Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: billozz on April 02, 2006, 05:40:01 pm

Title: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: billozz on April 02, 2006, 05:40:01 pm
i have heard that it is possibl;e to rinse without lifting the brush head off the glass, can someone tell me if thius is right and how you do it please.
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: poles apart on April 02, 2006, 06:08:51 pm
I never normally rinse with the brush off the glass. Why would you?
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: AuRavelling79 on April 02, 2006, 06:16:14 pm
I tend to take the brush off simply because I have always felt there is less chance of contamination from the bristles causing a "run" down the glass. If I felt confident about it I would rather not lift the brush off to rinse because it's hard work especially at height.

Any observations from other forum members would be most welcome!
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: atoddyone on April 03, 2006, 09:45:32 pm
hi have you tryed one of gazza brushes iv just bought 2 of him and you dont have to lift brush from window works a tret  tyr him
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: H h20 on April 03, 2006, 09:50:15 pm
hi have you tryed one of gazza brushes iv just bought 2 of him and you dont have to lift brush from window works a tret  tyr him
Nice one Tony,another great result  ;D,Gaz  ;)
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: craig jwc on April 03, 2006, 09:54:18 pm
What's different about the brush from Gaz that you don't need to lift it of the glass to rince??
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: Shine, glasgow! on April 03, 2006, 10:39:26 pm
What's different about the brush from Gaz that you don't need to lift it of the glass to rince??
the bristles are crinkled not staight, therefore they stick together less , therefore hold onto the water and dirt less. vikans are bad at this in my opinion and hence the culture of rinsing off the glass and the naff soaking brush in pure water at the end of the day!!
crinkle cut, crisp results!  :P
ben
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: atoddyone on April 03, 2006, 11:06:43 pm
look all im saying is geve it a go and you wont look back  8)
there lite to ues and if you wont to rins wiht brush away from windo you can cos it so lite but when you get ues to it and get more confidant you dont have to take brush of 
regards tony  gazza super brush ps gazz is good guy just give him a call
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: ian m on April 04, 2006, 12:02:24 am
look all im saying is geve it a go and you wont look back  8)
there lite to ues and if you wont to rins wiht brush away from windo you can cos it so lite but when you get ues to it and get more confidant you dont have to take brush of 
regards tony  gazza super brush ps gazz is good guy just give him a call


I think its time we got some translation software!!!

jokes aside

I recently became a convert to the single filament brush, ie not vikan. I have found that I dont lift the brush off the glass using a salmon autobrush, I also am down to about 1 litre per minute as well so definitely better all round. suggest you all read this:
http://www.window-tools.com/window-cleaning-issues/2006/02/water-fed-pole-brushes.html
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: billozz on April 04, 2006, 07:55:02 pm
hi have you tryed one of gazza brushes iv just bought 2 of him and you dont have to lift brush from window works a tret  tyr him
Nice one Tony,another great result  ;D,Gaz  ;)

gaz can you let me know what type of brushes you sell prices etc, are they salmon, or similare'mail me if you like

absdist@aol.com
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: windows_chepstow on April 04, 2006, 08:16:15 pm
What's wrong with rinsing twice; once with the brush on the glass, once with the brush off?

Belts and braces and all that?

Sometimes I'll rinse three times. 

Draw down, bristles on the glass.
Zig-zag down the glass, bristles just touching the glass.
Zig-zag down the glass, bristles not touching the glass.

I think it depends what the glass is like (sheeting or beading), and how much time I've spent scrubbing; depends on how 'fannyish' I am with the rinsing.

Oh, and how fussy I think the customer is too!
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: poles apart on April 04, 2006, 09:37:20 pm
What's wrong with rinsing twice; once with the brush on the glass, once with the brush off?

Time and water! ::)
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: stevekennedy on April 05, 2006, 06:14:37 pm
We use Ionics brushes which claim not to hold on to the dirt. We rinse ON the glass and have had no problems
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: billozz on April 05, 2006, 07:57:17 pm
I never normally rinse with the brush off the glass. Why would you?

so what do you do differently when your'e rinsing to when your washing the glass
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: Mr. S on April 06, 2006, 10:06:04 pm
Read Peters post and am unsure!

