I have been using steel wool alot lately and was just wondering if there is any problems with using it on Tempered Glass. And what should I stay way from if anything? I have been using "fine’ and “Super fine” steel wool
The biggest problem w/ steel wool is that is will rust and rust will scratch all glass. I use bronze wool just to be safe.
So as long as there is no rust it should be okay? Does bronze wool work the same as steel?
Have never had problems with steel wool on temp glass. but stay safe and before you start always start in inconspicuous area (like the bottom corner). It will only rust when you use with water. I keep dry ones separate from steel ones. and copper wool’s fine too but I think it gets used up faster than steel wool and is more expensive.
Bronze wool works as well as steel wool.
Steel wool will leave little bits behind on sills and in frame seals that will rust in the next rain and mark up glass and sills.
True. I just don’t have rain days live in Las Vegas. Maybe 1/2 inch a year.
Bronze wool is the way to go in my opinion. A dry piece for detailing dry glass and a wet piece for scrubbing works for me.I see quite a bit of rusty specks out there. I don’t want to be “that guy” who marks up his customers window ledges with 100’s of rusty speck marks.
Never thought about that. Thanks Tony.
Bronze wool is also much better for touching up, it doesn’t leave grease marks the way steel wool often does, (guessing steel has an oil to slow rusting).
Used to only use steel, a dry and a wet, but we have gradually moved to those white pads for wet use (they don’t mat down the way steel does after wet) and then bronze for touchup. Bronze does cost more but we can usually stretch a bronze touchup for a couple of days before tossing it, and the white pads last for atleast a week.
Do you all use Fine, Super fine or what?
Do you think the white pad scrubs as well as the bronze wool? Personally I think the bronze wool out scrubs a white scruby.
The bronze wool I buy is only available in one type.
0000 on the Steel wool
I have never really used the bronze wet, probably because I still have a ton of steel wool left right now, but no I would agree that the white pad doesn’t scrub as well as “fresh” wet steel wool, so Im sure the bronze wet probably scrubs better too. We had a recent job that had prior fabricating debris issues so we kept the blades in the truck and used the white pads on all 90 windows, and it seemed like a lot of touching up, but it was also the first time we had done her windows so it was hard to tell since we were getting them back to good.
On a cost side, we can usually cut the large white pad into 3 usable pieces, the bronze I personally usually tear in half to stretch it (employees usually take the whole thing) But I have started buying the bronze in bulk so I may start using it wet also.
I had never thought about the steel strands rusting on the window afterward, so I may find some other use for the leftover steel and take it out of the window cleaning arsenal.
Did you get a waiver signed?
It wasn’t my prior debris issue.
No, she told me the story about the builders guys using rusty blades to scrape her windows and that she made him replace six windows, so I immediately knew we weren’t putting a blade any where near her home, but I proceeded to explain to her about fabricating debris and how I didn’t know whether they did use rusty blades but that fabricating debris is actually from an inferior process at the factory and then is brought to her attention after the blade drags the debris across the glass:D My opinion is the only way to ever see any change in the industry is to inform the homeowners that they are being sold shoddy goods, maybe she won’t remember the glass manufacturers name but I’m sure she tells people about replacing her glass and now maybe she can tell them why it happened.
She was happy that I was knowledgeable about my business, and that I told her we would not use blades on her home if she was uncomfortable with it.
Like I said, getting them back to good took some time but she has committed to twice a year cleanings now, so it won’t be near as time consuming.
If they used rusty blades it was the rust (iron oxide is harder than glass) that scratched the glass. I commend you for educating the customer but whether I was the first or fiftieth wcer I would still get a waiver signed. Even if i were willing to do the job w/out razors I would still need a waiver just in case someone decided to blame me for the scratches. Education and a waiver are the ways to take this fight to the responsible parties.
I too have been using the steel wool 0000 as a dry only touch up and the white scrub pads for wet scrubbing. I agree that the scrubbing power is worse, but it lasts for weeks.
I do hate it when a little steel flakes of the steel wool comes off onto the glass. I notice it alot more when I touch up a glass that has been hit with the wfp.
I use that as proof that the glass comes cleaner with a wfp than squeegee methods. If you use dry steel wool on a squeegeed glass, you can feel the thin, slick layer of soap residue. wfp’ed glass has a lot of drag cause it cleans it SO DEEP!
Good Point, Tony! There is also the danger of steel wool flaking apart and blowing in your eyes. It can scratch your eyes very badly if your not careful.
yeah, I prefer the bronze wool and I always cut it in half so it last longer. Another thing thats bad with steel wool is sometimes workers put it carelessly in the bucket and if you forget about it, it can ruin your tools.
Recently I unravelled a piece of bronze wool so I could wrap it around a 6 inch strip washer. I needed to wool a window I couldn’t reach by ladder. It worked OK in a pinch on the end of a pole. When I rolled it back into a ball it was bigger than the original size. Since my piece of wool was bigger I felt like I could cover more glass in less time thus speeding up production and increasing profits. I will probably start unrolling and rerolling my bronze wool pads when I need to wet scrub large areas. Like screen burn on every window at a house.
