[COLOR=#333333]Fiberglass material has the best results![/COLOR]
Thanks for the info, Steven.
Here in New England, most of the screens are metal due to the harsh weather/wind.
Us too…soap/water and brush. Just make sure you don’t miss a stroke with the brush. Then rinse. Sometimes this works better if you lay the screen flat while working on it.
If the screens are still nasty after a thorough cleaning, they’re probably past it.
Do you do screen repair? If so, offer to put on a new screen (for a price, of course). If not, it’s pretty easy to learn and gives you something else to offer your customers.
Yes it does work on the the metal screens as long as they have the petroleum coating on them, most screen made today do. The only metal screen that doesn’t work well on is old style bare metal screens. The emulsions work to break up the dirt/dust which makes it easily wipe them down with a microfiber towel so you have to do one extra step. With normal screens you just spray it on and your done.
I know this post it old but here’s the answer for you and anyone else that is curious about Screen Magic. You were probably holding the sprayer to close to the screen. It should be about 12-14" away from screen. It looks the same wet as it does dry. So if you spay some on a micro fiber towel and give it a quick rub to give it a good even coating. The sprayer is key to success, I recommend the Ace sprayer with the red top. Of all the sprayers we have tried that one works the best and you get the best yield by more than a third compared to the runner up. I put together a quick training youtube video that goes over this and some other time saving tips I’ve heard from existing customers. Here is the link:
Screen Magic Demonstration - YouTube
Presoaking and then scrubbing with towel is the only method I use and it helps a lot in cleaning dirty screens.
Hand scrubbed with Ettore Super Brush…Tide with bleach alternative for a solution. The brush is a very high quality product that does not lay down over time.
Here ya go if your interested:
Ettore Super Brush | Window Cleaning Supplies, Tools, Equipment, Products
Okay, I’ve done some reading and watched a few of the screen cleaning videos now. The Screen Magic apparently emulsifies/dissolves/destroys the dirt. But the main issue with screen cleaning where I live is the fine white fluff from dandelions, trees, etc. It gets tangled in the screens. I can’t imagine that Screen Magic will deal with that.
I simply put the screen between my legs and have a wet (but not dripping) Towel in each hand and scrub my two towels together (with screen in the middle) very rapidly and move around the entire surface of the screen. Very effective yet probably an old technique.
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You should read some more threads about Screen Magic. Many people say it makes the glass hydrophobic, despite Tim from Screen Magic claims it doesn’t.
Thanks for the heads up, Phong. I found a thread and it had another long comment today.
Its totally useless on metal, fiberglass only
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Thanks for the info guys. There are a few different ways to clean screens effectively (and efficiently), seems like different methods work for different screens, climates and circumstances. I’ve had good reults using a variety of methods but now am deciding which to use based on efficiency.
I think a big concern is what happens after you put the screen back on. If there is some kind of residue left over on the screen, when it rains will it transfer this residue to the window?
I like to always do the job so it will be easier not harder to do next time… with the long term maintenance of the property in mind.
I used to pull all the screens and wash them with a truck washing brush, rinse them off, dry them with a towel making sure to wipe all the edges and clean them up (magic eraser if necessary), then re-install them.
However, for larger buildings, it can start to get complicated / cumbersome returning all the screens to their proper windows. Even if you use a sytem to put them back correctly, it takes a lot of time carrying big bundles of screens up stairs, down hallways etc.
The screens can be washed from the ladder with the damp cloth technique and re-installed after the window is cleaned (a ladder clip lanyard is a time saver with this method).
They can also be washed from inside. Each screen pulled from the inside, washed and placed next to the window it came from. If you want to keep it extra tidy, you can cut a bunch of mini screen dropcloths from a larger dropcloth. Keep all the dropcloths in a duffel bag. Place the dirty screen on the dropcloth, clean it, and leave it until after you clean all the exterior windows. Then reinstall all the screens from the insides.
I know it may be easier to use the same solution that you wash windows with, but if you use dishsoap, I swear the screens will resoil faster than you can say Ettore Steccone if you don’t rinse them. Definitely not suitable for the damp cloth way of cleaning.
Low residue cleaner for damp cloth cleaning is the key i think.
Lot’s of good info and ideas on this. Thanks.
I just use a quick squirt of ecover in a bucket and a ettore super brush. Smack the soap off with a quick snap of my scrimjim. No use to over complicate things.
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I have try every single method for washing screens even screen magic (which is waste of money by the way!)
For super dirty and old screens that haven’t been wash for years best method is pressure washer (did 45 screens the other day for 25min. And they was mess )
For regular cleanings all you need is some quick soap washing and drying with towel
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I wouldn’t call it a waste of money, I make $2/screen for about 15 cents worth of product… Not bad
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I am curious because I have never used screen magic. Is the proper way to use it to first clean the screen and then apply the screen magic. Because how I see it advertised is simply to apply the product straight away. And to me that just don’t make no dang sense. Seems like you would be sealing dirt into the screen. Let me know Larry. Thanks.
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We run them through the Ipc first
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I use a homemade screen cleaner, similar to the Aztec or IPC. I just did a 2 story with 30 or so extra dirty screens…from airborne dirt in a new development. Windows and screens had been subjected to this debris for 18 months. Looked like mud (it was mud) coming off of those screens, but washed up brilliantly with plain water, lots of agitation, and really good rinsing. Saved me heaps of time over hand washing them.
I’ve used screen magic and for the time you spray and wipe you may as well just do a straight wipe without solution, just water. Hose down if really dirty. Also with screen magic you can stain pavement and timber and other hard surfaces. Just use a sponge with plain water and wallah! Good as new!
Hollywood
