Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: AS Window Cleaning on February 02, 2012, 03:22:10 pm

Title: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: AS Window Cleaning on February 02, 2012, 03:22:10 pm
Despite last year being so cold, we didn't seem to have a problem with freezing.  I dont know if its cus it was when it was that cold, it was so cold that we couldn't work.

Keep meaning to get salt, yesterday it froze around the north side of several houses, and felt quite bad.  So today gone and got a 25 kg bag of salt (£7, seemed alot?), so ready to grit.

THing was, last year i asked a couple of friends, and they seemed to think better not to salt, as didn't like the idea of it getting all in the house.  But surely its gotto be better than nothing...

SO, do you grit when its cold?  And if so, do you see if its freezing first, or do you just chuck it down on the pavements willy nilly anyway if its likely to freeze at some point?
Title: Re: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: GB Window Cleaning on February 02, 2012, 03:24:29 pm
i think i might buy some tommorrow
Title: Re: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: SunShineCleaning on February 02, 2012, 03:27:35 pm
Yesterday I salted paths round a block of OAP flats. Wouldn't like to think of them slipping.

As for bringing it into the houses, I guess the could always sweep it up after.
Title: Re: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: colin purewater on February 02, 2012, 03:57:27 pm
ive been taking a brush out with me and brushing away excess water when ive finished the puttin some salt down, as all the water on the north side of houses is freezing on the ground

helps me sleep at night...
Title: Re: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: wfp master on February 02, 2012, 04:01:45 pm
only on chips.
Title: Re: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: Roy Cauldery on February 02, 2012, 04:03:28 pm
Salting today
Freezing in the wind down here in kent
We were doing a large nursing home today and the thought of an oap doing an icy rumba doesnt bare thinking about
A***e covering time  :D
Title: Re: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: Smudgeoff Cleaning Services on February 02, 2012, 04:10:27 pm
Yes I have been salting Andy
Title: Re: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: Flash.. on February 02, 2012, 04:52:33 pm
Nicked a bucket of salt/grit from one of those bins beside the road to use today.
Title: Re: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: Frankybadboy on February 02, 2012, 04:54:50 pm
Nicked a bucket of salt/grit from one of those bins beside the road to use today.
done that last year ;D
Title: Re: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: CLEANCARE WC on February 02, 2012, 05:04:02 pm
JUST BOUGHT 2 X 10KG BAGS OF DEFROST SALT FROM ASDA £3 EACH,NOW....
 DO I SALT BEFORE OR AFTER? I WOULD RATHER SOUND AN IDIOT NOW THAN AN IDIOT TOMORROW WITH A LAWSUIT.
Title: Re: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: Window Washers on February 02, 2012, 05:07:22 pm
JUST BOUGHT 2 X 10KG BAGS OF DEFROST SALT FROM ASDA £3 EACH,NOW....
 DO I SALT BEFORE OR AFTER? I WOULD RATHER SOUND AN IDIOT NOW THAN AN IDIOT TOMORROW WITH A LAWSUIT.
i have been doing it after as can see where water is sitting
Title: Re: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: CLEANCARE WC on February 02, 2012, 05:12:17 pm
JUST BOUGHT 2 X 10KG BAGS OF DEFROST SALT FROM ASDA £3 EACH,NOW....
 DO I SALT BEFORE OR AFTER? I WOULD RATHER SOUND AN IDIOT NOW THAN AN IDIOT TOMORROW WITH A LAWSUIT.
i have been doing it after as can see where water is sitting

and idiot of the day gos to me  :-[ thanks
Title: Re: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: Window Washers on February 02, 2012, 05:14:04 pm
JUST BOUGHT 2 X 10KG BAGS OF DEFROST SALT FROM ASDA £3 EACH,NOW....
 DO I SALT BEFORE OR AFTER? I WOULD RATHER SOUND AN IDIOT NOW THAN AN IDIOT TOMORROW WITH A LAWSUIT.
i have been doing it after as can see where water is sitting

and idiot of the day gos to me  :-[ thanks
whys that make you an idiot, I would say that makes you clever for asking to find out the answer, thats strenght not a weakness  ;)
Title: Re: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: AS Window Cleaning on February 02, 2012, 05:24:55 pm
idiot........

im the one who wasnt sure about putting down salt!!  what does that make me???? DOH!!!
Title: Re: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: Window Washers on February 02, 2012, 05:26:57 pm
idiot........

im the one who wasnt sure about putting down salt!!  what does that make me???? DOH!!!
Stupid ?  ;D
















































Iam joking by the way  ;)
Title: Re: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: colin purewater on February 02, 2012, 05:50:54 pm
Brush the water away when your finished then put salt down
 You will use less than half mate
Title: Re: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: AS Window Cleaning on February 02, 2012, 06:02:36 pm
interesting idea with brush, suppose if going around to do sills off can bring pot of salt and broom too.....  despite what some say i love this forum, can get all sorts of interesting, and often logical ideas.

