Yesterday I received a call for an initial clean and a clean every 2 weeks at a clinic not far from me. The windows are as easy as they come, hand height and done in about 10 seconds with an 18in. Everything was fine until I saw it…the window with hard water stains that could rival the rocky mountains. As I walked up to the window I felt confident my trust steel wool would demolish it. I gave it a good wet and scrub and the stains proved resilient. This window sits directly in the sun and not been cleaned in close to a year. On top of that a sprinkler head is not far from it. As the sprinkler kicks on it hits the hot window and essentially flash dries the water, then after that the sun gives it a bake. My last resort was scrubbing with some CLR then rinsing, then washing, then scrubbing, then finally cleaning. My question is, how does a WFP match up against hard water stains like this. I know that it probably won’t be as extreme since this is right next to a sprinkler. My concern is that I would have a window up high that I can’t hand scrub and the WFP just wouldn’t be able to get rid of the water stains.
Hard water stains are there own animal…
Using a wfp as it’s designed will not touch hard water stains.
There are many products that work well you can find them in the store here…
Do your research on each product for your safety and the safety of your customers glass .
Your concern is valid. It will be close to impossible to remove real staining with a WFP.
A tool like this on your WFP will help - https://windowcleaner.com/xero-multi-tool-bronze-wool-holder-kit
But not if its severe staining.
Like it’s already been said, dug in hard water stains can be removed usually, with the products they offer in the store. Extreme cases will need ground/polished out.
If you remove them, you should also upsell a protectant to help with future staining. They aren’t likely to remove the sprinkler.
I think you MAY be overthinking it. When is the last time you’ve seen a sprinkler so badly adjusted that it hits a second story window?
No, But with a nice decorative border the water can be diverted away from the glass
True, but I can’t think of a commercial client that would pay a landscaper to fix it. They will however, pay me to put on a glass protectant.
I run into several instances a year, that I have hard water stains on 2nd story glass.
Stupid people will spray their houses with hoses to knock off spider webs and wash dust off there house. Doesn’t matter that you warn them about the hard water staining, they still do it because the dust and spider webs tick them off.
They pay to have them removed, so whatever I guess. These people I don’t offer protectant to either. They can keep paying me to remove it, if they want to be stupid.
Look here for Diamond Magic. I found that it, with a moistened brass wool, does an amazing job - a bit of elbow grease too. If it is really severe? Perhaps a pricey orbital stain remover, but probably chemical+labor will do fine. (Maybe don’t over sell so your best work is an amazing difference to the customer. ;-))
Very difficult mineral deposits or etched glass requires grinding, then polishing, then sealing. This triple technique has not been addressed much on this forum. It is the very basis of the ideology behind the development of the Glass Renu system. However there are independent companies out there that have developed their own systems based on similar techniques. With a couple of truly innovative adjustments.
Henry
Dude, you should write a book “confessions of a window cleaner” I’d read it. Lol 
that post was great!
My experience with glass renu is that it is a three step polishing system. V it doesn’t provide for dealing ther glass by itself. That said it will remove ALL residues, lol.
Excellent Trench! What do you use for a sealer/protectant?
Henry
And Froz I would really like to see a series article. Comedy is so important. I have discovered several very funny guys through this forum.
Henry
