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additives in pure water

Paul Irving

New member
Messages
8
Location
East Midlands
I have seen a number of WFP cleaners using additives in the pure water, I don't mean degreasers like ubik2000, just a clear additive to add to pure water I would like to know the reason and benefits to using additives, and get recommendations on which additives work well if needed

 
Not all will agree with me but my take on it is why spend thousands on filtration to remove impurities then chuck stuff into your tank , if using TDS000 pure water is all that’s needed , ones that use additives  will say that they put a shine on the glass , we don’t have a problem putting a shine on the glass with just pure , they also say that it makes the brush glide over the glass with less resistance , I know some guys that have used them and claimed  all sorts of things , then when they have stop using  them say that it didn’t make any difference, I feel it’s a bit of a placebo , and not needed , some have also had a problem with a certain additive leaving a sludge at the bottom of the tank and blocking filters over time , we don’t  feel the need to use them as we have confidence in our technique in cleaning windows and using 000 water .   

 
Not all will agree with me but my take on it is why spend thousands on filtration to remove impurities then chuck stuff into your tank , if using TDS000 pure water is all that’s needed , ones that use additives  will say that they put a shine on the glass , we don’t have a problem putting a shine on the glass with just pure , they also say that it makes the brush glide over the glass with less resistance , I know some guys that have used them and claimed  all sorts of things , then when they have stop using  them say that it didn’t make any difference, I feel it’s a bit of a placebo , and not needed , some have also had a problem with a certain additive leaving a sludge at the bottom of the tank and blocking filters over time , we don’t  feel the need to use them as we have confidence in our technique in cleaning windows and using 000 water .   
I concur with Pjj’s comments. I was one of the guys who thought the ones I tried made a significant difference (the power of suggestion is a powerful tool) till I stopped using them and realised that they made no perceptible difference at all to my work. There have been a number of reasons postulated as to why we don’t notice a change when we stop using them, none of which made any sense to me. The only thing I can think of that might explain it is that where I work it Is not needed, which is why I don’t see any difference. 
The only thing I did notice was a pleasant smell, a slime build up in my barrels and for some reason a tendency for my barrels to turn green, I kid you not. It seemed to encourage algae to grow. At least twice a year I had to bleach them all out. Since I’ve not used them I’ve never needed to bleach them out.

I’m not trying to put you off trying them, you may find you have a completely different experience. This is just mine. I also only tried two. There are others out there. I’m also not saying which two so as to influence your choice. 

 
Some additives like isopropyl alcohol for example leave no residue and do make a big difference to grubby frames etc.

I use it in winter to help avoid freezing but it always gets everyones frames etc spot on so they only ever need a wipe over in summer.

I don't understand pjj's comment of not adding stuff to water because you have purified it.

Surely if something helps then it is improving your water.

 
Some additives like isopropyl alcohol for example leave no residue and do make a big difference to grubby frames etc.

I use it in winter to help avoid freezing but it always gets everyones frames etc spot on so they only ever need a wipe over in summer.

I don't understand pjj's comment of not adding stuff to water because you have purified it.

Surely if something helps then it is improving your water.
How much isopropyl alcohol do you use to get that effect Dave? 

 
Technical term is a glug lol, I don't measure it.

It is 100% alcohol so completely evaporates.
Simply put we spend thousands on filtration , why would you then put stuff into your tank that’s not needed , we dont need any additives the frames look like new on 99% of all the jobs we do the odd 1% that don’t  nothing will restorer them as they are badly faded evan solvent cleaner won’t bring them back , we do how ever use hot water and this makes a huge difference to the clean , we only do 4/8 weekly cleans so again they stay looking good , if we are doing minging first cleans then a spray of Virosol first diluted 10-1 does the job of bitting into the dirt scrub with hot water rinse job done . 

 
Simply put we spend thousands on filtration , why would you then put stuff into your tank that’s not needed , we dont need any additives the frames look like new on 99% of all the jobs we do the odd 1% that don’t  nothing will restorer them as they are badly faded evan solvent cleaner won’t bring them back , we do how ever use hot water and this makes a huge difference to the clean , we only do 4/8 weekly cleans so again they stay looking good , if we are doing minging first cleans then a spray of Virosol first diluted 10-1 does the job of bitting into the dirt scrub with hot water rinse job done . 
I find my frames get in-bedded dirt that leads them to looking greying.  That's using cold water.  It's very annoying, they look clean of debris but the whites don't have that dazzling white look.  When I've finished I always wipe the lower ground sills down with a microfibre, if I scrub in the corners of the frames with the microfibre, below window openings I find it does come off, but that with a lot of scrubbing and is obviously not feasible to do the whole lot on a regular basis.  I've always wandered what the difference would be with hot.

 
Is isopropanol toxic to animals? If you leave a puddle n a customers dog drinks it,will it be ok, despite being diluted? Just asking, I haven't put it in water, but do hear it's good for cleaning frames.

