Scraped glass ?!

[Skxawng]

The customer doesn't want you to clean them again and will probably blame your tools, but they probably don't realise its far more likely to scratch glass with a squeegee. That's the reason companies like Pilkintons who produce self cleaning glass reccomend wfp over Squeegees to save scratching the coating. 

 

[spruce]

I see where your coming from and thanks for the input. If I was to go back and say it did go through insurance, are you likely to see a big rise in your insurance ? 
 

This is another good question I don't know the answer to. I assume so and have always worked on that assumption.

 

[wezza13]

Not sure if it’s how I would deal with it but having a strong position like that would help nip it in the bud. Speaking to manufacturers before they told me they’ve never had a brush, being used properly and with no damage, cause a scratch. 
 

I bought a new Sill brush (the yellow one with the blue stiffer bristles on each side) from Gardiners about 6 months ago and, on the first job, the stiff side bristles started to scratch a pane of glass. I watched it happen, quickly took it off of the window and changed brushes. Later in the day, I was cleaning a house with an old greenhouse that has been neglected for years. I put that brush on and went over one of the panes with the brush, used the side bristles and, yup, they started to scratch the glass!

I've always maintained that brushes can't cause scratches. I never lean them against walls, face-down on pavements and always flick the brush through with my hand.

So, I've gone from being 100% that it wasn't the brush to being 99.9% sure. Luckily, it has yellow bristles, so easily identifiable and I just use that one for cladding now.

So, maybe his employee did scratch the pane?

 

[Part Timer]

I bought a new Sill brush (the yellow one with the blue stiffer bristles on each side) from Gardiners about 6 months ago and, on the first job, the stiff side bristles started to scratch a pane of glass. I watched it happen, quickly took it off of the window and changed brushes. Later in the day, I was cleaning a house with an old greenhouse that has been neglected for years. I put that brush on and went over one of the panes with the brush, used the side bristles and, yup, they started to scratch the glass!

I've always maintained that brushes can't cause scratches. I never lean them against walls, face-down on pavements and always flick the brush through with my hand.

So, I've gone from being 100% that it wasn't the brush to being 99.9% sure. Luckily, it has yellow bristles, so easily identifiable and I just use that one for cladding now.

So, maybe his employee did scratch the pane?

Did you tell @Alex Gardiner about this.

 

[wezza13]

Also, I did an initial clean last year and noticed a few patches of scratches on a few downstairs windows, whilst I was inspecting them before proceeding. Showed the homeowner and she said that the builder had asked her for a scouring pad/sponge and that he was going to clean off some cement. I'm sure I'd have got the blame had I not pointed it out!

Did you tell @Alex Gardiner about this.

I thought about it at the time but, as Gardiners are usually top notch, I didn't bother and thought it would be a handy brush (because of the colour) to use for cladding. I couldn't be bothered to send one brush back tbh.

 

[Master Jedi Alejandro]

I thought about it at the time but, as Gardiners are usually top notch, I didn't bother and thought it would be a handy brush (because of the colour) to use for cladding. I couldn't be bothered to send one brush back tbh.

You 100% should have told him so they could investigate and to save others who use the same brush! Or, he may have helped you figure out what was going on, as I’m sure they will extensively test their brushes. Plus, surely you would want to know for your own peace of mind?! 

 

[TWC]

I had a customer pop out and talk to me about my brush as he’s just had new wooden sash windows put in. Explained that the flocked I was using was designed with wood in mind etc etc. 
Low and behold after I clean I detail and notice a faint scratch on one of his lower windows that I know I’ve not done. I knocked and showed him the scratch and he agreed it must’ve been there before. If I hadn’t seen it I’ve no doubt I would have got the blame at a later date. 
whenever I clean new builds I always find scratched panes. It’s easy to spot on downstairs but faint scratches on upper windows are impossible to spot and we will get the blame unfortunately. 
I would always say if something has got wedged in my brush hard enough to scratch a window it would be on every window surely?

 

[wezza13]

You 100% should have told him so they could investigate and to save others who use the same brush! Or, he may have helped you figure out what was going on, as I’m sure they will extensively test their brushes. Plus, surely you would want to know for your own peace of mind?! 

I wasn't too fussed. Like I said - it was an excuse to use it for cladding only. There were no noticeable signs (on the bristles) that it was faulty.

