Stop Scratching Glass!

I know I am going to get some negative feedback from this post. But I really feel it needs to be written.  There are too many innocent Window Cleaners who have fallen victim to the indifferent attitude of glass manufacturers.  Tempered glass surfaces are almost always defective these days.  The tempering fabricators simply don't care cuz the defects cannot be seen.  It is only the Window Cleaners that end up suffering the repercussions of such poor surfaces.  And what are we to them? Pimples on the butt of a bug on someones butt.  Tempered glass will likely get worse.  So we need to be prepared with knowledge.  And pass this knowledge to everyone we can. Especially General Contractors.  We might never win the war. But we can win a few wars along the way if we can turn some tempered glass BACK to the factories.  For this to happen we need to start testing tempered glass BEFORE it is installed.  To accomplish this we MUST educate, educate, educate.  Lets start with our own companies.

First we need to know that all fabrication debris issues are not the same.  The sound alone will tell you that.  Sometimes when you use a metal razor on tempered glass it wants to drag.  The glass is not smooth.  No scratches can be seen however.  But when you look at the window in the bright sunlight, at just the right angle you will see waves of zillions of almost microscopic scratches. This condition can bring on a lawsuit.  Or.  The scratches might be very light, easily seen, and cover the entire plate.  Other times the scratches can be very light but not great in number.  Then too they might be rather heavy and deep. Covering the entire plate.  They could also be deep but very few in number.  Also there could be anything in between what I have described here.  The sound of fabrication debris when scraped is always different if the scratch ID pattern is different. It is difficult to know when we are working on defective tempered glass most times because the sound is different.  It is also true that many times larger Window Cleaning companies do not have the advantage of using employees that are educated well enough regarding defective tempered glass.

Another misunderstanding I believe has to do with the fact that metal razor blades are NOT the only tool that will dislodge the fabrication debris which is what leaves the scratches.  I have seen scratches caused by Fab Debris moved by 0000 steel wool, plastic scrapers, and other tools and processes.  So many Window Cleaners believe that if they are NOT using razor blades they are safe.  This is simply NOT true.  Again this fact brings us back to what I believe is the true reason for scratched glass.  That being defective surfaces and fabrication debris on tempered glass.

I used to believe that a blind window cleaner had a serious handicap.  Most of you would probably agree with me.  Now I also believe that a deaf Window Cleaner is seriously handicapped.  We must train our ears, and our fingertips. Thank you Chris and Alex Lambrinides for this video.

I know from my 35 years cleaning windows that I am relatively safe when working on tempered glass.  Although I have made mistakes from poor judgement.  As tempered glass becomes more problematic the challenge of cleaning it will become greater.  And the burden will likely always be on the Window Cleaner.  In my opinion.

So.  I am first of all in favor of the waiver.  I am also in favor of self education.  Also educating every employee in the company. Also educating all of our customers and potential customers. Especially General Contractors and anyone who sells or installs windows.  I am very much in favor of looking for alternatives to the use of anything that could potentially remove and drag FB creating scratches.  Such alternatives might include composition abrasives with a hardness much less then glass.  Or certain very powerful organic solvents.  Or special chemicals, maybe acids that will safely remove concrete and or stucco. These alternatives are one thing I am working on as I research commercial products and develop my own transformer products.  My findings will be reported on in my e-newsletter the Product Development Review.  All chemicals, ingredients, formulas, and product names, and addresses will be given. Along with regular email updates/reports throughout the month.  The PDR is available for 35 dollars per monthly issue. Just send me an email.  And I will send the PDF by email attachment.  Then a PayPal bill in another email.  The August issue is entitled Orange Power.  It is focused on naturally occurring green organic solvents.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

To receive these posts directly in your inbox just type your address in the box at the top right "Follow by Email".

Crossover Technologies

Glass is not only a construction material.  It is also a very unique and unusual material used in creating fantastic works of art.  Although I will grant you that so many of these high rise buildings that have thousands of windows are also very artistic creations.  Take for example Jack Storms.  Here is a young man that has developed a form of artwork using cold leaded glass and dichroic coatings.  Some individual pieces go for as much as 150,000 bux!  Check out this video.  I am very certain you will be amazed.

Also check out some of the beautiful blown glass pieces done by many hot glass artists over time.  I recently took a trip down to the Sandwich Glass Museum in Mass.  Here is a little video I made showing the wonder of blown glass.  At the end I took some video clips of a very young man making a lamp.  This is a 30 minute show that the museum puts on every hour throughout the day.  The full video is only five and a half minutes long.

Working with either hot or cold glass as an art form requires a great deal of hands on experience.  It also requires an understanding of a different technology or science.  For example.  In working with cold glass there are different grinding and polishing techniques to cut the glass to shape and then return it to a perfect luster.  Jack Storms uses a special "glue" that has the same refractive index as glass to bond the different pieces or slices together.  When working with hot glass temperature is critical to whether the glass will literally break into several shards and fall to the floor.  When a piece is done it must be put in the back burner at a temperature of around 950 degrees for a full day.  Because it must cool down to 950 from 2300 over the course of a full day.  Otherwise it might break. When working with it at maximum heat it must be maintained at this temperature.  Because this is how the air that is blown into it expands the vase.  You will notice in the video how Alex keeps putting the work piece back in the glory hole. Temperature also has a lot to do with fusing two different glass pieces together also.  This directly relates to how glass fines become part of the surface when the glass plates are passed through the oven and over the ceramic rollers.  Does the temperature of the glass fines make a difference as to whether or not they will become part of the glass?

