So many businesses have them! Jewelry shops, restaurants, hair salons, motels and hotels, drug stores, gyms, and dance studios. Ask anyone how much they enjoy cleaning them and you will NOT get a favorable response. That is because they usually are large area mirrors. Some might be in the direct sun. Further no one knows how to clean mirrors with a squeegee. But did you know they can be easily cleaned without a squeegee using a solution of H2O2? The idea is to first clean them with a squeegee using a cleaner loaded with a hydrophobic organosilane. This creates a water hating surface in no more time than it takes to simply clean with our tradition tools. Then once the glass has been treated they can be cleaned with a solution of H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) and a huck towel. The cleaning takes place with a swivel applicator and the cleaning solution. Then they are wiped dry with a huck towel on a flat tool connected to a pole with a universal joint. In the janitorial world this is called a doodle bug. In the paint world it is a wall sander. In our industry Wiljer Textiles has some quality flat tools. But of course the Reach It Pole is the best for any type of outside or inside work involving high windows, mirrors, or partition glass.
Now we can get creative. Since this new surface will not be subject to the UVC radiation from the sun or alkali attack from concrete or hard water spots;...it should last a long time. Probably years. But you could offer to come in and "treat" the mirrors as you clean them once every three months. Then the employees could maintain them using hydrogen peroxide. It could be all they need to do is add a bottle of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide from the drug store in a gallon of pure distilled water. Sell them a Swivel applicator with a Wiljer sleeve and a pole. Then show them how to use a huck towel on a flat tool. Or they could just wipe dry by hand using a huck towel. This entire process could be demonstrated at no cost. Of course they won't be able to apply the organosilane themselves. Only we possess the chemical and know how to apply it.
Another opportunity might exist in first doing the demonstration. Then offering to set up the mirrors for free once only. In exchange for the window cleaning/maintenance contract. If there is a need to reapply in the future then you would price the mirrors. Another idea would be to just offer to clean the mirrors on a regular basis like you would the windows. You might even have some mirrors already on your route. Your customers might be waiting to have you give them a quote.
If you are creative I am sure you will come up with some other variations on this plan. I would certainly never apply a glass treatment to the inside of window glass. Because it would promote a filming effect. Yet mirrors, or railing/partition glass would work fine. The bottom line here is there is an opportunity just waiting to be explored.
If you would like to get into this sideline just send me an email.
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com
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Sunday, January 11, 2015
Monday, January 5, 2015
Cleaning Glass with Sodium Metasilicate
Otherwise known as "water glass". It is usually sold as a TSP substitute. A 100% pure product from the hardware store or a paint supply shop comes as white crystals, and looks like table salt. But the reality is, it is a VERY powerful alkali! When cleaning with it I will usually only add a teaspoon to four gallons of water. Then I will add a synthetic detergent like Dawn since syn-dets tend to keep it from leaving deposits. Dawn has not more than one percent sodium hydroxide. Which is also a powerful alkali. I wrote a post about this chemical also. When SMS is used without a soap such as Dawn it has the tendency to leave a residue on the glass that is difficult to remove. The spots left behind are also difficult to remove. This is because they are in effect what I like to call artificial water spots. Or mineral deposits. They are sodium silicate deposits which are very similar to the chemistry of glass. Of course such stains are relatively easy to remove with a little rubbing using a silica based compound or cerium oxide in water.
As a cleaner SMS is very powerful at removing even years of organic film. Such as car exhaust on aluminum window frames at gas stations. But I always suggest using rubber gloves since it will dry out your skin or worse. When used at higher concentrations it will remove screen burn from window glass. But again use extreme caution. Never let it get on your skin or in your eyes.
One more word on using SMS to remove screen burn. I will mix it with water at about a 5 to 10 percent solution in water. Then I will add about 10 percent silica powder. This is an experimental product that I can sell to you at 20 dollars per pound including shipping. Further I will use four zero steel wool. This is a VERY powerful combination for removing even the worst screen burn. Just remember to use extreme caution. One more word of caution. I suggest looking up the MSDS on silica powder. The dangers are greatly reduced when it is used in a liquid form. In other words when it is put in water. But you should never use it dry since you could breath it in. This type of repeated exposure can cause silicosis which is cancer causing.
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com
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As a cleaner SMS is very powerful at removing even years of organic film. Such as car exhaust on aluminum window frames at gas stations. But I always suggest using rubber gloves since it will dry out your skin or worse. When used at higher concentrations it will remove screen burn from window glass. But again use extreme caution. Never let it get on your skin or in your eyes.
One more word on using SMS to remove screen burn. I will mix it with water at about a 5 to 10 percent solution in water. Then I will add about 10 percent silica powder. This is an experimental product that I can sell to you at 20 dollars per pound including shipping. Further I will use four zero steel wool. This is a VERY powerful combination for removing even the worst screen burn. Just remember to use extreme caution. One more word of caution. I suggest looking up the MSDS on silica powder. The dangers are greatly reduced when it is used in a liquid form. In other words when it is put in water. But you should never use it dry since you could breath it in. This type of repeated exposure can cause silicosis which is cancer causing.
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com
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Saturday, January 3, 2015
Glass Treatments Can Cause a Filming Effect
OK. Which glass treatment do you prefer to use to create an "Easy Clean" glass surface? There have been probably a hundred different products brought to market over the last forty years! So we have had lots of time to treat lots of glass. Yet they can all be divided into two different categories. Hydrophobic (water hating), and hydrophylic (water loving). Hydrophobic surfaces which cause water to bead up are great if you intend on cleaning with a microfiber cloth by hand or with a pad on a pole. Just wet with an applicator then wipe dry. If you use a solution that is not based on any detergents, you will get a crystal clear result. But. If you intend on cleaning with a water fed pole then your answer lies in a hydrophylic coating or glass treatment. When such a water loving treatment is applied to the outside of a window the rinse water from a water fed pole will tend to sheet out and then come together again running off the glass completely. Leaving very few drops of water behind. Which could leave spots depending on the quality of your rinse water. So the less drops the less spotting.
