Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: colinyates on August 25, 2010, 07:38:32 pm

Title: silicon removal
Post by: colinyates on August 25, 2010, 07:38:32 pm
Constantly battling with the removal of silicon marks.  One guy once mentioned on this forum of two chemicals that could be mixed to combat this problem. Ive looked in the archives but nothing found.
Any of you guys able to help?
   
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: andyM on August 25, 2010, 07:45:29 pm
Have you tried a silicone remover? Available from Screwfix or DIY Store.
I haven't tried it on glass, but done a good enough job when I resealed the bath!
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: colinyates on August 25, 2010, 07:52:49 pm
Thanks but Im down in Joburg, may have to get some flown in.  Just looking for an alternative that could be made up.  You wouldnt believe the amount of mess these so called glaziers make here. Eish!!!!!
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: andyM on August 25, 2010, 07:54:58 pm
Ask a builder or plumber, im sure they will know where to get some
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: colinyates on August 25, 2010, 08:02:59 pm
Trust me AJM this is still 3rd world down here. Just cant get the stuff you guys can.
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: andyM on August 25, 2010, 08:19:54 pm
Right ive been doing a bit of googling. Seems that most Silicone Removers contain around 60% Petroleum.
The other ingredient is Sulphonic Acid, but I don't know what the hell that is  ::)
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: colinyates on August 25, 2010, 08:23:24 pm
Brilliant,  the petroleum is what i remember but the Sulphonic is a  ;) :)new one.
Thanks all the same greatly appreciated. :)
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: andyM on August 25, 2010, 08:34:19 pm
Do you think it might be Caustic Soda? This is an industrial cleaner and can dissolve grease,fats and oil based proteins. 
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: colinyates on August 25, 2010, 08:53:19 pm
Will contact my chemist mate tomorrow and find out.
Thanks again.
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: Jeff Brimble on August 25, 2010, 09:12:50 pm
Colin get some plain cornflour or baby talc and apply liberally with 0000 grade wire wool, it works !
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: mark mann on August 25, 2010, 09:23:35 pm
oh crikey i removed strips of it off the pane other day (whilst wet) with my pocket scraper.

was this a no no?
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: Spruce on August 25, 2010, 09:33:45 pm
Constantly battling with the removal of silicon marks. One guy once mentioned on this forum of two chemicals that could be mixed to combat this problem. Ive looked in the archives but nothing found.
Any of you guys able to help?
 

Hi

There is a hardware store in Honeydew called Ferreiras.
At one time they had everything for the building trade. Telephone No 011 - 795 3733.
Address Cnr Beyers Naud Drive & Juice Street, Honeydew.

I don't know anyones name now - just give them a ring.

Spruce
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: colinyates on August 25, 2010, 09:59:34 pm
Constantly battling with the removal of silicon marks. One guy once mentioned on this forum of two chemicals that could be mixed to combat this problem. Ive looked in the archives but nothing found.
Any of you guys able to help?
 

Hi

There is a hardware store in Honeydew called Ferreiras.
At one time they had everything for the building trade. Telephone No 011 - 795 3733.
Address Cnr Beyers Naud Drive & Juice Street, Honeydew.

I don't know anyones name now - just give them a ring.

Spruce
Hi Sruce I was in Ferreiras yesterday our workshop is just down the road in Laser Park, they have nothing there.
Are you based in Joeys?
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: colinyates on August 25, 2010, 10:03:21 pm
Colin get some plain cornflour or baby talc and apply liberally with 0000 grade wire wool, it works !
Cheers Jeff, just one problem I cant get 0000 wire wool here but I will definetly get some sent over.  I have a delivery of kit coming in the next 2 weeks.
Can you advise were to buy?
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: colinyates on August 25, 2010, 10:07:22 pm
Constantly battling with the removal of silicon marks. One guy once mentioned on this forum of two chemicals that could be mixed to combat this problem. Ive looked in the archives but nothing found.
Any of you guys able to help?
 
cheers Spruce our workshop is just down the road. I was actually there yessterday but they have nothing for this problem.
When did you live here?

Hi

There is a hardware store in Honeydew called Ferreiras.
At one time they had everything for the building trade. Telephone No 011 - 795 3733.
Address Cnr Beyers Naud Drive & Juice Street, Honeydew.

