|
Tend Plastic Cleaner
by "Mad Dog" Earle for webBikeWorld.com
More: wBW
Reviews Home
| Owner Comments (Below)
| wBW
Motorcycle Cleaner, Polish & Wax Reviews
Summary: Interesting and
very hard-to-find anti-static plastic cleaner
for polycarbonate airplane windshields.
Works well
and leaves a "slippery" feel that seems to
make the surface easier to clean, but I'm not sure if
the product is overwhelmingly
better than several other plastic cleaners we've tried.
Regular readers know what a kick we get
when we find a rare, hard-to-find, unique, obscure --
you name it -- product from one industry or sport that
also works well for motorcycle use.
Well, here's my latest contribution to
the mix: this bottle of Tend Anti-Static Plastic Cleaner
is about as rare as anything I can
think of. So how about it -- do I win some kind of
prize or something?
I've searched high and low, and the only
conclusion that comes to mind is that Aircraft Spruce, a
supplier of products to pilots and the aircraft
industry, makes this stuff in a 50-gallon drum in the
back room and sells it under the "Tend" brand name.
I say this because I've searched high
and low and cannot find a "Tend" company that makes
anything like this. If anyone knows different, please drop us a line.
Is there actually a "Tend" manufacturing company
somewhere? If so, apparently they either don't
have a website...or maybe they're deliberately trying to
keep it a closely guarded secret?
Come to think of it, maybe that's their
guerilla marketing method -- make a good product, but don't let customers know
where to find the stuff, which creates a buzz, which
spikes demand, which drives customers into a
frenzy because they can't buy it, which creates more
buzz...
Well, that's the theory anyway. If
that's the Tend company's strategy, more power to 'em.
UPDATE:
A webBikeWorld reader found the company with some pretty
interesting investigative work! See
L.E.'s comments
below.
Nevertheless, the stuff does work rather
well on motorcycle windshields, windscreens and
motorcycle helmet visors. I have no idea why or
how, because other than the calming sea foam green
color, the liquid has no smell or consistency that
provides any type of clue about what it's actually made
from.
But spray on the Tend cleaner and wipe it off and
not only does it remove the bugs and detritus in short
order, it leaves a little something extra behind in the
form of a "slippery" or "waxy" feeling coating. It
takes a
bit more buffing to remove all of the product than it
does for something like Glass Plus, so I guess Tend
definitely is different.
Untreated windscreen on
Ducati Multistrada 620.
Tend Plastic Cleaner applied to half the screen closest to camera (see
white arrow at top).
After Tend Plastic Cleaner has been wiped and buffed.
There may also be something to the
anti-static claim, because it seems like the surface
lets go of fresh bug carcasses quicker and easier than
it would otherwise. This is an especially useful
trait for use on a motorcycle helmet visor; a visor
that's been treated with Tend plastic cleaner seems to
require less effort to wipe 'n' clean the next time
around.
Aircraft Spruce has a variety of
windshield, plastic and polycarbonate cleaners and
polishes, all designed or, I suppose, tested for use on
aircraft. Now pilots are pretty fussy characters,
and they (mostly) demand a cost-no-object, best-in-class
product, so that gives me some confidence that the stuff
isn't a sham.
The Aircraft Spruce marketing blather claims that
"Tend Anti-Static Windshield Cleaner keeps acrylic
surfaces clean and dust free by attacking fingerprints,
lint, and smudges to maintain a crystal clear
brilliance."
By the way, the bottle calls it "Tend
Anti-Static Plastic Cleaner", but Aircraft Spruce
sometimes refers to it as Tend Plastic Cleaner and
Polish. There's another product called Tend
Windshield Cleaner and Reconditioner that we did not
try.
Conclusion
If you happen to be hanging out in a small airport, or if you
live near one of the Aircraft Spruce stores, or if your
curiosity has gotten the better of you, or if you're
into solving inconsequential mysteries, and you can find
a bottle of Tend plastic cleaner, I'd say go for it and
give it a try.