There is absolutely a market for both of these two different treatments. Which are also called nano coats. They are usually only a few molecules deep. However they are all subject to a very interesting effect that I have yet to see addressed in any article. Which effect can be seen on either side of a window. If you are applying a hydrophobe to the outside simply know that in the summer time the outside might develop a film. That is if the building has good central air conditioning. This film that I mention is a condensation of microscopic airborne particulates and or gaseous fumes. It always develops on the warmer side. Any type of thin film on glass enhances this effect. It is the reason why the inside of restaurant and garage windows always become more filmy in the cold months when you use a detergent based cleaning solution. This effect is also true if you were to apply a hydrophylic (water loving) coating to the inside. In the colder months especially such a glass treatment will cause a film to develop in a matter of days. Now this is not so much of a problem if the building has double paned insulating glass units. Because the inside lite will not be as cold. But if it has only single paned windows look out. Because this film can develop in a matter of only a single week. Of course it can be removed every time you clean the windows. But if the customer notices it as a "new thing", then you might be asked to "fix" the "problem". On the bright side mirrors are almost always exclusive to this effect. They are fixed to the wall with a one quarter inch air space behind them for circulation. As a result the glass on both sides is identical to the ambient temperature of the room.
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com
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There is absolutely a market for both of these two different treatments. Which are also called nano coats. They are usually only a few molecules deep. However they are all subject to a very interesting effect that I have yet to see addressed in any article. Which effect can be seen on either side of a window. If you are applying a hydrophobe to the outside simply know that in the summer time the outside might develop a film. That is if the building has good central air conditioning. This film that I mention is a condensation of microscopic airborne particulates and or gaseous fumes. It always develops on the warmer side. Any type of thin film on glass enhances this effect. It is the reason why the inside of restaurant and garage windows always become more filmy in the cold months when you use a detergent based cleaning solution. This effect is also true if you were to apply a hydrophylic (water loving) coating to the inside. In the colder months especially such a glass treatment will cause a film to develop in a matter of days. Now this is not so much of a problem if the building has double paned insulating glass units. Because the inside lite will not be as cold. But if it has only single paned windows look out. Because this film can develop in a matter of only a single week. Of course it can be removed every time you clean the windows. But if the customer notices it as a "new thing", then you might be asked to "fix" the "problem". On the bright side mirrors are almost always exclusive to this effect. They are fixed to the wall with a one quarter inch air space behind them for circulation. As a result the glass on both sides is identical to the ambient temperature of the room.
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com
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Saturday, December 27, 2014
Selling Aftermarket Glass Treatments
Glass treatments are professional applications of thin film chemicals at ambient temperature. They usually are only a couple of molecules deep. If the polymers form a covalent bond with the oxygen atoms at the surface of the glass, the treatment is said to be "part of" the glass. Some of these companies are very emphatic about not using the terms sealant and coating. They also tend to focus on their claim that their product has been tested by many independant labs which specialize in such analytical work. They will elucidate at length about the applications of their products, and mention various well known buildings that have been treated. I can think of one company in particular that has a patent on their technology which claims to use two different chemical treatments. The first one which is only about a couple polymers deep forms a covalent bond with the oxygens at the surface of the glass. Then they have a second 'different' polymer that is chemically bonded to the first. This patented technology is supposed to give their proprietary treatment/product superior longevity and resistance to UVC and alkali attack. They also have reports of independent tests that they can provide to anyone who asks which prove beyond doubt that their technology and product is the absolute best. Their are other companies yet that will just simply state that their product has been around for years, and is very well established in the marketplace. They will focus on this fact not even getting into any independent tests or alternate patented technology. Further;..,there are even more companies that have copied these companies in creating products that can be used not just on glass, but metal, plastic, and other surfaces too. Some of them are OK. But others are not. Their effects last for only a few days. They certainly do not form covalent bonds since they are not "surface specific". Their are those products too which are applied to glass in the float glass factory when the glass is manufactured. I have been told these are pyrolytically bonded to the glass and are in fact truly permanent. Just the other day I was cleaning windows at my Glass Shop and overheard a sales pitch regarding a brand new shower door enclosure. To wrap it up the salesperson said, "And I also seriously suggest using a glass that has a stain resistant factory treatment". If you are a professional applicator of aftermarket glass treatments you will have a difficult time getting in the front door when marketing to the glass world. Since they have been brainwashed already to believe that the treated glass they get from glass manufacturers like Guardian is the absolute best, and there is nothing that you could provide that could even come close to that quality.
So what do we do? The very first thing is to focus on aftermarket glass. Don't even get into any discussions with the glass world about the actual quality of various treatments and technologies used on new glass. But rather just focus on your own knowledge of this field, and your expertise in the application of the right treatment for the desired effect. Which effect might be stain resistance, scratch resistance, an easy clean surface, hydrophobicity, or hydrophylicity. Give a guarantee, and a price. Do not discuss the name of the product you will be using. Nor discuss the actual process that you will be using. The technology that you use is proprietary, and there is no need for you to discuss it in detail with anyone. It would be good at this point however to discuss the different benefits of glass treatments. This can be done verbally at the moment. It can also be done with a flyer or info-letter.
Your guarantee should be specific to the desired effect of the treatment and what the application will be. Is the customer mostly concerned with exterior scratch resistance? Are they in search of a treatment to make cleaning interior shower glass enclosures much easier? Are they looking for an easy clean treatment for the exterior using a water fed pole? Or do they want an exterior easy clean treatment where the glass will be wiped with a micro fiber towel? Are they in search of a treatment that will make removing hard water deposits that are being caused by a sprinkler system or efflorescence of the exterior building facade much easier over the months and years to come? All of these different applications require different treatments/products, and different application techniques. Some applications will even demand a different guarantee, or no guarantee at all! I don't think any manufacturer of a glass treatment/product will tell you anything that I have written in this paragraph. But it is all very true.
Before you get into this niche business it is necessary to become familiar with the different products that are currently on the market. You should also become familiar with some very "grassroots tests" that will tell you what you need to know about which application you are looking at. There will be new treatments/products that will continue to hit the market. Some will come along as a franchise, some as a professional product at a higher than normal cost, and some as a retail item available at a Lowes or Home Depot. You need to be ready to test out these new products so you can add them to your company list of chemical tools. You wouldn't use the same window cleaning tools on every window. So why should you use the same glass treatment tool for every application/job.
