? Starting From Zero - Follow Along

[dazmond]

UPDATE 01/06

Tried cleaning my windows again today. It was very hot, about 23°C at least. I decided to try a 1:10 dilution of Virisol.

I only had one brush and my backpack so I mixed up the solution in a bucket and dipped the brush in. 

It was hard getting the solution on, scrubbing then trying to get it rinsed off fast enough in the heat. I found it hard to get the brush clean of the solution.

The Virisol was awesome at getting the muck off, got all the bird mess off really well. 

The windows and frames are a lot cleaner, it's definitely massive step in the right direction. 

My issue now seems to be that all the scrubbing and rinsing with pure water didn't seem to be enough, white residue seems to be on some parts of the window. Which is strange because I really tried to rinse it /scrub it after the virisol.

Not sure what's happening as I tried to scrub and rinse thoroughly with pure water?

your frames must be oxidised....thats what causes the white residue on the glass.....you need to just rinse the glass without splashing water on the frames for a good finish...

once your cleainng windows every 4,6,8 weeks they will be easier to clean.....yours must be filthy!

 

[Pjj]

UPDATE 01/06

Tried cleaning my windows again today. It was very hot, about 23°C at least. I decided to try a 1:10 dilution of Virisol.

I only had one brush and my backpack so I mixed up the solution in a bucket and dipped the brush in. 

It was hard getting the solution on, scrubbing then trying to get it rinsed off fast enough in the heat. I found it hard to get the brush clean of the solution.

The Virisol was awesome at getting the muck off, got all the bird mess off really well. 

The windows and frames are a lot cleaner, it's definitely massive step in the right direction. 

My issue now seems to be that all the scrubbing and rinsing with pure water didn't seem to be enough, white residue seems to be on some parts of the window. Which is strange because I really tried to rinse it /scrub it after the virisol.

Not sure what's happening as I tried to scrub and rinse thoroughly with pure water?

Thank you so much, it means a lot. ?

I have never had any problems with a 10-1 mix drying on the frames  and glass it won’t hurt it when you wet it up it will re activate it , ( we spray it on but applying by brush is fine ) the white milk is the dead surface of the white plastic washing off , might pay to use tap water for the clean and rinse then go over it again light rub and rinse with pure . 

 

[rigmarole]

You always have to consider every window you clean as a first clean.

The seals will leach soap, environmental debris, limescale etc

It may take a few attempts to reach a closer form of perfection

I'd not thought of that. I couldn't understand why it had happened, I tried so hard to scrub / thoroughly rinse. I mean, I am happy, definitely progress, they are pretty damn clean, just the white staining would make me think a customer would complain

 

[rigmarole]

your frames must be oxidised....thats what causes the white residue on the glass.....you need to just rinse the glass without splashing water on the frames for a good finish...

once your cleainng windows every 4,6,8 weeks they will be easier to clean.....yours must be filthy!

I scrubbed the frames with the Virisol too, to get some green mildew off (worked well). But maybe I shouldn't have used it on the frames too?

I never considered that the residue would be coming from the window.

I've just moved in to the house and I don't think they cleaned the windows in a LONG time!

 

[Pjj]

I scrubbed the frames with the Virisol too, to get some green mildew off (worked well). But maybe I shouldn't have used it on the frames too?

I never considered that the residue would be coming from the window.

I've just moved in to the house and I don't think they cleaned the windows in a LONG time!

On bad first cleans and gfs we use Virosol makes life a lot easier with cold water it eats into the dirt and softens it up making the job a lot quicker and easier .

 

[Deleted member 7446]

I scrubbed the frames with the Virisol too, to get some green mildew off (worked well). But maybe I shouldn't have used it on the frames too?

I never considered that the residue would be coming from the window.

I've just moved in to the house and I don't think they cleaned the windows in a LONG time!

If you imagine the black rubber seals cause capillary action and draw in water. That mixes with years of dirt derbies and soap then you clean the glass and your water works it's way behind the rubbers and leaches all the junk you don't need

 

[rigmarole]

I have never had any problems with a 10-1 mix drying on the frames  and glass it won’t hurt it when you wet it up it will re activate it , ( we spray it on but applying by brush is fine ) the white milk is the dead surface of the white plastic washing off , might pay to use tap water for the clean and rinse then go over it again light rub and rinse with pure . 

It was drying out fast, but it was in direct sunlight and today was so hot. Didn't seem to matter like you say, I just started scrubbing them with pure water and it all came back to life. 

This white residue might not be due to the Virisol then, I just assumed it was, but everyone has pointed out other issues.

Might use tap water like you suggest, pure is gonna be in short supply without a van and using barrels. If you guys think that might be a good idea

 

[Pjj]

It was drying out fast, but it was in direct sunlight and today was so hot. Didn't seem to matter like you say, I just started scrubbing them with pure water and it all came back to life. 

This white residue might not be due to the Virisol then, I just assumed it was, but everyone has pointed out other issues.

Might use tap water like you suggest, pure is gonna be in short supply without a van and using barrels. If you guys think that might be a good idea

We regularly get white milk coming of first cleans just using hot water it’s the dead surface of the plastic ( oxidising) and scrubbing will remove it the change in the britness of the white frames can be quite dramatic we regularly get customers say they hadn’t realised how bad the frames were .  

 

[rigmarole]

On bad first cleans and gfs we use Virosol makes life a lot easier with cold water it eats into the dirt and softens it up making the job a lot quicker and easier .

