Fresh cleans. Can't stop spotting please help

[lewiilew]

Hi all I've just bought a reach and wash business and I've been doing it for around 2 months now. I'm 21 and just starting out so I'm apreciative of all advice. Basically I have had no problems with my existing customers as they have been cleaned by reach and wash for 6 years. I've picked up some new work and every new clean I do I get complaints regarding spotting on the windows. I'm running out of ideas as I scrub well and rinse thoroughly. I have a vikan pole and fat boy backpack my water is at 0.01 ppm.

 

[spruce]

Which windows are affected and where are the spots (are they at the top of the window only). Do you have the same problem with each new clean? How do you clean a house? Do you do the tops all the way round and then start at the beginning and do the bottoms, or do you do tops and then bottoms straight afterward? etc.

When we started wfp (and we bought a trad round from couple of glass cleaners only) we scrubbed and rinsed windows and frames and then went onto the next house. We then came back and redid the first house, cleaning windows only. There were a couple that weren't right after that which we bladed off. Next clean they were fine.

We still have a few houses where we have to do top openers first and then come back a couple of hours later and do the bottoms. Some windows don't do wfp, even UPVC ones.

What brush are you using and how do you rinse?

 

[Tuffers]

Welcome @lewiilew, is it spotting or runs in a vertical line? When I clean my house I always get a run on my bedroom window no matter how much I scrub and rinse. Are you rinsing thoroughly?

 

[lewiilew]

Which windows are affected and where are the spots (are they at the top of the window only). Do you have the same problem with each new clean? How do you clean a house? Do you do the tops all the way round and then start at the beginning and do the bottoms, or do you do tops and then bottoms straight afterward? etc.
When we started wfp (and we bought a trad round from couple of glass cleaners only) we scrubbed and rinsed windows and frames and then went onto the next house. We then came back and redid the first house, cleaning windows only. There were a couple that weren't right after that which we bladed off. Next clean they were fine.

We still have a few houses where we have to do top openers first and then come back a couple of hours later and do the bottoms. Some windows don't do wfp, even UPVC ones.

What brush are you using and how do you rinse?

Thanks for your reply. I scrub across the tops first and then the rest of the frame and sill. then the glass and rinse I do this twice straight after each other. I always do a top window that's above a bottom one first so it has chance to drip dry before starting the underneath. The spotting is starting at the top where the rubber seal is and running down the center of the window it always seems to spot from the rubber seals. Hope this helps

 

[lewiilew]

Welcome @lewiilew, is it spotting or runs in a vertical line? When I clean my house I always get a run on my bedroom window no matter how much I scrub and rinse. Are you rinsing thoroughly?

Thanks @Tuffers I sometimes get runs in a vertical line but mostly dried milky spots. I rinse rinse and rinse again but it doesn't seem to have any effect I've been back tonight to try and put it right so time will tell if they are Any better

 

[mark]

the new work you have bought!!!was it done trad b4?have you explained the switch over?have you seen the spotting yourself?most likely ok!!there called moaners.get rid.

 

[lewiilew]

the new work you have bought!!!was it done trad b4?have you explained the switch over?have you seen the spotting yourself?most likely ok!!there called moaners.get rid.

Hi @mark They Were All Trad before Some Even Didn't Do The Back Of The House As They Couldnt get ladders through so they havent Been Done For years. What's the switch over ? I haven't heard of that

 

[Tuffers]

Do the sills last. Sounds like either soap in the seal or the seal has broken down. You can avoid it by just nudging the brush to the top of the glass and not touching the seal, you can go over the top frame with the water turned off after you've got the first clean out of the way. Top openers are a problem as the frame sits over the bottom frame and water can run from the joint. You can tell if a window is going to run as you will see a run of dots of water in a line. You can stop this by letting it run and then rinse (very accurately) just below the highest spot. Sometimes water will run in a line from the top of the glass if a snail has left a trail, that can be sorted by scrubbing the trail away. Snail trails show up a whole lot more when the window is wet. I find swiping the brush horizontally works better than vertically to rid them.

 

[lewiilew]

Do the sills last. Sounds like either soap in the seal or the seal has broken down. You can avoid it by just nudging the brush to the top of the glass and not touching the seal, you can go over the top frame with the water turned off after you've got the first clean out of the way. Top openers are a problem as the frame sits over the bottom frame and water can run from the joint. You can tell if a window is going to run as you will see a run of dots of water in a line. You can stop this by letting it run and then rinse (very accurately) just below the highest spot. Sometimes water will run in a line from the top of the glass if a snail has left a trail, that can be sorted by scrubbing the trail away. Snail trails show up a whole lot more when the window is wet. I find swiping the brush horizontally works better than vertically to rid them.

Ah ok that's interesting I never knew how to "spot" spotting when it's still wet that's helpful

 

[mark]

have you explained to your new custies your not cleaning them trad & that you clean them wfp.

 

[lewiilew]

have you explained to your new custies your not cleaning them trad & that you clean them wfp.

Oh Yeh they know that. That's why they've had me do there windows. Trouble is they are expecting crystal clear glass first time as reach and was has a stigma attached to it that you get a perfect finish everytime. If it's possible I don't know how to achieve this

 

[mark]

you will always get spotting on 1st cleans,as already said- theres years & years of soap & **** on the windows.also high expectations from the custie.

 

[Dave B]

There is a reach and wash factsheet you can give to customers who had trad cleaners before to explain possible issues

A few people on here have it..i can't find it at the moment

@mark m has it i think

 

[Dave B]

When i switched I had very minimal spotting issues

I cleaned the top frames and glass as 1 unit then when finished the whole front started again at the first window and did a quick maintenance type clean

I think the first clean took all the cack off and the 2nd go over took off any spotting from the initial go

you will always get spotting on 1st cleans,as already said- theres years & years of soap & **** on the windows.also high expectations from the custie.

 

[lewiilew]

There is a reach and wash factsheet you can give to customers who had trad cleaners before to explain possible issuesA few people on here have it..i can't find it at the moment

@mark m has it i think

that would be great if you could find that out for me much apreciated

 

[lewiilew]

you will always get spotting on 1st cleans,as already said- theres years & years of soap & **** on the windows.also high expectations from the custie.

That's reassuring thanks Mark I've always thought that

 

[lewiilew]

When i switched I had very minimal spotting issuesI cleaned the top frames and glass as 1 unit then when finished the whole front started again at the first window and did a quick maintenance type clean

I think the first clean took all the cack off and the 2nd go over took off any spotting from the initial go

Our of interest do you use pencil or fan jets as I use fan jets I don't know if this is the problem

 

[Dave B]

I use pencil

I tried a guys pole with fans and didn't like em

I think it is easier to rinse well with pencils

 

[mark]

don't shoot me,ive tried fan jets.not my cup a tea.ive gone for 3mm pencil jets 4 better rinsing & no splash back.which fan jets do- creating a fine mist which goes back on the windows.each to there own,im not starting a debate.

 

[Underdog]

im new to it too so still learning. iv been lucky to have no complaints so far but i do give every customer a letter explaining the proccess and possible spotting or runs for first 2 to 3 cleans. do you scrub left to right where the glass meets the top frame. or are they vented windows.

 

[Dave B]

I never mention the method i am using but on new cleans once i have finished i always explain that because i have scrubbed the frames and top of vents so the whole thing is spotless there is a slight chance of a drip of dirty water once i have gone as it is a first clean and needed a good scrub ..any problems give me a shout and I'll go over it when i am passing during the week

They all seem happy with that and i don't get calls

Some say "don't worry about it I'm not bothered about a spot or 2 as they are so much cleaner"