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Fan jets vs pencil jets

Dirty dan

Active member
Messages
139
Location
Barry
I’ve been trying to look for solutions to hydrophobic windows everywhere. Some people are saying to whack the flow up, others saying to take longer rinsing and the rest are saying they use fan jets. I’m just wondering what you guys think. The other idea I was wondering, does anyone use both at the same time to cover every event without having to keep swapping? 

 
I’ve been trying to look for solutions to hydrophobic windows everywhere. Some people are saying to whack the flow up, others saying to take longer rinsing and the rest are saying they use fan jets. I’m just wondering what you guys think. The other idea I was wondering, does anyone use both at the same time to cover every event without having to keep swapping? 
Gardiner 100 degree fan jets for me. For all work including gutter, fascia, soffits and conservatories.

Windows : Normal vertical agitation to get the dirt loose.

Rinsing : Get a good head of water at the top of the glass with fast, full width, side to side strokes, a fairly high flow and bring  down a continuous curtain of water using the same full width side to side strokes and high flow. Do it right and you can do it fast. Keep the brush lightly touching the glass the whole time to allow the bristles to continue working and to contain the spray. This will prevent spotting due to splashback and allow the water to be focused on draining out of the bottom of the brush taking dirt with it. A quick visual check to catch and bring down any odd bits that might not have come all the way down. 

Important for me :

Start the clean with a couple of fast strokes across and back on the sill to break the crust and let the water start loosening some of the dirt before moving on to wìndow and frame. Finish the sill after completing the window wash. 

Work fast 20 - 30 seconds for most average size wìndows. 

Hope that's a help. ? 

 
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Gardiner 100 degree fan jets for me. For all work including gutter, fascia, soffits and conservatories.

Windows : Normal vertical agitation to get the dirt loose.

Rinsing : Get a good head of water at the top of the glass with fast, full width, side to side strokes, a fairly high flow and bring  down a continuous curtain of water using the same full width side to side strokes and high flow. Do it right and you can do it fast. Keep the brush lightly touching the glass the whole time to allow the bristles to continue working and to contain the spray. This will prevent spotting due to splashback and allow the water to be focused on draining out of the bottom of the brush taking dirt with it. A quick visual check to catch and bring down any odd bits that might not have come all the way down. 

Important for me :

Start the clean with a couple of fast strokes across and back on the sill to break the crust and let the water start loosening some of the dirt before moving on to wìndow and frame. Finish the sill after completing the window wash. 

Work fast 20 - 30 seconds for most average size wìndows. 

Hope that's a help. ? 
Thanks. That’s really good info. Are fans good in the wind for you? I tried them once and water was going everywhere except the window. Problem was that window cleaning warehouse told me to hold brush well away from window. As you don’t do that I suppose you’re getting a better rinse

 
Thanks. That’s really good info. Are fans good in the wind for you? I tried them once and water was going everywhere except the window. Problem was that window cleaning warehouse told me to hold brush well away from window. As you don’t do that I suppose you’re getting a better rinse
Welcome, yeah exactly as I said, "against the window" the whole time. If it's windy and you hold well away from the glass, no matter what type of jets you use it will go everywhere I should have thought? I save a lot of water and time using this method. ?

 
I've not tried a rinse bar yet as I've never felt the need. I use exactly the same method no matter which type of glass or whether they're leaded or not. I might try one some time as a matter of thorough comparison. Though I do like to keep things as simple and light as possible. 

Having said that I've recently started using a swivel, for the second time, after reading another comment of recommendation on here. Didn't get on with it the first time round. It felt very alien to me, so I quit too easily (unusual for me) ?. I've got the hang of it now (light grip and twist the pole)☺️. I quite like it even though it adds a tiny bit of weight. Less good for getting spider's nests out of corners I'm finding though as I can't get the pressure on the brush ends. 

So many combinations of equipment to use and we all find our preferences, eh? ?

 
I’ve been trying to look for solutions to hydrophobic windows everywhere. Some people are saying to whack the flow up, others saying to take longer rinsing and the rest are saying they use fan jets. I’m just wondering what you guys think. The other idea I was wondering, does anyone use both at the same time to cover every event without having to keep swapping? 
I have never had a problem with hydrophobic windows, I clean a few and whilst they never look right, I've never had a complaint. Don't think I do them any differently but subconsciously probably rinse them slightly longer. 

Briefly tried fan jets and didn't like them and only use a rinse bar on a 60' pole, as rinsing off at that height isn't fun. 

 
Gardiner 100 degree fan jets for me. For all work including gutter, fascia, soffits and conservatories.

Windows : Normal vertical agitation to get the dirt loose.