Even if sometimes you seen stupid in asking  ;)
idiot........

im the one who wasnt sure about putting down salt!!  what does that make me???? DOH!!!
Stupid ?  ;D



Ok then, well...


i have been doing it after as can see where water is sitting

we all know water doesnt sit there, it lies there!! 

Whose so stupid now

 ;) :D

Ok, im still more stupid......
Title: Re: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: Window Washers on February 02, 2012, 06:45:56 pm
interesting idea with brush, suppose if going around to do sills off can bring pot of salt and broom too.....  despite what some say i love this forum, can get all sorts of interesting, and often logical ideas.

Even if sometimes you seen stupid in asking  ;)
idiot........

im the one who wasnt sure about putting down salt!!  what does that make me???? DOH!!!
Stupid ?  ;D



Ok then, well...


i have been doing it after as can see where water is sitting

we all know water doesnt sit there, it lies there!! 

Whose so stupid now

 ;) :D

Ok, im still more stupid......
No Comment  :-X 

But you did say it  ;D
Title: Re: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: Paul Coleman on February 02, 2012, 07:12:01 pm
I salted yesterday and today on the vulnerable bits where I judged there could be a slip hazard.  The water was freezing up with the wind chill.  I add to my stock of salt each Autumn.  Just a few bags of it.  I don't get through loads because if it's really bad, I stop work.  Today I was grateful for my backpack because the hose started to freeze.  At least with the short bit of hose on the backpack I could manipulate it to allow water through.
Title: Re: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: 4Taz on February 02, 2012, 08:01:09 pm
JUST BOUGHT 2 X 10KG BAGS OF DEFROST SALT FROM ASDA £3 EACH,NOW....
 DO I SALT BEFORE OR AFTER? I WOULD RATHER SOUND AN IDIOT NOW THAN AN IDIOT TOMORROW WITH A LAWSUIT.
i have been doing it after as can see where water is sitting

and idiot of the day gos to me  :-[ thanks


As the saying goes

"Better to ask a silly question than make a silly mistake!" It just so happens yours was sillier than most  ;D ;D ;D
































Only joking!  ;)
Title: Re: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: dazmond on February 03, 2012, 12:12:54 am
be careful salt can damage concrete!!! :o :o :o :o

i thought it was BS put apparently not!!!it can crack it when it reacts with water/ice.
Title: Re: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: AuRavelling79 on February 03, 2012, 09:15:07 am
be careful salt can damage concrete!!! :o :o :o :o

i thought it was BS put apparently not!!!it can crack it when it reacts with water/ice.

Only if the concrete is badly installed or been frost damaged already. It's not the salt reacting it is because it melts - then the melted water gets into the cracks of damaged concrete - then if it dilutes and freezes again it will crack it.

So - brush and salt is the best way. And if in doubt - trad front doors.
Title: Re: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: Ian101 on February 03, 2012, 09:42:56 am
Alternative is not to work of course.

Not saying the following is ethical or not but remember reading this on here last winter ..... if you alter the surface of the floor with salt then your admiting liability in the event of a claim .. if no salt used then difficult for anyone to prove it was your water that froze ..... so personally I prefer not to work in this temperture ... take today for example it may reach zero or +1 by midday, at 2pm it will start dropping again and possibly by 3pm it will be freezing any water ive left that hasnt evaporated so taking today off as I wont use salt ... IMHO if u need to salt then maybe best to take day off ??
Title: Re: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: dazmond on February 03, 2012, 09:57:32 am
bang on there gold!!


brush and salt is a responsible window cleaners perogative.the customers appreciate it as well!!


we all have to work in cold weather sometimes so its the least we can do if we leave water on footpaths and doorways.personally i do both as its unavoidable not to leave water lying around. even if i trad doors the water from a window above can make it slippy.

it takes a couple of mins to do.impresses the customer and gives you piece of mind.why wouldnt you?
Title: Re: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: Bay View WCS on February 03, 2012, 06:36:01 pm
I put salt down round the areas I cleaned today.  It only took 2 minutes and all custys without question were really grateful - like I was doing them a favour.

Makes me feel a bit better about the water possibly freezing and apparently good for customer service too - double bonus!
Title: Re: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: [GQC] Tim on February 03, 2012, 10:45:19 pm
Always salt. Sainsbury's basic table salt (round bottle). Very very cheap, and very easy to put down.
Title: Re: To salt, or not to salt!
Post by: AS Window Cleaning on February 04, 2012, 07:11:35 am
really? table salt?! is that better than a bulk bag of rock salt? ???

one thing my mum said when I asked her bout salting pathways was she would worry about it killing her flowers, or when it does rain it washing off pavements onto flower beds/lawns.