I don't know anyones name now - just give them a ring.

Spruce
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: richard jagger on August 25, 2010, 10:08:22 pm
HI Collen yates Hoe gaan did in Joies my Broer ?
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: pure tech on August 25, 2010, 10:10:18 pm
Oil Flo 141 is good on silicone and a lot more.
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: richard jagger on August 25, 2010, 10:12:07 pm
Spruce are you from Joberg S A ?
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: Mike_G on August 25, 2010, 10:22:10 pm
Are you trying to remove loads off it or just the odd bit here and there? If its just small bits use a micro fibre cloth and rub like hell the friction will burn away the silicon.
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: colinyates on August 25, 2010, 10:41:49 pm
Loads of the stuff, messy workers here. Just done a normal clean on offices and the stuff is all over. Guy wants a quote to remove it.
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: colinyates on August 25, 2010, 10:43:56 pm
HI Collen yates Hoe gaan did in Joies my Broer ?
Been here 28 years and still cant speak the lingo. only Lancashire.
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: colinyates on August 25, 2010, 10:46:21 pm
Oil Flo 141 is good on silicone and a lot more.

Thanks, Can you advise where to buy?
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: pure tech on August 25, 2010, 11:52:22 pm
It is available from many suppliers including Cleaning Spot. I carry a very small spray bottle of it (50ml) in my pouch.
Spray then rub with a cloth or maybe a non scratch pad.
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: Jeff Brimble on August 26, 2010, 04:48:36 pm
Colin get some plain cornflour or baby talc and apply liberally with 0000 grade wire wool, it works !
Cheers Jeff, just one problem I cant get 0000 wire wool here but I will definetly get some sent over.  I have a delivery of kit coming in the next 2 weeks.
Can you advise were to buy?
Its widely available in the uk ask whoever your getting kit off to put a couple of bags in as a favour, if you can get 000 over there that will also do. About £3 a pack.Blading the worst off is ok as long as you aint scratched any of the glass, always use blades wet and sharp.
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: Spruce on August 26, 2010, 06:45:05 pm
Spruce are you from Joberg S A ?

Hi
I was born there, and now live in the UK near Middlesbrough. We had a house in Sonneglans, Randburg not far from Northgate Shopping Centre. Ferriera's was a very good hardware outlet 15 years ago. Could never understand why they built the place miles out in the sticks. But as Joburg has grown it now appears to be in the centre of things. Ferrieras was also one of our biggest sales outlets for power tools. I guess that silicon was not used that much in house building 15 years ago, as windows where made of steel and the glass was fixed in with putty and only painted months after it had dried. Putty was easy to get off glass.

For those suggesting wire wool - you probably have no idea about the standard of labour skills available in SA. It wouldn't take long for the glass to end up 'frosted', hence the reason why Colin has asked for a chemical cleaner as this is less likely to cause damage to the glass they are cleaning.

Spruce
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: Jeff Brimble on August 26, 2010, 07:10:47 pm
Your absolulutely right Spruce, I have no idea etc. never been there.  But I doubt that even a moron could scratch glass with 000/0000 wire wool.
- but if there is sand on the glass then thats different ?
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: Spruce on August 26, 2010, 08:43:44 pm
Your absolulutely right Spruce, I have no idea etc. never been there.  But I doubt that even a moron could scratch glass with 000/0000 wire wool.
- but if there is sand on the glass then thats different ?

Hi Jeff,

Sorry, when I re-read my reply about 000/0000 wire wool and the general labour skills, it seemed a little harsh. I never meant it the way it was written. I wasn't demeaning your suggestion at all, as I have the utmost respect for your many years of practical experience.

We always joked that if a semi skilled labourer ended up in solitary confinement and was given two 6" solid steel balls, within a month he would loose one and break the other.  ;D ;D ;D. I am pretty sure that Colin won't be doing the job himself. Its just such a different world out there.

I see there is an agent selling WFP through Gardiners. I wonder how well the slx's are lasting?

