Spotting frustration

[Danfire]

Been converting as much first floor cleaning as possible but recently had a customer complain that the upstairs windows didn't look clean...I thought this was unusual as I clean my own house using WFP...I told her I would check them when I was finished and gave them a real good scrub and rinse, one window was concerning me as the water didn't flow off the glass like most...sure enough this one window had spotting (although the others were fine)...then yesterday I checked about six houses when dry and half of them had spotting (mostly at the tops of the panes) but some all over...I don't make my own water and I don't have a TDS meter so I check the water by cleaning my own windows and inspecting when dry, I did this yesterday with the problematic water and my glass at home dried perfect...I'm wondering if it's the older, customers windows, seals breaking down, contaminating the water or if the powerful, daytime sunshine is contributing to the problem...anyone experienced similar and any easy solutions?

 

[Chris Dall]

1st of all buy a tester!

2nd are you noticing spotting below the air vents??

 

[peter rogers]

Get ur self a ppm reader they're only 5-15 on eBay

Hold ur brush head closer to glass to stop water bouncing off glass

Rinse slower

 

[Marko067]

Some older powdered aluminium and even PVC frames can break down with prolonged exposure to sunlight and start to go chalky to the touch. Sometimes a real good scrub can remove enough of it to stop serious spotting but I have some that are terrible every time I go. Almost looks like watered down milk running down the windows. With these you have to find another technique.

I avoid the upper part of the frame as much as I can. You may also have to clean the openers at the top all round the house then go back and do the main windows underneath. With others you might have to adjust your flow rate to a slower setting to avoid splashing. You can normally find ways to do most windows.

When I first started this I was told it was a doddle. Pretty much, splish splash splosh and that was all there was to it. No skill needed. I now know different.

I now have both fan jets and pencil jets fitted on my brushes with JG 'T' connectors for ease of change as sometimes one works better than the other. I also try to make my customers feel easy about talking to me if things aren't up to what they expect. I'd rather work with them to get it right than have them quit and complain about me to someone else.

 

[Danfire]

Not a vent related problem...will order a TDS reader today and take it from there.

 

[Jonathan Sanderson]

It's all about he technique. Aslong as your water is 000ppm and you rinse all the dirty water off the glass you will have perfect results.

You may need to rinse more throughly (on the glass) or adjust your technique so you aren't splashing the top frame/brickwork on your final rinse.

Even frames that have oxidised or have seals that have perished, with the right technique you can get them 99% perfect.

 

[spruce]

Being a wfp window cleaner without a TDS meter is having nails and no hammer.

The first tool to buy for your wfp kit is a TDS meter.

Impure water causes spotting. Before looking elsewhere, this is the first place to check.

If you are having spotting on some windows but not on others then it is more likely down to technique as @Jonathan Sanderson says or certain types of windows.

Then again, you are able to see spotting on some windows more than others.

The warmer weather and south facing windows can also create problems. Windows warmed up but the sun dry quicker. If the rinse water dries before it flushes away the dirt, then spots will remain.

A windie in Cyprus once told us that he spends most of his cleaning time spraying the window to cool it before washing and rinsing. If he didn't the results were awful.

 

[Danfire]

I'm getting all the points raised and will try to fine tune my technique (and invest in a TDS meter)...what's puzzling me is my results are perfect on my own windows which I use the same water and methods on...I took a chance on not measuring the TDS as the supplier is a manufacturer of high quality, aeronautical, cleaning chemicals...their pre mixed solution is diluted with pure...they supply the military and civilian buyers...their monitoring is top notch but I'm now going to double check.

 

[Chris Dall]

Tbh I'm working with 004 today until I change the resin later. No spotting at all

 

[adamangler]

There's no excuse for not having a tds meter.
 
First thing I bought before anything was a tds meter. I'd go crazy not knowing my tds. I check mine from the r.o a couple of times a week at least.

 

[Posh]

If your just checking the water from your own results each week that means your windows at home are getting a lot more washing then a customers Windows??

 

[spruce]

I'm getting all the points raised and will try to fine tune my technique (and invest in a TDS meter)...what's puzzling me is my results are perfect on my own windows which I use the same water and methods on...I took a chance on not measuring the TDS as the supplier is a manufacturer of high quality, aeronautical, cleaning chemicals...their pre mixed solution is diluted with pure...they supply the military and civilian buyers...their monitoring is top notch but I'm now going to double check.

Then we have to presume that the water is pure if you are buying it out. But you still need a TDS meter. Buy from a reputable supplier as there are lots of fakes (counterfeit) units on ebay.

@Posh makes a good point.

If these are first cleans then spotting can be the norm.

Wash and rinse well then leave to nearly dry. Go back and clean and rinse glass including transom bar between upper and lower glass panels. Then check the results.

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First cleans are difficult and 'draining' but you are investing now for the future when you don't have to spend as much time on the windows.