DavidX

pubs Leaded lights smoke glass windows?
« on: March 24, 2006, 04:04:11 pm »
Hi everyone. I got one pub with leaded lights window. One I already cleaned for £60 :D who wants it cleaned every three weeks and one to give a quote on monday.
The problem is, It is bloody hard work cleaning leaded light windows with my blade >:( which do not dry it very so I I try to dry the windows with my scrim but it smudges also the outside small square frame windows [ too many for my liking ] :o is not a problem but the inside smudges. Anyway it did not go down well with the landlady. The pub I am gonna give a quote on monday is similar sort of pub who want it cleaned every week. Do you window cleaners do this kind of pub? do you have any advice that can help me out or do I not bother doing these pubs. The only problem is, most modern pubs with proper window are all taken. >:(

MNWC

  • Posts: 1549
Re: pubs Leaded lights smoke glass windows?
« Reply #1 on: March 24, 2006, 04:28:23 pm »
Dave
I used to clean a few pubs but these were georgian
 the princable is just the same though......use plenty of elbow grease  ;D

We used to spray with a water spray bottle first using a mix of water a small amount of fairy liquid and about a capfull of meths
this was sprayed onto the window rubbed in with a wet microfibre cloth and the polished off with a dry microfibre cloth.

Like i said its hard work but gets nicotene off a treat  ;)


Ian_Giles

  • Posts: 2986
Re: pubs Leaded lights smoke glass windows?
« Reply #2 on: March 24, 2006, 04:38:18 pm »
Yep, done plenty like this over the years.

If they haven't been done for a long time then they are going to be gopping, real manky.
If they are almost sticky to the touch they are that bad then take the sleeve off your applicator, squeeze it out and use it like a sponge...you have more control and can get into the nooks and crannies better this way.

First time off there is nothing for it but to grin and bear it, it's a long process to get them right, but it's worth it on repeat visits.

Thoroughly wash the windows with a soapy sleeve in your hand (not the one your arm is through ;D)
Squeegee off as best you can, then go over with a scrim drying it off as best you can.
Go to the next window and repeat the process.

Do as many of them as you can without inconveniencing the pub customers (if the pub is open that is) then go back to the first one.

Use a sprayer with either a GG3/4 solution, an unger liquid solution diluted down, or something like Tesco's own brand window clean spray (don't waste your money on the more expensive Mr Muscle or other big name brands).
Give the glass a good misting buff over with a fresh scrim (though at this point I would now be using a large microfibre cloth).
Do a couple more windows.
On the washing stage, and this first buffing stage don't try to go for a perfect finish.
Go back for a third time and lightly mist the glass, and with clean microfibre (or scrim) take your time and buff up to the final finish.

On repeat cleans (fortnightly or weekly preferably) all you should need to do is give a light misting and buff clean with a microfibre (or scrim)

Washing and squeegeeing leaded rarely works very well, soapy water will always collect around the edges of the lead and is always difficult to get right, particularly in pubs.

If you can charge extra for a first time clean on the insides then great, but if not, just bite the bullet and do it the long way.

you will rarely get a perfect finish with internal leaded glass in pubs, if the pub gets a lot of direct sunlight on the glass it will show up your work.
But they'll have to look close to see it.

Have fun!

Ian

Ian. ISM CLEANING SERVICES

DavidX

Re: pubs Leaded lights smoke glass windows?
« Reply #3 on: March 24, 2006, 04:58:56 pm »
Cheers Ian  :-*

KJG

  • Posts: 293
Re: pubs Leaded lights smoke glass windows?
« Reply #4 on: March 24, 2006, 06:44:55 pm »
There of lots of products to get nicotine off glass but the oldest method and still the best is ammonia. Just put a tea-cup full into a 3rd full bucket of hot water - no soap. Dunk a swap or a rough cloth into it, ring it out but have it fairly wet and wash the glass with it. It'll strip the nicotine straight off then just leather and scrim as normal.

If you can squeegee anything there, use the same formula but add some fairy to water. Piece of cake.

Oops, nearly forgot. Don't have the ammo bucket inside. It can whiff a bit :'(

Sir Squeaky

  • Posts: 8341
Re: pubs Leaded lights smoke glass windows?
« Reply #5 on: March 24, 2006, 06:49:47 pm »
Can't go wrong with Ian's method above, although I'd probably do it slighly simpler myself, and not use the squeegee.