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
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So what do we do? The very first thing is to focus on aftermarket glass. Don't even get into any discussions with the glass world about the actual quality of various treatments and technologies used on new glass. But rather just focus on your own knowledge of this field, and your expertise in the application of the right treatment for the desired effect. Which effect might be stain resistance, scratch resistance, an easy clean surface, hydrophobicity, or hydrophylicity. Give a guarantee, and a price. Do not discuss the name of the product you will be using. Nor discuss the actual process that you will be using. The technology that you use is proprietary, and there is no need for you to discuss it in detail with anyone. It would be good at this point however to discuss the different benefits of glass treatments. This can be done verbally at the moment. It can also be done with a flyer or info-letter.
Your guarantee should be specific to the desired effect of the treatment and what the application will be. Is the customer mostly concerned with exterior scratch resistance? Are they in search of a treatment to make cleaning interior shower glass enclosures much easier? Are they looking for an easy clean treatment for the exterior using a water fed pole? Or do they want an exterior easy clean treatment where the glass will be wiped with a micro fiber towel? Are they in search of a treatment that will make removing hard water deposits that are being caused by a sprinkler system or efflorescence of the exterior building facade much easier over the months and years to come? All of these different applications require different treatments/products, and different application techniques. Some applications will even demand a different guarantee, or no guarantee at all! I don't think any manufacturer of a glass treatment/product will tell you anything that I have written in this paragraph. But it is all very true.
Before you get into this niche business it is necessary to become familiar with the different products that are currently on the market. You should also become familiar with some very "grassroots tests" that will tell you what you need to know about which application you are looking at. There will be new treatments/products that will continue to hit the market. Some will come along as a franchise, some as a professional product at a higher than normal cost, and some as a retail item available at a Lowes or Home Depot. You need to be ready to test out these new products so you can add them to your company list of chemical tools. You wouldn't use the same window cleaning tools on every window. So why should you use the same glass treatment tool for every application/job.
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
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Tuesday, December 9, 2014
12,000 Dollar Resi Restoration Job
It was a million dollar house on the hill. In a very wealthy neighborhood. The painters decided to power wash in preparation for painting. So they used a commercial product based on sodium carbonate and sodium metasilicate. It cleaned the outside of the house very well. But also left a white haze/stain on the windows. Which no one was able to remove. Others had tried. They ended up leaving many scratches on those windows they worked on.
The house had Pella windows. Each window had 6, 10, 12, or 15 small insulating glass units. So if a door (15 units) had two stained units, the entire door would have to be replaced. There were exactly 1,974 insulating units in the entire house. Of which almost 500 were stained. These were spread out through the entire house. Every window had at least one stained unit. So every window would have to be replaced. At a total cost of 80,000 bux! I priced the units at 20 bux each. 500 units came to 10,000 dollars. Then charged another 2,000 bux to clean the outside so I would only restore those units that were stained. I made about 100 bux per hour.
The money was coming from the paint companies insurance. When I arrived in the driveway that first day the insurance man was waiting with a check in hand for a quarter of the job. Why not? I was going to save them 62,000 bux! Looking back I probably shouldn't have been that generous. Anyhow when I started working I learned real quick that my old friend cerium oxide would not touch the stain. Also diamond compound with my machine was leaving a scratch haze. The customer/homeowner would not tolerate this. So I sat down and took a break. Then I put all my cords, pads, and machines back in the car and got out some Bounty paper towels. The paper towels and diamond compound, yellow, at a micron rating of 3;...worked very well. No scratches. The stain came right off. It was taking about ten minutes per unit at twenty bux per unit.
Everyone was happy. The homeowner, paint company, insurance company, and me. It was a total win win situation. The bottom line here is not every job is in want of a solution. Those that are, usually involve lawyers and insurance companies. When they do, price high. Look for those that do. And know that every job will be different. Requiring different solutions. Further, always maintain your confidence in the face of what might appear to be defeat. It could be sweet!
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com
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The house had Pella windows. Each window had 6, 10, 12, or 15 small insulating glass units. So if a door (15 units) had two stained units, the entire door would have to be replaced. There were exactly 1,974 insulating units in the entire house. Of which almost 500 were stained. These were spread out through the entire house. Every window had at least one stained unit. So every window would have to be replaced. At a total cost of 80,000 bux! I priced the units at 20 bux each. 500 units came to 10,000 dollars. Then charged another 2,000 bux to clean the outside so I would only restore those units that were stained. I made about 100 bux per hour.
The money was coming from the paint companies insurance. When I arrived in the driveway that first day the insurance man was waiting with a check in hand for a quarter of the job. Why not? I was going to save them 62,000 bux! Looking back I probably shouldn't have been that generous. Anyhow when I started working I learned real quick that my old friend cerium oxide would not touch the stain. Also diamond compound with my machine was leaving a scratch haze. The customer/homeowner would not tolerate this. So I sat down and took a break. Then I put all my cords, pads, and machines back in the car and got out some Bounty paper towels. The paper towels and diamond compound, yellow, at a micron rating of 3;...worked very well. No scratches. The stain came right off. It was taking about ten minutes per unit at twenty bux per unit.
Everyone was happy. The homeowner, paint company, insurance company, and me. It was a total win win situation. The bottom line here is not every job is in want of a solution. Those that are, usually involve lawyers and insurance companies. When they do, price high. Look for those that do. And know that every job will be different. Requiring different solutions. Further, always maintain your confidence in the face of what might appear to be defeat. It could be sweet!
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com
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Monday, December 8, 2014
Aggressive Stain Removal Pads
Four zero steel wool pads are based on strands of actual steel. Each strand of steel is about 20 microns across. It is also round. As it passes across the glass surface it does not cut, but rather rubs. It does not abrade. It is not abrasive. But it is hard. Just about as hard as glass. So it will literally push abrasive particles such as silicas or diamond directly into the glass and drag them enhancing their abrasive action. This is why steel wool pads are more aggressive than hard felt, or sponge pads. Even nylon/plastic pads are not as aggressive as steel wool. This is because steel is much harder than plastic.