When Ionics came and did a demo the guy rinsed with brush on the glass. OK it was a first clean, but when I returned when dry and the "SALESPERSON" gone there were what seemed to me "Brush marks and dots". Surely a rinse off the glass would alleviate this.

I do use Ionics brushes, also a Vikan as a spare(not used), and am on my first cleans, rinsing with brush off the glass, maybe this is essential for first few cleans, then on fourth or fifth clean rinse with brush on glass!

Comments please, as it is a bind rinsing this way, done 1st clean on 3 storey house today, hard work!
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: Alex Gardiner on April 07, 2006, 07:49:25 am
Despite the sales patter of some companys, you will never be able to garuantee a perfect result if you rinse with your brush on the glass, this is true whatever brush you are using.

We have been WFP'ing for 5 years and have found that in order to ensure a spot free finish every time you need to rinse 'off' the glass. This is particularly important if you are cleaning windows on the 3rd storey or higher where it is harder to see the result.

What we do on high stuff if our arms are feeling the 'burn' is to rest the edge of the brush on the pane and rinse across the window.

Alex
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: brett walker on April 07, 2006, 08:24:54 am
It would be good if one of the wfp more experienced could make a small video clip showing how to clean the window and then rinse properly

It would be a great help to beginners

such as us that have been doing it a few months we are now debating on rinsing but Alexg's post makes perfect sense

Brett
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: Morph on April 07, 2006, 08:31:25 am
I've only been wfp since October 05.  Generally I agree with the experienced AlexG here, but some of my jobs, I am finding, are now pretty clean when i go back the next time, so I don't worry about rinsing off.   My rule is becoming, if you can see the dirt/dust on the window before you start, then they will need a proper rinse off.
Remember: rinse, rinse, rinse.
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: billozz on April 07, 2006, 02:30:46 pm
It would be good if one of the wfp more experienced could make a small video clip showing how to clean the window and then rinse properly

It would be a great help to beginners

such as us that have been doing it a few months we are now debating on rinsing but Alexg's post makes perfect sense

Brett

brett, i have already asked for this in the past. alexg has said he will do just that, so hopefully we should have something to guide us wfp newbies in a little while, have to give him a bit of time tho, after all he has just become a dad.
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: Alex Gardiner on April 07, 2006, 03:13:58 pm
Thanks Bill for the reminder.

I will try to take a clip vid on Monday whilst at work. And post it on my Website with a link from this thread.

Alex
(Father of 6)
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: DASERVICES on April 07, 2006, 03:29:40 pm

  Alex,

  Have sent Kirsty mail on this subject as went to BWCA coarse yesterday so
  would like to hear your comments please.

   And there is no way I am going to catch up with you, father of 4 girls driving
   me up the wall.

   Must be all that time you have on your hands using WFP  ;D ;D
   
   Doug
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: Peter Fogwill on April 07, 2006, 11:14:25 pm
Despite the sales patter of some companys, you will never be able to garuantee a perfect result if you rinse with your brush on the glass, this is true whatever brush you are using.

I have to disagree here Alex.  Rinsing off the glass after you have cleaned the window is a waste of water, energy, and time.   Have you used all the different kinds of brushes? And if so have you tried cleaning the windows without a separate rinse?
Quote
We have been WFP'ing for 5 years and have found that in order to ensure a spot free finish every time you need to rinse 'off' the glass. This is particularly important if you are cleaning windows on the 3rd storey or higher where it is harder to see the result.

It's a bit like cleaning windows with a squeegee and applicator, before the applicator even touches the glass you know what needs to be done.  You can feel when the window is done properly whether you are looking at it or not.
Quote
What we do on high stuff if our arms are feeling the 'burn' is to rest the edge of the brush on the pane and rinse across the window.