 

[Alex Gardiner]

I bought a new Sill brush (the yellow one with the blue stiffer bristles on each side) from Gardiners about 6 months ago and, on the first job, the stiff side bristles started to scratch a pane of glass. I watched it happen, quickly took it off of the window and changed brushes. Later in the day, I was cleaning a house with an old greenhouse that has been neglected for years. I put that brush on and went over one of the panes with the brush, used the side bristles and, yup, they started to scratch the glass!

I've always maintained that brushes can't cause scratches. I never lean them against walls, face-down on pavements and always flick the brush through with my hand.

So, I've gone from being 100% that it wasn't the brush to being 99.9% sure. Luckily, it has yellow bristles, so easily identifiable and I just use that one for cladding now.

So, maybe his employee did scratch the pane?

Hi Wezza13

I would have been most interested in this if you had raised it with us - we are always happy to help and discuss with any such issues.

It would be very foolish of us as a company if we designed brushes made from materials that could scratch glass - even if only a small percentage of the time ? - with over 20,000 of this style brushes in use the potential for damage could still be very serious.

Therefore we choose the materials very carefully - whilst the blue bristles feel very stiff they are actually made of exactly the same polyester material as found on the rest of the brush. The only difference is the thickness of bristle diameter - this makes it much stiffer in use. However the end material hardness is exactly the same as the other bristles in the brush.

This polyester material is chosen specifically for glass cleaning due to the fact that it is much softer than the glass it is cleaning. Also generally the blue bristle will never come into contact with the glass as they are on the side of the brush and are designed to make contact with the masonry reveal and frame instead - even then only when firmly pushed against.

However this does depend on the type of glass it is used on - for instance some glass has a treated coating applied which should not be used with mono-filament bristle brushes (which this brush is). Great care should be taken when working on any specialist or treated glass.

If the side of the brush with blue bristles is being used to clean the window then this is usually because of some impacted dirt on the glass that needs extra scrubbing - great care also needs to be taken when deciding to focus extra scrubbing power on impacted dirt as this dirt can then be moved along the glass under pressure and can scratch the glass; just like trying to use a scouring pad on cement on glass.

Please feel free to message me with some more details about the occurrence and ideally a photo of the brush and the glass in question - I would also be happy to look at testing the bristles on your brush for you.

Just a note - if you're intending using this brush on cladding please ensure that the cladding does not have a highly polished or painted surface as these mono-filament brushes are not recommended for such delicate cladding surfaces. For such cladding, a flocked softer brush would be needed ?

 

[wezza13]

It would be very foolish of us as a company if we designed brushes made from materials that could scratch glass - even if only a small percentage of the time ? - with over 20,000 of this style brushes in use the potential for damage could still be very serious.

Hi Alex,

Of course it would be. Which is why I took it to be a one in a million (well, 20,000) problem. I wouldn't continue to buy brushes from you if I thought they had the potential to be faulty. Which is why I didn't mention it at the time. If I had've done - it would've been on the Gardiner website feedback but didn't think it necessary. It was a normal window, nothing treated or specialist.

With regards to the cladding - we've used these (and many other types of your brushes) over the years. Never used any of the "Stiff" feels but always up to the "Medium Soft" feel bristled brushes. And never had a problem ?

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Hi Alex,

Of course it would be. Which is why I took it to be a one in a million (well, 20,000) problem. I wouldn't continue to buy brushes from you if I thought they had the potential to be faulty. Which is why I didn't mention it at the time. If I had've done - it would've been on the Gardiner website feedback but didn't think it necessary. It was a normal window, nothing treated or specialist.

With regards to the cladding - we've used these (and many other types of your brushes) over the years. Never used any of the "Stiff" feels but always up to the "Medium Soft" feel bristled brushes. And never had a problem ?

It won't be the brush that caused a scratch on the glass but a bit of grit picked up when on the ground or on the wall. I use the plastic edge of the brush to remove bird muck because it can't scratch the glass. ?

 

[wezza13]

It won't be the brush that caused a scratch on the glass but a bit of grit picked up when on the ground or on the wall. I use the plastic edge of the brush to remove bird muck because it can't scratch the glass. ?

Read the part where I said "I've always maintained that brushes can't cause scratches. I never lean them against walls, face-down on pavements and always flick the brush through with my hand.".

