I was instructed to pour CC550 onto a strip washer and then wipe onto glass with no mention of spraying it on.
Is it reasonably safe to spray it on instead? That would in theory prevent wasted chemical.
Is this the chemical that y’all use to remove hard water?
Do you use a scraper in addition?
Be very careful using CC550, make sure that the side you are applying it to is the air side of the glass, not the tin side. You can cook the glass really bad if you apply it to the tin side. I usually just pour some onto a white scurb pad and test a small part of the window first. Ive never thought of using it in a spray bottle.
Please explain what the air side is as opposed to the tin side. I don’t understand either of those two terms.
I don’t use CC550, safe restore only so far, but that kind of harsh chemicals shouldn’t be sprayed, not that I’ve read that, just common sense. You are spraying it and a wind gust or a slight breeze and it can end up somewhere else or even your face. Be careful.
Yes, overspray could be hazardous to health and the window frame etc. There just must be a more accurate/effective/less wasteful manner of applying the chemical.
Does anyone maybe somehow pour it directly onto the glass? Given glass is typically vertical but maybe someone has a simpl method of pouring it???
Am I being too picky?
I guess my purpose is (since I’ve done this before) to find a better way to get it onto the glass. Here’s the problem. I typically use a towel to apply, strip washer to clean, and squeege to remove. That makes 3 items contanimated with a hazardous chemical. If I could reduce the number to 2 contaminated items without jumping through too many hoops I’d be a step in the right direction.
Well, after re-reading this post before posting it, I see that we’ve come full circle and that applying it directly to a strip washer does reduce to 2 and solves the problem of too many appliances being contaminated. It still doesn’t solve the problem of spilling or using too much chemical.
I know the appeal of spraying the chemical is great but the health hazards are high.
Glass today is what we call float glass because it comes out in it’s molten state floating on a layer of melted tin. Once it hardens it contains (for the life of the glass) a small amount of tin embedded on one side. Harsh acids like CC550 can react w/ the tin and discolor the glass. It’s called tin etch haze.
I use CC550 all the time. Never spray it!!! Bad news. You don’t want that in your eyes, mouth, or even your blood stream. It is a strong chem and you need to wear gloves and safety glasses when using it. I use a 32oz bottle with flip top lid to apply. I will pour the CC550 out of its container into the 32 oz bottle. then to apply I take a dry wetbar and scrubber, put the scrubber on the glass and pour a line down the bar and back up. so two swipes. Just enough to get the glass wet. I only Scrub for about 35 -45 seconds and then rinse with a slow trickle of water from the garden hose. To much water and you will splash it all over. once I am done I pour the CC550 back into its original container. Then wash everything with plenty of water. Just be sure to check a small area first before you go balls out with the stuff. you can burn windows easily if you are not checking for the tin side.
I don’t use CC550 but the method that Scott just mentioned is the same method demonstrated in Joel Andrew’s window cleaning DVD that I bought several years ago. Using a fliptop bottle to squirt the CC550 onto the glass just above a T-bar scrubber sounds like the best method to me.
Do not spray CC550 because it will get airborne and can harm you or any surface it lands on.
I agree with this statement 
I discovered another way to apply CC550 when I used it on a 97 window building. I placed about 1/2 gallon into a bucket and dipped my strip washer into it. I would wring the excess off by squeezing the SW downward and dripping it back into the bucket. This method allowed me to use very little chemical on a lot of glass.
BTW - I have Safe Restore on order:)
Good thread,
Not to hijack, but, what about cc550 and mirrors? I have a customer with an indoor riding ring. One end is a wall of mirrors. I’d say like 8 mirrors, 8’X4’. They run from one side to the other, on top of a 4’ wall made of wood. The sprinkler system for keeping the dust down has trashed them.
I would really like to do a good job of it, but honestly, I am not familiar at all with hard water stain removal. I looked at them, and I don’t think they are etched yet.
Any thoughts or suggestions would be great.
Thanks,
what is the air side? and the tin side?
Tony already answered this…
The one thing he didn’t say was the air side refers to the side of the glass that wasn’t in contact with the molten tin (tin side), it was just in contact with air, hence the term “air side”.
We use a small microfiber towel or facecloth to apply CC550 to windows. Its applied onto the towel from a squirt bottle.Wipe the glass with the towel, then go about cleaning as usual. You generally don’t need a lot of dwell time. If the windows need to scraped I would do it after the window has been cleaned, since the CC550 rusts razors very quickly. Always check a small corner to see if you are on the tin side or air side. If you apply it to the tin side the “tin etch haze” shows up as a milky white or blueish haze. Wear gloves at the very least. Eye protection is a good idea as well. If I had to do alot of windows in the middle of the summer I would seriously consider a respirator. Avoid getting any on any small cuts on your hands as it stings like a mother******.
When working w/ CC550 one should use chemical resistant gloves.
I know you should use chemical resistant gloves, if you had quoted more of my post you would have included the part where i said to wear gloves. I’ve made the mistake of getting it on a cut and it stings, it dosen’t hurt if you get it on your skin.
It doesn’t hurt bad if it gets on your skin. just a mild irritation. I have heard some pretty narly stories of the stuff before they cut down the mixture. a while back (like 10 or so years) I heard of a guy who was using it with open cuts on his hands and managed to get it into his blood stream. From the stories it took about a day or two but eventually shut down his liver or kidneys. Again these are just stories but I have heard plenty of things similar dealing with CC550. Never changed the way I use it but if I get it on my skin or in a cut I do wash it off with plenty of water and pretty fast. I guess you get that with almost anything though. I am having medical issues with GG3 and slick so it just goes to show you bad things can happen with just about anything.
What am I looking for when testing for tin side/air side?
Sorry. Guess it’s time to get new glasses.:o
I have been use CC550 for about 6 years now.
And I find when it come to applying it on the glass I use a squint bottle.
And use a sponge on a doodle bug or similar tool.
Squirt on applicator first make it a bit damp then squirt on glass rub in until you can see it is in the glass and not sitting on top.
For a squirt bottle I use a plastic sauce bottle with a twist top to close it is also great just to use for generally to wet the glass and you applicator.
Always wear gloves and eye protection
