Paulstaffswindows

Iv been pure pole cleaning for about 5 years now . And thought I knew enough and understood most of it. Iv helped friends set theirs up etc. Today I went cleaning . I fill.my tank with ro water then it gets pumped out through di vessel and out my hose  , through pole etc. This morning tested my tds at the brush head and it was 001 . Cleaned the windows on a costa quite tall. You would have thought I'd cleaned with 150 or more . Shocking . I first thought perhaps windows had something on them I'd missed. So recleaned still shocking . Tested tds still 001 . Tried my own house still bad clean ??? I'm really stumped . Can something get through the tds and not read but still spoil the clean . Iv just nipped out brought new tds meter just incase and readings are the same ?? Please help 

Staffswindows said:

Iv been pure pole cleaning for about 5 years now . And thought I knew enough and understood most of it. Iv helped friends set theirs up etc. Today I went cleaning . I fill.my tank with ro water then it gets pumped out through di vessel and out my hose  , through pole etc. This morning tested my tds at the brush head and it was 001 . Cleaned the windows on a costa quite tall. You would have thought I'd cleaned with 150 or more . Shocking . I first thought perhaps windows had something on them I'd missed. So recleaned still shocking . Tested tds still 001 . Tried my own house still bad clean ??? I'm really stumped . Can something get through the tds and not read but still spoil the clean . Iv just nipped out brought new tds meter just incase and readings are the same ?? Please help 

Click to expand...

Some what puzzling, Providing your tds meter is from a reputable supplier then your tds meter should be good,but if your tds is 000ppm then the results should be 100% 

Is there any possibility your bristles are contaminated

Part Timer said:

Is there any possibility your bristles are contaminated

Click to expand...

This is my new thought . Iv never heard of this with anyone else but I carnt work out how it could be something else. I'm going to go buy new brush on monday . On a side note iv looked at my house clean that I did. Not great but the first windows I cleaned are way worse than the last ones . Which is the way it was on my early morning clean . I just pray it's the brush . Its things like this . I dont care how much it cost just want to sort it for mondays clean . So frustrating 

What is wrong with the windows ?? If you have been going 5 years I wouldn’t think it’s technique, sounds strange , I would check with another tds meter it sounds like it could be a water quality problem . Let us know if you find out this is an intresting one .

It could be that the brush is contaminated as Part Timer suggests. I'd give it a real good wash with warm water and Fairy Liquid. Rinse it thoroughly and see if that sorts it. 

Pjj said:

What is wrong with the windows ?? If you have been going 5 years I wouldn’t think it’s technique, sounds strange , I would check with another tds meter it sounds like it could be a water quality problem . Let us know if you find out this is an intresting one .

Click to expand...

Yer iv tried a brand new tds meter from a good supplier and still same readings .going to try clean brush tomorrow morning see if that makes a difference.  Its definitely got me head scratching 

Davy G said:

It could be that the brush is contaminated as Part Timer suggests. I'd give it a real good wash with warm water and Fairy Liquid. Rinse it thoroughly and see if that sorts it. 

Click to expand...

Cheers definitely going to try that tomorrow.  Here's hoping it helps . 

Contaminated brushes, I just spray pre-mix of Ubik and water onto the bristles run my fingers through the bristles to clean them up and then just clean the lower part of a window frame until the water runs clear of suds, sorts the job out, my gripe in recent weeks is people who have started using silicone oil or something similar on their composite doors which coats the bristles in an oily residue. 

Iron Giant said:

Contaminated brushes, I just spray pre-mix of Ubik and water onto the bristles run my fingers through the bristles to clean them up and then just clean the lower part of a window frame until the water runs clear of suds, sorts the job out, my gripe in recent weeks is people who have started using silicone oil or something similar on their composite doors which coats the bristles in an oily residue. 

Click to expand...

Yes that silicon oil is dreadful stuff there is a double glazing company where I live that started doing all the window frames with it , it would then run down onto the glass and was virtually impossible to get rid of the marks it left , one of my customers had new windows fitted and to cut a long storey short the oil damaged the glass , the company said that it was my fault the way I had cleaned them , both the customer and myself were not happy with what was said and the customer got the md of the glazing company and me to meet up at his house and showed him the black marks that were ingrained on the glass , he finally admitted they had caused the problem and replaced all the glass , before I had gone back to clean them exactly the same thing happened with the black staining on the glass the oil on the frames had gone on the new glass causing the same issues, they ended up replacing all the windows and frames , a very costly  mistake this firm now no longer uses this silicon oil on the frames and surprise surprise  there has been no further issues , I now make sure when taking on new jobs that the frames haven’t been done with this oil , I have tried a number of things and apart from solvent pvc cleaner have found nothing that will remove it .

Iron Giant said:

Contaminated brushes, I just spray pre-mix of Ubik and water onto the bristles run my fingers through the bristles to clean them up and then just clean the lower part of a window frame until the water runs clear of suds, sorts the job out, my gripe in recent weeks is people who have started using silicone oil or something similar on their composite doors which coats the bristles in an oily residue. 

Click to expand...

Or where a bbq has left grease up a window ?

Pjj said:

Yes that silicon oil is dreadful stuff there is a double glazing company where I live that started doing all the window frames with it , it would then run down onto the glass and was virtually impossible to get rid of the marks it left , one of my customers had new windows fitted and to cut a long storey short the oil damaged the glass , the company said that it was my fault the way I had cleaned them , both the customer and myself were not happy with what was said and the customer got the md of the glazing company and me to meet up at his house and showed him the black marks that were ingrained on the glass , he finally admitted they had caused the problem and replaced all the glass , before I had gone back to clean them exactly the same thing happened with the black staining on the glass the oil on the frames had gone on the new glass causing the same issues, they ended up replacing all the windows and frames , a very costly  mistake this firm now no longer uses this silicon oil on the frames and surprise surprise  there has been no further issues , I now make sure when taking on new jobs that the frames haven’t been done with this oil , I have tried a number of things and apart from solvent pvc cleaner have found nothing that will remove it .

Click to expand...

 ? It's usually just door's for me, so I'm like hawk-eye on all doors now, even older ones and a quick squirt of water on a door that looks extra shiny, gives me a heads up so I know not to make contact with my brush, i have one job with older window's which I am certain has had the frames done and I tried Ubik 2-3 times, to no avail and 2 years later I don't touch the frames and water beads off the stonework also. 

CHWS said:

Or where a bbq has left grease up a window ?

Click to expand...

BBQ's and people with bi-fold or patio doors, that think spray grease or WD40 will answer all their prayers on squeaky doors and it goes all over the frame and glass ?a window cleaners dream, NOT ?

Open your DI Vessel up and check to see if you have had an algae attack in your resin. What you find is that it will have gone black and sticky substance. This could be the issue.

You guys clean your brushes?  OOOPs!  Ive used the same brush for 3 momths and just pull the **** off the bristles while running the water through.  

Dino said:

You guys clean your brushes?  OOOPs!  Ive used the same brush for 3 momths and just pull the **** off the bristles while running the water through.  

Click to expand...

That's all I do. I'd only soap wash the brush if I thought it was contaminated. ?

All sorted . Thanks for the comments . My brush was getting old so went brought a new one and we have nice and clean windows again . ? yey 

Staffswindows said:

All sorted . Thanks for the comments . My brush was getting old so went brought a new one and we have nice and clean windows again . ? yey 

Click to expand...

Great! Your water quality is ok and it was an easy fix in the end. ??