[Smiths Cleaning]

one thing i have noticed in my short time experience using wfp and it happened again today in the bright sun [spotting i guess is the best way to describe it]. as it dries a bit quick it leave water marks. i have checked my water and can't think what else as it doesn't happen too often. this probobly third/fourth time over last few weeks, but still would like to know what causes it. any similar experinces or comments?

[AuRavelling79]

As the late lamented Graham Gould used to advise:-

Rinse, Rinse, Rinse! He was right of course!

[Andrew Streetley]

If your water is good then I would suggest you are getting dirt from your brush.

In cases like these I always clean the window as normal then pull the brush away from the window and rinse with no contact. I always wonder what my brush head (ionics) has picked up along the way.

I'm a newbie so any more long term wfp'ers have any suggestions?

[squeaky-clean 1]

make sure when setting your pole up you dont put the brush agaist the wall or floor as you will pick up rubish and the put it on the windows then rinse, rinse,rinse

[steve massey]

Hi ,
I have used wfp for about 3 years we do a lot of commercial work, we have a van mounted 650ltr setup and we notice the jobs we do weekly are always clean no matter what weather but the monthly ones some times look a bit spotty but not every time. We cleaned a place last week and took the same amount of time on it as usuall and when we came to do the insides they looked shocking. Some times i think when the sunshines low this time of year it shows all the spots.
You can get away with it when its commercial work but if that was one of my residential customers i reacon they would notice and have a word to say.

[Andrew McCann]

Try a good dousing of water first to cool glass down a bit.. then wash and rinse VERY well. OK you will use more water but it seems to work for me.  Saw this problem dicussed on another forum and took notice of the informed replies.


Andrew

[rosskesava]

I'm having the same problem also.

Last Sunday afternoon I did my own windows at the back because the weather had turned them like frosted glass. The backs face West and the sun was shining although the day was cold.

I did a real good job because the amount of water I used wasn't a problem - I had 100 gallons to use if I wanted.

I did rinse and rinse and rinse but they were badly spotty. The frames were perfect though.

The TDS was 5.

That has been worrying me in terms of customers windows that also face the sun when we do them.

Cheers

[M FORBES LTD]

I used 156ppm by mistake and believe it or not some windows were still spot free and others were like christmas was here early.

It does depend on the quality of the glass that the company uses in thier windows this was a comment from ionics (do they know all the answers)

[Ian_Giles]

Sometimes there are windows that just will not come up perfect, no matter how much you wash and rinse
I do a garage showroom, they have 2 buildings, one old and one only a year or so old.
On the old one the windows come up perfect every time.

On the new one, there are a couple of panes I have to do trad, I try every time to 'get them right' with the WFP, but each time when I do the inside of them, I have to grit my teeth and with clenched fists, stomp back outside and do them trad.
Yeah, I know, why bother trying to get them right when I know I'll have to go out and redo them anyway
But I just keep telling myself, maybe this week they will come right

So sometimes it is the glass, other times it can be the sealant on the glazing, even when the frames are in perfect condition.

Do you also notice that it is always going to be on the top of the panes where the spotting occurs?
This always leads me to believe that it must be something to do with the sealant used during glazing.

Yesterday (Monday) I did a William Hill shop, first account of the morning (6:30am)
Glass sheeted lovely
Came back to do the insides at 10am when they opened and from the inside the exterior was awful   (re-did trad)

Belatedly remembered that the last time I had used the brush was to clean the van
Note to self: Take brush indoors and soak overnight after cleaning muddy van with it

Sometimes it may be the brush has become contanimated, if you have brushed over something that is slightly greasy, maybe some nice oil that someones Chicken Madras was swimming in, or maybe the previous customer oiled their window because it was squeaking, then it is possible that the brush is contanimated by something that isn't just going to rinse away easily.

