We’re hoping to win a huge-mongous CCU job this week, and I’d like to avoid using any razors at all.
Question: do you guys think I can accomplish the same level of clean with ONLY doodle pads and bronze wool?
Its possible if the windows have been properly protected during the construction. You may also want to have some magic erasers on hand as they do a great job of removing silicone.
No, I don’t. There are too many variables to consider. I would never show up to a construction clean up, or any job without a blade available when needed
What’s your CCU experience?
Are you a confident educator of heat-treated glass and its issues?
Possible - yes but depending on how well the glass is protected. If it wasn’t protected during all phases then - no. Of course you’ll need a lot of chemicals, boxes of magic erasers, white pads, bronze wool, and that all important truck load of ibuprofen for your severely inflamed tendons and joints from using all your elbow grease. Why the hesitation to use a blade, Mark?
After having to shell out $3700 last year for a 8’ x 10’ pane of glass that I damaged, I’m very-very cautious in using razors during CCU. It’s so easy to damage without even knowing it. I’m fairly educated on fabricating debris and how to avoid it, but I’d like to do an “end-run” around it and use other ways of getting it all cleaned up. They contactors have all done a pretty good job of masking everything, so the glass isn’t horrible.
What do magic erasers accomplish that steel / bronze wool does not?
$3700 should have bought a glass renu kit. plenty of soapy water and fresh blades you should be just fine. yes you can do just as well without the blades but it will add tons of time. im curiouse how the builder knew you scratched the $3700 piece of glass? When i bid ccu i let the builder know just because were the last one to touch the glass does not mean we scratched it. get a waiver signed. i always contact my builders with any major scratches and stop the cleaning process on the window until they inspect it. most of our million dollar homes take 2 or 3 days so its not a big deal to leave a few unfinished windows at the end for them to see the scratches in the unfinished window
Did you have a waiver in place?
No.
WELL"Fairly
Educated on FB" DA !!! Why don’t u have a sighed waiver ??? Now every job u will pay up !! They contractors have your # !!! YES I know I’m very hard on u !!! I know that a scratch machine could have saved your butt !! No mader who cleaned the window !! U need the tapes on FB on this fourm !! If the contractor woun"t sigh so be it !! They are looking for a fall guy like u !! U can make more BUCKS with a machine then cleaning !! Stan, Pro Window Kleening 28 years in the buss
I’d suggest educating the builder on FD and getting a signed waiver this time out so you can use a blade. It’s quicker, will do the best job, and takes you out of the liability loop.
For me, when I do a ccu, I use 2 and sometimes 3 buckets, or pump sprayer. One small bucket (or pump sprayer) has super soap in it, enough to make your tools slip out of your hands when wet. Another bucket is light soap for the final clean and usually a bucket of clean water for rinsing mops, sponges towels etc to keep soap buckets clean.
I mop or spray the super soap on and use the palm of my hand and “feel” the entire window. You will feel and “rough” or scratched areas. If you do, quick squeegee the glass and inspect. If they are bad, I mark the window with a soapy X with my mop and move on. I will have the site super come by and inspect the windows I feel could be a problem with FB or scratches.
It won’t work on every window every time, but along with a signed waiver, you will show the super you are making every attempt you can to not cause any damage. You are doing “Due Diligence” to prevent any damage you could be held liable for later. Keep a clip board handy to record these conversations, or use your camera phone to document. Either way, CYA by documenting everything, especially anything you see when doing your initial walk around.
Put the bug in their head that there could be damage to the glass before you came on the scene, document everything and man up if you damage something
I should have said, “Now, after the $3700 cost, I’m educated.”
If I can be of any help feel free to call me tomorrow and we can discuss any questions or issues Mark.
I feel all new Glass is what I call soft.
Maybe they used less lead in the making of glass or some type
of sand is diffident.
If you use a wfp and and
Bon Ami :: Products :: Liquid Cleanser
Bon Ami on a Hog hair brush you will
get off 90% of the dirt.
You can then go back with 0000 steal wood or
If you use a on razor
it will or be to spot check the window and not go over the whole window.
You could also pressure wash first and that will get every thing off but the paint.
Denatured alcohol will get the paint off
We never used a blade on a dirty window these days.
[SIZE=“4”][B]SIMPSON’S RECOMMENDATIONS
One of the common mistakes made by non-glass trades people, including glass cleaning contractors, is their use of razor blades and other
scrapers on a large portion of the glass surface. Using metal blades to scrape a window clean carries a large probability for causing irreparable
damage to glass.
Simpson recommends that metal blades never be used to remove materials from glass surfaces. Any use of a metal blade or other inappropriate
or destructive cleaning techniques is at the risk of the owner/window cleaner and Simpson’s warranties do not cover glass scratching caused by
the use of metal blades.
From there web site[/B][/SIZE]
I have allot of the warning on my web site.
phil
40 years cleaning windows
347-sim-pole
Phil, do you have any data to prove this “soft glass” theory?
The fact is that the glass is not different - it’s the tempering facilities failure to do the maintenance on their equipment that leads to a defective surface. Take a razor to annealed glass all day, any day and you won’t have a problem. Now with a tempered glass (which is actually a stronger product than annealed) some will scratch. Why? Fabrication debris. Here’s an idea - ask any of the glass companies if they are making their glass “softer” now. I’d bet they tell you, no.
How did you get that steel wool to stay on the washer t-bar, Phil? I liked this video, too 
vic
We use the scratch waiver that says that the contractor needs to protect all glass properly if he doesn’t want us using scrapers.
Tony, will the bronze wool or white pads scratch the glass if a razor never touched the glass?
So, you give the contractor the option on how you provide your service?
What if there are scratches found after you are done – without the use of scrapers – anyway?
Hmm, i never thought about it that way Larry. I really want to change the way our waiver is worded. alot of times the painters or masons will scratch the glass so it really is important to document everything as bumble bee said. there are just so many ways that the glass can be scratched even without putting a razor to it.
Honestly, I don’t really do much CCU work anymore but I do have the waivers just in case. If they did properly protect the glass I don’t really see the need for a scraper other than some spot scraping.