So you can get a glimpse of the crossover technology.  I am very sure the deeper I look the more similarities I will discover.  And when I do they will be published here on this blog.  So keep reading.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.

If you would like these posts to appear in your inbox as they are written just type your address in the box at the top right, "Follow by Email".

Orange Power and the Science of Organic Solvents

Organic solvents are simply put hydrocarbon liquids that break up and dissolve other hydrocarbon based substances.  Some other elements other than carbon and hydrogen that OS molecules use are oxygen, chlorine, and nitrogen.  The OS molecules will move through and surround the molecules of the solute (that which is being dissolved) forming a solution. 
Now there are two very basic types of organic solvents;...polar and nonpolar.  OS liquids with a dielectric constant of less than 15 are said to be nonpolar.  Those with a very high dielectric constant are said to be polar.  This is important to us because it helps us to choose the best OS for the job.  Since like dissolves like, deposits that are very polar require very polar solvents to dissolve them.  The opposite is also true.  Most oils and waxes are very nonpolar.  Hence they require very nonpolar liquids such as hexane to dissolve them.  It follows from this that it is important to determine exactly what the polarity of the substance being removed is.  Then match that with the right OS with the same polarity.  A quick search on the net will reveal the dielectric constant, and therefore the polarity of both the substance to be removed and the OS needed to dissolve it. 
There are also protic and aprotic polar solvents.  Protic solvents work well with negatively charged solutes.  While aprotic solvents work well with positively charged solutes.  The solute being the substance in need of being removed/ dissolved.  You can find quick lists of protics and aprotics on the net. Remember any OS with a dielectric constant in excess of 15 is polar.  Less than 15 is nonpolar. 
Some other properties we might want to look at are melting point, boiling point, autoignition temperature, and water solubility/miscibility.  The melting point is also the temperature at which the OS will become rigid or form a solid.  Which is difficult if not impossible to work with.  So a melting point of zero Fahrenheit would be nice since the solvent will be in a liquid state from zero and up.  The boiling point is the temperature at which the OS becomes a vapor or gas. Since there are times we are working on very hot glass it would be good to have an OS with a relatively high boiling point. Anything above 250 Fahrenheit would be perfect.  So a solvent with a melting point of zero and a boiling point of 250 means that our OS will be liquid from zero to 250 Fahrenheit.  Next a solvent with a very high autoignition 

temperature will not automatically ignite without notice.  It will not flash in our face without warning.  If our OS were soluble or easily emulsified in water it will be easy to remove from the window once it has done its job.  Lets next take a look at an OS that comes from the rind of an orange.  It is gaining much attention in the cleaning industry because it is relatively  nontoxic yet powerful enough to dissolve many hydrocarbon based substances.  It has a boiling point of 349 Fahrenheit.  A melting point of -140 Fahrenheit.  (So it is a liquid between -140 and 349)  A flashpoint of 110 degrees.  Autoignition temp of 458. Although it is not soluble/miscible in water it can be blended with certain synthetic detergents so that it is easily emulsified by water.  The dielectric constant is 2.3 as it is an aprotic nonpolar solvent.  It is used as a paint stripper and a cleaner.  It is actually possible to add it directly to water if it has been emulsified with the correct nonpolar solvent.  It is easy to remove from glass with any cleaning solution.  And is very effective at dissolving most non polar aprotic organics.  It will soften water based paints making them very easy to remove with a plastic compositional abrasive.  This way we can get away from using a razor on bad tempered glass. Just apply the product, wait a few minutes, and rub the paint. Then soap up the window and squeegee it off.  It also softens fully cured silicone caulk (this is not a hydrocarbon but is rather based on an Si-O repeater backbone chain).  When blended with a plastic compositional with a particle of about 100 microns it will dig through silicone caulk.  Also it can be added directly to a microcrystalline silica for removing every last molecule of silicone from glass. Further it will soften fully cured oil based paints. And works on many other hydrocarbons. 

I am in the consulting business of developing what I call custom transformer products for the window cleaning industry. The turnkey for these products is the PDR. 

The Product Development Review on "Orange Power" gives all the information of the ingredients and where to purchase them. Along with the formulas of how to put it together.  This is a two to three page PDF electronic newsletter sent by email attachment for 35 dollars.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

If you would like to automatically receive these posts in your inbox just type your address in the box at the top right, "Follow by Email".

Micro-Crystalline Silica for Glass Restoration

At less than 50 cents per pound micro-crystalline silica certainly is in competition with cerium oxide and many other polishing superabrasives.  Cerium is up to eighty bux a pound. But don't be fooled. micro-crystalline silica does have its drawbacks.  The biggest is cancer.  It is a carcinogen.  In powder form that is.  For this reason silica powder is not sold by many companies.  Instead they sell colloidal suspensions of micro-crystalline silica.  Whether that be a powder made by crushing naturally occuring minerals/rocks.  Or a man made amorphous silica.  When silica particles are suspended in fluid dispersions it is hard to breath them in.  Which is the primary way they cause cancer. 

