Spotting !

[Ocahan01]

Has anyone ever had experience with windows that no matter how many times you clean them they spot ?
Recently picked up a new customer where this problem just persists, it’s only been 3 cleans but I’m still not seeing any improvements.

I’ve explained to the customer that their windows may just be in that 1% of houses that the wfp just isn’t suitable. The customer hasn’t been rude about it but as a perfectionist I like to leave a perfect job every time .

I’ve offered to trad them but he doesn’t want anyone on his porch roof that you need to be on to gain access to the top windows.

I’ve offered to pole the tops and trad the bottoms to see if time solves the problem with spotting. I think I’m more annoyed with than the customer but I like to leave a perfect job every time .

 

[Part Timer]

If they're old double glazed and had been done traditionally for many years soap might be leeching out of the rubbers. Give the rubbers an extra long scrub and a good rinse. If that doesn't work then it must be something else

 

[Ocahan01]

If they're old double glazed and had been done traditionally for many years soap might be leeching out of the rubbers. Give the rubbers an extra long scrub and a good rinse. If that doesn't work then it must be something else

They’re pvc and we’re previously done trad by another window cleaner. I’ve had this issue on one other bungalow on my run which I just reverted back to trad after nearly one years worth of cleaning wfp.
Seems that some windows just don’t take to it whatever you try.

 

[Jaffacake]

They’re pvc and we’re previously done trad by another window cleaner. I’ve had this issue on one other bungalow on my run which I just reverted back to trad after nearly one years worth of cleaning wfp.
Seems that some windows just don’t take to it whatever you try.

There are only 3 things can can cause constant spotting. 1. TDS meter reads high. 2 . The window gasket is perishing / or has debris in the seal. The UPVC window is old and is breaking down due to sunlight damage which cause different amounts of milky residue depending how old they are.
The only way to resolve it if possible with the last two is seriously give all the frame a good clean and scrub let dry and then only do the glass. Don't touch any part of the upper or side frame of the window

They’re pvc and we’re previously done trad by another window cleaner. I’ve had this issue on one other bungalow on my run which I just reverted back to trad after nearly one years worth of cleaning wfp.
Seems that some windows just don’t take to it whatever you try.

 

[Ocahan01]

There are only 3 things can can cause constant spotting. 1. TDS meter reads high. 2 . The window gasket is perishing / or has debris in the seal. The UPVC window is old and is breaking down due to sunlight damage which cause different amounts of milky residue depending how old they are.
The only way to resolve it if possible with the last two is seriously give all the frame a good clean and scrub let dry and then only do the glass. Don't touch any part of the upper or side frame of the window

I’m not sure how old the windows are but the top openers are leaded so I’d imagine they’re quite old as lead went out of fashion decades ago.
Definitely not the tds as I’m totally obsessed about it and check it nearly daily, never let it go above 000ppm
Could just be perished seals or trapped soap that hadn’t been totally worked out yet.

When I first did this house i returned twice and done the bottom windows over because I had noticed spottting. The occupants weren’t about so didn’t know I had issues with the windows. Only this time have they noticed as I only cleaned them once.

If it continues after another couple of cleans I will pass it onto another window cleaner and let him worry about it. Sometimes some jobs just aren’t worth the time and hassle .

 

[Jaffacake]

I’m not sure how old the windows are but the top openers are leaded so I’d imagine they’re quite old as lead went out of fashion decades ago.
Definitely not the tds as I’m totally obsessed about it and check it nearly daily, never let it go above 000ppm
Could just be perished seals or trapped soap that hadn’t been totally worked out yet.

When I first did this house and returned twice and done the bottom windows over that day as there was spotting .

If it continues after another couple of cleans I will pass it onto another window cleaner and let him worry about it. Sometimes some jobs just aren’t worth the time and hassle .

If they are leaded on the outside it could be residue off the lead as the lead oxygenises

I’m not sure how old the windows are but the top openers are leaded so I’d imagine they’re quite old as lead went out of fashion decades ago.
Definitely not the tds as I’m totally obsessed about it and check it nearly daily, never let it go above 000ppm
Could just be perished seals or trapped soap that hadn’t been totally worked out yet.