Cheers, Spruce
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: Jeff Brimble on August 26, 2010, 09:01:48 pm
Your absolulutely right Spruce, I have no idea etc. never been there.  But I doubt that even a moron could scratch glass with 000/0000 wire wool.
- but if there is sand on the glass then thats different ?

Hi Jeff,

 I never meant it the way it was written.
I never took it the way it was written, no probs  :)
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: rg1 on August 26, 2010, 09:28:54 pm
Use solvent to clean pvc.
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: Jeff Brimble on August 26, 2010, 09:42:16 pm
Colin and Africa is ringing a bell, Colin did we have a bit of banter a good few years ago ?
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: Spruce on August 26, 2010, 09:49:04 pm
Use solvent to clean pvc.

They don't have UPVC window frames in SA nor double glasing in 99.9% of buildings.
Spruce
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: Jeff Brimble on August 26, 2010, 09:59:17 pm
Wow heaven  ;D glass that sheets  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: colinyates on August 27, 2010, 10:55:18 am
Thanks Guys for all your imput. Spruce Been here a long time and have clients in Soneglans.  Yeh these people can certainly brake things as you said, the saying no brainer certainly applies here ;D
The Gardiners distributor is me www.windowgleam.co.za I supply poles hose and reels etc but build Ro,s from UK and SA parts. Get pumps from China which I have to say are brilliant at a fraction of the Uk price.
I am now building stainless steel tanks with the 40x40 and pumps attached.
Had to do this due to a lack of good plastic tanks. Can only get  round ones and they take to much space up.
Jeff we usually get sheeting on the old glass which IMHO is brilliant compared to the new stuff. In saying that lots of my customers have aliminium or wooden frames which eliminates a lot of spotting compared to the old steel frames.

I will probably be over in October for my partners son,s wedding wouldnt mind meeting you Jeff and milking some of that experiance from you, its worth a pint.
Will be ordering the 0000 wire wool with our next shipment along with the oil flo 40.  I will post the results in a few weekls of both applications.

Thanks again

Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: Spruce on August 27, 2010, 01:24:44 pm
Hi Colin
I would presume that the only WFP cleaning market is commercial. How do those ali frames react to WFP? Can't see any possibity of residential.
Spruce
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: colinyates on August 27, 2010, 07:19:44 pm
Spruce. 90% of my business is domestic.  I do a large golf estate with + - 700 houses and only do approx 160.  The domestic market is quite lucrative.
You now may consider coming back.
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: Spruce on August 27, 2010, 09:56:03 pm
Hi Colin
Wrong side of 60 I am afraid. Medical aid would be extremely expensive - I loved it over there, but the misses hated the place. Security was her main issue. She worked for Dulux on the technical side and more and more of her work involved going into Soweto township, which was a no no. We have had friends who have never been 'touched' in the last 20 years, but who are still on 'tender hooks' everyday wondering if today is the day. Then we had our MD of Bosch in Jhb who had his Audi taken off him at gun point so many times he lost count; the same with his home.
At Bosch we had 12 staff cars in our underground parking at one time that had all been involved in hijackings and were waiting for CID fingerprinting. (We ran a fleet of Toyota Corrollas as rep cars. If a bank robbery was being planned then they would hijack a few cars of the same model in different colours and swop the number plates around. After the job was done, we always got a phone call telling us which parking arcade the car was parked in and what the no of the plates were and where they had put the keys, but we had to pay the parking fee. Only ever got one back with damage to it, although our first finger was pointed at the rep. In the end we used to get a new set of number plates made, put them onto the car and then sent the rep on his way. The CID very really came so we didn't bother anymore.)

I am quite surprised to hear about the domestic estate you have. Spanish bars were becoming more popular years ago, and nearly every home has electric fencing, security gates, vicious dogs and armed response burglar alarms. And you then had to compete with the OC who cleaned the windows as part of her job.

This golf estate must be in a security zone for you to clean then.

Spruce
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: richard jagger on August 28, 2010, 02:22:21 pm
Spruce you have just remindered me why I moved to the U K. Basket case SA. Rapist for a President who had sex a aids victom. NO thanks.
Title: Re: silicon removal
Post by: A & J Owen Window Cleaning on August 29, 2010, 06:36:48 pm
i know you can steam it off mate used me steamer when i did the bathroom got some on glass came off fab