Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Nick_Thompson on February 19, 2014, 10:25:22 pm

Title: Greasy windows after the storms.
Post by: Nick_Thompson on February 19, 2014, 10:25:22 pm
With a combination of a flocked brush for added scrubbing power and plenty of Virosol (spelling?) as an emulsifying agent, I'm still battling my way through my round as a consequence of all the gritty grease deposited on the glass by the storms.

95% of the windows in my area (Horley, Redhill, Reigate) have been effected to some degree, a fact that isn't overtly obvious from the outside, unless the sun shines on the glass at a particular angle.

Anyone else struggling?
Title: Re: Greasy windows after the storms.
Post by: Dave Willis on February 19, 2014, 10:31:25 pm
Yep. Thousands of tiny greasy specks that don't come off. Also brush lines through a greasy film. Looks fine from the outside but shocking in low sunshine or artificial light especially from inside.
Title: Re: Greasy windows after the storms.
Post by: rosskesava on February 19, 2014, 10:35:18 pm
On some places I've done recently where I live next to the coast, you cannot see through some windows.

Having used a variety of brushes and especially this winter with the exceptional amounts of salt as well as that smeary grease on windows, I've found that Gardiners brushes don't seem to have the scrubbing power.

I've also found that Gardiners brushes are leaving lines on the windows which is a new one on me.

In the main though I've ended up using an Unger N Lite brush which although a bit heavier than a Gardiners brush seems to do a better job and no line plus as it's wider, it's also a bit quicker.

For one particularly bad place, I resorted to the lead weight red Vikan flocked brush which did the job no trouble.
Title: Re: Greasy windows after the storms.
Post by: Simon Mess on February 20, 2014, 07:38:11 am
I was doing a big house at the top of a hill yesterday and the glass at one side of the house 'appeared' to be very greasy. It was freaking me out as i didnt really have the time to spare, but at one point i went over one pane of glass as normal and left it. Came back to it 10 mins later, and it had dried perfectly clear, weird!.
Title: Re: Greasy windows after the storms.
Post by: bobplum on February 20, 2014, 07:43:13 am
With a combination of a flocked brush for added scrubbing power and plenty of Virosol (spelling?) as an emulsifying agent, I'm still battling my way through my round as a consequence of all the gritty grease deposited on the glass by the storms.

95% of the windows in my area (Horley, Redhill, Reigate) have been effected to some degree, a fact that isn't overtly obvious from the outside, unless the sun shines on the glass at a particular angle.

Anyone else struggling?


not struggling but using more water, my ro cant keep up, so have decided to invest in a 4040 system
Title: Re: Greasy windows after the storms.
Post by: Jonny 87 on February 20, 2014, 08:08:58 am
Gardiners super lite dual trim FLOCKED brush.

Good water flow.

Rinse OFF the glass.

Not a single problem with these storm battered windows. I do a lot of internal work aswell so I can check the results.

It's taken me 3 years to come round to the flocked brushes, now I wouldn't use anything else (on poles 25 feet and under)
Title: Re: Greasy windows after the storms.
Post by: Clever Forum Name on February 20, 2014, 08:26:43 am
I have been cleaning a a alot of "storm houses" for the second time and much easier. Had a rough time two weeks back, really struggling with grit.

* I dont have a two week round lol, the houses i cleaned two weeks back were battered for a few weeks by the storms :)
Title: Re: Greasy windows after the storms.
Post by: Nick_Thompson on February 20, 2014, 08:31:02 am
I was doing a big house at the top of a hill yesterday and the glass at one side of the house 'appeared' to be very greasy. It was freaking me out as i didnt really have the time to spare, but at one point i went over one pane of glass as normal and left it. Came back to it 10 mins later, and it had dried perfectly clear, weird!.

Hi Simon

It's been my experience that if a window looks greasy initially, then even if it appears to dry clear, peering through the same window from the inside whilst in sunlight can tell a different story.

They can look ok from the inside without the sunlight.

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that the prevailing wind encounters Gatwick airport before it reaches my area, I don't really know.

I've decided to degrease every window on my round, regardless.

It's costing me about a ton a day in lost earnings.

Nick

Title: Re: Greasy windows after the storms.
Post by: dazmond on February 20, 2014, 08:42:32 am
im finding im scrubbing and rinsing a bit more on storm battered windows.no problems though.

i use an extreme stiff dt brush and hot water which helps.
Title: Re: Greasy windows after the storms.
Post by: Ian Lancaster on February 20, 2014, 06:57:30 pm
I know a lot of you will shout me down, but if you have a bucket with pure water and GG3 and dip your brush head in before starting, then scrub and rinse till there's no soap residue the result will be perfect.

After the storm of '87 all the glass was covered with salt (the main cause of the 'greasiness') I was still trad then, of course, and I used Fairy and a porcupine sleeve - just had to scrub a bit harder then squeegee carefully - the soap cut through the grease easily.
Title: Re: Greasy windows after the storms.
Post by: dazmond on February 20, 2014, 07:06:38 pm
i think that would take too much time up ian lugging a bucket about to every job as well as 100m of hose and pole.

hot pure water is really the dogs danglies when it comes to greasy,filthy windows.hotter the better.birdmuck and grit just fall off after a little soak! ;D
Title: Re: Greasy windows after the storms.
Post by: Frankybadboy on February 20, 2014, 09:09:04 pm
what I do is a bit of fairy on the brush head for the tops and squeeze the bottom ones up with a soap then scrub and wash off ;)