Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Andrew44 on October 20, 2011, 09:14:03 am

Title: Scratches on glass..again!
Post by: Andrew44 on October 20, 2011, 09:14:03 am
I've been doing a job for 6 months now, 4 weekly inc con sides.  I always check the finish and its been great but last time I did it saw scratches on a con window.  One long vertical 12 inch and 2 small tram lines at bottom.  I know its been said many times before you can't scratch with brushes but it looks very consistent t with brush strokes.  They were not there previous cleans as I closely inspect finish and would not have missed them  They are def on outside and I used Gardiners mono dual.

I'm worried that I could have done this and losing confidence in cleans.

I assume it was some grit in the bristles but I know many on here agree that can happen.  If its not that, any ideas how this could happen?  Ideas to stop it?
Title: Re: Scratches on glass..again!
Post by: GB Window Cleaning on October 20, 2011, 09:23:35 am
deny all the way i say. brush your hand along the brush now and again to get off any bits in the brush head.

i would say it wasnt you, if it was your very very unlucky!
dont panic in front of the custy it makes then nevous too ive noticed

what does everyone else suggest for this destressed lad?

dont worry mate, bad stuff happened to us all

george
Title: Re: Scratches on glass..again!
Post by: Steve CM on October 20, 2011, 09:31:12 am
I went to look at a house yesterday funnily enough, it has some consistant scratch marks. All i would say is as the other guy said, frequently clean your brush head off, could of got some grit caught in the head. Its the only logical reason i can think of
Title: Re: Scratches on glass..again!
Post by: bad trippy on October 20, 2011, 09:36:35 am
you got more chance of scratching glass trad than WFP
Your window applicator can easily pick up debris,also your squegee to.
Nothing is a 100% fool proof in this life im affraid
Title: Re: Scratches on glass..again!
Post by: Andrew44 on October 20, 2011, 09:47:57 am
Thanks guys.

I would like to know exactly why it happened so I can do something to stop it happening again.  It may not have been me but I think it probably was.

I do keep rubbing my brush head against the frames to get rid of bits.

Should I try the  flocked brush instead or will that make it worse as it holds more dirt?

Has anyone else had this problem?
Title: Re: Scratches on glass..again!
Post by: Andrew44 on October 20, 2011, 09:49:24 am
I went to look at a house yesterday funnily enough, it has some consistant scratch marks. All i would say is as the other guy said, frequently clean your brush head off, could of got some grit caught in the head. Its the only logical reason i can think of

Steve

Were you called back then because of possible scratches?
Title: Re: Scratches on glass..again!
Post by: Steve CM on October 20, 2011, 10:17:13 am
Yes, Its a very long standing customer on a mint condition house. I'm yet to decide what to do about it.

There is quite a lot of gravel round by the house and i'm wondering wether one of my guys has put the brush head down on the floor and not cleaned it after. Its the only thing i can think would of happened
Title: Re: Scratches on glass..again!
Post by: Andrew44 on October 20, 2011, 10:26:04 am
Steve Thanks.

Although it seems very rare that we could scratch the glass I'm coming to the conclusion that it can be done using WFP - although in most cases it is not us but in 1% in may be.  I know everyone says you can't scratch the glass using just the brush bristles I think in very rare occasions you can.  I know for  a fact my scratches were not there after my last clean.

Can I ask you how long have you been w/c and how many other occasions have the customers claimed you have  scratched thier glass?

I've been doing this for a year and this if first time.

Cheers

Andrew
Title: Re: Scratches on glass..again!
Post by: Steve CM on October 20, 2011, 10:50:04 am
5 years, i have had 2 'claims' from new customers, these were in new houses and to me it looked like they were tryin to pull a fast one as it looked like damage from a builders clean so i told them it wern't us!

Another from a good customer, i couldn't really see how we created it but i replaced a pain of glass at 169 quid to keep the peace, we also have 80% of the street so though it would be good to keep in with everyone...it worked!

and then this one. I suppose it could happen, maybe i should be grateful its only happened a couple of times in 5 years. we do serve about 250 houses a week so not a bad % really
Title: Re: Scratches on glass..again!
Post by: Andrew44 on October 20, 2011, 11:11:59 am
Thanks Steve

A very small % so hopefully it will be very rare.

I want to do the right thing as the customers are fair and decent.  I think I may need to replace the pane.  What was the size of the pane that was replaced for £169.  My one is 1M X 0.5M.

Did you consider glass repair first?

cheer

andrew

Title: Re: Scratches on glass..again!
Post by: L.Doubtfire - The Blade Runner on October 20, 2011, 11:49:23 am
Andrew,sure,scrapers won`t scratch a clean new piece of glass,neither
Will a WFP brush or strip washer.It`s the layer of dirt,grime,grit that
Is on the glass to start with.Why are you cleaning the window,??????
Because it`s dirty !
What is dirty,? How longs a piece of string. ! If your certain the scratches
Wer`nt there after your last clean,now they are ,,after your latest clean.
It`s a tough one I know.Replacement is the way to go rather than trying
A scratch removal system.There is a professional company in Birmingham
I think that does it.Also I`ve a video of `The Scratch Hog`system.
As I understand it it`s big business in the USA.
Sometimes depending upon how deep the scratches are,after polishing out
The glass has a `hollow effect`wear the polishing took place.
I know this is`nt helping you much,but best of luck with it.hows it progressing
Anyway. ?


Lewis  Doubtfire

P.S.  Replacement is the way to go,wether it be yourself or the customer that
Will be `picking up the tab`.
Title: Re: Scratches on glass..again!
Post by: Steve CM on October 20, 2011, 11:59:07 am
Thanks Steve

A very small % so hopefully it will be very rare.

I want to do the right thing as the customers are fair and decent.  I think I may need to replace the pane.  What was the size of the pane that was replaced for £169.  My one is 1M X 0.5M.

Did you consider glass repair first?

cheer

andrew



it was a french door with tougned glass so was pretty pricey, i never tried to polish it, just got it done to save any real aggro
Title: Re: Scratches on glass..again!
Post by: Andrew44 on October 20, 2011, 01:27:39 pm
Thanks Lewis and Steve.  I'll just pay-up for anew pane and be careful next time.  Maybe very lightly do first pass to get rid of any possible grit on keep making sure I clean brushes.  Learning experience I suppose. >:(
Title: Re: Scratches on glass..again!
Post by: Ian101 on October 20, 2011, 01:32:22 pm
First time I wfp my own house it showed up a scratch that I had never seen before ... Brand new brush 1st try with it ... The sdcratch disapears after a while but then soon as wfp u can see it again.
Title: Re: Scratches on glass..again!
Post by: AS Window Cleaning on October 20, 2011, 08:48:29 pm
We had long standing customer, newish window, and a nasty, deep, curved 3 inch scratch.  Customer never noticed it until i pointed it out.  No idea how it got there.  Custy OK with it, cant see how could be pole.

Have lost 1 customer who swears we have been scratching windows.  One scratch at least was there for years, my wife verifies this. However i dont know about the others.....cant understand how could scratch glass, as mentioned, surely traditional would be more likely to as applicator gets far dirtier than the brush does with all its water rinsing....  Has worried us in case we scratch more, keep noticing scratches all over the place!  :-[