The Roof Cleaning Institute Of America Training & Certification Forum
"Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"

MJ · Sep 19, 2011

protecting windows from residue from the SH mix

Roof Cleaning Raleigh NC · Sep 19, 2011

Rinse

Roof Cleaning Bradenton FL 941-822-2454 · Guest

Pre-wet them ,the ground guy should be working the walls/windows as well as the plants etc. Ck out the video Chris put together posted in the prem. section
Kim R

RCIA Founder

Yes, keep em wet just like a plant, and use vinegar or a mild acid to remove what you have on them now.

garyw · Sep 20, 2011

Use the "Talon surfactant" that Southside Equipment sells and never have that problem. Completely free rinsing and windows look like they have been polished. Wash your car with it and be amazed. Great stuff.

Doug R · Guest

RAJ, I use Bleach wash. I actually sprayed my mix on a window and let it sit for 2 hours. I mix 4 ounces in a gallon of water in a pump up sprayer and then spray it on and rinse it off with the water hose or pressure washer hose. Windows come out crystal clear and no streaks and very few if any water spots. Here is a video I did for Michael Hinderliter back when I was testing it for them. There are also a couple more on my You Tube page you can see if you want. This is without a doubt the easiest way I know of cleaning windows after a job.

http://youtu.be/O_uRT4eX2CU

-- Edited by Doug R on Tuesday 20th of September 2011 03:37:17 PM

Sep 20, 2011

First, don't spray roof mixes on windows, just on roofs. biggrin

If you have TSP in the mix-as you should have for tile, then you can etch the glass.

But other than that, I always tell my customers that their water quality will make a difference in what the windows look like and that all I can do is rinse them off as I go [when I pressure clean the house] Some water leaves a lot of water stains and other water doesn't. I run my water through whole house filters too, before it hits the house.

If you have no plant concerns and you can soft-wash the house, Ammonyx Lo really helps leave the windows looking good! So does Simple Cherry.

clay · Guest

Bergman Roof Cleaning Port Charlotte FL 941-698-1959 wrote:
First, don't spray roof mixes on windows, just on roofs.
If you have TSP in the mix-as you should have for tile, then you can etch the glass.

But other than that, I always tell my customers that their water quality will make a difference in what the windows look like and that all I can do is rinse them off as I go [when I pressure clean the house] Some water leaves a lot of water stains and other water doesn't. I run my water through whole house filters too, before it hits the house.
If you have no plant concerns and you can soft-wash the house, Ammonyx Lo really helps leave the windows looking good! So does Simple Cherry.

I was thinking of hooking up filters too how does it work do you use the twentys

Oct 19, 2011

I have never had a problem with windows after a job. Like Kim stated, pre wet and keep wetting them when working around them.

John Burdine · Oct 31, 2011

I too would be interested in pre-softening the water cause even if you pre-wet and do a final rinse the water is super hard here in iowa so you may not have bleach streaks but you will have hard water spots if you don't want to squeegee everything.

Roof Cleaning Bradenton FL 941-822-2454 · Guest

Ironically the job we did on Sunday was water softened and while I pre-wet and sprayed the windows, the water left residue behind, nothing harsh, but spots & streaks. Unfortunately the homeowner just had them cleaned 3 weeks ago, I was bit aggravated about it, but the HO was totally fine and said his buddy cleans windows and he would just have him come back.
If I remember water softener is a salt based product, so I am assuming it was a salty residue. water pressure sucked to boot, but it all came together.
Being the water softener I guarantee was the culprit, the next customer may not be so forgiving, so then what... filter it at the bib? Test it? or ask if a softener is used?
Kim R

deleted member

Or you could just quit cleaning roofs in the stix & move on to the BIG CITY. (Just sayin').

Roof Cleaning Bradenton FL 941-822-2454 · Guest

Thank you Art
Kim R

Roof Cleaning Raleigh NC · Nov 1, 2011

O hell Kim, He lives in Wilmingtom,,,has no clue what da big city is! Sad really, a country hick liven in one a dem der towns thinking it is a real one a dem big reaal city citys. Schucks Kim he do jobs bare feeted. He just don't knoe we sity folk have shews ws can get and by sum of themthr shoes any time wesa wanta. I propose to bring a box to the Nova meet and everyone bring a pair of shoes for yourn poor town liven townie! ART

Then maybr he can se how us reall city folk work. Maybe

Just Maybe

Roof Cleaning Virginia 540-949-6277 · Roof Cleaning Institute of America Premium Member/MODERATOR

Roof Cleaning Raleigh NC wrote:
O hell Kim, He lives in Wilmingtom,,,has no clue what da big city is! Sad really, a country hick liven in one a dem der towns thinking it is a real one a dem big reaal city citys. Schucks Kim he do jobs bare feeted. He just don't knoe we sity folk have shews ws can get and by sum of themthr shoes any time wesa wanta. I propose to bring a box to the Nova meet and everyone bring a pair of shoes for yourn poor town liven townie! ART
Then maybr he can se how us reall city folk work. Maybe
Just Maybe

Reading this is like reading what someone might write at one in the morning and then hit submit post!

Emerald Coast Roof Cleaning · Deleted

Spot on, Kim. heheh! Softened water is more aggressive than unsoftened water because it contains salt and like you said, it will leave a film, spots, or cloudiness on slick surfaces, if you use it.

Based on my own experience, rinsing with unsoftened water didn't help. When I was washing vehicles in OKC the only solution I found was to use DI water to rinse.

MJ · Nov 4, 2011

I wanted to thank everybody for their feedback. The issue was the water softener was installed in the garage and fed the outdoor spigots. So in essence we were salting the windows heavy duty. Lesson learned, is to ask the HO if this is present in the future.

Roof Cleaning Bradenton FL 941-822-2454 · Guest

The question would be if they do then water water source do you use then? Both seem to be a pita. Bring your own rinse water?No thanks... or a filter added on to the spigot / hose nozzle for those country folks Art... lol biggrin

Here is an article about how water softners work:

http://homerepair.about.com/od/plumbingrepair/ss/water_softener.htm

And here are some interesting filters that may solve this issue:

http://www.ecogeeks.com/greenstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70&products_id=204

http://www.purewaterproducts.com/gardenhosefilters.htm

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-Water-Filter-with-Hose/14504321

Kim R

Emerald Coast Roof Cleaning · Deleted

Kim, that hose filter is an interesting product, but I doubt you're going to run into that situation very often.

Your HO shouldn’t have had softened water going outside. Usually, a water softener is installed so that it bypasses all mechanical systems of the building, including outside water.

Roof Cleaning Bradenton FL 941-822-2454 · Guest

He did ,I don't know that much about hard or soft water and the uses, never had it, but for 50bks, it should take care of any hard or soft issues. Just in case..
As far as running into that situation up North in Mi. there are many homes that are in the sticks. Going to have to try it out first.
Kim R

The Roof Cleaning Institute Of America Training & Certification Forum "Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"

The Roof Cleaning Institute Of America Training & Certification Forum
"Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"