White Spots On Window

[CanB97]

First of all a big thank you to all who contribute on the forum.
Without the help I would not be here.
Pretty much completed my setup.
RO + DI filter filters to 0ppm.

Before canvassing, as one does decided to clean my windows to test the kit out. I have done window cleaning for a month with a local company, understand the basic principles.
However, noticed my windows keep getting white streaks once dry, coming from what looks like the black seals on the top frame. Old type double glazed windows and never been cleaned for the two years I have lived here (renovation, neglect etc).
I have thoroughly rinsed and washed the windows six times and counting. Thorough scrub and rinse on all occasions, particularly on the top frame. Nothing seems to stop the white spot streaks. Seal seems to have an unlimited supply of dirt.
Washed a friends home without any issue.
Spoken to a couple window cleaners and they have offered help but I haven't been able to get to the real cause and solution.
Hence asking for the people of the web to offer any possible help.

 

[spruce]

Wipe your finger along the top frame when it's dry. If the residue on your finger is a chalky white, then there is every possibility that the frames have oxidized/weathered in the sun and this is what is streaking down the window.

We have a few of these on our round, including our own lounge windows, which haven't got better in 20 years of wfp cleaning. Most will clean perfectly from day one.

With first cleans, we usually scrub the top frame first, rinse and then start on scrubbing and rinsing the rest of the window frame and glass. We then carry on and clean the rest of the house. Then start again, but missing the top frame and just clean the glass and rinse. In summer, this should have been enough time for the top frame to finish dripping down. In time, you will be able to recognize a troublesome window just by looking at the drip down onto the glass below.

With our lounge and bedroom downstairs windows, I would wipe the top frame dry with a towel after scrubbing and rinsing, and then wash and rinse the glass without wetting the top frame. After a few cleans, most windows stop streaking, but there could always be a couple that will never come right.

The first clean is always going to take much longer. You will get to wondering why you became a window cleaner. But it will get easier with each subsequent clean.

But we always charge more for a first clean. It will take you longer, so charging more will help 'balance the books'. Some new customers who want a regular window cleaner sometimes just want a 'once of' clean.
"Sir/Madam, the initial clean will cost your £20 and then subsequent cleans will be £12 every 4 weeks or £14 every 8 weeks, (or what ever your price structure is). Which frequency would suit you best?" Then shut your mouth until they answer, even if it seems hours.

 

[CanB97]

Wipe your finger along the top frame when it's dry. If the residue on your finger is a chalky white, then there is every possibility that the frames have oxidized/weathered in the sun and this is what is streaking down the window.

We have a few of these on our round, including our own lounge windows, which haven't got better in 20 years of wfp cleaning. Most will clean perfectly from day one.

With first cleans, we usually scrub the top frame first, rinse and then start on scrubbing and rinsing the rest of the window frame and glass. We then carry on and clean the rest of the house. Then start again, but missing the top frame and just clean the glass and rinse. In summer, this should have been enough time for the top frame to finish dripping down. In time, you will be able to recognize a troublesome window just by looking at the drip down onto the glass below.

With our lounge and bedroom downstairs windows, I would wipe the top frame dry with a towel after scrubbing and rinsing, and then wash and rinse the glass without wetting the top frame. After a few cleans, most windows stop streaking, but there could always be a couple that will never come right.

The first clean is always going to take much longer. You will get to wondering why you became a window cleaner. But it will get easier with each subsequent clean.

But we always charge more for a first clean. It will take you longer, so charging more will help 'balance the books'. Some new customers who want a regular window cleaner sometimes just want a 'once of' clean.
"Sir/Madam, the initial clean will cost your £20 and then subsequent cleans will be £12 every 4 weeks or £14 every 8 weeks, (or what ever your price structure is). Which frequency would suit you best?" Then shut your mouth until they answer, even if it seems hours.

Thank you for the detailed info. Wiped the frame this morning and did not notice much white residue. Possibly a little. I did however give it another good clean, focusing more on agitating the black seal which I did not think of doing prior to this clean. Where I believe the dirt must have dripped onto and stayed. And voila. Its finally worked. Despite me giving thorough previous scrubs and plenty of water I reckon it just wasn't enough. After each clean the spotting has gradually lessened, but the clean this morning gave the most noticeable results. Glad its sorted, was driving me mad!

Will keep an eye on these types of windows. For next time, been thinking of using ubik 2000 (recommended on the forum) or the screwfix degreaser on particularly dirty windows (first clean) to give it a deeper clean first time. What are peoples thoughts?

 

[ched999uk]

Thank you for the detailed info. Wiped the frame this morning and did not notice much white residue. Possibly a little. I did however give it another good clean, focusing more on agitating the black seal which I did not think of doing prior to this clean. Where I believe the dirt must have dripped onto and stayed. And voila. Its finally worked. Despite me giving thorough previous scrubs and plenty of water I reckon it just wasn't enough. After each clean the spotting has gradually lessened, but the clean this morning gave the most noticeable results. Glad its sorted, was driving me mad!

Will keep an eye on these types of windows. For next time, been thinking of using ubik 2000 (recommended on the forum) or the screwfix degreaser on particularly dirty windows (first clean) to give it a deeper clean first time. What are peoples thoughts?

Glad to hear you sorted it, plus you noticed it in the first place
Ubik is good on really dirty first cleans. Sometimes I just spray some pure on the window (frame and glass) then spray a bit of ubik (10water:1ubik) on my brush then scrub. I then go to the next window and do the same, so it gets a little time to soak in. Then I go back to the first window and clean with pure as normal, remember on really bad windows the sills will be bad too and you can's see them - so extra scrubbing.