 
I find my frames get in-bedded dirt that leads them to looking greying.  That's using cold water.  It's very annoying, they look clean of debris but the whites don't have that dazzling white look.  When I've finished I always wipe the lower ground sills down with a microfibre, if I scrub in the corners of the frames with the microfibre, below window openings I find it does come off, but that with a lot of scrubbing and is obviously not feasible to do the whole lot on a regular basis.  I've always wandered what the difference would be with hot.
Personally, i've never used additives as pure works very well for me and 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'! I only use cold, not hot. 

As for frames, there are a number of things you can try (depending on how much time and effort you want to spend). Cif is good, but gets very foamy, and obviously takes a while to rinse off. 'Pink Stuff' I find very good (just run the tub over your brush bristles). I like 'No Nonsense Degreaser' as it works well, with no problems. The ultimate is a 'magic eraser' pad. Get a Gardiners Quick Lock socket, 2 strong elastic bands and cut the magic eraser pad to a shape that suits you, and you have a formidable cleaning tool, for upstairs windows. Keep it wet and it is surprisingly quick to use. For downstairs, just use the pad by hand. It should remove the 'grey' look with ease. But this does fall into the category of window 'restoration' rather than cleaning. 

 
I still Trad a few houses. Received a text saying I left a small band round the edge and there was a line down the middle. If I could wfp this house then there would be nothing for anyone to moan about. Adding anything to pure will just increase the chance of anyone moaning, so why do it?

 
Personally, i've never used additives as pure works very well for me and 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'! I only use cold, not hot. 

As for frames, there are a number of things you can try (depending on how much time and effort you want to spend). Cif is good, but gets very foamy, and obviously takes a while to rinse off. 'Pink Stuff' I find very good (just run the tub over your brush bristles). I like 'No Nonsense Degreaser' as it works well, with no problems. The ultimate is a 'magic eraser' pad. Get a Gardiners Quick Lock socket, 2 strong elastic bands and cut the magic eraser pad to a shape that suits you, and you have a formidable cleaning tool, for upstairs windows. Keep it wet and it is surprisingly quick to use. For downstairs, just use the pad by hand. It should remove the 'grey' look with ease. But this does fall into the category of window 'restoration' rather than cleaning. 
Yeah I use most of them on first cleans, tend to just spray a bit of degreaser on the sills for the maintenance when wiping them down at the end.  The pink stuff is good but it's all added time.  Going off what PJJ says though sounds like there is a big difference between hot and cold, although that topic has been debated to death so only way of knowing for sure is to try it out.   ?

 
Yeah I use most of them on first cleans, tend to just spray a bit of degreaser on the sills for the maintenance when wiping them down at the end.  The pink stuff is good but it's all added time.  Going off what PJJ says though sounds like there is a big difference between hot and cold, although that topic has been debated to death so only way of knowing for sure is to try it out.   ?
I was cold wfp for 7 years and I always gave the windows a really good scrub especially the frames all customers were more than happy with the results as was I , the frames looked good , then I got hot water and customers starting saying what are you doing differently as the frames are looking whiter , hot does make a huge difference, but Ime not saying it will remove everything like a magic wand old frames that are grey or perished rubber marks will not be completely removed but will come up much better than cold water , I could never go back to cold now I have hot systems in all my vans , it’s not cheap to install or run but I feel it’s well worth the investment, I have another thermopure system going into a van on the 6 th of July that I bought off @kevinc250 I have had it many months but not had the time to refurb it until now I enjoyed re building it whilst on lockdown ????. It’s running sweet as a nut , thanks @kevinc250 it’s a beauty very happy with it ? 

 
I was cold wfp for 7 years and I always gave the windows a really good scrub especially the frames all customers were more than happy with the results as was I , the frames looked good , then I got hot water and customers starting saying what are you doing differently as the frames are looking whiter , hot does make a huge difference, but Ime not saying it will remove everything like a magic wand old frames that are grey or perished rubber marks will not be completely removed but will come up much better than cold water , I could never go back to cold now I have hot systems in all my vans , it’s not cheap to install or run but I feel it’s well worth the investment, I have another thermopure system going into a van on the 6 th of July that I bought off @kevinc250 I have had it many months but not had the time to refurb it until now I enjoyed re building it whilst on lockdown ????. It’s running sweet as a nut , thanks @kevinc250 it’s a beauty very happy with it ? 
Yeah it's what I've thought and your comments confirm that because it's not just you but your customers pointing it out, for them to point it out it must have been a very noticeable difference.  

The reason why I thought it makes a big difference is that some of the houses that I've been to quote over the last 18 months, some of them had recently been cleaned and they looked completely immaculate, and by immaculate I mean like new the glass and the frames looked unbelievable.  At first I thought they might have been using like a wax type additive or something but as time has gone on and I've learn't more and tried different things I've come to the conclusion that whatever I try with my set-up, it will never match the results of those houses that I've seen, so it must be down to hot water.

I'm very particular with the way I clean and it's a bit of a let down to not be able to get them the way I want.  I've never had complaints but taking pride in my work is something that I've always done so to leave the jobs not quite happy doesn't feel right.  

