[Stu Wallace]

Hi I have got a problem with a customers windows, Every time i clean them they are left with spotting on them even tho i have now been cleaning them for 12months . I have checked my Water, Brushes etc and i have even take to cleaning them twice each time i go but still get spotting, The house is a village and away from main roads.

Any Ideas?

Thanks

[AS Window Cleaning]

Welcome noobie to the forum!

Does the glass sheet or stay in bubbles on glass? Cant remember technical term, but if doesnt sheet might need more rinsing,.

Plastic, metal or wood frames?  Spotting on the same windows or different?  It metal or metal coated can be very difficult.  You rinsing frames?

[Stu Wallace]

Hi

They a white UPVC not to old either

It seems to be all of the windows

I spend ages rinsing using the brush and the just spraying. 

[AS Window Cleaning]

what tds are you running at?  And do the windows sheet, ie does the water run off quicly, or gather in lots of droplets?

[king marko]

I get a similar problem on a conservatory window I've been doing for 6 months - the water just stays on glass, doesn't 'sheet' off
I've tried cleaning off before I start with some scrim and even some TFR but no joy
Be interesting to find out what response you get chap 

[Craig 72]

Is it just a few drops at the top of the frames or all over the glass?If it's all over it may be hard water left from something like a sprinkler and you could wfp all day long and not get good results.If it's just a few drops at the top,this is something I've just learned to accept on certain windows.There are houses in my round that leave spots at the tops regardless of how much scrubbing/rinsing I do but I've never had a call back from an unsatisfied customer.On the ground floor ones that I know are prone I give the tops a quick wipe with a scrim just for peace of mind.

[king marko]

Mine is just the top part - every month is the same, all the other windows are fine so I know my water is good (always 000)
I've tried to rub it/clean it dry but it won't shift
I accept it's the glass- the customer has never said owt

[Pope vader]

trad them, and see what happens,  or wfp and then aqueege the windows dry

[bobplum]

in my opinion some windows will never take to wfp its happened to me and i just trad this type of window

[Avo]

I agree with bob here some glass just don't wanna take to wfp No matter how much you rinse off it's something about the glass not his water.. With this on repeat offenders (glass) just squeegee it far quicker

[mark m]

in my opinion some windows will never take to wfp its happened to me and i just trad this type of window

Agreed i have one house that will never come up clean apart from 2 windows

[alanwilson]

try rinsing up to  - but not touching the top part of the frame, we've loads of windows like this and thats what we do.

[bad trippy]

Be sure to check its not limescale,if its not limescale,and its a wfp problem,then there aint really much you can do about it,it will be the black rubber seal thats at fault,as it probs is perished in a few places.
Try and splay your brush, just fractionally short of the top black seal, and rinse slightly lower also

[windiewasher]

limescale,someone has probably had hanging baskets near by,i clean a house with a conservatory that is covered is limescale from a sprinkler that sprays it when they spray there grass!

[Richard Shepherd]

To remove limescale we use 000 wire wool, regardless of how hard you scrub you won't scratch glass it just polishes it.

[Klean07]

To remove limescale we use 000 wire wool, regardless of how hard you scrub you won't scratch glass it just polishes it.

Excellent tip!!

[Avo]

To remove limescale we use 000 wire wool, regardless of how hard you scrub you won't scratch glass it just polishes it.

Interesting I saw a YouTube clip using wire wool pads stopping glass being hydrophobic and sheeting the glass after been rubbed down dose this work Richard??? This might stop his glass spotting.

[bad trippy]

To remove limescale we use 000 wire wool, regardless of how hard you scrub you won't scratch glass it just polishes it.

Where can i buy 000 wire wool?

[VSP Home Care]

Your local hardware store should sell 000 wool 

[Dave66]

yea trad it if a lower ground floor, i would'nt get the ladders out though..

[Stu Wallace]

Hi ya

 Thanks for all the advice I have been on a training course with Impact 43 in MK today and spoke to the guys there about it, and some of them said it just happening on some windows no matter what you do   

And guess what the customer phoned me 30mins ago to say they had spotted again,

So i'm going back tomorrow with fresh water TDS 000 and New Brush and lots of rising until it sheets

Wish me luck!!! 

[king marko]

Gud luck chap let us know how you get on 

[richard jagger]

Spotting on the top of glass is not necessarily lime scale as it would wash of quite easy. Its more than likely coming of the wall above the glass.Its is more than likely calcium oxide and heavy metals of the walling. This is much more difficult to remove.

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

sum glass will never sheet
its all technique really
as long as youve cleaned all the frames
n rinsed n rinsed they shud be right
if not just get on ya ladder n squeegee em
simples 

[Jeff Brimble]

HI Stu, I still get spotting on 10-15% of custys and shops, Its difficult to see pics of spots so I have highlighted them on one of my windows that is Hphobic, taken from the inside, this is with 000tds rainwater water 12 hours after drying, the spots size outlines the actual spot from large to small.