Rinsing : Get a good head of water at the top of the glass with fast, full width, side to side strokes, a fairly high flow and bring  down a continuous curtain of water using the same full width side to side strokes and high flow. Do it right and you can do it fast. Keep the brush lightly touching the glass the whole time to allow the bristles to continue working and to contain the spray. This will prevent spotting due to splashback and allow the water to be focused on draining out of the bottom of the brush taking dirt with it. A quick visual check to catch and bring down any odd bits that might not have come all the way down. 

Important for me :

Start the clean with a couple of fast strokes across and back on the sill to break the crust and let the water start loosening some of the dirt before moving on to wìndow and frame. Finish the sill after completing the window wash. 

Work fast 20 - 30 seconds for most average size wìndows. 

Hope that's a help. ? 


This is also what works best for me pretty much to the letter

 
This is also what works best for me pretty much to the letter
I have never been able to find a way of working with fan jets that I feel is effective or efficient.

The worst for me is hydrophobic glass as when using pencil or rinse bar, as you rinse you can see the area being rinsed clearly, and you leave the glass dry in most cases. With jets all I could see was mist being blown all over the place and no idea of which was clean water drops or which were dirty.

Sometimes I will skip a top frame if the situation calls for it, carefully  rinsing a couple of mm under the top seal, there's no way I could do that with fan jets.

I must say I have never taken the time to fully master the fan jet "way" as I imagine those that use religiously have, I would very much like to see a video of the fan jet being used as it should, especially on hydrophobic glass. Hydrophilic glass has never caused a problem and can be rinsed how ever you like.

The more I experience I get with the rinse bars though the more I see just how much easier, quicker, and more effective it is. I went off using the rinse bar a couple of months ago, but have since resumed.

It is a far superior way to clean windows, some days I just feel like reverting back to my old ways and bust some pencil jets out, when I do I'm amazed at how long it takes to agitate, then rinse separately afterwards.

 
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Well I’m going to try using the fans again and see how I get on this time. Thanks guys for the advice, I may try the rise bar too, it would obviously use more water but it’ll be interesting to see if I could clean quicker to compensate. 

 
The important thing as I say with fan jets is to keep the bristles touching, or no more than about 5-10 mm from the glass. CONTAIN THE SPRAY. Build that head of water with a couple of quick across and back swipes tight to the top frame and bring it down as a CONTINUOUS sheet just following the descending brush. WATCH FOR THIS IMPORTANT DETAIL, especially on hydrophobic glass. Use quick across and back swipes descending with the brush at a descent speed that doesn't quite outrun the curtain (sheet) of water). If you do outrun the curtain go back up a touch to pick it up again. On downstairs windows I sometimes hold the brush sideways as it makes a deeper so even faster curtain descent. The descent can be more simple on hydrophilic glass as the sheeting will be much better. In this case a simple letter Z on the rinse will usually suffice to continue the curtain, providing you make sure you have a good flow, start tight to the top frame and finish along the top of the bottom frame to make sure no dirt is left sitting on it before continuing down to finish the sill. 

I can't imagine doing a sustained speed of quicker than 20 - 30 seconds per wìndow or using less water and effort.

The devil is in the detail, once I start on the window the brush Never leaves the contact with any of it, frame or glass, so all the spray is contained. 

Don’t forget to swirl out the top corners of the glass during the agitation and once again at the start of the rinse to remove any spiders or their nests. There will be droppings on the lower frame as a marker if there are spiders above. Fish them out now before they breed. 

I probably will try a rinse bar at some time as it may well be a better method, though I will take some convincing. ?

 
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Well I’m going to try using the fans again and see how I get on this time. Thanks guys for the advice, I may try the rise bar too, it would obviously use more water but it’ll be interesting to see if I could clean quicker to compensate. 
Yeah, maybe try both and see which you prefer. ?

 
Well I’m going to try using the fans again and see how I get on this time. Thanks guys for the advice, I may try the rise bar too, it would obviously use more water but it’ll be interesting to see if I could clean quicker to compensate. 
The water comes out marginally quicker per minute, but the windows are cleaned in less time.

I find I can use up to a quarter tank less some days.

The important thing as I say with fan jets is to keep the bristles touching, or no more than about 5-10 mm from the glass. CONTAIN THE SPRAY. Build that head of water with a couple of quick across and back swipes tight to the top frame and bring it down as a CONTINUOUS sheet just following the descending brush. WATCH FOR THIS IMPORTANT DETAIL, especially on hydrophobic glass. Use quick across and back swipes descending with the brush at a descent speed that doesn't quite outrun the curtain (sheet) of water). If you do outrun the curtain go back up a touch to pick it up again. On downstairs windows I sometimes hold the brush sideways as it makes a deeper so even faster curtain descent. The descent can be more simple on hydrophilic glass as the sheeting will be much better. In this case a simple letter Z on the rinse will usually suffice to continue the curtain, providing you make sure you have a good flow, start tight to the top frame and finish along the top of the bottom frame to make sure no dirt is left sitting on it before continuing down to finish the sill. 

