OK so my issue is i have a huge project for one of my clients in an upscale location. The person has a large number of windows that have a intense hard water stain on it. It almost looks like someone threw some milk on there and let it dry. I am looking for a product that can handle this. I want to restore the glass so he does not have to replace all these panes. Any help with products?
Thank you
Khris
K & T Window Cleaning614-915-5400
There are several stages of corrosion, and chemical solutions can solve the problem up to a point, but it may be too far gone.you should let your client know that.
I have used every product except cerium oxide, and what works best, quickly and easily is chrystal clear 550 and saferestore (both sold here), but you need to get both, and get enough of both to complete the job.
reason why you need both is because I have noticed that one may not work as well as the other, it depends on what is making the stain, alkaline, silicates…whatever it is, if it’s gonna come off by using chemical, it’s coming off with one of these or not at all.
for instructions on how to use, search tony’s (mister squeeegee) posts under saferestore, tin etch haze, and i.g. unit.
it’s a must-read before you use it.
remember that you will be saving them thousands, and your cost will be high, charge accordingly.
I charge 25 to 40 per pane in addition to the window cleaning.
Khris good chatting with you the other night…
I the stains are that bad, this is the strong stuff you are going to want.
Cool sounds like I am going to give that a try and see how it works. Likewise Chris.
Two things to remember - 1) this is restoration not cleaning so charge accordingly and 2) do not promise 100% restoration unless you are using a scratch removal system. Some stains won’t come off even w/ something as intense as CC-550. And as Tory mentioned beware of Tin Etch Haze when using CC-550.
Thanks for the chat today Tony.
My pleasure Khris! Let me know how it comes out for you.
I just ordered the onerestore/saferestore product so going to use it first. Think i will put all moneys from restoration in a savings for the glassrenu system. Wish they offered payments
A short while back someone wrote that they solved a hard water removal problem by buying a rotary
sander or grinder and using hard water removal powders to remove the stains. They said it worked great.
I notice that grinders have more different pads available then sanders. Someone said to use a white pad.
Has anyone else tried this? What kind of pad worked for it without scratching the window?
Do you need to wear a respirator to use crystal clear 550? How should you apply it… put it on a white pad? Would some bronze wool help get the stains off or will the chemicals do all the work?
That’s good information. My local janitorial store stocks the crystal clear 550, but not the SafeRestore. I read that SafeRestore (now, curiously called OneRestore…maybe because something that can melt your face isn’t all that safe) is hydrochloric acid based, is that also true of cc-550? What makes them different?
seriously read the MSDS and get all the PPE they ask for…550 is nasty, One Restore is nasty too, but not as bad as 550. I have 550 but never use it, just dont need it. One restore and polish out whats left…
CC550 is hydrofluoric (HF) – very hazardous and reacts to the tin side of the glass.
Something I’ve been using is RustAid Outdoors. That helps quite a bit, I first wet the glass, then spray on the RustAid, then scrape with a blade, then wash the window. Something else I use is BonAmi. I wet the glass as if I was going to scrape with a blade and then put BonAmi on a cloth and rub. It works good and doesn’t scratch the glass. Bar Keepers Friend would also work but don’t use any other kind of powder cleanser like Comet or Ajax. Only use BonAmi or Bars Keeper Friend.
I have read some frightening things about what can happen if you get too much on your skin.
You should always test a spot on the plate. The problem is that I am not sure it will be safe even
if it works on the spot, but I have read that it is. It will remove the tint on any plate that has dark
color on the outside. I think that is the tin side.
