[texas girl]

Hey handsome window cleaners:

Having been in business for 25 years, I have been faced with a little of everything to clean off of windows.

Oxidation is very common.

Did you know that glass is actually a pourous substance that absorbs certain elements?

In Texas, we have a lot of heat: hence the glass while it is hot will absorb freely the hard chemicals from water. Almost everyone that get's their windows cleaned has a sprinkling system.

The glass absorbs a lot more than is realized.  Have you ever cleaned off that artificial snow after it has been on glass for a month with the sun on it every day?

I charge 4 times the normal charge to get it off. Mineral deposit stains:

The best treatment;

Vinegar straight mixed with some soap scum remover (limeaway, etc; they are all pretty much the same), and a bit of liquid dish detergent for spreading reasons.

Spray it on first; let it soak; scrape  off what is left; wash really good;, squeegee, then wash again with regular formula: squeegee. That should get it.

Worst case; hydrochloric acid (heavilly diluted) be careful; same system.

Over here most of the new houses have windows that consist of 2 panes of glass pressed together to provide a bit of insulation.

The problem is that because of the elements( especially the hot sun), the seal breaks around the edge of the glass, and condensation forms in between the panes, and the windows cloud up.

Unfortunately, the only remedy is replacement. My own home that is only 5 years old, has had 5 windows replaced. 

It is a problem when window warranties are only 1-5 years.

I alway's point out to my client the one's that are clouding up so that if there is a warranty; maybe they can get it replaced.

Interesting, huh?

Hugs, Texas Girl

[karlosdaze]

Debbie, have you had the leather sofa stuck to the window yet? I had another one the other day. Since your climate is similar to Spains, I wondered if you had encountered this strange occurrence yet?

[texas girl]

Karlos;

No; never had that yet. Wow! How did that happen?

[Ian_Giles]

Gods Debbie, hydrochloric acid
I don't think I'd know how to get hold of that over here, but there are products that have a dilute acid solution, I haven't used the window cleaning version of the stuff, but on buiding sites there is one that is used to get cement off brick and stonework, I presume it must be very similar to the one us window cleaners can use to get rid of limescale build up on windows, at a certain strength I presume the acid will disolve the lime in either the cement or the lime that has built up on the glass, but not damage either the stone/brickwork/windowframes.

The seals on double glazed units go over here too, nothing you can do except replace the panes that have gone

Ian

[D G Windows]

I tried building a window cleaning round in texas debbie in Fortworth, I did alright but then had to fly back, bummer Not many Residential want it though and if they did it was like every 4 months.

[rosskesava]

Hi Debbie

Can you give me any household product's name or type or trade name that contains hydrochloric acid?

When I left school I did a toolmakers apprenticeship and to earn extra cash because apprentice wages were so low, I had a Saturday job in the same factory cleaning toilets.

Lovely job that was - cleaning toilets used all week by god knows how many people. One of the 'sprays' I used to clean urinals etc was hydrochloric acid and it disolved almost anything mineral type which, to put it bluntly, is in urine.

I may be off track here but I'm wondering ..................

Cheers

Ross

[texas girl]

DG,

Yes; the demand over here for monthly window cleaning is non-exsistent,, so the trick is to have lots and lots of clients.

I have hundreds of clients and get cold  calls all the time. When a person pays 2 or 3 hundred dollares to get their windows cleaned, it is usually every 6 months.

It is bit more intrusive also, in that there are screens; stains; you are looking at at least 2-3 hours minimum.

It takes time, but I like being paid very well.

Hugs,

Texas Girl 

[texas girl]

Ian,

 Yes, Hydrochloric acid!  I know it sounds trecherous, and you need safety gloves/ glasses/ long sleeves; but I have used it in very extreme cases.

Always as a last resort.  It is even dangerous storing it; I store mine inside a thick bucket (still in gallon container). 

I place it in a spray container; the kind that bug sprayers use. I do not like to use it, but on 5 or 6 occassions when the oxidation was so bad it actually made an extra layer on the glass, It was the only thing that got it.

You do have to beware the strength; very diluted. It can damage frames and ledges.

We can buy it in the local window cleaning supplies store.

Hey; That is a large beer mug! How many of those do you drink after a long day?

Hugs

[Ian_Giles]

Thats a mans beer mug that is
That's one good thing about Germany, they serve their beer in 'proper glasses'
I of course don't consume vast quantities of lager in enormous German steins But only because they don't serve our beer & lager in them in our pubs

Ian

[texas girl]

Ross,

I will do some research about some products.  I will let you know if I find something. Sory it took a while for me to respond. 

Hugs,  Texas Girl

[Shrek]

Hey handsome window cleaners:

Hello

Having been in business for 25 years, I have been faced with a little of everything to clean off of windows.

Oxidation is very common.

Did you know that glass is actually a pourous substance that absorbs certain elements?

In Texas, we have a lot of heat: hence the glass while it is hot will absorb freely the hard chemicals from water. Almost everyone that get's their windows cleaned has a sprinkling system.

The glass absorbs a lot more than is realized.  Have you ever cleaned off that artificial snow after it has been on glass for a month with the sun on it every day?

I charge 4 times the normal charge to get it off. Mineral deposit stains:

The best treatment;

Vinegar straight mixed with some soap scum remover (limeaway, etc; they are all pretty much the same), and a bit of liquid dish detergent for spreading reasons.

Spray it on first; let it soak; scrape  off what is left; wash really good;, squeegee, then wash again with regular formula: squeegee. That should get it.

I will try this

Worst case; hydrochloric acid (heavilly diluted) be careful; same system.

Over here most of the new houses have windows that consist of 2 panes of glass pressed together to provide a bit of insulation.

It's called double glazing

The problem is that because of the elements( especially the hot sun), the seal breaks around the edge of the glass, and condensation forms in between the panes, and the windows cloud up.

Unfortunately, the only remedy is replacement. My own home that is only 5 years old, has had 5 windows replaced. 

Replacement of seals?

It is a problem when window warranties are only 1-5 years.

I alway's point out to my client the one's that are clouding up so that if there is a warranty; maybe they can get it replaced.

Interesting, huh?

Yes thank you

Hugs, Texas Girl

Right back at cha sweetcheeks

[W.booler]

She'll be drawing her pension now   

[Tosh]

Ross,

I will do some research about some products.  I will let you know if I find something. Sory it took a while for me to respond. 

Hugs,  Texas Girl

We're still waiting.

Shrek is still sat on his hand trying to keep it numb, he hasn't moved in 11 years.

[Shrek]

Lmao , I was actually using the search button to find a remedy to remove hard water stains (baked on stuff really bad!)

And little miss Texas pops up , come back to the forum Debbie 

[Tosh]

She's got a couple of dream assets there, the thought you dream about, when you're alone, at night, in bed.

 

[rosskesava]

Drool dribble dribble......

[Smurf]

My wife sometimes forgets to put her bra on first so ends up with them in her knickers instead.
Not a pretty site I can tell you… Oh the joys of getting old I suppose 

[rosskesava]

I can't work out how I am shown in the present as a guest back in 2005 but not now?

I have to admit, Debbie was a ray of sunshine on this forum.

[andyM]

Is that Debbie from Dallas?

[Tosh]

That's double DD Debbie from Downtown Dallas.