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What to use to get these corrigated sky lights clean?

Matt-s

Member
Messages
81
Location
Norfolk
E8C3B69B-F85F-487F-8D99-180262A0CEE2.jpegGood evening, I’ve got to clean these sky light bits on these panels not the whole panels just the bit where the light will come through I went and done a test patch today  as you can see in the photo, used a detergent in trolley but I’m thinking I need something stronger in there as I wasn’t really making a mark on it I never really use chemicals except tfr or a detergent as I’m mainly doing windows any recommendations on what will shift it with relative ease? Cheers.

 
View attachment 24020Good evening, I’ve got to clean these sky light bits on these panels not the whole panels just the bit where the light will come through I went and done a test patch today  as you can see in the photo, used a detergent in trolley but I’m thinking I need something stronger in there as I wasn’t really making a mark on it I never really use chemicals except tfr or a detergent as I’m mainly doing windows any recommendations on what will shift it with relative ease? Cheers.
We did a load of these but pressure washed them, mine were fibreglass and need a really strong scrub the following years. I doubt you'd get enough force on just using a WFP.

They're not on a building in Cambridge are they ?

 
We did a load of these but pressure washed them, mine were fibreglass and need a really strong scrub the following years. I doubt you'd get enough force on just using a WFP.

They're not on a building in Cambridge are they ?
No in Norfolk! ? the detergent in the trolley got a bit off  as you can see but it’s the thick black stuff and lichen i think I’ll have a problem with and you are right it took a lot of scrubbing just to get that little patch semi clean ? I don’t think they have a water supply close to where I need to get to with a pressure washer it’s down the back side of a car garage which is why I was wondering if there’s  anything I can put in The trolley system might break it down a bit after leaving it to dwell and then give it a good scrub. ?

 
They took some scrubbing every year with a short bristled brush with really tough bristles. We had to pressure wash them first year as they were black, thought they were galvanised steel to start off with.

 
They took some scrubbing every year with a short bristled brush with really tough bristles. We had to pressure wash them first year as they were black, thought they were galvanised steel to start off with.
Yes I think these are fibre glass...  I’ve got a plastics brush that’s quite stiff, looks like I’m in for a day when it comes round to doing this then! ?

 
I would spray them with a 5-1 Hypo mix leave it to dwell for  10 muinits see what it looks like then keep re applying the mix then scrub with wfp  we have done  a few like this it looks like algi growth in the rough surface hypo will kill it should come up really well .

 
I think if it were me, I'd probably walk away. I'd be saying to them that the amount of work and effort I'd have to put in to have any chance of making even a reasonable difference would probably not be a good way for them to spend their money. And that I wouldn't be happy to not be able to give a good return for their money.

I would consider trying some soapmix and a scrub on a small patch in advance to see if a decent difference could be made before you and the customer make a  final decision on booking it in, or not. Sometimes these jobs aren't as difficult as they initially look. More often though I've found they are.

If it is fibreglass, personally I would almost certainly be walking away. I've walked away from fibreglass a few times. It would be a time and effort sink. Usually no way would it pay me as much for the time and effort as gfs, conservatories or windows.

If someone is starting out or in difficult straights then possibly things are less black and white.

Edit @Pjj
might well be right. Could be worth trying a patch. I'd make sure to charge an appropriate price.

 
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iIf it is fibreglass, personally I would almost certainly be walking away. I've walked away from fibreglass a few times. It would be a time and effort sink. Usually no way would it pay me as much for the time and effort as gfs, conservatories or windows.
We got £1100 to clean about 100 of these and do about 300 metres of gutters. First year took 2 of us 6 hours and less then 4 hours everytime after.

 
Tell them it'd be cheaper for them to replace it with new. When they (inevitably) tell you the price of a new one, tell them you'd charge more to clean it.

Win-win.

 
I've tried to clean these before with ubik, then hypo. Waste of time.  As before pressure washing might work but I wouldn't fancy standing on rooves like that as you'll no doubt fall through and die so it's a spider lift too.  

 
Yes I think these are fibre glass...  I’ve got a plastics brush that’s quite stiff, looks like I’m in for a day when it comes round to doing this then! ?
If you are talking about the skylights they are polycarbonate mate. Box profile clear roofing sheets. They go milky over time with age. You can spend a lot of time scrubbing getting the black and crud off but they will never ever be transparent again. Brushing will scratch them but it doesn’t really matter because you will never see through them to see the scratches. They are past it.  Most are guaranteed sun tuff for 10 years. But they all go in the end. 

 
If you are talking about the skylights they are polycarbonate mate. Box profile clear roofing sheets. They go milky over time with age. You can spend a lot of time scrubbing getting the black and crud off but they will never ever be transparent again. Brushing will scratch them but it doesn’t really matter because you will never see through them to see the scratches. They are past it.  Most are guaranteed sun tuff for 10 years. But they all go in the end. 
Yer I’m thinking of trying to wingle out of it to be honest! I don’t think they want them see through as you say that’s a stretch they just want the green n black stain off and the lichen 

 
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