There are other pads that are "aggressive". Any pad that is very hard can be considered aggressive. Steel wool works so well because it is wool. It is a mesh. The polishing particles are about 1/6th the size of the diameter of four zero steel wool. They are easily caught up in that mesh and are also easily dragged under the strands. Which force them into the surface. Any other material that does this will have similar success in polishing glass. There are various commercial pads that have very small holes all over the pad surface. Such holes perform a similar function to a steel wool mesh. In fact, as the particles begin to drag between the pad and the glass they can become embedded in the surface of the pad. Once embedded they will abrade the glass on a microscopic level. They will polish the glass and remove mineral deposits.
There are particles which are very effective at abrading glass. They are very effective at removing stock. Silicon carbide, boron nitride, and diamond are three. When these are used in conjunction with very aggressive pads they can remove stock very fast. So they are very effective at grinding glass for scratch removal. Or are also very effective are removing mineral deposits. These have been used for many years in the field of glass "cold working". One problem that can happen involves the formation of glass dust agglomerates. When scratches form on glass seen or microscopic, there are always little pieces that break away. These can stick together forming larger "particles" which can leave very large scratches. To avoid this problem when using aggressive pads with aggressive particles much water is also used during the grinding process. Such will flush away most if not all of the glass dust agglomerates. I am guessing that a similar use of water during the polishing process should prove just as effective.
Grinding and polishing glass is a very old technology. Silicon carbide and cerium oxide have been used for many years. Water has always been an integral part of the process. Only in later years have there been alternate synthetic pad materials created that have proven rather effective. Especially in nano-polishing. The goal has always been to create a better surface with smaller and smaller imperfections. Surfaces are now routinely engineered down to a quarter of a micron. On all types of substrates. The particle zoo is not small. There are all kinds of particles. Of all types of chemistries, shapes, and sizes. We even have functionalyzed nano-particles. Scanning electron microscopes show us not just their shapes, but also the exact arrangement of the atoms that make up each particle. This is where this 'old technology' has become very high tech and modern.
It is my dream to explore many of these high tech pads. By doing this we will merge this high tech world of polishing glass with the Window Cleaning industry.
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
If you would like these posts to come in your inbox just type your address in the box at the top right, "Follow by Email".
All inquiries about products featured on this blog can be forwarded to my email address henrygroverjr@gmail.com
There are other pads that are "aggressive". Any pad that is very hard can be considered aggressive. Steel wool works so well because it is wool. It is a mesh. The polishing particles are about 1/6th the size of the diameter of four zero steel wool. They are easily caught up in that mesh and are also easily dragged under the strands. Which force them into the surface. Any other material that does this will have similar success in polishing glass. There are various commercial pads that have very small holes all over the pad surface. Such holes perform a similar function to a steel wool mesh. In fact, as the particles begin to drag between the pad and the glass they can become embedded in the surface of the pad. Once embedded they will abrade the glass on a microscopic level. They will polish the glass and remove mineral deposits.
There are particles which are very effective at abrading glass. They are very effective at removing stock. Silicon carbide, boron nitride, and diamond are three. When these are used in conjunction with very aggressive pads they can remove stock very fast. So they are very effective at grinding glass for scratch removal. Or are also very effective are removing mineral deposits. These have been used for many years in the field of glass "cold working". One problem that can happen involves the formation of glass dust agglomerates. When scratches form on glass seen or microscopic, there are always little pieces that break away. These can stick together forming larger "particles" which can leave very large scratches. To avoid this problem when using aggressive pads with aggressive particles much water is also used during the grinding process. Such will flush away most if not all of the glass dust agglomerates. I am guessing that a similar use of water during the polishing process should prove just as effective.
Grinding and polishing glass is a very old technology. Silicon carbide and cerium oxide have been used for many years. Water has always been an integral part of the process. Only in later years have there been alternate synthetic pad materials created that have proven rather effective. Especially in nano-polishing. The goal has always been to create a better surface with smaller and smaller imperfections. Surfaces are now routinely engineered down to a quarter of a micron. On all types of substrates. The particle zoo is not small. There are all kinds of particles. Of all types of chemistries, shapes, and sizes. We even have functionalyzed nano-particles. Scanning electron microscopes show us not just their shapes, but also the exact arrangement of the atoms that make up each particle. This is where this 'old technology' has become very high tech and modern.
It is my dream to explore many of these high tech pads. By doing this we will merge this high tech world of polishing glass with the Window Cleaning industry.
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
If you would like these posts to come in your inbox just type your address in the box at the top right, "Follow by Email".
All inquiries about products featured on this blog can be forwarded to my email address henrygroverjr@gmail.com
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Anatomy of a Hard Water Spot
I know it goes without saying;...but hard water spots come from hard water drops. Hard water drops are hard because they are loaded with silicate based minerals. Silicates are microscopic "rocks". Hence the word hard. These silicates usually include the elements silicon, oxygen, aluminum, iron, sulfur, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and sodium. They are very similar to the chemistry of window glass, and so have the tendency to "lock on" to the microscopic surface. Once there they can initiate an exchange reaction with the atoms in the glass effecting a stage two static etch over time. So that when they are removed via a superabrasive based polish what remains is a visible distortion of the surface or a "fingerprint" of the spot itself. I can make this statement with absolute confidence since I have performed the experiment myself on a piece of dark glass cut from an existing window damaged by hard water drops. Dark tinted glass by the way is much more likely to become damaged by hard water, and is much more difficult to restore. Many of the videos on the internet demonstrating stain removal systems are performed on first surface reflective glass. This is the easiest surface to clear. I would like to see one done using dark glass!
So many people think that hard water spots are just a deposit. Just a simple stain. While this is usually true at the beginning, it is not always true. Over time serious damage can be done. The reason lies in the anatomy of the spot. The spot forms as has been mentioned from a hard water drop. As that drop evaporates in the hot sun the concentration of silicates increases, and so does the pH of the water drop. When the pH reaches 9 and above a chemical reaction begins leaching the hydrogen atoms from the glass surface. As time wears on other atoms/elements such as sodium, calcium, and oxygen are leached away. At this point complete dissolution takes place or what is called a stage two static etch. Both the reaction byproducts and the various silicates in the original drop are left behind as the water molecules evaporate. Hence it is considered static. It is also true that not all of the water molecules have left. You would have to heat the glass to seven hundred degrees to accomplish this. But from what we can see with the unaided eye;... the glass is dry.
