Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: AuRavelling79 on June 01, 2024, 05:53:25 pm

Title: Snail Trails
Post by: AuRavelling79 on June 01, 2024, 05:53:25 pm
Seem more abundant than ever!

Any tricks?

Do you scrub until they are gone completely?
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: M & C Window Cleaning on June 01, 2024, 06:00:49 pm
I use an Xtreme flocked brush, wet but without the water flowing. For some reason when the water is flowing it seems to cause the brush to glide over them without removing them or at least having to use more effort to scrub them off.
If it's downstairs windows and they are stubborn trails, I put a damp microfibre over them first followed by brush and rinse.
The snails are an absolute pain at the moment due to all the rain we've had.
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: Scottish Cleaning Service on June 01, 2024, 07:28:58 pm
The hotter the water the easier it is to remove them. Running cold was back in the dark ages.
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: the king on June 01, 2024, 08:40:51 pm
loads of them this year flocked brushes are best on them hot water really speeds up the cleaning they can be a pain in the ars at times
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: Perfect Windows on June 01, 2024, 09:13:23 pm
Reduce rather than increase pressure on the brush. Rapid, light movements with the tip of the brush filaments do a far better job than giving it slow hard strokes (oo-er)

Vin
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: Smudger on June 01, 2024, 10:06:24 pm
Spot on vin
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: Bungle on June 01, 2024, 10:33:06 pm
Seem more abundant than ever!

Any tricks?

Do you scrub until they are gone completely?

Run over them with your finger and they go straight away. Rub over with a brush and it takes forever. Just goes to show how good or bad brushes really are.

I tend to turn the water off and scrub the glass almost dry.
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: KS Cleaning on June 02, 2024, 01:07:31 am
Brush in a circular motion clockwise and then ante clockwise
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: zesty on June 02, 2024, 07:59:33 am
Leave them, when the window drys you can’t see them again  ;D often I find you can’t even see them until you get the window wet.

If they’re visible before cleaning the window, I just scrub till there gone. No particualr technique.
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: Scottish Cleaning Service on June 02, 2024, 09:17:43 am
This is interesting because I always jump head first into making it a puzzle, I must solve. Will be carrying a small plastic bag with small iso damp cloth to see how it reacts on the trails. Understand I will only be able to do ground level where most are, will get back with results.  😉
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: AuRavelling79 on June 02, 2024, 09:53:50 am
Brush in a circular motion clockwise and then ante clockwise

Wax on. Wax off!
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: AuRavelling79 on June 02, 2024, 09:54:40 am
Leave them, when the window drys you can’t see them again  ;D often I find you can’t even see them until you get the window wet.

If they’re visible before cleaning the window, I just scrub till there gone. No particualr technique.

I'm always paranoid that the customer can see them from the inside!
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: zesty on June 02, 2024, 10:01:59 am
Leave them, when the window drys you can’t see them again  ;D often I find you can’t even see them until you get the window wet.

If they’re visible before cleaning the window, I just scrub till there gone. No particualr technique.

I'm always paranoid that the customer can see them from the inside!

I never had a complaint in all these years, so I’m guessing they can’t!
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: Simon Trapani on June 02, 2024, 10:02:30 am
Great thread this.

I’m going to try some of the techniques mentioned.

Snail trails are an absolute ballache wfp, that’s  for sure.
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: windowswashed on June 02, 2024, 10:56:25 am
For the most noticeable snails trails I clean them in the same direction as the trail itself, for the remainder little ones they will disappear when the glass dries, no point being paranoid as they won't be seen when the glass dries.
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: dd on June 02, 2024, 11:50:31 am
As others have said I find it best to scrub again with water turned off (after I have first cleaned window). Seem to come off easier this way and also saves water.
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: the king on June 02, 2024, 12:50:55 pm
i wander how effective a water additive will be like vision or added sparkle been i long time since ive used any
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: Stoots on June 02, 2024, 03:59:52 pm
Sometimes I just leave them if I cba  ;)
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: Perfect Windows on June 02, 2024, 05:06:37 pm
i wander how effective a water additive will be like vision or added sparkle been i long time since ive used any

Vision?

Long time since I heard that snake oil mentioned.