Alex

I think of rinsing separately a bit like using a scrim on every window after you have squeegeed it, unnecessary.  I have had umpteen debates on forums over the years about scrimming windows and how much time it wastes over the day.  People think he must be leaving a mess, and carry on scrimming.  I would be asking how do you do it.  You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.

Peter Fogwill
www.window-tools.com
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: Peter Fogwill on April 07, 2006, 11:20:04 pm
Read Peters post and am unsure!

When Ionics came and did a demo the guy rinsed with brush on the glass. OK it was a first clean, but when I returned when dry and the "SALESPERSON" gone there were what seemed to me "Brush marks and dots". Surely a rinse off the glass would alleviate this.

I do use Ionics brushes, also a Vikan as a spare(not used), and am on my first cleans, rinsing with brush off the glass, maybe this is essential for first few cleans, then on fourth or fifth clean rinse with brush on glass!

Comments please, as it is a bind rinsing this way, done 1st clean on 3 storey house today, hard work!

This would have been down to the first clean.  The first clean needs more rinsing than normal, but it is much easier on your arms to rinse more with the brush on the glass.

Peter Fogwill
www.window-tools.com
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: Mr. S on April 07, 2006, 11:42:42 pm
Cheers Alexg and Peterf.

I will take on board these comments! I think ill just keep trying and see what happens, as we all know everybody has got their own way of squeeging windows so too it seems with wfp!

One question though, Is there a difference between Sheeting and Beading on the glass? What do these really mean, or is that another topic?
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: Peter Fogwill on April 08, 2006, 12:09:33 am
There are two separate techniques, one for beading windows and one for sheeting windows. 

With a sheeting window you want to cover all the glass with the brush and then run the brush quickly across the top from side to side.  Doing this the water will cascade down the window like a big wide river taking all the contaminants with it.  Because a sheeting window dries from the top down the contaminants are working the way down to the bottom of the glass as the glass dries out.

With a beading window the above method would be a waste of water.   If you did try the method for the sheeting window you would find that the water would flow down the window in lots of separate fast flowing rivers, missing lots of the beads as it goes.  What you want to do with this type of glass is break through each bead as many times as necessary, by doing this you are diluting any contaminants every time the brush passes through the bead of water.

A theory I have is if the brush is lifted off the glass to rinse the force of the water would not be as effective at breaking through a bead as the brush bristles would be, making it more effective rinsing with the brush on the glass.

Peter Fogwill
www.window-tools.com
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: billozz on April 08, 2006, 09:24:13 am
i assume then that to rinse a beading window you brush it in the same way as you would to wash it??
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: Peter Fogwill on April 08, 2006, 09:49:44 am
Yes, but if the window is regularly cleaned, by the time you have washed it you have rinsed it as well.

Peter
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: beefy on April 08, 2006, 10:20:13 am
could someone explain beading and sheeting please
i get the basics but what causes each one
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: dai on April 08, 2006, 12:46:42 pm
Beefy, it's a mystery. I have had windows that sheet perfectly on the first couple of cleans and then start to bead badly. These are the ones over the conservatories that I couldn't get to trad cleaning. These windows are on the same estate, all identical windows. Some will sheet in the middle and bead at the sides,top, bottom, what have you. I am beginning to think that weather conditions at the time can have an effect, ie temperature and sunlight. Maybe the temperature inside the building you are cleaning. I hate badly beading windows, I've even tried rinsing them using the brush in the way we use a blade, or leaving the brush on the glass and sweeping down from the top. I have also seen bits of dirt that get overtaken by the water running down and been left, on perfectly sheeting glass, especially when doing glass conservatory roofs and skylights. It's one of those thing we have to live with.
Dai
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: beefy on April 08, 2006, 01:33:02 pm
thanks dai, soon my store of knowldge about wfp will be so great i'll be forced to buy one
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: Morph on April 08, 2006, 02:56:34 pm
I asked this question a while back, about sheeting and beading.  Doesn't make much difference if i wash thoroughly, they seem to come up the same.
But yesterday I did a job where a couple of the windows reacted most unusually, I've never seen it before, but, as I did the ground floor the water settled on the window in patterns a bit like frost does, wfp crop circles!  Never seen anything like it, they dried fine.  And I haven't had any remotely illicit substances for many years! 8) ;D
Strange but true.
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: Rob_Mac on April 08, 2006, 03:59:11 pm
I dont understand why there are so few users of overbrush fan sprays?????