The greatest damage or dissolution takes place around the outer edge of the spot. This is because as the drop evaporates it does so from the middle out. I call the middle area the "basin", and the outer edge the "ring". The drop ring rather than the basin carries most of the silicates and so reaches the highest pH first. So logically this is where most of the damage or dissolution takes place. The spot basin is virtually untouched. If you look close at the pictures shown on the side bar here you will see what I mean.
What is interesting about the potential of hard water drops to etch a glass surface is the fact that this action is increased by a few different factors. One is simple repetition. Every time a drop runs down the window, it is caught by a previously existing spot. The drop stops right over the spot, and evaporates right there when the sun comes out the next day. So spots will become more and more intense over time by this process. As each drop forms on top of each spot and evaporates, etching becomes more severe. Another factor to consider is how hot the glass is because this determines how quickly each drop evaporates. Which allows for many more drops to form and evaporate. It also means that the chemical reaction or dissolution of the glass will be much more pronounced. Heat always speeds up a chemical reaction. Another factor to consider, which has already been mentioned briefly, is the chemistry of the glass. Dark glass is much more likely to react with highly alkaline water drops. This is why water spots are much more difficult to remove from this type of glass surface. Dark glass also heats up more quickly in the sun. Ordinary clear glass is the next down. And the easiest to clear are reflective pyrolytic first surface windows.
I am quite sure that a deeper look into the "structural biology" of hard water spots would reveal some rather fascinating facts about the destructive nature of these "one celled" animals. Their "cellular walls" are in fact alive as each spot evolves through its life cycle. One tactic is to prevent the walls from forming in the first place by creating a hydrophylic surface by the use of a titanium dioxide coating. Of course hydrophylicity can be created in other ways too. There are various silanes that can be functionalized to form covalent bonds with the "free" oxygen atoms on the surface of glass, and at the same time hold onto water molecules strongly enough to form a film. In this way water drops are not so easily formed. I would like to point out that the ability of such designer coatings to resist the alkali attack of high pH water drops is not dependent on their hydrophobic/hydrophylic properties;...but rather their chemistry. It is also true that when spot rings have been eliminated by hydrophylic coatings, it is far less likely that hard water from either a sprinkler system or concrete efflorescence will do damage to such coatings. And so the holy grail of stain resistant coatings might not be hydrophobics at all. But rather just the opposite. You judge!
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com
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So many people think that hard water spots are just a deposit. Just a simple stain. While this is usually true at the beginning, it is not always true. Over time serious damage can be done. The reason lies in the anatomy of the spot. The spot forms as has been mentioned from a hard water drop. As that drop evaporates in the hot sun the concentration of silicates increases, and so does the pH of the water drop. When the pH reaches 9 and above a chemical reaction begins leaching the hydrogen atoms from the glass surface. As time wears on other atoms/elements such as sodium, calcium, and oxygen are leached away. At this point complete dissolution takes place or what is called a stage two static etch. Both the reaction byproducts and the various silicates in the original drop are left behind as the water molecules evaporate. Hence it is considered static. It is also true that not all of the water molecules have left. You would have to heat the glass to seven hundred degrees to accomplish this. But from what we can see with the unaided eye;... the glass is dry.
The greatest damage or dissolution takes place around the outer edge of the spot. This is because as the drop evaporates it does so from the middle out. I call the middle area the "basin", and the outer edge the "ring". The drop ring rather than the basin carries most of the silicates and so reaches the highest pH first. So logically this is where most of the damage or dissolution takes place. The spot basin is virtually untouched. If you look close at the pictures shown on the side bar here you will see what I mean.
What is interesting about the potential of hard water drops to etch a glass surface is the fact that this action is increased by a few different factors. One is simple repetition. Every time a drop runs down the window, it is caught by a previously existing spot. The drop stops right over the spot, and evaporates right there when the sun comes out the next day. So spots will become more and more intense over time by this process. As each drop forms on top of each spot and evaporates, etching becomes more severe. Another factor to consider is how hot the glass is because this determines how quickly each drop evaporates. Which allows for many more drops to form and evaporate. It also means that the chemical reaction or dissolution of the glass will be much more pronounced. Heat always speeds up a chemical reaction. Another factor to consider, which has already been mentioned briefly, is the chemistry of the glass. Dark glass is much more likely to react with highly alkaline water drops. This is why water spots are much more difficult to remove from this type of glass surface. Dark glass also heats up more quickly in the sun. Ordinary clear glass is the next down. And the easiest to clear are reflective pyrolytic first surface windows.
I am quite sure that a deeper look into the "structural biology" of hard water spots would reveal some rather fascinating facts about the destructive nature of these "one celled" animals. Their "cellular walls" are in fact alive as each spot evolves through its life cycle. One tactic is to prevent the walls from forming in the first place by creating a hydrophylic surface by the use of a titanium dioxide coating. Of course hydrophylicity can be created in other ways too. There are various silanes that can be functionalized to form covalent bonds with the "free" oxygen atoms on the surface of glass, and at the same time hold onto water molecules strongly enough to form a film. In this way water drops are not so easily formed. I would like to point out that the ability of such designer coatings to resist the alkali attack of high pH water drops is not dependent on their hydrophobic/hydrophylic properties;...but rather their chemistry. It is also true that when spot rings have been eliminated by hydrophylic coatings, it is far less likely that hard water from either a sprinkler system or concrete efflorescence will do damage to such coatings. And so the holy grail of stain resistant coatings might not be hydrophobics at all. But rather just the opposite. You judge!
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com
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Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Mineral Deposit Edu for Customers
Hard water stains or mineral deposits can occur all the way up sixty six stories, or just on the first floor. They can come from brickwork, concrete facades, sprinkler systems, or the garden hose. They can also result on the inside of windows surrounding indoor pools. When they form they can be extremely difficult to remove. Most times very special polishing procedures are required to accomplish this. Acids which etch glass should never be used to remove mineral deposits since these can very quickly and easily destroy windows. It is because of these reasons that the correct procedure for "clearing" windows of mineral deposits can be extremely expensive.
