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Cleaning doors in freezing temperatures

NewGuy

Well-known member
Messages
780
Location
Kent
What's the consensus here with cleaning doors in freezing temperatures?  Obviously I don't want water to freeze on the ground and risk anyone falling over on water that has frozen.

Do you not clean the doors if there's a risk of water freezing on the path?  Or do you sprinkle some salt/grit on the ground afterward?

Or perhaps there are other alternatives?

Thanks.

 
What's the consensus here with cleaning doors in freezing temperatures?  Obviously I don't want water to freeze on the ground and risk anyone falling over on water that has frozen.

Do you not clean the doors if there's a risk of water freezing on the path?  Or do you sprinkle some salt/grit on the ground afterward?

Or perhaps there are other alternatives?

Thanks.
Just cloth it ?‍?

 
What's the consensus here with cleaning doors in freezing temperatures?  Obviously I don't want water to freeze on the ground and risk anyone falling over on water that has frozen.

Do you not clean the doors if there's a risk of water freezing on the path?  Or do you sprinkle some salt/grit on the ground afterward?

Or perhaps there are other alternatives?

Thanks.
I can't imagine anyone cleaning doors at 0230hrs in the morning when the ground level temperature is at it's lowest for freezing.

By the time you start work ground level frost isn't as harsh, I just wipe with a cloth or mop and bucket if it's a shop doorway 

Using grit / salt will become a slip hazard and backfire on yourself 

 
It ain't just freezing temps in the moment, it's also expected freezing temps overnight and at times persistent freezing overnight temps the ground does and will stay well below freezing or just up to freezing temps and water will freeze in an instant or within minutes, wfp a door on sunny winters day and within an hour when the sun goes in it could be a skating rink at the doorstep. 

 Natural stone, concrete and decking can be a nightmare and at times and unexpected with moisture on them, I clean a street with granite street paving that stuff is as cold as ice and lethal I slip on it every year yet the tarmac driveways and concrete paving can be totally fine. 

 
It ain't just freezing temps in the moment, it's also expected freezing temps overnight and at times persistent freezing overnight temps the ground does and will stay well below freezing or just up to freezing temps and water will freeze in an instant or within minutes, wfp a door on sunny winters day and within an hour when the sun goes in it could be a skating rink at the doorstep. 

 Natural stone, concrete and decking can be a nightmare and at times and unexpected with moisture on them, I clean a street with granite street paving that stuff is as cold as ice and lethal I slip on it every year yet the tarmac driveways and concrete paving can be totally fine. 
Correct, it's the wet doorsteps that will simply not dry in time before nightfall and the step/path will simply freeze overnight.

Wiping doors down with cloths (and using squeegee on the glass?) is one suggestion.  But a time consuming process...

Using a hot water system doesn't solve the problem.

The guy I worked with previously simply didn't clean doors when there was a risk of water freezing overnight.  I was simply curious as to what others do, and whether customers complained about doors not being cleaned in freezing conditions etc.

 
I can't imagine anyone cleaning doors at 0230hrs in the morning when the ground level temperature is at it's lowest for freezing.

By the time you start work ground level frost isn't as harsh, I just wipe with a cloth or mop and bucket if it's a shop doorway 

Using grit / salt will become a slip hazard and backfire on yourself 
It’s freezable at any time of day in low temps. Especially in the shade 

Also if you leave standing water on footpaths it will most likely start to freeze as the sun starts dropping 

 
I remember one of our lads back in the trad days tipping a bucket around two o’clock on a custys drive not thinking and when we called  back to collect it it had froze solid. The custy wasn’t best pleased as we had created an ice  rink on his drive. 

 
It’s freezable at any time of day in low temps. Especially in the shade 

Also if you leave standing water on footpaths it will most likely start to freeze as the sun starts dropping 
Dealing with water issues in winter is mostly common sense - transferrable skills learnt from our own home.

We have a lot of cutomers who use the back door so any windows washed overlooking the path will cause a slip hazard if that water freezes. We salt - period. I used to ask a customer's permission, but now our health and safety take president. The reason is that if someone slipped and injured themselves, a customer will blame us even when they told us not to put salt down. If a customer tells us not to salt then I want their absolving me of that responsibility in writing. I'm pretty certain they won't sign a waver.

If there is pooling water that we have created then I have a broom on the van that we use to sweep it away. Even if it wasn't created by us I will still deal with it. In some cases I will take a photo of the water cleared and the path salted. Yes, it does take a little more time but I believe in covering every eventuality as best I can.

Of course I also need to protect myself from a slip and a fall and injuring myself. As we get older broken bones take a long time to heal and not very well at that.

 
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I will just give a squirt of water near the top of the door. Not enough to drain to the floor, and I brush it down with the wet bristles to remove most of the dirt. No-one has ever complained. If they did I'd simply tell them the truth. I didn't want to risk creating a slip hazard. I put less water on the windows as well, for the same valid reason. Sometimes, common sense needs to prevail and customers will be told that if necessary.

I personally don’t use any gritsalt. I wouldn't want it being brought in to anyone's carpets on their shoes. I just go sparing with the water. I use heated but that of course won't prevent it freezing.

 
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Just a bit of a mental, speed wobble. Happens to me as well, most days. ?
I think I will just skip cleaning doors this winter to be on the safe side. Some of my customers are saying their door panels are letting water in. Problem I have is that I am that busy I don't have time to think. Looking at getting a new van next year to get rid of money, might even go down the lease route so I don't even need to service it. ?

 
I just don't do them on freezing days....most don't notice anyway they're out to work in the dark and home in the dark.

Only happened once a year in last 3 years.

 
I also think sprinkling some salt after it can seal the deal. As for me, I have another problem. It's connected with my crawlspace. The level of humidity inside it is truly terrible. It's even difficult to breathe calmly when entering it. And I don't realize what is the problem. I did everything with the highest standards. Maybe, I should buy a good wetness measurer firstly, what do you think?

 
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