Bad windows

[Jeff 232]

I've been doing a bunch of banks (18)for the past 2 1/2+ years. Just recently the windows havent been coming out great They always have before and I still am using 12% & dawn and I also tried 12% & citra clean with same so so results. Now not all the windows are coming out bad but some and we are rinsing real well and not letting anything dry on windows

Any Ideas why after all this time I start having problems. Could it be the windows just need cleaning after all this time. clean the buildings every 6 months could it be my solution over time leaving a build up that cant really be seen until the next cleaning?????????????????????????????????????

JL

[PRESSURE PACKED 14]

Could Be The Sprinklers.. If That Bldg Is Fairly New It Could Have Taken This Long For The Sprinklers To Mess Them Up

[James 625]

Agitate them with a brush then rinse. The grime on windows is different than on the building. Or should I say the way glass holds and collects grime is different. I brush all glass and rinse.

[zapp 72]

Try the RPC rinse aid in your mix, but like James said brush them then rinse..

[PressurePros 249]

I third brush and rinse.

[Jarrod 22]

I fourth the brush & rinse thing. When we brush windows on our fleets, they turn out great.

Jeff, are you washing with D.I. water?

[bforbis 14]

Jeff,

I have used a product for polishing glass. It is a micro fine powder and really cuts through any residue. I realize this is not what you have estimated for, and it does require hand buffing......but if you need something that will cut through about any residue, I use this product.

I did a house a couple of weeks ago that had really large plate glass windows and they remarked that they could not tell there was any glass in the frame.

[Jeff 232]

This next go around with the banks, I'll be brushing them, Thanks ALL

Im not happy how this very good customers windows look so I'll put extra effort into it

Thanks

JL

[Dan Stapleton 14]

Jeff,

I have used a product for polishing glass. It is a micro fine powder and really cuts through any residue. I realize this is not what you have estimated for, and it does require hand buffing......but if you need something that will cut through about any residue, I use this product.

I did a house a couple of weeks ago that had really large plate glass windows and they remarked that they could not tell there was any glass in the frame.

What is the product if you don't mind? I've been trying to remove overspray from housewash on my new truck's windows. I've gotten one reply in another section of this forum. Thanks.

[PressurePros 249]

Dan, they make glass polishing compounds or any fine micro abrasive would probably work. Auto store.

[Don L 14]

Hey Jeff,

You are probably dealing with a degree of what is called "corrosion".There are 3 grades of this ,caused by chemicals residue,but more commenly caused by runoff from the building,or hard water.This could be simply rain,or ,as suggested,sprinklers.

I don't know how you are cleaning the windows,but if you are using window cleaning tools,you should feel a drag on your tools.Does it look like you didn't clean it right after you cleaned it?If these are so ,you are dealing with,at least,stage 1 corrosioin.The suggestions for brushing are probably valid,with all due respect for the advocates of this method,I would suggest a chemical solution,that would completely restore the glass surface.It is called Crystal Clear 550.I buy it through http://www.racenstein.com/ I bought a gallon 4 yrs ago and have plenty left.It is 1 application with 0% dwell time,then clean the window.If you have any questions you may call me @315.549.8448,or simply post on the board,and I will follow up.lol... By the way,I suggest that you lose the dawn.Find Parsons Sudsy ammonia,mix 6 oz with 4-5 gal of h2o.Play with the mix,it is dependant upon water hardness...etc.Mix it to the point that the squgee smoothly glides on the glass.Dawn is a heavy soap,too much and you will leave plenty behind.Let me know if this is any help.

[Dan Stapleton 14]

Dan, they make glass polishing compounds or any fine micro abrasive would probably work. Auto store.

Thanks, Ken. I got a few more bites in the auto section too. I kind of diverted my thinking from polishing compounds when I tried my Jewelers rouge and it did'nt work. Enviroscam has some glass de etch that is basically the same thing. I'll try the glass compounds. Thanks.

[James 625]

Hey. I developed a method many years ago before now !!! To get rid of stufff!!! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

[blackjack21 14]

Thanks, Ken. I got a few more bites in the auto section too. I kind of diverted my thinking from polishing compounds when I tried my Jewelers rouge and it did'nt work. Enviroscam has some glass de etch that is basically the same thing. I'll try the glass compounds. Thanks.

Dan,

Enviroscam? Are you referring to Envirospec? I have seen a lot of negative comments about this co. I've never shopped there and now I'm hesitant; why the bad rap?

Blackjack

[VanDiesel99 14]

Bad service, bad quality goods, ripoff artists

[karlosdaze 14]

A good scraper used correctly will get rid of most build up, but that means actually going up there - thats a different job completely.

[Tim McCulla 14]

All good suggestions. Be carfull with the CC 550 (crystal clear). READ READ READ the instructions. you can really do some damage, but if used properly it is a great product.

Also, I was thinking that if the bank spends the money for you to power wash - do you think they also have a contract with a window cleaner? I bet they do - maybe try to clean just before his visit.

[James 625]

I always inspect the condition of the windows before I wash. This way you can see if it's your rinsing is at fault.

[Integrity Curb Appeal 64]

It would be worth asking the client if they have a noticed a change in the glass and when. If they do have window cleaners, they could have caused this problem.