I have seven brushes fitted with our own self made sprays.

We clean right to the top edge of the window unit and never get over spray.

It is all about technique.

If you use the over brush fan spray you will never need to lift the brush off the window, no matter how high you go.

Rob ;D
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: Count Phil on April 08, 2006, 04:41:38 pm
So how doesyour setup work midas? do you have photos? Don't you get a problem with washing brick work above the window? Other that that it makes perfect sense. Does anyone sell over brush sprays?
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: Rob_Mac on April 08, 2006, 04:51:21 pm
There are some working photos on our website

www.midas-enterprises.co.uk

The photos dont show the overbrush fan spray very well.

One of the suppliers does do them but I feel that they are too far away from the brush, they are set on the goosekneck.

Ours are set on the top edge of the brush, just above the bristles.

No problems with over spray onto brickwork, as I said it is all about technique.

We have 600 domestic customers with no complaints.

Using this technique we have just cleaned a head office on three floors in two days, at 17 metres. No problems.

Rob ;D
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: Ian_Giles on April 08, 2006, 07:28:23 pm
I almost never rinse off the glass, can't see any point, once you know what you are doing you just don't need too.
It may be more of a problem with flock bristled brushes, ie, they are more densely packed at the tips, possibly holding more contaminants.

The Salmon brush tends to rinse very clean because of the nature of the bristles.

The glass that beads must surely have some kind of water repellent finish on them, on some windows that predominantly bead up, on the windows that open out at the bottom so that when it rains they will always get wet, often sheet up (maybe not over the entire surface though) and the vertical panes either below, to the one side or above  still bead up.
My conclusion is that the constant weathering serves to erode whatever this finish is, ergo the glass begins to sheet.

But where rinsing is concerned, I haven't found the need to rinse off the glass.

Ian
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: Paul Coleman on April 09, 2006, 12:52:28 am
I asked this question a while back, about sheeting and beading.  Doesn't make much difference if i wash thoroughly, they seem to come up the same.
But yesterday I did a job where a couple of the windows reacted most unusually, I've never seen it before, but, as I did the ground floor the water settled on the window in patterns a bit like frost does, wfp crop circles!  Never seen anything like it, they dried fine.  And I haven't had any remotely illicit substances for many years! 8) ;D
Strange but true.

Just a guess but maybe this could be from where the glass was fitted?  Sometimes suction grippers (I don't know the proper name for them) are used when installing glass to pull it into place.
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: Alex Gardiner on April 09, 2006, 08:54:15 am
Back on the subject of rinsing without lifting.

In our firm we well know that you CAN rinse without lifting and occasionaly on very tricky windows do so ourselves, however we find that in the long run we would rather garuantee a spot free finish first time so we rinse off the glass, we also find that this is just as quick as rinsing on the pane and has the advantage of being able to see where your jets are rinsing.

This however is one of those subjects where there will always be a variety of opinions just like how to best use a squeege on the glass, as long as it works for you thats the way to use.

Alex
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: Alex Gardiner on April 11, 2006, 06:19:06 pm
Hi Bill,

I have now taken a video clip of a a WFP in action on a regularly cleaned window.

This clip is about 5mb in size, if you have broadband I could email it to you, I am trying to find the easiest way of posting it on my website so that it can be viewed by all (I do not have the technical know-how yet!).

I hope that this gives you an idea of how long to spend on each window.

Alex
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: Tim Morton on April 11, 2006, 06:26:04 pm
Hi Alex, could you email it to me please?