When I first did this house i returned twice and done the bottom windows over because I had noticed spottting. The occupants weren’t about so didn’t know I had issues with the windows. Only this time have they noticed as I only cleaned them once.

If it continues after another couple of cleans I will pass it onto another window cleaner and let him worry about it. Sometimes some jobs just aren’t worth the time and hassle .

Could be the lead if it's on the outside as it oxygenises over a period of time.
As you say some windows will always be a problem and the home owner has to either accept it or try someone else.
I do lots of apartments and some have very old PVC windows in. One block with a few windows in has seriously milky water streaming down when I clean the frames

 

[spruce]

We had a customer who had windows with a film on them from when new @Ocahan01 . We cleaned them for about 12 years. No matter what we did, they spotted. She ordered the windows with that film applied. She changed the glass a few years ago and the spotting went away. I don't know if they replaced the window rubbers, but I can assure you we scrubbed those windows and there couldn't have been soap residue left in all the time we cleaned them.

Another windie and I were the first to start wfp window cleaning around 19 years ago in our area. He had a customer whose top windows never spotted, but the bottom windows spotted every time. The windows were all fitted at the same time. She moaned at him like mad and threatened to dump him. He had cleaned her windows traditionally for around 10 years prior. It turns out that the customer cleaned her bottom windows every week between cleans using Windolene. When she was asked to stop cleaning them, the spotting went away over time.

 

[SB Cleaning Services]

Wfp is far from perfect, it leaves a lot of marks here and there, don't worry about it unless they complain..

 

[Pjj]

Wfp is far from perfect, it leaves a lot of marks here and there, don't worry about it unless they complain..

It’s more difficult as you walk away leaving a window wet and can’t see the finished results lot of the time but 99% of the time on jobs we do check it’s vary rare to have a problem if we get a handful of complaints in a year it’s been a very bad year , I can’t remember the last time we had a single complaint , use 000 water good scrub and rinse = clean windows ho spots .

 

[Part Timer]

Wfp is far from perfect, it leaves a lot of marks here and there, don't worry about it unless they complain..

Seems a very negative take of the method you use. Why use this method if you honestly think it does a 2nd class job.

 

[AllGleam]

I feel wfp cleans better than traditional as deeper clean on frames ive had it once on one pane of a customers window just that spotted every time it was coming from mucky water from a join between the frame gap of 2 small openers and it woukd dry with a spray down the middles so in the end i still scrubbed and cleaned all frames and glass as usual good rinse the id reclean glass when it had settled and seemed to stop it ok

 

[AllGleam]

Sometimes what i have noticed as ive had customers with new frames is that over time i see dark strip runs appear on the bottom sides of frames from corners that i use pink stuff to buff off occasionally

 

[Ocahan01]

Wfp is far from perfect, it leaves a lot of marks here and there, don't worry about it unless they complain..

I think wfp can leave a perfect job that’s why I’m asking for anyone with experience with windows that’s just won’t stop spotting. Spotting is definitely the exception and not the rule .
As an overall clean and lasting clean wfp is superior to trad for me but it’s not suitable for all jobs. Old Wooden frames etc.
I think saying it’s far from perfect is misleading.

 

[Iron Giant]

I’m not sure how old the windows are but the top openers are leaded so I’d imagine they’re quite old as lead went out of fashion decades ago.

? we have leaded top openers, the windows were installed 18 years ago by the previous owners, but they suit the house as it's a 1930s semi I don't think are out of fashion just not suited to all houses

 

[spruce]

We had a customer who had windows with a film on them from when new @Ocahan01 . We cleaned them for about 12 years. No matter what we did, they spotted. She ordered the windows with that film applied. She changed the glass a few years ago and the spotting went away. I don't know if they replaced the window rubbers, but I can assure you we scrubbed those windows and there couldn't have been soap residue left in all the time we cleaned them.

What I found interesting with this experience of ours was that any rain drops on the same glass didn't leave spots when they dried. I collected some rain water in a glass that had been cleaned and rinsed in pure water at 0ppm. Our rainfall collected water was 2ppm.
I often wondered if we cleaned our customer's house with water of 2ppm, would there have been a difference. I never did try it, though.

