Welcome to the UK Window Cleaning Forums

Starting or own a window cleaning business? We're a network of window cleaners sharing advice, tips & experience. Rounds for sale & more. Join us today!

Problem with spoting

WCF

Help Support WCF:

steve hawing

Well-known member
Messages
103
I'm new to wfp and just bought a set up and got or acting on my own windows, I have cleaned them 5 times now and still spotting on them!

Tds is 000 and I am rinsing loads plus giving frames a good scrub but still spotting

They are normal upvc double glazed windows

Any idea what I'm doing wrong?

Would this vision or some other product on the brush help?

Very disheartening to say the least

 
I'm new to wfp and just bought a set up and got or acting on my own windows, I have cleaned them 5 times now and still spotting on them!Tds is 000 and I am rinsing loads plus giving frames a good scrub but still spotting

They are normal upvc double glazed windows

Any idea what I'm doing wrong?

Would this vision or some other product on the brush help?

Very disheartening to say the least
If you have a really close look in the top of the frames and seals there will be muck

There's always a reason for spotting

You learn more when it goes wrong so look CLOSELY

Usually seals

 
I have done as I was conscience of the vents and the seals so I scrubbed and scrubbed them

It's every window some worse than others

Have to make more pure now as I'm empty but might run it straight through di see if that makes a diff

 
I have done as I was conscience of the vents and the seals so I scrubbed and scrubbed themIt's every window some worse than others

Have to make more pure now as I'm empty but might run it straight through di see if that makes a diff
If it's zero already then won't make any difference

Send a pic of frames and seals

 
Is the spotting in straight lines of dots? If so the seals are ****. If you are getting lines of dots let them run down the glass and when they have stopped running, rinse as close to the highest dot near the frame and see if that makes a difference.

I'll try and find a pic of what I mean.

 
Like this?

IMAG0421_zpsddbeb8e0.jpg


 
Do the spots rub off once dry? If not it could be pre existing mineral staining. I know this is basic stuff but you did state you were new to wfp. Mineral spots are usually only visible, or certainly "more" visible on a clean window & even more so once it's a dry, clean window.

 
@steve hawing - some good tips above. All I would add is try not to let it dishearten you. Carry on going and you will look back on this and laugh one day. Everything takes time & practice. Keep going fella /emoticons/smile.png
 
Defo not hard water marks lads it seems were the droplets are drying in they are leaving spots

I'll give then another go tomorrow and see how I get on

Might put some chemical on brush and use on couple windows see if that makes a diff

 
On some frames ( inc my own house where I had same experience as you) I have got right in with cloth and finger nail - in between seal and frame and removed dirt which has been pushed in by years of being squeeged

Post a pic of frames/ seals see what we all think

 
Also try rubbing your finger on the upvc frames if you get white on your finger this will be the cause if that happens stick a cleaner like virosol or ubik on your brush head and scrub hard on the frames until it stops and if your water is 000 then don't worry too much as you could do 100 more houses and they could dry perfect m8

I've one customer whose windows dry spotty everything no matter what I do or how much I rinse while next door dries perfect

 
it will b your rubber sills that hold the glass in 80 percent on my round r a pain in the ars there is a tecneek to over come this scrub an rinse fraims as normal then shake the brush to get water off then swipe the water drops off with brush then clean glass making shore no water running from the top rubber sill that holds the glass in, i some times wipe with a scrim raped round the brush also i wipe buy hand of u can reach them , also wipe ur finger or a scrim on the fraim if it goes white ur fraims have oxisided u can try some ubik on the brush an rinse off but its the teckneek u need to wrk on can b very frustrating at times till b get to no wat to look for

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Also try rubbing your finger on the upvc frames if you get white on your finger this will be the cause if that happens stick a cleaner like virosol or ubik on your brush head and scrub hard on the frames until it stops and if your water is 000 then don't worry too much as you could do 100 more houses and they could dry perfect m8I've one customer whose windows dry spotty everything no matter what I do or how much I rinse while next door dries perfect

We have the same problem with our south facing lounge front window. If I wipe my finger along the top of the frame as @abs suggests I get a chalky coating on my finger. Clean it off and its back the next clean. The windows at the back of the house which are identical don't have the issue. I believe its sun related. I've cleaned the frame with a damp cloth and then wfped the glass only and there isn't a problem with streaking then.

