Concrete on Windows

Hey!
Tomorrow me and four other guys will clean windows at a new build school.
The bricklayers have been awful. A lot of concrete on the windows.
I read past topics about this… But I can’t get Titan Labs Cement-Of were I live.
So I’m thinking using vinegar + steel wool.
Do you think vinegar can take away the concrete? Better then ammonia?
A scratch waiver is signed. The constructors are well aware of the problem.
Any tip I will be grateful!

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I would be VERY JUDICIOUS about using steel wool or any other kind of “scrubbing” until the splatter has been removed down to a stain.

Since it sounds like it is new concrete or stucco splatter? Then a good dousing of soapy water should get the major stuff off with the grit.

YOU DON’T WANT TO SCRUB GRIT ON GLASS.

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It’s true. The thing is that it’s now been on the glass for months. It’s not coming of easy, just with spraying a solution on it.
I’ve tried a test part of one window and the wool did fine. But you have to change the wool frequently. As you say you don’t want to scrub around with it.
But any advice I appreciate!

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Try a bit of WD-40 to loosen the splatter up. I would try any petroleum type product like that before scrubbing micro pieces of grit. Very small nudges of the edge of the splatter with a razor after loosening with WD-40 may be key as well, just not full on scraping.

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the good thing about a razor is ideally it gets between the object and the glass and the object is then taken away with a brush (nylex) a solution then finally squeegeed.
steel wool will trap any object that loosened as will any type of pad cloth or tbar and the object is now carried all over the glass with pressure.
that is one reason some cleaners prefer a brush over an aplicator the bristles are not as likely to put enough force on a trapped object to damage the glass.

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Good thinking.
I will try to spray vinegar on the concrete and after some minutes try with a brush. Maybe vinegar is to weak but it’s worth a try.

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I work for a construction cleaning company and we run into concrete on windows ask the time… Careless work but it falls on us to fix it… Never use a blade.(you would be surprised) try spaying the window with WD-40… Trick an old school glass guy told me

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and then how are you removing the debris and the wd 40?

Liberal amounts of soapy water. (Dawn is a great degreaser)

How did it go, my friend?

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Concrete remover.I just bought some.

I sprayed the windows with vinegar and that helped really a lot to loosen up the concrete. We used our nails to remove the biggest parts.
I’ve been on many construction sites, but these windows was one of the worst I’ve seen. I’m used to some concrete but not at this level. The result was well. I’ve noticed that some few windows got tiny scratches, but I was counting with that from the beginning when I saw the windows the first time. Glad they signed the waiver.
But I noticed also that the windows had already some scratches from the beginning. Often the windows are unprotected when the workers can stand beside them with there machines…
Why can’t they install the windows with some kind of plasticprotection on it, that you can remove when the construction work is done?

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Yes, thought about that to.
Protect them from concrete paint etc

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If you cant get back set or cement off use phosphoric acid, safe to use on glass and metals do not use on plastic.

frames here are almost all plastic.

Well your not where @JonathanB is from are you?

no, sorry for speaking.

So WD 40 has been brought up by 2 people now, really unsure of the theory behind this is as there is no grease in concrete, the concrete removal products break down the bonds in the concrete and basically reduce it to a sand and cement dust. As a degreaser WD isn’t ideal its about 4 times the cost of a can of degreaser.

neither has sugggested using it as a degreaser. one seems to indicate he uses it regularly for concrete removal, is that right @Jessy_Pummill

Well that wasn’t very cool. I do not believe that any one region is restrictive to plastic or metal frames. Perhaps you can enlighten the rest of the forum on regional restrictions for such material?