I have a job coming up cleaning the greenhouse attached to a customers house. What is unusual is that the higher panes of glass overlap the lower panes by about a half an inch or so. That is the higher pane sits right on top of the lower pane of glass so it is glass on glass.
Inside this overlap is green mold or algea. The customer wants me to get it off, if I can.
Any ideas how to do it?
What chemistry would you use, how would you get it in between the glass??
Dan,
I would see if you could just spray some bleach in with a pressure washer to get rid of the algae.
Dan,
A couple things to consider. Is the greenhouse occupied with any type of greenery.vegatation? If so...regular bleach would be detrimental to all that. Maybe Jomax would fair well if it any greenery is present & was pre-wetted down first.
You may also have issue’s getting enough muscle from the bleach or whatever concoction you go with. Maybe use a doodlebug with a portion of a white pad hanging pff the end of it to enable to to get between those panels that overlap?
This way you may be able to get a half way decent scrub on the problem area’s.
I think the problem is the glass overlaps. It is difficult to impossible to get chemical in that space. I have done a few and was not able to clean that part.
I would try a Sodium Percarbonate - like OxiClean - spray it on with pump sprayer, let it sit and bubble, then clean with a hot water pressure washer-low pressure.
That combination may do it.
I do one l every year and can not get that stuff out unless you are able to take them apart.
Could a regular garden hose be used, and spray as much off as you could?
I haven’t seen glass over-lap green houses in twenty years. I used to do some huge greenhouses and had to take them apart. The panes lift in and out. Allow for breakage if it’s a big job. The ones I did had boxes of replacement panes on site, so I would clean these and keep replacing them with the dirty glass. Pane (pun intended) in the butt, but looked great, when it was cleaned up
“because glass looks it’s best when you can’t see it”
I would say forget it. Not worth the hassle. If you sell them on some of the ideas previously mentioned and it doesn’t do the trick, you are on the line for it. Those overlaps are too inconsistant to get between them everywhere. Some overlaps may be slightly open or accessible between and other won’t. Even if you bleach the color out, you still have the grunge and debris in there. It will still look unsightly.
I think the JoMax application would probably work well. Like Paul said, spray it with a pump sprayer and let it sit for a short time, it should break up that mold and algae, and at that point, see if it is broken up enough to be rinsed with just a garden hose, or perhaps it will need a little more pressure.
I would also venture to say that the glass is probably permanently stained where the 2 panels overlap.
Thanks for all the replys. I’ve been out of town for a couple of days.
Yes the problem is that the overlap area is such that you can’t get anything in to it. Maybe the pressure washer would do something, maybe the other ideas. I’m going to do the job Thursday.
Where would I get JoMax??
My local Ace Hardware, among others, carries it.
I know you can get it at Lowe’s. You’ll need bleach to mix with it also.
Sent from my iPhone
You can get JoMax at Home Depot.
We have shutter brushes which would be perfect for this job. You could probably get something similar to pipe brushes. Spray your cleaner through the gap then agitate with your brush of choice (cut down toilet brush would work as well - depending on gap). Follow with your wfp. Job done.
Not sure the gap is wide enough. In fact I don’t think there is a gap. My Mother-In-Law has a green house that sounds very similar to what is being described in this post. Same thing… Algae is in between the overlapping glass. And the overlapping glass is touching each other.
Does the glass pull up?
Coincidently we’re scheduled to clean the outsides of the windows tomorrow afternoon. I’ll try to remember to take a pic.
If I remember correctly from the English type - they push up a groove & this releases them - only to come sliding down the outside to the ground. I think there is some play in between though. A photo would be good 