Did them late yesterday, so it could be, The frames where painted this summer in and out and are in good nick, the bits hanging down are strings from the rolled up blind. But then I have the same prob for 6 years what ever the weather.That pic is also with an additive to reduce spotting. Just done another section of the same window with a special brush I have to do a side by side comparison- if I can get similar light conditions for the pic.
Just trying to help others so thanks for not riddiculing me.
if the glass only is cleaned and not touching the frames then the spots are still there.The tds readings are correct over a 5 year span.I have covered the window with pvc covers to try to prevent dust ingress but it makes no diff, its the glass surface thats a prob and also for maybe 30 other houses and shops I clean. The dried on spots are also still visible next time I do my round.
Hope this helps Stu 

[Smudger]

Interesting post Jeff -

Have you tried anything like 'scrubbing' half the window with something like 000 wire wool
and re washed to see if that cures the problem ?

Darran

[alanwilson]

If anyone would actually listen to what I said - don't rinse the very top of the glass where it meets the seal.

Oh I give up

[Smudger]

If anyone would actually listen to what I said - don't rinse the very top of the glass where it meets the seal.

Oh I give up

HI Stu, I still get spotting on 10-15% of custys and shops, Its difficult to see pics of spots so I have highlighted them on one of my windows that is Hphobic, taken from the inside, this is with 000tds rainwater water 12 hours after drying, the spots size outlines the actual spot from large to small.



Did them late yesterday, so it could be, The frames where painted this summer in and out and are in good nick, the bits hanging down are strings from the rolled up blind. But then I have the same prob for 6 years what ever the weather.That pic is also with an additive to reduce spotting. Just done another section of the same window with a special brush I have to do a side by side comparison- if I can get similar light conditions for the pic.
Just trying to help others so thanks for not riddiculing me.
if the glass only is cleaned and not touching the frames then the spots are still there.The tds readings are correct over a 5 year span.I have covered the window with pvc covers to try to prevent dust ingress but it makes no diff, its the glass surface thats a prob and also for maybe 30 other houses and shops I clean. The dried on spots are also still visible next time I do my round.
Hope this helps Stu 

were listening Alan - !!

[Jeff Brimble]

Interesting post Jeff -

Have you tried anything like 'scrubbing' half the window with something like 000 wire wool
and re washed to see if that cures the problem ?

Darran

Cheers Darran
Yes, and no it does'nt , if you think it through any coating sinks into the substrate of the glass as its absorbent so polishing it with wire wool wont get deep down. In fact there is nothing in the known universe that will remove silicon from in deep layers of the glass. ?

[Smudger]

Good point.

So windows that have persistant problems of spotting may have imperfections rather than  being
caused by bad WFP technique....

to the best of my knowledge i dont have any windows that suffer like this - but i have had issues with
wooden frames - a 1st clean with 'raw' oak frames (not paint/varnish) these spotted like crazy - got it right 2nd time
by not touching frame only glass and on occasions wood frames tend to throw out some sort of grease/silicon residue
along the top edge of the glass which i can onlt get off by microfibre cloth.

Darran

[Stu Wallace]

Morning Guys

Thanks for all the advice.

I recleaned the windows yesterday with a brand new brush and freshly filtered water with 000 tds. I had a good look at all the windows before starting to clean them.

Most of the front windows had no major spotting but a most of the rear windows were really bad with spotting all over the glass but the conservatory windows were fine.  So recleaned the rear ones and spent ages rinising and making sure i didn't touch the top frames.

Lucky the customer is very understanding and was very impressed that i was asking you guys about the problem so much so that i got a nice Xmas tip.
   

[dazmond]

if you ve tried all the techniques and rinsed an inch from the top frame etc,etc and they still spot badly its just easier to trad them windows in future.quicker as well!wfp is a very good tool but sometimes trad is better!!use both!!

[Poles R Us]

Hi I have got a problem with a customers windows, Every time i clean them they are left with spotting on them even tho i have now been cleaning them for 12months . I have checked my Water, Brushes etc and i have even take to cleaning them twice each time i go but still get spotting, The house is a village and away from main roads.

Any Ideas?

Thanks

Give the frames a good scrub, then rinse well ,that should stop it.

[GB Window Cleaning]

sounds like hard water marks from either gargen tap & hose or "concrete cancer" from the wall above the glass getting rained on. its not your fault! if your water is 0 ppm and your using a good flow rate brushiung the entire window and rinsing well enough its simply defective glass! ive had no end like this but luckly only 1 custy cancel