Ian, you wrote a whole manuscript without mentioning Brush-on-a-stick!
Well done! ;D

Ian_Giles

  • Posts: 2986
Re: pubs Leaded lights smoke glass windows?
« Reply #6 on: March 24, 2006, 07:07:23 pm »
Huh, You couldn't go two lines without mentioning it ;D

With regards the squeegee on the inside of the leaded though;
I would only use it to get off the excess water, and then to use the scrim to tidy up.

Ian
Ian. ISM CLEANING SERVICES

Re: pubs Leaded lights smoke glass windows?
« Reply #7 on: March 24, 2006, 07:08:33 pm »
From tomorrow, Jocks need not read this post!

carl stanton

  • Posts: 814
Re: pubs Leaded lights smoke glass windows?
« Reply #8 on: March 24, 2006, 07:47:28 pm »
in response to ian, and the window spray! i found that use a strong mix of car windowscreen solution is
1 better and you can weeken or strengthen it
2 its alot cheaper
you can add rinse aid if want, not sure if it helps, new idea!!
if you are really brave maybe some acetone, stuff the wife uses for her bloooming nails!! :P but and i say BUT it is strong and stinks and it could harm paintwork maybe so look into it

AuRavelling79

  • Posts: 23612
Re: pubs Leaded lights smoke glass windows?
« Reply #9 on: March 24, 2006, 10:27:54 pm »
It's an investment for the future - when the pubs go smoke-free itll be even easier! ;D

(I do a security cabin and have done for six years - two years ago they banned smoking - hooray! - and the job is much easier now!)
It's a game of three halves!

Ian_Giles

  • Posts: 2986
Re: pubs Leaded lights smoke glass windows?
« Reply #10 on: March 25, 2006, 10:57:01 am »
I agree about the windscreen washer solution too, I've used that in the past, buy it in 5l containers from either Kwik Save or Somerfield. Very cheap indeed.

But using the specialist window cleaning solutions from the likes of Unger, the makers of GG3/4, Ettore and so on is just as good.
The problem with the windscreen sulution is that awful blue dye they use to colour it....why?? I found that really annoying >:(
The windcreen solution is also good to put in a sprayer (heavily diluted of course) and to use on internal office glass, mist the windows and squeegee off afterwards.

Very little mess; offices are usually non smoking and apart form the odd finger smudge you have to rub off I have found this a great way to do this kind of work.

Though now I just use Unger solution in my sprayer.

Rinse aid is good too, but you don't want to many different chemicals in your solution, and you need to be careful one won't cancel the other out!

Acetone in the concentrations you would need would leave you as high as a kite ::) I find that stuff bad enough when I have to get the nail polish of my finger and toe nails.....

I have a daughter that thinks it's a hoot to paint them when I fall asleep in the chair of an evening, particularly if I've been out and come home with a skinful on board 8)
This can be really embarrassing during the summer months when you have sandals on.
You blearily wake up in the chair, stagger off upstairs to bed, gritty eyed you awaken in the morning, it's 5am and you are not looking at your hands or your feet.....
After you have done an hour or two of work, and you are standing in a queue waiting to collect the money from whatever shop you have cleaned you look down at your feet and finally notice you have lovely pink nails :o :o
You are further shocked when you hand over the invoice and see your fingernails have also been painted :o :o
Embarrassment levels are now running at maximum but you are slightly distracted from them as you are now also praying that when you rush back to the van and check out your face in the mirror you will find that you still have your eyebrows :'( :'(

Bloody daughters >:(
I reckon half my customers think I'm a trannie :-[

I'm sorry, I digressed...I do that a lot ;D

Tar encrusted pub windows are a real pain, but soapy water, whether from specialist liquids or fairy liquid will all do the job, but you do need to do it in a couple of stages.
Squeaks was the one who pointed out to me just how cheap the Tesco own brand window cleaning solution is, and how quickly it evaporates too.

I will try all sorts to help my life be a little easier, but for that final finish I have so far found nothing that is markedly better than the tesco one.


Ian
Ian. ISM CLEANING SERVICES

carl stanton

  • Posts: 814
Re: pubs Leaded lights smoke glass windows?
« Reply #11 on: March 25, 2006, 11:35:57 am »
erm..... i kina think i got what the heck you are on about urm......
i think  ??? ???  ??? :P i should imagine you look soooooo pretty in pink maybe you could try a bright lime green polish it would grab the staff attention @ the shops then they may pay you quicker, and therefor it is time efficient
you freek! ;D
 any way yes pub windows/ smokey windows do take time and work i think thats the point we are on about, off to tesco then! 8)