 

[AllGleam]

I think wfp can leave a perfect job that’s why I’m asking for anyone with experience with windows that’s just won’t stop spotting. Spotting is definitely the exception and not the rule .
As an overall clean and lasting clean wfp is superior to trad for me but it’s not suitable for all jobs. Old Wooden frames etc.
I think saying it’s far from perfect is misleading.

I stay away from wood frames as in time they will rot and flake if painted and if you get a customer thats out to get some new windows or a payout they'll be quick to pass blame

 

[spruce]

I think wfp can leave a perfect job that’s why I’m asking for anyone with experience with windows that’s just won’t stop spotting. Spotting is definitely the exception and not the rule .
As an overall clean and lasting clean wfp is superior to trad for me but it’s not suitable for all jobs. Old Wooden frames etc.
I think saying it’s far from perfect is misleading.

We do a much better job wfp than we did trad. With the brush and running water, we can also get into all those nooks and grannies and flush away dirt we couldn't with traditional cleaning. When cleaning traditionally, we also wiped the frames and sills that some cleaners never did. When we first did those houses wfp that we did trad, I couldn't believe how much dirt we got out of each window frame.

There will be a couple of houses where wfp doesn't work. We have had spotting on our lounge window for years. The window frames aren't the best plastic and tend to become chalky due to the sun. No matter how much I scrub and rinse, there will be numerous spotted runs down the glass from the top.
When I have dried the top frame after washing and scrubbing with a towel, then cleaned the glass carefully below, then there is no spotting. So in our case, spotting is due to the top frame. Am I going to do this each time I clean our lounge window? No, the window cleaner does the clean for free and still doesn't get any fringe benefits for his trouble.
Then on top of that, she is threatening to find another cleaner who will do a better job.

 

[spruce]

I stay away from wood frames as in time they will rot and flake if painted and if you get a customer thats out to get some new windows or a payout they'll be quick to pass blame

We have had that this week. An old lady we have cleaned for years with aluminium window frames inside wooden surrounds. She dumped us telling us that our bush had damaged her varnished frames and that she would now have to pay someone to revarnish them. We have done her house for more than 10 years and the 'varnish' on the wood was old then.

Wasn't going to argue with her, just thanked her for her previous custom. This is the trouble with older people. Her husband died a few years ago, and she hasn't anybody to 'level' off with.

 

[AllGleam]

Its sad when you've been reliably cleaning for years and cancel on you she was probably looking for you to revarnish repair or replace

 

[spruce]

Its sad when you've been reliably cleaning for years and cancel on you she was probably looking for you to revarnish repair or replace

Actually, you have made me think. I will pass by there next week and take a couple of photos of the frames in case she tries this at a later date. Thank you.

There's a plonker of a painter in our area who tells customer's that wfp is to blame for their painted window frame issues. The elderly are the most vulnerable to his verbal diarrhoea. His painting is much to be desired.

We had an old guy on his own with wooden window frames. He used to get his windows repainted every 5 years. The last painter, I expect the same one, told him to get rid of his window cleaner who uses the pole and go back to cleaning traditionally.

When we called, he asked me not to use the pole, but clean them the old way.

I asked him how I was going to reach his top windows. With your ladder was his response. But your previous window cleaners rested their ladders on the sills and damaged the paintwork. That's why you employed me. I couldn't rest my ladders below the windows as the gap between the ground floor windows and door and upper bedroom windows were tiles and would be unsafe and possibly break - the very reason why the last cleaners rested their ladders on the window sills.

Can you dry them afterwards?

How can I do that?

I cleaned them a couple more times with wfp normally, and he then went into a home. Problem solved.

 

[AllGleam]

I've had a one who has the composite doors and it was under 15 yr guarantee it faded on the contours but not the straight flat angles the customer said he'd get back in contact with them they asked him if he had it cleaned by water pole service he said no to them even tho i do because he knows they'd refuse to come out and rectify it, bare in mind i clean countless doors that are this type with no issues the door is in practically full sun majority of the day too im glad he's a great chap we've had a few conversations about the door and he's always been very happy with the work done.