Can normal grit scratch windows?

[Parks]

I'm new to window cleaning and been practicing on my home with different strategies; 0000 Steel Wool, Lowe's Squegee and Applicator. I keep getting discouraged by what I can only assume are scratches from myself?? Most of our windows around here get really really dirty with cobwebs and all kinds of stuff. When using the applicator and grabbing all the cobwebs and stuff can that scratch the window? Or going over the same window too many times with a sleeve?

It makes no sense how I see long streak scratches as if the grit is scratching it. Everywhere I've read nobody says bug and spider **** can scratch windows? This is discouraging the heck out of me. Especially after like 100 tries on a window learning fanning then seeing a scratch when the sun is on it after.

There's only like 2 scratches on seperate windows but still I can't be working on customers windows not knowing where I'm going wrong...

 

[Swasher]

I'm new to window cleaning and been practicing on my home with different strategies; 0000 Steel Wool, Lowe's Squegee and Applicator. I keep getting discouraged by what I can only assume are scratches from myself?? Most of our windows around here get really really dirty with cobwebs and all kinds of stuff. When using the applicator and grabbing all the cobwebs and stuff can that scratch the window? Or going over the same window too many times with a sleeve?

It makes no sense how I see long streak scratches as if the grit is scratching it. Everywhere I've read nobody says bug and spider **** can scratch windows? This is discouraging the heck out of me. Especially after like 100 tries on a window learning fanning then seeing a scratch when the sun is on it after.

There's only like 2 scratches on seperate windows but still I can't be working on customers windows not knowing where I'm going wrong...

Watching this as i also have this paranoia about it .
You just dont want to be damaging more than cleaning it do you

 

[Swasher]

Have you got scratches on your windows?

 

[Mattlekim]

Glass is incredibly hard. Yes grit can scratch it but I have never scratched glass using an applicator, or squeegee.

I did trad for 8 years, was traned by an experienced trad guy of 30 years, was never even warnd by him about this for normal uses, only when using the side of the applicator and pushing hard.

Iv even had it where iv bladed off and left a streak as there has been a bit of grit on the squeegee. Still never scratch a pain of glass.

I'm not saying it's inpossible. As I said Biggest change would be when you use the edge of the applicator and press had when you have a stubborn mark on the glass. If you press hard enough when you run it couls definitely scratch if there is grit in there.

But iv never used any steal wool and wouldn't personaly as I only ever uses a scrapper for the very very stubborn stuff

 

[K in Kent]

Glass is incredibly hard. Yes grit can scratch it but I have never scratched glass using an applicator, or squeegee.

I did trad for 8 years, was traned by an experienced trad guy of 30 years, was never even warnd by him about this for normal uses, only when using the side of the applicator and pushing hard.

Iv even had it where iv bladed off and left a streak as there has been a bit of grit on the squeegee. Still never scratch a pain of glass.

I'm not saying it's inpossible. As I said Biggest change would be when you use the edge of the applicator and press had when you have a stubborn mark on the glass. If you press hard enough when you run it couls definitely scratch if there is grit in there.

But iv never used any steal wool and wouldn't personaly as I only ever uses a scrapper for the very very stubborn stuff

and only use a sharp glass scraper on wet windows and make sure your applicator is thoroughly soaped up and clean and free of grit etc

 

[Armistead Cleaning]

Could it be that the scratches were already there, you just hadn't noticed them before because your windows were dirty?

 

[DeLaCruz]

When I started I had mega paranoia about scratching glass using wfp. I remember cleaning this one property and I looked up at the patio doors when the sun was shining and it’s was covered in scratches ! I was so paranoid I’d done it I couldn’t think straight - i then inspected the rear windows tahini hadn’t cleaned and they had the same scratches aswell. fast forward 4 years now I have seen so many scratched windows when I inspected them in sunlight beforehand - basically unless you look carefully in the high intensity light you’d never see how many scratches glass has left by installation process - I know bc I now do a builders clean contract and see the scratches on so many new homes every time a new bunch of houses is handed over to me.
Of course being careful about brush / applicator care is good practice but it’s 97% of the time builders scratches imo.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Near impossible to scratch glass with a brush. Where one will scratch glass is using a metal scraper without the glass being wet.