As soon as funds start to grow then hot water will be on my list of things to get, I don't expect it to make everything perfect but it sounds like a big step up and to keep ahead of the game you have to be at the top of your game.  

 
Yeah it's what I've thought and your comments confirm that because it's not just you but your customers pointing it out, for them to point it out it must have been a very noticeable difference.  

The reason why I thought it makes a big difference is that some of the houses that I've been to quote over the last 18 months, some of them had recently been cleaned and they looked completely immaculate, and by immaculate I mean like new the glass and the frames looked unbelievable.  At first I thought they might have been using like a wax type additive or something but as time has gone on and I've learn't more and tried different things I've come to the conclusion that whatever I try with my set-up, it will never match the results of those houses that I've seen, so it must be down to hot water.

I'm very particular with the way I clean and it's a bit of a let down to not be able to get them the way I want.  I've never had complaints but taking pride in my work is something that I've always done so to leave the jobs not quite happy doesn't feel right.  

As soon as funds start to grow then hot water will be on my list of things to get, I don't expect it to make everything perfect but it sounds like a big step up and to keep ahead of the game you have to be at the top of your game.  
Some windows are better quality than others , it also depends of the type of dirt on the windows algi, road grime , pollution from vehicles , carbonatious dirt are all different and some will be removed far easier than others , we do several hundred flats in Chelsea for  a company  that are always covered in typical city fumes the windows appear to be greasy etc theses are far more difficult to clean  than the hotels we do back home in Cornwall Covered  in salt  and dust and normal dirt etc , Ime guessing share you are it’s city type of environment?.. so it will be harder to clean . Hot water is very good and I would never go back to cold we use it all year round but as I said earlier it’s not a magical formula , but it does cut through dirt much faster , especially on   first cleans , salty ,or dried in bird poo etc 

 
Some windows are better quality than others , it also depends of the type of dirt on the windows algi, road grime , pollution from vehicles , carbonatious dirt are all different and some will be removed far easier than others , we do several hundred flats in Chelsea for  a company  that are always covered in typical city fumes the windows appear to be greasy etc theses are far more difficult to clean  than the hotels we do back home in Cornwall Covered  in salt  and dust and normal dirt etc , Ime guessing share you are it’s city type of environment?.. so it will be harder to clean . Hot water is very good and I would never go back to cold we use it all year round but as I said earlier it’s not a magical formula , but it does cut through dirt much faster , especially on   first cleans , salty ,or dried in bird poo etc 
It's more traffic than Cornwall but not as much as being in a city, in between really, lots of trees and green leafy gardens with lots of traffic on surrounding roads [compared to cornwall].  It will be a long time before I can invest in a hot water system anyway.

 
Additives will just cause loads of gloopy stuff in the bottom of your tank over time....steer clear...there is absolutely no need for it for regular window cleaning....the best thing you can do to improve cleaning power is use very hot pure water(60c)....I  will also  use virosol on plastics/roof cleans if their particular dirty.....

 
Additives will just cause loads of gloopy stuff in the bottom of your tank over time....steer clear...there is absolutely no need for it for regular window cleaning....the best thing you can do to improve cleaning power is use very hot pure water(60c)....I  will also  use virosol on plastics/roof cleans if their particular dirty.....
As @dazmond says:- Why would you want to add "Anything to Pure" its called Pure because its pure and can't do any damage or cause hassle. The final stage is adding temperature to your pure to make it easier to clean and work with. ?

 
Not all will agree with me but my take on it is why spend thousands on filtration to remove impurities then chuck stuff into your tank , if using TDS000 pure water is all that’s needed , ones that use additives  will say that they put a shine on the glass , we don’t have a problem putting a shine on the glass with just pure , they also say that it makes the brush glide over the glass with less resistance , I know some guys that have used them and claimed  all sorts of things , then when they have stop using  them say that it didn’t make any difference, I feel it’s a bit of a placebo , and not needed , some have also had a problem with a certain additive leaving a sludge at the bottom of the tank and blocking filters over time , we don’t  feel the need to use them as we have confidence in our technique in cleaning windows and using 000 water .   
@Pjj Definately. V5 alledgely helps the "Brush Glide ?".. Why interfere with filtered Pure Water. If need be, "spray from a bottle" onto the brush??.

 
Some windows are better quality than others , it also depends of the type of dirt on the windows algi, road grime , pollution from vehicles , carbonatious dirt are all different and some will be removed far easier than others , we do several hundred flats in Chelsea for  a company  that are always covered in typical city fumes the windows appear to be greasy etc theses are far more difficult to clean  than the hotels we do back home in Cornwall Covered  in salt  and dust and normal dirt etc , Ime guessing share you are it’s city type of environment?.. so it will be harder to clean . Hot water is very good and I would never go back to cold we use it all year round but as I said earlier it’s not a magical formula , but it does cut through dirt much faster , especially on   first cleans , salty ,or dried in bird poo etc 
Why haven’t you mentioned you use hot water before? ?

 

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