Our customer might tell us to just use a little steel wool. Or extra soap? Or what about a store bought product people use on their bathroom fixtures? Obviously they are not familiar with the nature of the problem. Mineral deposits can start developing on an invisible level. Then they become more and more noticeable until they are very unsightly and absolutely impossible to remove with a simple inexpensive procedure. The greatest reason for this is that such spots are very similar to glass itself. They are based on a combination of silicates and silica. This is what the matrix of glass is. It is like trying to remove paint from paint. Another reason why they are so difficult to remove lies in the fact that exterior glass surfaces on a microscopic level look like the lunar landscape. Check out the picture here on this blog showing what the etched surface of window glass looks like. Over time the exterior/weather side of window glass is attacked mostly by acid rain and is badly etched. Water vapor will react with the elements that make up soda lime/window glass literally leaching away certain atomic components. You can actually feel this by lightly running a dry fingertip across the dry inside surface of a storm window and compare this to the outside surface of the same plate of glass. The outside surface will be much more rough. Mineral deposits which are essentially silicon based salts, will fill in and strongly attach themselves to the windows by means of these microscopic leached pores.
Water spots or mineral deposits can actually be seen before they become obvious by simply fogging a "clean" window surface with your breath. As the fog forms it will show up every spot. Then as the fog vanishes so do the spots. Try running a dry fingertip across that surface and you will soon notice how much friction this generates. If you polish a clear spot using an ultra pure polishing compound you will notice how smooth it becomes. Try doing this with steel wool, extra soap, or bathroom stain remover based on hydrochloric acid. It just won't happen.
Further. If the effort is made to remove all spotting/minerals early on before they become tenaciously attached and quite unsightly; then a special sealer should be applied immediately after the restoration work is performed. Make sure the sealer is one that has been tested and is not attacked by alkali chemistry or UVC. Your window cleaner will know exactly which one to use. The application of such a chemical will help to keep the windows looking absolutely pristine.
So if your window cleaner tells you that it would be a good thing to "restore" your windows, it would be a good thing to listen. Listen now, pay a little now, or pay a LOT later down the line. The choice is up to you!
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com
If you would like these posts to come into your inbox as they are written please put your address in the box at the top right, "Follow by Email".
Also if you have any interest in any of the products mentioned or alluded to in any of these posts please just send me an email.
Our customer might tell us to just use a little steel wool. Or extra soap? Or what about a store bought product people use on their bathroom fixtures? Obviously they are not familiar with the nature of the problem. Mineral deposits can start developing on an invisible level. Then they become more and more noticeable until they are very unsightly and absolutely impossible to remove with a simple inexpensive procedure. The greatest reason for this is that such spots are very similar to glass itself. They are based on a combination of silicates and silica. This is what the matrix of glass is. It is like trying to remove paint from paint. Another reason why they are so difficult to remove lies in the fact that exterior glass surfaces on a microscopic level look like the lunar landscape. Check out the picture here on this blog showing what the etched surface of window glass looks like. Over time the exterior/weather side of window glass is attacked mostly by acid rain and is badly etched. Water vapor will react with the elements that make up soda lime/window glass literally leaching away certain atomic components. You can actually feel this by lightly running a dry fingertip across the dry inside surface of a storm window and compare this to the outside surface of the same plate of glass. The outside surface will be much more rough. Mineral deposits which are essentially silicon based salts, will fill in and strongly attach themselves to the windows by means of these microscopic leached pores.
Water spots or mineral deposits can actually be seen before they become obvious by simply fogging a "clean" window surface with your breath. As the fog forms it will show up every spot. Then as the fog vanishes so do the spots. Try running a dry fingertip across that surface and you will soon notice how much friction this generates. If you polish a clear spot using an ultra pure polishing compound you will notice how smooth it becomes. Try doing this with steel wool, extra soap, or bathroom stain remover based on hydrochloric acid. It just won't happen.
Further. If the effort is made to remove all spotting/minerals early on before they become tenaciously attached and quite unsightly; then a special sealer should be applied immediately after the restoration work is performed. Make sure the sealer is one that has been tested and is not attacked by alkali chemistry or UVC. Your window cleaner will know exactly which one to use. The application of such a chemical will help to keep the windows looking absolutely pristine.
So if your window cleaner tells you that it would be a good thing to "restore" your windows, it would be a good thing to listen. Listen now, pay a little now, or pay a LOT later down the line. The choice is up to you!
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com
If you would like these posts to come into your inbox as they are written please put your address in the box at the top right, "Follow by Email".
Also if you have any interest in any of the products mentioned or alluded to in any of these posts please just send me an email.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Busting Fingerprints with Baking Soda & SKRUB
This is good old Baking Soda. Pure sodium bicarbonate. The chemical formula is NaHCO3. The CAS# is 144-55-8. It is an irritant to the skin and eyes as it is a mild alkali. And reacts with various acids to release little bubbles of carbon dioxide along with detergent salts. Which form directly between the surface in need of being cleaned and the grease. This facilitates easy removal by rinse water. Another way of explaining this is that the sodium bicarbonate actually creates detergents directly between the surface in need of being cleaned and the acidic greasy deposits like greasy fingerprints. The CO2 bubbles help to work the detergents in removing the grease. It therefore is a rather effective cleaning agent. When adding another detergent such as Dawn along with a micro-crystalline silica such as SKRUB you end up with a very powerful window cleaning solution. One of the best print busters yet.
I tried mixing just Baking Soda with water at one teaspoon to a gallon of water. It gave me just enough glide with a brand new rubber to eliminate chatter. But when I doubled this ratio I ended up with a concentration that I could move with. The only immediate problem that I could see was a slight bleeding effect. Also when a water line ran out from the window edge and dried, it left a white mark from the chemical. So I needed to be perfect. Although this could be seen as an advantage. It makes being perfect easier. Since any mistakes would be very easy to spot and correct.
