Hello All. Curious about your thoughts on dirty windows caused by house wash solution. I use a fairly typical 1%-2% SH mix with Elemonator as my surfactant. Lately my customers have been complaining about their windows having a white milky film on them. No matter how much I rinse I can’t seem to get the windows stain free. Anyone else have/ had this issue and what was your cure? I guess I could upsell a window cleaning package!! Thanks for your comments!
In my area, this is usually caused by the oxidation of the vinyl or aluminum flashing/trim around the windows. The HW mix inevitably rinses it down the windows causing that milky residue. If you run your finger along that trim on the sunny side of the house you can inform them that it may happen. Up sell opportunity or just clean them. A good reputation is invaluable.
What kind of water are you using? Could be you have hard water as well, which means you would need a chelator.
Chelator in the HW mix?
Btw, I thought you were gone for good. You really do love us. You’re here for good 
I have this problem occasionally. Your using to much soap or letting it dry on the windows. If it dries on the windows water will not get it off. Maybe hot water. Just soap it again and give it a minute then rinse heavy. I rinse and come back and rinse quickly again just in case a little soap was still running from somewhere.
I did have a customer this year who uses sime kind of spray and rinse window cleaner on her windows and my soap would not come off. I had to soap and scrub every window.
My last day is 4/23 at this job.
Chelator in the HW mix…why not? EDTA, NTA, Sodium Gluconate…all good choices and easily disperse in water.
3 Likes
Ditto on the oxidized vinyl. It’s a real PITA when trying to window clean, white smears show up once the water dries.
1 Like
Just rinse the sunny side of the house if there is no visible dirt. 1-2% is too hot of mix for house wash. .6-1% is plenty. If you have to soap the sunny side of the house then only let it sit for 1-2 minutes and start rinsing or at least resoap the windows while the mix is working on the siding. Like mentioned it sounds like you could be letting it dry on the windows. I made that error a few times when I first started.
1 Like
Hey Crabby, Thanks. That actually makes a lot of sense. Hadn’t even thought of the oxidation which explains why, even after rinsing and rinsing and rinsing, it is still going to run down the glass, even after I’m gone. Now I at least have a good explanation for the customer when asked. Thanks again!
1 Like
Thanks CaCO3Girl. I know its not a hard water issue. The majority of my customers are connected and I usually have pretty good luck with not having to deal with that.
Hey BillC, Thanks. That is definitely a possibility. I try to rinse asap if the sun is hitting the house on the side I am washing. I may not be getting to it quick enough as glass heats up so fast. With Summer coming, I will have to be even quicker.
The soap will clean the windows very quickly. I usually hit the windows with water while I let the soap dwell on the wall if they are in the sun.
You do know that hard water isn’t just from well water right? The city has hard water too.
I am. We use a Culligan home test kit if/when we suspect hard water. Around here most of us are pretty familiar with the local areas well known for their hard water.