Besides, it came out of the delivery box, brand new, and straight on to the gooseneck.

?

 

[wezza13]

It won't be the brush that caused a scratch on the glass but a bit of grit picked up when on the ground or on the wall. I use the plastic edge of the brush to remove bird muck because it can't scratch the glass. ?

I certainly wouldn't use the plastic side of the brush either. I'm pretty sure Alex wouldn't recommend this. Soak it and come back to it.

Then again, I think you use hot water (not heard you mention it before?) so it should be a doddle to remove ?

 

[ksp]

It won't be the brush that caused a scratch on the glass but a bit of grit picked up when on the ground or on the wall. I use the plastic edge of the brush to remove bird muck because it can't scratch the glass. ?

I’d stop doing that as you’ve been lucky up to now Scottish.You definitely can scratch the windows using the plastic edge. That’s why they have some brushes with a stiffer type bristle on the edge so help with things like bird mess. 

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I’d stop doing that as you’ve been lucky up to now Scottish.You definitely can scratch the windows using the plastic edge. That’s why they have some brushes with a stiffer type bristle on the edge so help with things like bird mess. 

Maybe I've been lucky. Anyway another interesting point before I'm off to fix a fence as windows all done this month. A neighbour bought a brand new 4 by 4 Nissan truck and he told me the adblue froze in the tank. Its meant to freeze at minus 11 but it was only minus 6. They gave him a van to drive about in as they are waiting for a new adblue tank to arrive. That adblue is causing a lot of problems I'm hearing and probably a waste of time. ?

 

[Dave B]

It won't be the brush that caused a scratch on the glass but a bit of grit picked up when on the ground or on the wall. I use the plastic edge of the brush to remove bird muck because it can't scratch the glass. ?

It can as I've done it.. never use the stock to remove muck.

 

[Master Jedi Alejandro]

A neighbour bought a brand new 4 by 4 Nissan truck and he told me the adblue froze in the tank. Its meant to freeze at minus 11 but it was only minus 6. They gave him a van to drive about in as they are waiting for a new adblue tank to arrive. That adblue is causing a lot of problems I'm hearing and probably a waste of time. ?

You sure this is the issue? I ask cause we stay in the same area, Scottish, and the adblue in my van hasn’t had any issues with the cold we’ve been having. 

It won't be the brush that caused a scratch on the glass but a bit of grit picked up when on the ground or on the wall.

So, I was told by a manufacturer this wouldn’t happen. The grit would simply be pushed further down the bristle, (I assume as there is only pressure in one side). Don’t get me wrong, I never put my brush on the ground or against a wall, but it’s good to know it’s not something that can happen. 

 

[scottish cleaning service]

You sure this is the issue? I ask cause we stay in the same area, Scottish, and the adblue in my van hasn’t had any issues with the cold we’ve been having.

Its a Nissan or Vauxhall 4 by 4. The woman at the garage seemed to know there is an issue. Think he needs a new adblue tank so he's running about in a hired van which they supplied him. Will find out when he gets his 4 by 4 back and let you know.

 

[phillip]

If possible always check the glass the customer says is scratched. You can generally tell if it is from the brush stock on the side used to scrape. The scratches are in a small condensed area. It is easily done though, I have scratched glass myself. Heavy handed at the best of times. I have replaced a few glass units due to scratches over the years. I am always surprised at how low the cost is from £50 to £160. You kind of get a feel when you go yo the house if its been a operative error or the customer is blagging. I bought the polishing kit and tried that. I found that it only works if the scratch is not deep or wide. Just for very faint scratches. Hope that helps, Good luck either way hope you get it sorted. 

 

[mick henn]

Hi

I’ve just come across this post. I’m new to window cleaning and have only done a handful of cleans so far. I did a job today and when I was finished I walked around to inspect the glass and on a few windows it looks like there is a few scrapes. So I’ve been panicking since and when I came home I looked at my own glass where I did a few practice cleans and I have now found a few scrapes on my own glass. Have I caused these? Is it down to technique? Am I brushing too hard? I always thought if the glass is quite dirty it needs a good scrub?

 

[Part Timer]

If you've used a new brush that hasn't got grit or other hard sharp particles trapped in the bristles you haven't damaged any glass. If the brush wasn't "clean" then it's possible you have but you probably would've heard a noise warning you that you were scratching the glass.