Uggh. OK I’ve been cleaning for nearly 4 years now and use Dawn about 95% of the time without any issues. However I’ve been doing this specific job at a time where the sun has just risen and is shooting into some of the windows I clean. No matter what I do I leave these squeegee streaks in the window. I cleaned the same easy window like 10 times with the same results. The dry edge of my rubber leaves this streak. New rubber. I tried several squeegees and even changed water but the same thing keeps happening. This only seems to happen in the direct sun.
I know some of you will just say,… use GG4 or something which may be the correct fix. I like the Dawn because it glides easily and is fine with most of my work, except work in the direct sun. When I try and towel the marks dust goes flying everywhere from my newly cleaned hucks like some static electricity gone wild. I seriously could not clean this window to my satisfaction and it really irked me.
Help me out please. My theory is that the direct sun evaporates the water too quickly and leaves residue on my rubber. And then it gets smeared over the window. I know this is a novice question but has anyone experienced this using Dawn and what the heck do I do to not go insane?? Ever feel like the window cleaning gods are against you on any given day?? I’ve cleaned these windows for like 6 months now without issue, but the position of the sun at this time gives me this result. And I need to clean at this time in the morning because it’s a restaraunt.
Well at least I feel a little better venting. That was really ticking me off. Advice appreciated. Thanks.
To tell you the truth, this is my only issue with dishsoap, otherwise I would use it all the time regardless of all the talk on this forum about how it is not recommended for cleaning windows. I have certain jobs that it is straight up GG4 with no slip additives for the exact reasons you’re having problems.
And the dust with your hucks issues are common with exceptionally hot glass wich is why you should take what ever measures are neccesary to not have to detail anything besides the edges.
Learn how to wash and squeegee simultaneously… as in squeegee following your washer… use plenty of water… should work because the water wont have time to evaporate… hope that helps
Maybe too much soap? It’s easy to do. And maybe there is silicone on the glass, which in turn is getting on your rubber, which in turn is going back to the dry glass…
Direct sun really does separate the window cleaners from the dish soap boys
Funny you should mention this - I did 4 real estate plate glass windows 10 x 10 this morning & they had sacked the previous window cleaner who had taken 2 hrs to try & get it right with exactly the problems you mention & it never came out right.
Add some Winsol super slip to GG4. I use it for super hydrophobic windows or when I need glide. You will never do it with dish soap & your continual detailing will only make it worse. Also - try a wagtail flipper, this will keep the glass wet. I work in the heat/direct sun 10 months of the year, so you need to find a medium that will work. I say use GG4 even if you have to straight pull it. A new blade will help as will a damp scrim on hot windows. Ask yourself this - is the other 5% of your problem work also to do with sun? Let’s just hope the sun never finds the other windows you’ve cleaned with dawn.
Well I ordered the gg4 and winsol Super Slip to give it a try. Does the Winsol leave a residue like dish soap??
Also I’ve had some issues with SprayWay but only in the direct sun. It kinda smears and leaves something on the windows when they are sunny and hot. Is that just me??
Congratulations Tom C. Welcome to the World of pro’ window cleaners. You will also find you will save more money on chemical, be faster on the job & have less detailing to do. Your windows will also be the cleanest for miles around.
P.S. To save time & juggling amounts of chemical, I also advise using the dosing bottles (usually sold with GG4) where you can judge each amount into your side bottle or bucket. Dosing amounts are available from the company websites. Personally I use very little Winsol, probably 2 drops a quart. Or 1/4 Fl. Oz. per gallon. Same for the GG4.
In the summer time when I am working in the direct sun and it is F in the shade I make sure to use the coldest water I can get (not ice water, don’t want to shatter the window) in my bucket and I use a lot of it often bathing the window 5 or 6 times in the cold water to cool it off before I squeegee it. It work for me and Joy, haven’t used Dawn enough to know for sure, but it should work for Dawn also.
Those Unger soft rubbers and warm / hot sun and gg4 sometimes for me are a pain in the Back----… i just started using Ecover washing up liquid diluted with pure water… today November the 9th it was a real mild perfect day in Nuremberg… i was wearing a polo shirt outside sun was shining brilliantly in a penthouse with walk around balcony and high windows… did inside first with Unger soft rubber and this ecover liquid ( which is made from plants )the heating was on and it must have been at the top ( used a ladder … roughly 2.5 - 3 meters) about 80 - 85 F… the ecover and the soft rubbers performed fantastic… i was taken aback …this ecover stuff left really no residue and smearing was non existant… i was well surprised . really… even though the heater was on and sun shining brilliantly . the glass looked fantastic with 0 smears and streaks… ill be checking this out more in the next few days…
They’ve been going on about Ecover over in the UK for a while now. Weren’t they trying to mix it with vinegar, then adding Radox to take the smell away! I’m sort of turning to whatever I can get locally to try it out before committing (No ecover here). Still nothing beats the GG4, the HG window cleaner was better than dish soap & goes a long way. I was doing this trying out liquids years a go - surprised myself by trying out different stuff, I still think GG4 works out cheaper with postage & longevity.
Hey karl. i was in a D&M drug store over the weekend and i saw the Ecover Washing up liquid…the GG4 has a real strong smell and i have this feeling it has harmful chemicals in it even if the manufacturer says its biodegradable … what people do not realize and forget is that these strong soaps and chemicals what they use day in and day out can ( can being the operative word ) actually cause Cancer and other deceases when used on a daily basis as we do over time …if the ecover works out ill be switching … i will be experimenting today … have a large conservatory to do in the morning… might even make a video
but knowing me 2 weeks down the road ill be switching back
Here is what I tell our guys when they run into this kind of problem.
Our 3 quick tips;
keep your water clean - dirty water evaporates quicker than clean water
soak the window - if the water isn’t running down the glass in direct sunlight you have a greater chance of it evaporating or leaving a streak behind
if your rubber is leaving a gray streak mark (which is usually caused by a super dry rubber) try dabbing it with a damp huck instead of completely drying it before fanning/pulling or whatever is causing the problem.
its like the tobacco company trying to sell a more healthier cigarette by making them Lights… if you smell GG4 and smell the ecover the difference is the world… that GG4 has got a really strong smell . and it dont smell healthy to me .
I did this same thing with dawn on a huge set of condos i couldnt figure it out. now i know. worse yet i side stroked the big windows and they held water in lines when it rained, i switche to squeege off and will nevr go back to dawn. Im not sur if they will call me back next year or not but its a big lesson learned. Dont use Dawn…
i use dawn, has to be very wet and you have to be very light quick touch. We do some car dealerships with tinted glass and mid summer 90 degrees it can be tough. We’re poling the windows so 1 person soaps with the squeegee person immediately behind him. Can you do the job at a different time of day so the sun isnt on the windows?
