haha yeah… i usually stick to hand gestures and dirty looks
Hey Tony,
I hope we are still friends after you read my post. I clean my storefront windows every two to four weeks so I can test them as I go. I pretty much know who has bad glass and who doesn’t. If they ever need to be scraped the waiver will state that the windows WILL BE SCRATCHED if a razor is used. They can pay extra for alternative methods or agree in writing to have their storefront windows ruined.
However I do not feel comfortable destroying a residential customers windows because I simply don’t have the time to follow the manufacturers recommended guidelines. A signed waiver doesn’t give me permission to go razor happy on a tempered glass window. If they don’t want to pay extra to have them cleaned safely according to manufacturers guidelines that’s OK with me. I let them call someone else. Hopefully a company with lots of money in the bank just in case things get ugly and they all end up in court. I still get a waiver signed to cover my back on preexisting conditions. I live in an old town with lots and lots of old glass.
My responses in bold.
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I don’t scrape a window unless it needs it. There must be paint or glue or something that is a problem there. If you are not going to use a razor, what exactly are you going to use? That is what I would like to know. Thanks.
First you’ll need alot of elbow grease.
All kidding aside you could use (w/ varying success) a white pad, bronze wool, or harsh chemicals. The chemicals would void the IG seal warranty though and be hazardous to your health.
Hey Tony and Mere,
I have read hundreds of posts and articals not to mention videos on the topic of fabricating debris. I scraped my first window back in 1976. What have I learned so far?
- They don’t make glass the way they use to.
- There is no safe and reliable way to test for the absence of fabricating debris.
- The six inch professional window cleaners razor has been used for decades to safely remove debris from glass surfaces.
- The razor is efficient and yields perfect results.
- There are no clearly defined alternative methods to use for debris removal recommended by GANA. They say just don’t use a razor.
- Contractors and painters do not understand the dilemma they put us in when they slop up the windows.
- A waiver for risky upholstery cleaning methods will not hold up in a Massachusetts court, been there done that, so it is safe for me to assume a scratched glass waiver will not hold up either.
- Lots of window cleaners and homeowners think you can’t use a razor on tempered glass because it will scratch. They don’t always know why, they just know it scratches.
- Steel wool is approved by GANA and works alright if the debris is light.
- Some window cleaners scratched glass waivers state that they will not be held liable for any scratches on any glass surface regardless of the cleaning method.
- Some window cleaners choose to charge extra not to scratch up the customer’s tempered glass windows with a razor.
- If a manufacturers label says do not use a razor I have a choice. I can ignore the label or follow the instructions.
since i started my own company my scraping policy has been scrape anything that grabs your attention when you look at a window or dont scrape at all bc of people who are quick to blame you for some old scratches compliments of their painter.
when i first started at my first window cleaning job for a company on marthas vineyard, almost ten years ago, i remember having a meeting about scratching glass and i believe fabricating debris… i cant be sure bc my memory is terrible but i do remember we were told not to drag our blade back and forth over glass… only scrape go in one direction, take your blade off the glass and scrape again.
does that help with fabricating debris or is my memory incorrect?
That won’t help with fabricating debris, but it will help prevent construction debris from being caught under the razor and being moved across the glass – possibly causing a scratch.
That’s also why I use a hogshair brush and phosphoric acid solution when involved with a CCU job where stucco, concrete, etc. is involved.
They also say to use vinegar or dishsoap to clean the windows. Since I use GG4 does that mean they can sue me? They also say you can use a small razor but we know that will dislodge the FD as well. So what now? They just don’t want to fix their product and want everyone else to accept substandard glass.
Oh and they have been making glass the same way for decades now. The difference is that they used to turn the defective side in on the IG units so we didn’t have to deal w/ it. Once low-e coatings appeared they quickly realized they had to either clean up the glass or let us deal w/ garbage. Some tempering plants do the former.
sweet, thanks for the clarification. my memory isnt what it used to be
I am about to get into residential and I know a will probably have to use steele wool or a scraper. Im kind of nervous though because some people say it won’t scratch and some people say it will. Also I did a storefront this last weekend and there were little dots(bugs maybe?) on the windows that I couldn’t get off with just soap and squeege. On storefront accounts is it expected from customer to get these little dots off? That may be a strange description but it just looked like little dots on the glass that would kind smear after I squeeged over them.
Sounds like a form of artillery fungus, we find this on Windows that have wood chips around them and bushes.
Obviously the fastest way to remove this is with a razor but keep in mind not damaging the surface, test small area prior.
So some glass it will damage and some glass it won’t? If I could just take some steele wool to it before I squeegee it would take care of it as long as wool doesn’t scratch surface.
If it what I’m thinking of yes 0000 steel wool will work but will need a little scrubbing, time consuming little things.
Problem is we see this more commercially and harder to walk a property first to see if it has it or not and to what extent for additional billing purpose. I typically just remove it at no charge cuz the hassle of approving extra billing takes as long as just doing it initially.
Sometimes I weigh what will be more time comsuming.
I have seen painters scraping glass dry. My credo is, “Always wet, never dry.” I also keep blades very new and fresh. A scraper will lift the droplets or silicone, but then there is usually a ring or shadow left; time for steel wool, always wet, never dry. I have seen guys buff a spot with dry wool, each to his own. I will wet the steel wool, work the spot, then use the towel to dry. If I have to rework, I wet a zone, blade, wool and quickly wipe dry. That is for perfect detailing. I also put Goo Gone on steel wool for sticky stuff, if needed. I buy #0000 steel wool about 4 bags at a time and always have plenty on hand, just pulling off pieces as I need it. I will work crusty glass with a full pad. I never try to save the stuff, and I feel it is the magic touch for perfect windows.
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It isn’t a huge dea with the job I did considering I didn’t remove them and the customer was happy. Just wanted to know for future jobs.