The water droplets collect on the frame after cleaning and then run down the glass taking the chalky residue with them. We would just clean the top frame and wipe the excess water off with the brush with the water turned off. Go and do all the other windows and then come back to that doing the glass only.

When rinsing careful not to get the water back onto the frame.

Also look at your rinsing technique. We have always rinsed off the glass. If your water flow is too fast from your jets then you may be getting water splatter that could also bring dirt down from the brickwork above the window frame. This could also be the case if you have your brush too far away from the glass when rinsing.

My son loves his 1mm jets on his brush. He mainly uses a backpack. But I find the water jets create issues if the flow it too high. When we first started wfp 10 years ago we had 1/2" garden hose, 5 liter pumps and 3mm jets in our brushes. We didn't have many spotting issues to be honest that I can recall. So over spray is something to think about as well, especially as smaller jets have become the norm these days.

We clean some windows for a widow (same age as I am) and she cleans her own windows downstairs as well. We have had issues with those windows for 10 years we have been doing them wfp. My son caught her once cleaning them with windolene which we blame for the problems we have. We wfp them now, clean the houses next to hers and come back with a clean dry towel and dry them off.

Under normal circumstances we would have suggested she get another trad cleaner, but we knew her late mother and Sue is such a lovely, caring, arty scatterbrain that doing a little extra isn't a problem. Funnily enough, the glass windows on the back door and downstairs bathroom don't have the same problem.

Problems like this aren't the norm. They are few and far between. In time you can become more selective about the type of work you take on especially when you reach a full customer base.

We have a neighbour behind us that all her upstairs and down stairs back and front windows are double openers above a large window pane underneath. All the seals leak. The first stop of the day is hers. We just clean the top opener windows up and down stairs. We then go off and do the remaining 10 or so houses we do on the estate. We then go back, usually in the afternoon and just do the lower glass panes, clean the rest of the side windows, entrance conservatory and then the bottom large panes of glass. Works perfectly. A little extra time and inconvenience, yes; but she is always so grateful that we get it right.

Under normal circumstances I wouldn't have taken that job on, but she's a neighbour.

 
I will say....some jobs are just great and some can be a problem..

and first time cleans...:eek::eek::eek:

you just gotta keep your mince pies open..

but...dont get down...as another post says..

just crack on...

I did one on friday that has the window seals from hell...all inky black onto white frames..and I have wfp and yep hydro horrible...ta spc..

I would find it impossible to clean in the full sun as the seal ink sets instantly on the white frames..

but the conny over the road...cleans and drys lovely every time...most of all dont get down./emoticons/biggrin.png

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I will say....some jobs are just great and some can be a problem..
and first time cleans...:eek::eek::eek:

you just gotta keep your mince pies open..

but...dont get down...as another post says..

just crack on...

I did one on friday that has the window seals from hell...all inky black onto white frames..and I have wfp and yep hydro horrible...ta spc..

I would find it impossible to clean in the full sun as the seal ink sets instantly on the white frames..

but the conny over the road...cleans and drys lovely every time...most of all dont get down./emoticons/biggrin.png
cnc try spraying ubik on ur brush an scrub the hell out of them an the black will not come out an stain the whites keep rinsing till the water runs clear down the glass then it wont matter if its sunny or not , i had one the same used to run out black when i trad it swiched to wfp an ubik scrub an rinse till it was running down the white wall clear then never add a problim with the black

 
ta tenchy will try that I dont wfp that job much as they are usually in but .

I could do the same with my alligator applicator..I will just try one window at first and see what happens cause if I can get rid it will be great in the future.../emoticons/biggrin.png

 
Back
Top