Thanks
Tim window@spuddevans.plus.com
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: billozz on April 11, 2006, 07:30:33 pm
alex,
hi thanks for that, yes please e'mail it to

absdist@aol.com
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: Chris Cottrell on April 11, 2006, 09:05:58 pm
lets have a look too Alex .... always interested to see if anyone else does it any differently than I do :)

Chris
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: pjulk on April 11, 2006, 11:06:08 pm
Quote
This clip is about 5mb in size, if you have broadband I could email it to you, I am trying to find the easiest way of posting it on my website so that it can be viewed by all (I do not have the technical know-how yet!).
Alex

Here is a link to tell you how to put the video clip on your webpage
http://www.mioplanet.com/rsc/embed_mediaplayer.htm

Hope this helps

Paul
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: pjulk on April 11, 2006, 11:07:36 pm
Or just upload it to this website really easy
http://www.zippyvideos.com/

And paste the url in the forum it gives you

Paul
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: Alex Gardiner on April 12, 2006, 07:42:41 am
Hi Guys,

Thanks for your help Paul.

Here is the link

(http://i1.zvhost.com/1/k/k98u1i33.jpg) (http://www.zippyvideos.com/7104655894772536/wfp_liftrinse/)

Hope that this works

Alex
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: Alex Gardiner on April 12, 2006, 07:47:14 am
Yes it works!!

Just click on the picture link above

Alex
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: brett walker on April 12, 2006, 08:36:53 am
thank you alex

excellent


brett
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: Morph on April 12, 2006, 08:43:37 am
Well that's how i do it, when the customer is watching too.
When they're not I spend a bit less time and water ;)

Reassuring to know i'm doing it right.  Thanks Mr G
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: windows_chepstow on April 12, 2006, 05:12:43 pm
What's wrong with rinsing twice; once with the brush on the glass, once with the brush off?

Time and water! ::)

Good point, I'm being less 'fanyish' now, and it's a lot quicker.  It only taken me seven months to do this. 

I'm a Geordie! ;)
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: stuart webster on April 12, 2006, 05:50:12 pm
So 20 seconds, and plenty of water, dont bother with the frames?

I'm on day 3, taking longer, but not using as much water.

Thanks
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: billozz on April 12, 2006, 08:18:35 pm
great alex,
thanks
the most surpising thing for me was that you rinse down the glass not side ot side as we do
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: Easyclean Windows on April 12, 2006, 11:30:51 pm
Quote
the most surpising thing for me was that you rinse down the glass not side ot side as we do

You have to remember that the water is sheeting down so you dont really need to go side to side but both ways work when rinsing.

The tallest building i clean is 78feet so you couldnt rinse down you would have to do it side to side with the brush on the glass
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: Alex Gardiner on April 13, 2006, 07:40:54 am
I always rinse in sections down as you get the best curtain effect which helps with rinsing off, let the water do the work for you.

 You can still do this 78ft up you just tilt your brush head onto one side and use the window to support it as you rinse up and down.

Alex
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: craig jwc on April 13, 2006, 08:53:49 am
I always rinse in sections down as you get the best curtain effect which helps with rinsing off, let the water do the work for you.

 You can still do this 78ft up you just tilt your brush head onto one side and use the window to support it as you rinse up and down.

Alex

I tried rinsing like that yesterday and it was alot easier than trying to lift the pole off the glass

Craig
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: matt on April 13, 2006, 09:45:20 am
i allways rinse with from side to side working down the glass

done it that way for 2 years now

we learn something new everyday, though i havent had any complaints yet, so side to side must work ok aswell

Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: Easyclean Windows on April 13, 2006, 02:57:40 pm
i tried up and down today always done side to side to be honest i think they both do the same job rinsing is rinsing.Ive always done side to side for the last three years and never had a problem
Title: Re: rinsing without lifting brush head
Post by: pjulk on April 13, 2006, 03:44:52 pm
I do both ways really depending on how i feel but never take the brush of the glass i just tilt the brush.
The only time i take the brush off the glass is when i use my minipole downstairs.

If the window sheets well i just go across the top slowly, i have found thats all it needs

Paul