I can't imagine doing a sustained speed of quicker than 20 - 30 seconds per wìndow or using less water and effort.

The devil is in the detail, once I start on the window the brush Never leaves the contact with any of it, frame or glass, so all the spray is contained. 

Don’t forget to swirl out the top corners of the glass during the agitation and once again at the start of the rinse to remove any spiders or their nests. There will be droppings on the lower frame as a marker if there are spiders above. Fish them out now before they breed. 

I probably will try a rinse bar at some time as it may well be a better method, though I will take some convincing. ?
If you master it the same way you have the fan jet I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

 
The water comes out marginally quicker per minute, but the windows are cleaned in less time.

I find I can use up to a quarter tank less some days.

If you master it the same way you have the fan jet I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
You've convinced me to give it a try. I'll have to wait for a while to run it by financial management though (da wife), as I've just today ordered some spares. ☺️

 
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I can confirm what @Davy G says also works for me, I clean the same way with 100° fan jets. For maintenance cleans, a quick scrub twice across top, then entire glass up and down, then I do the swivel motion to do a water curtain. Works on all types of glass.

Not every bristle type is good for rinsing on though. I prefer the Dupont brushes. The Xtreme brushes also excel at rinsing on, but it didn't agitate enough for all the salt I battle on my island windows.

 
I will probably be very controversial by saying I don't like fan jets I think they cause no end of problems spraying water everywhere bringing dirt onto the glass , don’t like rinse bars either find  they get damaged easily and hit the top of the lintels above the window , and get in the way on plastic cleans ,the ones in the centre of the brush hit the raised part of the window frames and get in the way on plastic cleans ,  we use 2mm pencil jets in all our brushes and never have any issues , doesn’t matter what type of glass it is it always rinses well same technique used hydrophobic glass might look strange with water droplets on the surface but it’s always dried ok . 

 
I used to use 100 degree fan jets but kept snapping them so went back to 2mm pencils both work well no preference over one or the other.

Since gardiner brought out the rinsebar imo they are the best for rinsing on the glass, I honestly think they are great and make working quicker, without contradicting myself I have temporarily removed them from my brushes due to one fact only is my tennis elbow as recently got worst so now using bare extremes brushes, as soon as my tennis elbow get better they will go straight back on my brushes. 

 
I will probably be very controversial by saying I don't like fan jets I think they cause no end of problems spraying water everywhere bringing dirt onto the glass , don’t like rinse bars either find  they get damaged easily and hit the top of the lintels above the window , and get in the way on plastic cleans ,the ones in the centre of the brush hit the raised part of the window frames and get in the way on plastic cleans ,  we use 2mm pencil jets in all our brushes and never have any issues , doesn’t matter what type of glass it is it always rinses well same technique used hydrophobic glass might look strange with water droplets on the surface but it’s always dried ok . 
No mate, we're all entitled to our own preferences. ??

I used to use 100 degree fan jets but kept snapping them so went back to 2mm pencils both work well no preference over one or the other.

Since gardiner brought out the rinsebar imo they are the best for rinsing on the glass, I honestly think they are great and make working quicker, without contradicting myself I have temporarily removed them from my brushes due to one fact only is my tennis elbow as recently got worst so now using bare extremes brushes, as soon as my tennis elbow get better they will go straight back on my brushes. 
Good luck with your tennis elbow mate. I had a touch of it in the summer of 1976. Not funny. 

 
I will probably be very controversial by saying I don't like fan jets I think they cause no end of problems spraying water everywhere bringing dirt onto the glass , don’t like rinse bars either find  they get damaged easily and hit the top of the lintels above the window , and get in the way on plastic cleans ,the ones in the centre of the brush hit the raised part of the window frames and get in the way on plastic cleans ,  we use 2mm pencil jets in all our brushes and never have any issues , doesn’t matter what type of glass it is it always rinses well same technique used hydrophobic glass might look strange with water droplets on the surface but it’s always dried ok . 
Using wfp I always spend more time on hydrophobic glass rinsing...have to to ensure loose dirt is removed hopefully (use pencil jets) and can never be sure if there will be spotting....but have never had a complaint yet. Think it is the visual look after rinsing compared to the look you get with hydrophilic....but it dries spot free

 
Hi Lads , I have fan jets and pencil jets on all my brushes put them on myself . Then when you want either one for different jobs all you do is switch hose on brush to conn ect to small jg fittings 

 
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