[Sparkleman 19]

Dont confuse glass corrosion with hard water spots or possibly oxidation!

2 totally different things,all water spots are in relief on the glass,although oxidation is quite common it has nothing to do with corrosion,thats partly a BIG misconception.

Glass Corrosion takes place in an IG unit (insulated glass unit) not on the surface or..outside of the glass.

Corrosion will only take place on dual pane IG units not single pane glass.A faulty or bad seal in a unit is the result of glass corrosion time,temperture & stagnant enviroment is what causes it NOTHING else.

As for CC-550 a "hydrofluoric acid" be careful its nasty stuff and you run the risk of permanently damaging the glass by using it.

I'll explain more in depth later on so..everyone is up to speed!

[Chris 14]

If you decide to use acids like cc550 I would definitely try Saferestore first. I've used both and the Saferestore is much easier and safer to use and gets great results. CC550 can only be applied once and then never again, although it does work great when nothing else will.

[Njones 14]

Sorbo do a hard water stain remover, if this is the problem. But again, you'd need to get up there to do the job,.. and it can be very time consuming.

[Sparkleman 19]

If you decide to use acids like cc550 I would definitely try Saferestore first. I've used both and the Saferestore is much easier and safer to use and gets great results. CC550 can only be applied once and then never again, although it does work great when nothing else will.

One thing i'd like to point out is...Safe-Restore is an "Excellent" product many uses very versatel. Plus it's safe for all glass partly because its a "hydrochloric acid"CC-550 or commonly known as "hydrofluoric acid" has it's place but..some of your info is incorrect.

It not that it cant be applied only once it's whether or not you apply it to the tin side of glass or the air side if applied to the tin side then chances are GAME OVER you could run the risk of getting whats known as "tin etch haze" the chemical reaction between the tin in the glass and the acid.

Remember ALL glass manufactured in the U.S. is "float glass" it actually floats on molten tin which migrates into one side of the substrate.

When dealing with ANY acid proper protection is important knowing what side your dealing with is the tricky part.The only sure shot way to detect the tin side is with use of a UV light which if angled correctly will throw off a grayish hue/reflection if its the air side the reflection will be clear then..it's safe to user a HF aka CC-550. Many still do a small test in the lower corner of a window to see but...that's not always a sure shot as im a firm believer that working in direct sunlight,temperture of glass & dwell time play a significant role in the severity of the etch.

Also a acid like CC-550 dissolves glass it's primarily designed to remove "Silicate Deposits" most of the time when you deal with hard water stains if any remain there is a good chance its silicate. The only,other safe option would be to polish it out with a machine like an SRP or scratch hog.

[CARLITO 14]

I've been doing a bunch of banks (18)for the past 2 1/2+ years. Just recently the windows havent been coming out great They always have before and I still am using 12% & dawn and I also tried 12% & citra clean with same so so results. Now not all the windows are coming out bad but some and we are rinsing real well and not letting anything dry on windows

Any Ideas why after all this time I start having problems. Could it be the windows just need cleaning after all this time. clean the buildings every 6 months could it be my solution over time leaving a build up that cant really be seen until the next cleaning?????????????????????????????????????

I have been doing windows for a quite a few years, But lets talk about glass is a surface like any other, Think you are look in at it in a microscope,you will picture at total different image is not flat, so when you cleaned with and acid base cleaner you are cleaning down to the finest pore, then the glass looks cleaner than ever before,but then corrosion, humidity, acid rain, bla,bla,bla. What happen those pores deep in the glass start to fill up with some other molecules later on that piece of glass looks corrode and stains start to show up.

what I have notice lower ph chemicals may clean glass while higher ph chemicals could damage the glass

Best solution for either problem polish the GLASS

The easy way to fix a minor damage is by hand,lets say you accidentally spill some hd-80 on a window and it dry out leaving a white stain while you were doing that deck, what I'm I gonna do ?

I just do not worry about I will clean it when I get a chance

How: You will need a bucket of soapy water I usually like the green dawn but you can use any dish-washer soap then get 0000 steal wool (4 zeros the finest)and start polishing that piece of glass with a little bit of elbow grease that stain is gone 2 strokes with the squeegee and that window is clean now if you want that glass to look better the new go to the auto parts store and get a wax or a polymer cleaner you can spend from 2 to 10 bucks,then polish the glass again and clean it with soapy water one more time, what you just did is put a thin film a water repellent coating (hydrophobic coating)on the glass lets some thing similar to rain-x

to answer your question if you use citra-clean, vinegar, oxi clean or any other similar cleaner you will be cleaning those windows down to the deepest pore and might look even better but after a few cleanings those windows start to corrode and you would have to polish them.

Thats why I stop using vinegar on windows 15 years ago.

But I might be wrong I'm just a window cleaner and I come up with this answer myself

Do not forget steal pads rust, make sure you use a new pad every 10 to 15 min. and put the old pads inside a plastic bag for not reason throw them away at your Client's property.

Another night, Another dime!

When did you get a raise?

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

I'll add to what Carlos posted by asking if the glass is tinted? This formulation used in tinting can be damaged by high pH solutions.

Rod!~