Written by Henry Grover Jr
henrygroverjr@gmail.com
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Friday, November 14, 2014
Products and Knowledge
I am absolutely NOT going to sell all of the products mentioned in these posts. It would be way beyond my abilities. Especially now just starting out. My number one focus here is to develop a community of Professional Window Cleaners who are highly interested in advanced "transformational products". Along with learning more about Glass Surface Maintenance And Restoration Technology. Or G-S.M.A.R.T. These products, whether they be those I am selling or someones else's, will form the base from which we will be able to execute this technology. But it is still that body of knowledge that will transport us to where we want to go. We all know that a squeegee is a fantastic tool. If you leave the house without any in your work vehicle, you had better turn around. BUT. If you don't have the knowledge and skill it takes to use one correctly, then just give it up. The same is true for the products I am promoting through this blog. Knowledge, experience, talent, and skill are all critically important for the correct and best use of these products.
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com
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Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com
If you want to receive these posts in your inbox as they are written just type your address in the box at the top right, "Follow By Email".
Saturday, November 1, 2014
SKRUB
Skrub is a synthetic microcrystalline silica compound based on a pure glycerin carrier. The formula is 50/50 silica and glycerin by volume. The cost is 13.75 for an eight ounce container. Plus 3.75 for shipping. I am taking checks by mail or Pay Pal. Please call with any questions Mon through Fri from 9 to 5 eastern time. 603-498-9474. Or email anytime.
It is used as an additive for any cleaning solution. Just a half ounce per gallon. It can also be used as a hard water spot remover for light mineral deposits.
Check out my other two posts "Skrub;...Steel Wool for Your Bucket" and "Removing Glass Stains With Skrub".
Henry Grover Jr.
email henrygroverjr@gmail.com
It is used as an additive for any cleaning solution. Just a half ounce per gallon. It can also be used as a hard water spot remover for light mineral deposits.
Check out my other two posts "Skrub;...Steel Wool for Your Bucket" and "Removing Glass Stains With Skrub".
Henry Grover Jr.
email henrygroverjr@gmail.com
Creating The Correct Contact Angle for a WFP
The two terms hydrophylic and hydrophobic are purely arbitrary. They are only generalizations. NOT accurate definitions. The true scientific measure of how much a glass surface deflects or "beads" water is Contact Angle (CA). This varies greatly depending on the chemical sealant used and the coefficient of friction (CF) of the surface. If the surface has not been chemically treated so that it is chemically identical to any other glass surface that has not been chemically treated, then the greater the CF (the more rough it is) the less the CA will be. And hence the more it will hold onto and tend to "sheet" the rinse water from your pole. Put crudely;.. if you really rough up a window it will hold onto more water and not bead. It will "sheet" better. This is the reason why guys have been able to "make" hydrophylic glass with bronze wool.
It would be nice if we had a way to accurately measure the CA without buying a five hundred dollar piece of scientific equipment. However I think what is more important is to find a way to create the best surface for the WFP. Best for you. One that can be custom tailored to your personal liking. And then to simply and quickly test such a surface for uniformity and perfection. We do know that applying Rain-X or Aquapel is NOT the answer!
First we need to create a five micron surface with a five micron cerium oxide compound using the Wobble Wheel and a hard felt rad (ring/pad). Then test the uniformity and perfection with a cold fogger/mister. You can get one for as little as 25 bux. When you fog the surface it will create zillions of microscopic droplets of water. If the surface has not been perfectly microlapped you will see this in the pattern of micro-droplets. Which pattern should be totally smooth without any imperfections. Then you will want to hit the window with your WFP to see if you get the best sheeting action. The window will probably hold onto your rinse water too much. Five micron pure glass (no residue) surfaces will hold onto water with an iron grip. One micron surfaces are less water loving. They have a lower CF. You might try creating a perfect one micron surface. If you can create this superfinish test it for sheeting with your WFP. If this is a CA that is good for you then you're there! Such a pure glass surface would be the best way to go since there aren't any chemicals to wear off. You might even experiment on the same plate of glass by creating a one micron surface on one side and a five micron surface on the other side. Then put your WFP to it and see what the results are. If you still need a surface with a higher CA then you will need to go to a chemical.
Now we all know that Rain-X creates a CA which is way too high for WFP work. But did you know it is possible to reduce the CA created by Rain-X by cutting this product with isopropyl alcohol? Try it out on a surface that has been microlapped. Keep track of your percent of alcohol to product (Rain-X). Set up side by side tests using different percentages and see which one works out best with your pole. Next you will need to do an entire window and time yourself. Then you will have to sell it to yourself and your customer. Can you convert certain windows from windows that cannot be cleaned with a WFP to ones that now can be? Will it save you enough time and or will it save your customer enough money? There must be a monetary reason for doing this other than the satisfaction we get from a scientific experiment gone absolutely wonderful!
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
To receive these posts in your inbox just type your address in the box at the top right "Follow By Email".
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
It would be nice if we had a way to accurately measure the CA without buying a five hundred dollar piece of scientific equipment. However I think what is more important is to find a way to create the best surface for the WFP. Best for you. One that can be custom tailored to your personal liking. And then to simply and quickly test such a surface for uniformity and perfection. We do know that applying Rain-X or Aquapel is NOT the answer!
First we need to create a five micron surface with a five micron cerium oxide compound using the Wobble Wheel and a hard felt rad (ring/pad). Then test the uniformity and perfection with a cold fogger/mister. You can get one for as little as 25 bux. When you fog the surface it will create zillions of microscopic droplets of water. If the surface has not been perfectly microlapped you will see this in the pattern of micro-droplets. Which pattern should be totally smooth without any imperfections. Then you will want to hit the window with your WFP to see if you get the best sheeting action. The window will probably hold onto your rinse water too much. Five micron pure glass (no residue) surfaces will hold onto water with an iron grip. One micron surfaces are less water loving. They have a lower CF. You might try creating a perfect one micron surface. If you can create this superfinish test it for sheeting with your WFP. If this is a CA that is good for you then you're there! Such a pure glass surface would be the best way to go since there aren't any chemicals to wear off. You might even experiment on the same plate of glass by creating a one micron surface on one side and a five micron surface on the other side. Then put your WFP to it and see what the results are. If you still need a surface with a higher CA then you will need to go to a chemical.
