For me, like others said, there are more than enough superior products on the market.
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