Question:

I have cleaned some windows at least three times, and I am still getting spots, why.

Answer:

There is no set amount of times you can clean the windows and be guaranteed a perfect clean. Sometimes it can take much more cleans than normal depending on certain circumstances, window frames and certain window types have a lot to do with it, as does local industries, and also airport flight paths.

Windows and frames first, best to give the window frames a good clean first time especially the top frame, give it a good scrub with plenty water, make sure there is nothing visible running from the frames before you stop.  Do this to a few window frames, or even the whole side of the building leaving the water to run off the frames for as long as possible, then go back and redo the glass only, each time you go back avoid water touching the top of the frames.

Window types next, some windows have deteriorated paintwork, the paint is very old and mixes with the pure water, the pure water ends up a milky coloured, these window are impossible to get spotless, and the only thing you can do with these is avoid the frames altogether, concentrating on the glass only.

Some more modern windows may have old or damaged rubber mouldings, the pure water gets under the mouldings and draws out all the old soap that has built up, the only solution here is plenty rinsing, it may take much more than three cleans to get these spotless.

Industry, some large chimneys near by, these can be depositing dear knows what on the glass, again more rinsing or a second clean is necessary.  An example of this is an old folks home I clean has a laundry room on the ground floor, they have 4 windows on the front of the building directly above the laundry room, and after the windows have had the same treatment as the rest of the building, these four windows are all spotted, this is not a problem however as I simply go over them again just before I put my equipment away, the second clean brings them up great.

Same with some windows less than a mile away from the runway of Edinburgh Airport, the planes are flying by very low  and depositing some aviation fuel on the glass, these particular window take more water than normal to clean up, again not a problem as I know exactly how to deal with it.


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