I was very impressed with the Virisol, it really worked well on the bird mess, mildew, general **** on the window. Great stuff,  tried it because I know you suggested it to someone else a while ago

 

[Pjj]

It was drying out fast, but it was in direct sunlight and today was so hot. Didn't seem to matter like you say, I just started scrubbing them with pure water and it all came back to life. 

This white residue might not be due to the Virisol then, I just assumed it was, but everyone has pointed out other issues.

Might use tap water like you suggest, pure is gonna be in short supply without a van and using barrels. If you guys think that might be a good idea

If you can connect your pole up to the customers garden tap do that then use the backpack with pure 

 

[NewGuy]

Oxidisation of the frames does sound like the culprit and a couple of cleans should resolve it if you scrub the frames well. 

It also sound like you're over complicating things by using virisol or maybe not diluting it enough. 

Plus in hot weather you need to rinse more than normal, especially if the sun is on the windows. 

 

[Deleted member 7446]

It was drying out fast, but it was in direct sunlight and today was so hot. Didn't seem to matter like you say, I just started scrubbing them with pure water and it all came back to life. 

This white residue might not be due to the Virisol then, I just assumed it was, but everyone has pointed out other issues.

Might use tap water like you suggest, pure is gonna be in short supply without a van and using barrels. If you guys think that might be a good idea

Are the windows double glazed sealed units and look 100% transparent before you started cleaning them.

Can you rule out that the inert gas hasn't escaped and the condensation trapped between the pains hasn't gone opaque

Also tap water there is very good quality with a minimal TDS

I am wondering if the windows have a build up of limescale or have they been cleaned or oversprayed with brick acid as that etches glass and when wet looks stained

 

[Pjj]

Oxidisation of the frames does sound like the culprit and a couple of cleans should resolve it if you scrub the frames well. 

It also sound like you're over complicating things by using virisol or maybe not diluting it enough. 

Plus in hot weather you need to rinse more than normal, especially if the sun is on the windows. 

Using Virosol 10-1 is the best option on dirty windows/ frames etc it eats into the dirt softening it up making the job much easier and giving a far superior clean especially when using cold water .ime speaking from many years first hand experience wish I had know about virisol when I first started makes life so much easier 

 

[rigmarole]

Are the windows double glazed sealed units and look 100% transparent before you started cleaning them.

Can you rule out that the inert gas hasn't escaped and the condensation trapped between the pains hasn't gone opaque

Also tap water there is very good quality with a minimal TDS

I am wondering if the windows have a build up of limescale or have they been cleaned or oversprayed with brick acid as that etches glass and when wet looks stained

I had a look at the white residue on the glass and I could wipe it off with my finger. So I'm guessing that it might be the frame residue. These windows haven't been cleaned in a long time. 

The windows look in good condition, apart from the glass was heavily soiled with bits of dried on bird muck. The Virisol did great on that, not one bit of bird mess left after one scrub

 

[Pjj]

I had a look at the white residue on the glass and I could wipe it off with my finger. So I'm guessing that it might be the frame residue. These windows haven't been cleaned in a long time. 

The windows look in good condition, apart from the glass was heavily soiled with bits of dried on bird muck. The Virisol did great on that, not one bit of bird mess left after one scrub

Ime assuming they are white pvc not white anodised aluminium????

 

[rigmarole]

Ime assuming they are white pvc not white anodised aluminium????

Yep, definitely white PVC. I read the virosol instructions and saw the part about aluminium

 

[Davy G]

A great tip that was given to me by a friend when I started and was getting frantic about white milk like marking and runoff is to wet a finger and draw it down the frame with good pressure. If it leaves a white residue on the finger it's milky frames through age, sun and oxidisation as has been suggested.

It's a great little test to have in the toolbox and very good to be able to show customers that it's down to the age of the windows.
In the event I scrub the frames well, wash the glass, let it drain, then rinse down the glass, full width from about an inch below any horizontal frames.

 

[NewGuy]

Using Virosol 10-1 is the best option on dirty windows/ frames etc it eats into the dirt softening it up making the job much easier and giving a far superior clean especially when using cold water .ime speaking from many years first hand experience wish I had know about virisol when I first started makes life so much easier 

I do agree with you but I would thought anyone new to window cleaning should learn about techniques first before messing around with virisol. Maybe I'm wrong though! Remember KISS...

 

[spruce]

I had a look at the white residue on the glass and I could wipe it off with my finger. So I'm guessing that it might be the frame residue. These windows haven't been cleaned in a long time. 

The windows look in good condition, apart from the glass was heavily soiled with bits of dried on bird muck. The Virisol did great on that, not one bit of bird mess left after one scrub

If you rub your finger along the top frame you will get white residue on your finger if its UPVC frame oxidation.

In earlier days we had a few windows with aluminium frames. They were problematic. We had a house that had the ali frames painted and they were a nightmare. Thankfully the house was sold after our customer died. We didn't canvass the new owners. A few years later they changed the windows.

 

[Iron Giant]

If you rub your finger along the top frame you will get white residue on your finger if its UPVC frame oxidation.

In earlier days we had a few windows with aluminium frames. They were problematic. We had a house that had the ali frames painted and they were a nightmare. Thankfully the house was sold after our customer died. We didn't canvass the new owners. A few years later they changed the windows.

I picked up a job a few months ago ali frames barely any white left on them they are that old the milky runs were terrible but thankfully all sorted within the first clean and it's a bungalow so not so bad on ensuring they were all 100%

 

[Pjj]

I do agree with you but I would thought anyone new to window cleaning should learn about techniques first before messing around with virisol. Maybe I'm wrong though! Remember KISS...

I just view Virosol as a tool to do a job  just like a brush or pole  if it makes life quicker or easier it’s worth using