Otherwise, I wouldn't lose any sleep over it -- after
all, it just doesn't seem that much better than other
plastic cleaners reviewed on webBikeWorld (see
the Motorcycle Cleaners and Polishes index page)
that are much easier to acquire, such as:
All-Kleer or
Sprayway or
RejeX or
ProtectAll or
Auto Glym.... or even our old garage standby, Glass
Plus...
Note: For informational use only. All material and
photographs are Copyright © webWorld International, LLC - 2000-2011. All
rights reserved. See the webBikeWorld®
Site Info
page. NOTE: Product specifications, features and details may
change or differ from our descriptions. Always check before purchasing. Read
the
Terms and Conditions!
►Your Comments and
Feedback
Please send comments to
Comments are ordered from most recent to oldest.
Not all comments will be published ( details). Comments may be edited for
clarity prior to publication.
From "M.S.": "As per your review, I order the Tend
plastic cleaner, wow, it works. I used it to wipe away
some old bug juice, the results were noticeably better than
other more messy products in my garage. My order took two
days to be delivered; I used the USPS (mail) shipping option for
cheaper delivery charges. Again, thanks for your great
reviews."
Tend Plastic Cleaner
Brand Name Info From "L.E.": "By doing some quick
trademark search on the
US Patent and
Trademark website, I found (this info) on TEND:
Word Mark TEND
Goods and Services IC 003 021. US 004. G & S: PLASTIC CLEANING
AND POLISHING MATERIALS-NAMELY, COMBINATION CLEANING , GLAZING,
RECONDITIONING, ANTI-STATIC, AND POLISHING COMPOSITIONS, BUFFING
COMPOUNDS, BUFFER PADS, AND POLISHING CLOTHS FOR PLASTIC
MATERIALS.
FIRST USE: 19680930.
FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19680930
Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING
Serial Number 72313274
Filing Date November 29, 1968
Current Filing Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Registration Number 0979713
Registration Date March 5, 1974
Owner (REGISTRANT) DAWN PRODUCTS COMPANY CORPORATION COLORADO
3985 S. KALAMATH ST. ENGLEWOOD COLORADO 80110
(LAST LISTED OWNER) REGAL PLASTIC SUPPLY CO.
CORPORATION ASSIGNEE OF COLORADO P.O. BOX 1274 ENGLEWOOD
COLORADO 80150
Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
Attorney of Record MATTHEW D. ABELL
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Affidavit Text SECT 15. SECT 8 (6-YR). SECTION 8(10-YR)
20040415.
Renewal 2ND RENEWAL 20040415
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE
(See
http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=ktdk4u.2.138
)
G&S means the Tend trademark relates to goods
and services. Note that it covers anti-static and
polishing compositions. It's an old trademark, nearly 40
yrs old, and seems to be registered by Dawn Products in
Colorado.
Upon looking up Dawn, it seems to be primarily a
food oriented company, but curiously lists cleaning supplies as
one of their miscellaneous product offerings. Regal
Plastics, however, is a plastics supplier, and also offers a
variety of adhesives, and other oddities.
Perhaps the plastics cleaner/anti-static stuff
was something they created together to solve a problem that the
plastics company had? Who knows. Very mysterious."
Editor's Reply: Wow!
Nice piece of investigative work, thanks!
From "F.M.": "I’ve discovered a product that
does a great job of removing splattered bugs from my helmet and
my windscreen:
Veggie Wash.
Yes, I’m serious. I was looking for
something that would not contain ammonia or other chemicals that
could cloud the plastic. Sitting on my counter was Veggie
Wash, which is made from citrus fruits, cocoanut, and corn.
It’s non-toxic and safe to eat, so I thought there would be no
harm in trying it on my helmet and windscreen.
It took bugs off better than any of the other
products (a somewhat limited number, I admit) that I’ve used --
even on bugs that had splattered there 8 hours and 300+ miles
ago. The face shield and windscreen were crystal clear
after wiping with a water-dampened cloth (to remove any residue
that might be present).
It’s available in the produce sections of many
grocery stores and it’s cheap. Give it a try and see what
you think."
|