I rarely lift off to rinse at the best of times, and this won't help you if your brush has been fouled by something that isn't water soluable (and it doesn't have to be visible either)

I have read posts on here where people have knocked those fussy enough to regularly clean out and soak their brushes, but sometimes these spots CAN be caused by bristles that are fouled up, but you won't know this by looking at the bristles.

Clean your brush out now and again, take it in the house and leave it soak overnight.
Perhaps use some Unger liquid of GG3 to give it a wash and rinse in your bucket at some point during the day.

Sometimes you just have to clean that bloody window the trad way though

On upstairs windows, if there is a problem, so far as I am concerned the customer has to live with it.
For me at least, ladders are for access only now.

Time I got to work....I've that garage to do today

Think I'll just go and get the brush in and give it a good wash :

Ian

[Smiths Cleaning]

i have noticed before even when cleaning trad that some frames seem to weep almost a chalky residue, runs off the frame. inferior upvc maybe, i don't know. but it made me wonder if this has happened on a couple, and i haven't noticed,then it has beaded and left the marks when dry?
Andy

[Ian_Giles]

Andy,

That is oxidization of the paintwork on the frames, or if it is the old style aluminium windows, it can be the coating on the frames.
A pain to do whether trad or WFP, but a real big pain with WFP.

You can still do a fair job with WFP but that milky film will affect the glass to some degree or other.
Only cure is to repaint frames.
At least with trad you will do a good job as you can pick up the mistakes as you go along.

Regards,

Ian

[kingfisher]

That is oxidization of the paintwork on the frames, or if it is the old style aluminium windows, it can be the coating on the frames.
A pain to do whether trad or WFP, but a real big pain with WFP.

You can still do a fair job with WFP but that milky film will affect the glass to some degree or other.
Only cure is to repaint frames.
At least with trad you will do a good job as you can pick up the mistakes as you go along.

Regards,

I sometimes find that if you give the frames a realy good scrubing till the water runs clear that cures the problem for good.

Kev

[Moderator David@stives]

Kingfisher

in yoour avater it looks like you are holding one of ians invisible pints  and it is pulling you over.

I find if it runs leave it to dry then clean the glass and stop 1 inch from the top of the frame

[windows_chepstow]

I'm not experienced enough to give a decent answer, especially since I'm probably taking things far too far when it comes to washing windows, but what I've been doing is (on 2nd WFP cleans where the frames are clean already):

A quick wash round the frame.

Wash the window.

A quick rinse.

Move onto another window.

Repeat the process.

Then return to the first window and rinse again; not touching the top of the frame.

Then go to the second window and rinse; not touching the top of the frame.

My theory so far is that the top frame cause the problems, so if I wash that, then clean the window; then give it a little bit of time to stop running while I clean another window; then return and rinse; I've less chance of spotting or runs.

Am I doing to much?

Anyway, don't listen to me too much.  I'm a proper 'WFP red-bottom'.

But we did a big country house today, inside and out, and I was well impressed with the WFP exterior.  Even the Georgian window'd conservatory was immacculate.  Far better than we could've 'hand-bashed' it.

Cracking job!

[pjulk]

My theory so far is that the top frame cause the problems

I think you are right there i give the top frame a good clean evertime and never get a problem.
Even 1st cleans come out great first time if you pay more attention to the top frame.

The way i do it top and side frames, glass and bottom frame, rinse the whole lot and a wipe along the sill with the edge of my brush.

But we did a big country house today, inside and out, and I was well impressed with the WFP exterior.  Even the Georgian window'd conservatory was immacculate

I love doing these sort of jobs that have old glass in they always seem to come up a lot nicer than newer glass.

Paul

[P @ F]

I agree with Tosh and Dave , the re rinse 1" from top , i have a few windows which can be a pain , but saying that , i dont know why but i never get probs with spotting , ever !
Maybe its to do with the fact that when i was on the ladders i was too anal about cleaning everything every time , or it might be to do with the fact that my water gets DI treatment twice , once at home , then through the van mount .

  Rich  P @ F