Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Jonathan Spencer on September 25, 2010, 05:47:19 am
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Hi all
Sorry for starting a new thread but I was just wondering the best way of cleaning a roof (including the finails). I will be using a brush to the outside tap. My first one is going to be a practice roof (the customer is a friend).
Is it worth trying just fairy first before going down the route of Fenwicks Caravan Cleaner. Can I just dip the brush in and then brush on the roof? Or is it worth me getting a pressure sprayer?.
How do I price it up taking into account that I never done one before?
Thanks in advance. If it is easier someone can email it to me.
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Anybody?
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dip brush head in your prefferd detergent i use TFR brush it onto the roof turn water on and wash off you will always get stubburn bits you have to scrub a bit i presume washing up liquid will do it but i have vever used it as for price depends on size and how bad normally about 30 - 40 quid but for bigger real green ones more
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Get some traffic film remover and a pressure sprayer, quick pre soak. Then WFP off, dont stress dude just clean it.
Mind you in saying that about tfr, ive never used it ;D, just WFP'd it all, but i hear tfr makes it easier.
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What TFR should I use? I do not want to go and by a really big tub of it to find I do not have a big marke for it?
What about the fancy bits at the top?
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there is all sorts you can use i get what ever is available dilute it it all dos the same job soak them fancy bits get brush in as best you can spray off with hose pipe jet setting serious just do it you will work out what way suits you best
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If your dong it for a friend, just WFP it and see how you get on. Like i said thats what i do. Never used chemical.
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im trad only and heres how i do it ,with a 6-9ft pole+swivel 10"pulex microtiger scrubber . i have a full bucket of fairy/water plus a LOBBY BRUSH (BnQ)
1- wet roof ,
2- place small ladder against side and climb up about 4 rungs and scrub 2roof panels at a time with the scrubber ,keep dipping the scrubber into my bucket so its wet while staying on ladder
3- dip the LOBBY BRUSH (which is now screwed onto end of the same pole) into bucket and use this on the fiddly top bits on the peak of the roof . my lobby brush has a bit of sponge jammed in between the bristles which takes water up to help aid the clean .
4-rinse off with a quick spray of customers hose
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Use a strong mix of your preferred detergent and water in a trigger spray. Spray it on a few panels at a time and let it soak for a minute. Use your brush to clean everything up. Worked fine for me this week. :)
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Agree with the above Jonathan for a pvc roof. With glass ones if you use the customer's tap water to rinse off you will get residue on the roof once it dries. Particularly in my area (south east). You could try and blade it to get a finish but it's not easy.
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Fenwicks Caravan Cleaner works very well for these jobs. The main advantage is that you can buy a small quanitity from your nearest Halfords to try it for yourself.
Customers hose connection for initial clean and first rinse/
Finish off with usual WFP and Pure Water to avoid spotting etc.
John
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sometimes you wont need any chemicals at all - just depends how dirty it has become....
aslong has you have a wfp and a good water pressure, then that can be enough for the job sometimes.
i always find the most filthy bit is the end lip of the roof that near enough is in the guttering (hope that makes sense) just a simple pair of steps and a wet microwipe is good for those little bits ....
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Not got WFP and the first one I will be doing is polycarbonate so should be no problem with spotting/streaking.
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Soap national sell an online soap dispenser by unger for £15, but tour detergent in that, no need to mess about with buckets, that's how I've always done roofs
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Not got WFP and the first one I will be doing is polycarbonate so should be no problem with spotting/streaking.
you dont need a wfp system, just a pole - plug it into the customers outside tap - it will do a much better job than by hand.
you can get a cheap wfp pole from most suppliers - just a cheap fibre glass pole will do. say around £70.
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water and a brush is not the most hi-tec cleaning agent,pure water and a brush is not much better(IF AT ALL).
A good non-caustic tfr or similar solution and a brush will take off most green and black contamination from a conservatory.
If someone is requesting a conservatory roof clean,in my experience they are after a deeper clean than just water will give.
Pure water is not a miracle cleaner by any means,it probably cleans just the same as your tap water would,its only advantage is that once effective rinsing has taken place it will evaporate without leaving residue.
It is very very easy to believe that pure water has some magical cleaning ability,this simply is not the case.
I have a nice wfp set up but if it comes to a dirty conservatory then i would set about it with mine or the customers standard hose ,cleaning solution sprayed or if the sprayer has ceased to operate again then the brush on the end of any pole(unger optiloc in my case) dipped into the bucket of cleaning solution(yep,fairy liquid etc will suffice).Let soak,agitate,rinse off with hose gun on jet,agitate again for the stubborn bits and those bits trapped in awkward crevices and blast off again with the hose gun. Try and blast away from edges so you are not testing the seals as they may probably only be rainproof if the conservatory is older or not too well put together.
At this stage final rinsing with wfp ought to see the roof panels dry streak and spot free and save having to attach a sguegee and applicator to the end of the pole which depending on the access can be a right pain in the arse and worth avoiding altogether in strong direct sunlight.
Good luck,invest in a good cleaning solution and go at it with confidence and remember that pure water IS just water.
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I have bought a 3m pol from roadking what goes on the end of the hose. Going to try Fenwicks first and see how I get on.
Got to work out my pricing now.
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I fully agree with reply number 15
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I went to see the friend who I will be cleaner it for and said it will be £50 for the roof, gutters/fascias of conservatory and clean the windows after. Does that sound about right.
It will be a learning curver for me.