Vin
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: Bungle on June 02, 2024, 05:25:45 pm
This is interesting because I always jump head first into making it a puzzle, I must solve. Will be carrying a small plastic bag with small iso damp cloth to see how it reacts on the trails. Understand I will only be able to do ground level where most are, will get back with results.  😉

Take a bag a of snails and plonk them on the window. When the snail has done his job lob it in the nearest hedge.
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: Phil J on June 02, 2024, 07:43:37 pm
Spray some degreaser on the glass and scrub as normal, piece of pish
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: Simon Trapani on June 03, 2024, 09:24:02 am
Haven’t got time for that poop
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: DJW on June 03, 2024, 10:46:04 am
Rub their nose in it (then stamp on them).
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: Perfect Windows on June 03, 2024, 04:23:25 pm
Gave this some thought today while out cleaning - I use my gloved hand 90% of the time. Wet window, rub glass, wash glass the way I described above.

Vin
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: mac74 on June 03, 2024, 05:21:37 pm
Same 4 me, cloth em fast or wet brush with water off. Just glad the bas..rds don't often make it to the top windows!
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: robbo333 on June 03, 2024, 05:58:16 pm
I wonder where these snails are going?
Turn water off, clean in the direction of the trail...easy peasy!
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: Simon Trapani on June 03, 2024, 06:14:51 pm
They seem much easier to remove with a new brush I find.
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: tonyoliver on June 03, 2024, 07:36:04 pm
A little bit of biology apparently the trails are microscopicly  directional  like a zip tie pointing in a direction the snail travels  this stoops the creature from sliding backwards if you figure this out then brush downwards is point less so brush from the bottom up
What I never get is how come we never see them on the glass   Bit like dead pidgins
so we can never get revenge in the little slimy swine 
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: dd on June 04, 2024, 03:13:25 pm
A little bit of biology apparently the trails are microscopicly  directional  like a zip tie pointing in a direction the snail travels  this stoops the creature from sliding backwards if you figure this out then brush downwards is point less so brush from the bottom up
What I never get is how come we never see them on the glass   Bit like dead pidgins
so we can never get revenge in the little slimy swine
You can't brush only from bottom up, unless you only brush them once.
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: Viscount on June 04, 2024, 08:27:34 pm
Reach-it superlite brush wish the scrub pad in the middle takes them off really quickly. Haters gonna hate though.
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: AuRavelling79 on June 05, 2024, 07:10:28 am
A little bit of biology apparently the trails are microscopicly  directional  like a zip tie pointing in a direction the snail travels  this stoops the creature from sliding backwards if you figure this out then brush downwards is point less so brush from the bottom up
What I never get is how come we never see them on the glass   Bit like dead pidgins
so we can never get revenge in the little slimy swine
You can't brush only from bottom up, unless you only brush them once.

Don't understand what you mean.
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: Simon Trapani on June 05, 2024, 02:10:00 pm
A little bit of biology apparently the trails are microscopicly  directional  like a zip tie pointing in a direction the snail travels  this stoops the creature from sliding backwards if you figure this out then brush downwards is point less so brush from the bottom up
What I never get is how come we never see them on the glass   Bit like dead pidgins
so we can never get revenge in the little slimy swine
You can't brush only from bottom up, unless you only brush them once.

Don't understand what you mean.
I assume he means because you would need to lift the brush off the window each time to restart each stroke? Unless you could clear the trail in one pass which is doubtful. And you would use more energy thus defeating the object of it.
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: Splash and dash on June 05, 2024, 05:39:59 pm
lol I would never have believed removing snail trails was such hard work 😂😂
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: Simon Trapani on June 05, 2024, 06:27:22 pm
lol I would never have believed removing snail trails was such hard work 😂😂
It really is though init? If I see them near a window i kill them. Feel a bit bad about it but they’re a nightmare. If i see them on my dog walk or something though, I leave them. Just to try preserve their population🤣
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: dazmond on June 06, 2024, 04:10:39 pm
This is why using hot water in the summer months has great benefits....its just easier to remove snail trails,bee spots,baked on bird muck,etc that are very common where I work in semi rural/rural locations...

My water is very hot at this time of year(too hot to leave your hand under)making for an easier clean....👍
Title: Re: Snail Trails
Post by: the king on June 06, 2024, 08:00:49 pm
i dident know you were also a hot water user dazmond  ;D ;D