Now we all know that Rain-X creates a CA which is way too high for WFP work. But did you know it is possible to reduce the CA created by Rain-X by cutting this product with isopropyl alcohol? Try it out on a surface that has been microlapped. Keep track of your percent of alcohol to product (Rain-X). Set up side by side tests using different percentages and see which one works out best with your pole. Next you will need to do an entire window and time yourself. Then you will have to sell it to yourself and your customer. Can you convert certain windows from windows that cannot be cleaned with a WFP to ones that now can be? Will it save you enough time and or will it save your customer enough money? There must be a monetary reason for doing this other than the satisfaction we get from a scientific experiment gone absolutely wonderful!
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
To receive these posts in your inbox just type your address in the box at the top right "Follow By Email".
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
Thursday, October 23, 2014
This Product Can Destroy Your Competition!
Window cleaning products like Glass Gleam or Dawn just clean glass and nothing else. You can put together your own cleaner that digs down deep into the glass pores and removes every bit of dirt and grease. Leaving a perfectly clean surface. But that is not all! At the same time it seals the surface with a PDMA that has an 18 carbon chain extended to push away every water molecule for a hydrophobic and oleophobic surface. So it cleans and seals at the same time. I even applied this once on a car windshield in the POURING rain. It worked instantly. I really have to do a video on this one. With a video like that to show your potential customers you would really wow them!
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
To receive these posts in your inbox just type your address in the box at the top right "Follow by Email".
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
To receive these posts in your inbox just type your address in the box at the top right "Follow by Email".
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
Transformer Products for Private Label
A Transformer Product is one that can be used along with other products which are already on the market. The purpose is to create a new product which can be considered proprietary by the Window Cleaning Company that formulates it. Such transformationals can be powders, compositional abrasives, colloidal suspensions, compounds, or slow release coatings (SRCs). They are transformational in that they can be changed individually into something with a completely different application, or added to another existing product for a very specialized application. The Window Cleaning company has the option of creating virtually anything their imagination allows for. They can obtain their own MSDS, and private label the blend or product. This is going to be the focus of my new business Glass Smart Products. The videos that I create under the name Breaking Glass Productions will be for the purpose of showing something of what can be done with the Transformationals.
Have fun!
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
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For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
Have fun!
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
To receive these posts in your inbox just type your address in the box at the top right "Follow by Email".
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
A Window Cleaning Spray for our Customers
It seams that the best formula for a window cleaning product that is sprayed on and wiped off with paper towels is a 70 percent solution of alcohol and thirty percent pure water. You definitely would not want to use any amount of ethylene glycol monobutylether (EB) to give your product a bit more cut. I suggest using a nanoparticle below, but there might be an additional nontoxic green chem that can be added. Check out the toxicology info one the net for EB. It is not good. Some have added various surfactants and propellants but the detergents even in very low concentration tend to cause filming and streaking. I would rather see some type of a nanoparticle (close to one micron) used in a permanent suspension to give the product that extra cut. Maybe a silica or an aluminum oxide. Then we could claim our product is based on nanotechnology. Anything at one percent or less does not have to be listed on the MSDS but can be written up as proprietary. Your MSDS writer will know. Of course the bottom line is simply that this method is certainly not the best one for cleaning windows. The best is either a squeegee or a water fed pole.
The idea of creating a one step glass cleaner for our commercial customers has been presented to me in the past. My thought was immediately that this would be heresy. We are window cleaners! But the more I think about it the more I realize it is virtually impossible to change the way people think. So why not give them the best? At a great profit. With a label that has our business name, address, website, and phone number. Do not sell a concentrate. That diminishes profit. Plus they just want to grab it, spray, and wipe. Sell it one gallon at a time with a small spray bottle they can refill. Maybe five small spray bottles at a time. They will use it for everything. We will even end up selling to our customers customers. Hows that for publicity? NOT advertising!
OK. Product liability is a concern. For this business (Glass Smart Products) I am starting at the end of October it will cost me about forty bux a month based on a 25,000 dollar sales volume a year. You might want to do your own MSDS. There are professional writers for that. A quick search on the net is all you need to locate one. Of course the easiest way to get around the MSDS might be to find a commercial product already existing that meets the formula criteria, change their label to your own, buy your own product liability, and use their MSDS by changing the heading at the top only. You could ask the insurance company and product manufacturer if this would be OK. Special precautions might be necessary in California.
I am trying to think of ways now that I can increase the bux I make from my store accounts. Currently I have 110. Looking to boost for the winter. But. Why not sell add ons like other businesses? Add ons that promote publicity for my store front window cleaning biz. Like advanced window graphics supplies. Your store front customers' windows are their very best means of advertising. So why not take advantage of that?
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
To recieve these posts directly in your inbox just type your address in the box "Follow by Email" located at the top right.
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
The idea of creating a one step glass cleaner for our commercial customers has been presented to me in the past. My thought was immediately that this would be heresy. We are window cleaners! But the more I think about it the more I realize it is virtually impossible to change the way people think. So why not give them the best? At a great profit. With a label that has our business name, address, website, and phone number. Do not sell a concentrate. That diminishes profit. Plus they just want to grab it, spray, and wipe. Sell it one gallon at a time with a small spray bottle they can refill. Maybe five small spray bottles at a time. They will use it for everything. We will even end up selling to our customers customers. Hows that for publicity? NOT advertising!
OK. Product liability is a concern. For this business (Glass Smart Products) I am starting at the end of October it will cost me about forty bux a month based on a 25,000 dollar sales volume a year. You might want to do your own MSDS. There are professional writers for that. A quick search on the net is all you need to locate one. Of course the easiest way to get around the MSDS might be to find a commercial product already existing that meets the formula criteria, change their label to your own, buy your own product liability, and use their MSDS by changing the heading at the top only. You could ask the insurance company and product manufacturer if this would be OK. Special precautions might be necessary in California.
I am trying to think of ways now that I can increase the bux I make from my store accounts. Currently I have 110. Looking to boost for the winter. But. Why not sell add ons like other businesses? Add ons that promote publicity for my store front window cleaning biz. Like advanced window graphics supplies. Your store front customers' windows are their very best means of advertising. So why not take advantage of that?
Written by Henry Grover Jr.
To recieve these posts directly in your inbox just type your address in the box "Follow by Email" located at the top right.
For product sales henrygroverjr@gmail.com
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