Removing dried soap streaks from glass

[Aplus 525]

Today, I washed a home, and it was really windy out. To make a long story short, some of my soap solution apparently blew in the wind and landed on a couple windows. I didn't see it until it had already dried.

Well, I tried Windex, vinegar, alcohol, and ammonia, and nothing would remove the white marks. It would look like they were coming off when wet, but as the window dried, the streaks showed back up.

The solution turned out to be Soft Scrub, the pasty stuff in the squeeze bottle. Squirted some on a soft cloth, buffed it onto the glass, and the streaks came right off!

Soft Scrub will now be in my arsenal of tools.

[Johny 14]

What chemical were you using?

Thanks Johny

[Aplus 525]

I was using Emulsifier Plus from espec, mixed with bleach.

[ron p 500]

a-plus do you like the emulsifier plus better then limonlene?

Do you both for diffrent types of soil's?

[Aplus 525]

Ron,

I have not used the limonlene before, so I don't know how to compare. But, in the emulsifier plus, there are chunks of what appear to be (and smell like) a citrus based product. Looking at the MSDS, there are ingrediants indicated as proprietary and not identified, but they are stated to be non hazardous. I think those proprietary ingrediants are citrus based.

What I can tell you is that when mixed with bleach, the mixture works superb. Far better than the home brew I was using before.

General grime and dirt just melts right off. Nearly every house I wash has some degree of mold or mildew on it, and the bleach removes that.

At this point I am very pleased, and have no intentions of trying something else. I have so many pails and barrels of chemicals that I have no room to try anything else right now.

[Mike Williamson 198]

Tony:

How do you apply the mix? Downstream, X-jet, pump up? What ratio of emulsifier to bleach do you use?

I may just try this stuff.

Thanks!

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Well, we had the windows from hell today. Sun room... The sides came out fine, but the sloped top... ICK!

And...they live about 5 houses away. OK. They washed the windows last year from the third story bedroom windows. They bought a home cleaning tool consisting of a pole and brush, and a solution. It's green, bubbles when shaken, smells sweet, and says "contains solvents and wetting agents". Yippee.

The top of the sun room had lots of pollen so you couldn't tell at first thre may be an issue. Rod washed it as normal, and I was inside doing ...windows. He washed, still dirty. He brushed, still dirty. He ran home and got another brush and another solution, still dirty.

Have talked to a couple people, and am hearing to try:

vinegar

a new product (she couldn't recallt he name) from Ettore

and could try soft scrub

A window company suggests the hot full sun (southern exposure) has baked the prior product into the glass. The look is like a yellowish haze. We think something should take it off... because there is a footprint on the roof from when the guys installed the automatic awning. So with enough weight, I guess it can be done, but it is on the second of three stories and drops to a newly landscaped ROCK garden. (ouch)

Help...? Suggestions?

Is it hard water and mineral deposits? Film from the solvent?

Beth

[Aplus 525]

Mike,

Espec says 2 gals emulsifier to 3 gallons bleach. I mixed as 2 gallons emulsifier, 1 gallon bleach, 2 gallons water, and xjetted it at about 1.7 - 1.

The mix worked excellent on the conditions at hand. If the mildew had been heavier, it may have been necessary to step up the bleach content.

Also, if clorine is used instead of household bleach, (12% vs. 6%) the ratio would need changed.

My opinion so far is the bleach percentage is variable based on the about of mildew present.

I would suggest tp phone epec with questions regarding other methods of application, and what the rates should be.

[Aplus 525]

Beth,

It sounds to me like a film from a previous soap or solvent. The soap from a previous cleaning may have dried and caused a situation similar to what I encountered.

If a section can be reached, try the soft scrub and see if that works. It was the last thing I expected to work, but I'm glad it did, because otherwise I would have had to order some Scum-Buster or equivalent product that is advertised to remove the film from dried soap on glass.

I find it hard to believe anything can be permanently baked into glass, from sunshine alone.

It sounds as though the hardest part is going to be access.

Tell Rod to consider this......Falling is not what hurts you....it's the sudden stop!

:D

[James 625]

Soft Scub is an abrasive and will scratch glass!!! If your a wood care guy and screw up a window. Try some of your brightner! Put on arag and rub then rinse. Or keep some BON AMI in your truck this will work also. It can be found next to Comet ....

Solariums and sun rooms with glass roofs. Collect dirt, roof run off, bleeding from rubber joints and caulk. Very difficult to clean in direct sunlight or in 90 temps. Call me before you do another Beth I'll tell how to do.

[Aplus 525]

Soft Scrub is available with different grits. The mild grit, used with a car wax applicator pad, applied by hand using adequate water, does not scratch glass. However, the rougher grit version possibly could.

That should have been pointed out...thanks James.

Makes me curious if a mild automotive rubbing compound would work?

[ron p 500]

aplus you allready deal with e-spec.

You should try 'GLASS DE-ETCH"

your supposed to use it with a buffer but ive used it with a soft towel and a lot of elbow grease.

I am now a apprentice glazer and will ask around about the very best glass cleaner-scratch remover.

[James 625]

Yes it will ( compound ) . It works well to remove oxidation from metal screens, I have cleaned windows for 17 years. Tried just agout every thing.

[Aplus 525]

Ron,

I think especs Scum Buster is more appropriate for removing dried soap film from windows....at least that's the intended use as stated in the catalog.

The glass de-etch is appropriate for glass damage caused by acid....maybe caused during a two-step process cleaning vehicles.

[James 625]

You can use Zuds and Bon Ami. Most glass restoration products have acids in them.

[STAN 14]

Glass de-etch is simply a glass polish and works well in taking subsatanses OFF the glass surfaces or even working acid pits out of glass.

If the old soap is on the surface of the glass it will work very well. If (however) the old soap solution has entered the pane then there is very little that can be done. Glass can and does have reaction to other substances or chemicals by way of heat radiation. And sun rooms are the worst because of the sun on one side and high inside temps on the other. It has been a while since I worked with this so I would ask you to see a window specialist or even a chemist who works in that field. But as little as I remember once it gets into the glass it is very NEXT to impossible to get out completly. Sorry I could not be more help.

Stan

Stanley Pressure Wash

Florence, Alabama