Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Frequently Asked Questions & Useful Resources => Topic started by: dennis buller on May 18, 2005, 10:19:36 pm
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i hate asking stupid questions. i know what a chamois is, what a mirofibre cloth is. Yet what is a scrim please ? :-[
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Hi Dennis
It is an irish reed made into a tough cloth. It is quite hard when you buy it and you can boil it on the hob for a few hours to soften it up. I'm going back a bit because today it is sold rather softer and you can buy it pre-washed.
I only use scrim. I've tried all the other cloths and I just cant get on with them. Scrim is a w/c most well used cloth.
The only other cloth I would use and do use when all mine are wet is t-towels,100% cotton. These are good but get wet very quickly.
I would advise you to buy some. They get sold in metres which I always cut in half and have the misses sew them up. They are easier to use that way because you will just have a bit of cloth in your hand and pouch rather than a bulky amount. You will see what I mean if you get it.
Give it a try, I wouldnt be without it.
Steveyboy
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thank you steveyboy, a lot clearer now.... i use a leather chamois at the minute, that could change soon
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Dennis.
I asked all of these questions a few weeks ago & i listened to Stevieboy--i bought em cut em in half the missus hemmed them & i would'nt be without them--there good.
Ray.
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thank you steveyboy, a lot clearer now.... i use a leather chamois at the minute, that could change soon
I've tried chamois, microfibre and scrim. I find scrim much better to work with.
TIP: Make sure that you get Grade 1 or Grade A scrim. Grade 2 is far to thin IMO. Also, there seems to be a difference between Irish and other scrim. Irish is better IMO . However, I'm not sure if the real difference was the "Irish" bit or just a different manufacturer. If you go into janitorial supply shops you often (but not always) pay too much. I found that it's better to get my supplies sent. I use Soap National. There are others too that I'm sure are OK.
Not an ad. Just a satisfied customer.
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Yes soapnational is the best 01473 890089. Grade 2 scrim is very good as a wet cloth but to use it as a dry dosnt polish up as well and will not last 2 mins.
Steveyboy
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what to use has a dry cloth please ?
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what to use has a dry cloth please ?
Dennis,
There's different techniques for cleaning windows. Some window cleaners only use two scrims per day. They have a wet and dry one.
But this is quite an advanced 'art'. I can't do it and I've been at it a couple of years.
All you need to do at your (our stage) is buy a load of scrims, say ten; cut them in half (there's no need to hem them - if you do that; you'll be ironing them next) so you've twenty.
Wash the window with your T-Bar - don't touch the top. Don't 'scrub' the window (unless it's dirty), just wet the bugger.
Squeegie best you can.
Use a dry scrim to mop up the edges and stuff you've missed.
When it's wet, change it for a dry one.
To protect your scrims, you can use cut up peices of bath towels to wipe the mess off sills.
If it's a warm day; dry the wet scrims by hanging them round the inside of your car!
At the end of the day; sling all your scrims in the washer for a quick wash and hang them to dry. You can tumble dry them; but I prefer them hung outside or on a radiator.
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Note:
The 'two scrim method' is to:
Wash the window, not touching the top.
Scrim the sides with a wet scrim (if you've just started work; it'll soon be wet).
Squeegie carefully. (The difficult bit). No mess will be left at the top or sides.
Wipe the sill with a peice of bath towel.
No need to do anything else. The dry scrim is 'protected' and hardly used.
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i hate asking stupid questions. i know what a chamois is, what a mirofibre cloth is. Yet what is a scrim please ? :-[
You need to spend a day with a window cleaner, Mate. No offence; but instead of learning from your own mistakes; find someone who'll show you the ropes and learn from theirs.
Before you get disheartened and 'Jack it all in'.
Regards,
Tosh
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what to use has a dry cloth please ?
I would go along with what windows_chepstow has written mostly Dennis as you're just starting. I do things a bit differently from him but maybe hear what I do too then make your choices.
I do the following things differently:
1) When buying scrim, I tend to buy them already cut in squares and pre-stitched (grade A stitched) and as I'm a bit lazy I buy them pre-washed as it's less hassle.
2) On the warmer days, I hang them around the outside of my motor to avoid some of that drying out smell.
3) At the end of the day, I hang the scrims up in the airing cupoard to dry (I live on my own and use a tumble dryer for my clothes so I can get away with it). I don't wash the scrims very often. On the odd occasion when I do, I take them to the launderette. The reason is because I've found that they can sometimes sometimes cause a blockage with domestic washing machine filters - especially when the scrims get older. The more industrial ones at a launderette cope much better.
I'm not trying to contradict windows-chepstow on this but I just reckon that the more alternatives you're given, the better the choices you will make.
I have recently started working very differently to the above though. I had a few hours with another window cleaner (Steve aka UBA1) the other day and I reckon that I can do a lot better than I'm doing after what he discussed with me. Just a change in technique and cutting back on the need to go around the edges (detailing).
I totally agree with windows_chepstow that you would do well to take some time with an experienced window cleaner. It should help you a lot. I've been window cleaning since 1991 and I've learned quite a bit recently from this forum and from Steve.