Some guys will polish glass dry.  This releases a glass dust.  It is not crystalline.  But the particles are microscopic.  Usually around 3 microns in size.  Because the size of the silicon carbide or SiC used in the polishing pad is close to this size.  If you do this type of work you should absolutely wear the best protection possible.  That being a face mask that will block a particle of this size.  Such a face mask should also be used if you are creating a slurry, colloidal suspension, or compound based on a micro-crystalline particle of this approximate size.

Micro-crystalline silica as was mentioned here is found in nature.  It usually includes other minerals too.  These are what give the rocks different colors.  Such as rose quartz.  The silica that is closest to being just SiO2 is the most transparent.  It is the most pure.  Micro-crystalline silicas will have different crystal structures and different shaped particles.  Hence they will have different hardnesses too.  The purity rating is based on an average particle size.  This is shown on a line graph.  Say for example that the product is 95 percent 2.4 microns.  That means that the other 5 percent is slightly less than and greater than 2.4 microns.  You will also see the spread of elements such as iron, aluminum, and carbon that likely will be present. There should be a percentage for each of these listed.  The crystal structure will be given, and the morphology of the particle. 

It can be very dangerous how a slurry, colloidal suspension, or compound based on a micro-crystalline silica is used on glass for light stain removal.  If a safe technique is not followed it is too easy to leave what I call a "scratch haze".  In theory it is much more easy to do this with micro-crystalline silica rather than cerium oxide.  Cerium is used to create a superior surface. A general rule to follow is to keep your felt flat on the window at all times, keep it moving slow (maybe only around 1,000 rpms), and watch your pressure.  You absolutely NEVER want to lift up the edge of the polishing pad and rip into the glass moving up and down, left to right.  This will most certainly create a scratch haze that will be totally invisible in the shade or on a cloudy overcast day.  It will however be quite visible on a bright sunny day.  Especially on the second story glass.  To help with this technique I have shown how a "wobble wheel" can be built and used with various pads such as those made of felt. 

 Sometimes you might be working on specialty coatings on glass such as low e reflective first surface products.  Some low e first surface coatings are hardly noticeable at all.  As this technology gets better it will be even more difficult to quickly identify them by sight alone.  It is not possible to use some of the more aggressive stain removal techniques for removing mineral deposits from such coatings.  The "lighter touch" is absolutely critical for working with these problem situations.

The first newsletter called the Product Development Review focuses on light stain removal.  These issues come out once a month.  The second issue I have produced is on a product I call Soap N Seal.  It seals glass when you clean the window.  No extra time is required.  These issues are 35 dollars each.  They contain the formulas for making these products yourself.  And list the sources for all the ingredients.  If you want to subscribe just send an email to henrygroverjr@gmail.com

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
Producing the Product Development Review

If you want to recieve the posts written here in your inbox as they are written just type your address in the box at the top right, "Follow by Email".

Soap N Seal is out!

The Product Development Review for July 2016 is ready.  I have wrote it on my latest product Soap N Seal.  If you are looking to make glass easier to clean for you and your customers all you have to do now is soap up the window and squeegee it off.  No extra time or work required.  Seal as you clean.

This is a transformer product.  No manufacturer will ever carry it.  You must buy the PDR and make it yourself.  But that is really easy to do.  Just take a quick look at a fun video of me making up a batch.

The PDR is not just a printed formula of these new transformer products.  It is an introduction to a new way of thinking about products in general.  Which will give you the edge over your competition.  In between issues I will be sending out regular updates by email also.  These "addendums" are free to my regular subscribers.  You will also be introduced to chemical companies that are loaded with information on ingredients that will push you forward in your work.  Making your company truly Glass Smart.  You will become part of an insider community.

To purchase this issue of the PDR and any other, just send an email to henrygroverjr@gmail.com and I will immediately send you a PDF of the PDR as an email attachment.  Then in another email I will send you a bill by Pay Pal.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

Publishing the Product Development Review

To receive these blog posts in your inbox just type your address in the box at the top right, "Follow by Email".

My Life Cleaning Windows

It started back in 1981 when I returned from a working vacation in Greer South Carolina.  Not wanting to deal with another NH winter I left to stay with a friend at the end of October.  On arrival I dropped my old Charger at the local junk yard where my friend worked, bought a bicycle for the seven mile commute to work, and got a job at a cotton mill carting bobbin sleds back and forth for overweight women on piece work.  When I returned in May I was in need of a job.  An old friend of 70 years invited me to work for him cleaning windows.  He taught me the trade and how to live.  We always started work at the crack of dawn;...10 am.  And worked late, quitting time was about 3.  One hour lunch breaks lounging on private beaches.  Boat rides to private islands.  This was just the beginning.

My friend Noah Richardson died of a heart attack in his sleep at 72 leaving me to fare for myself.  At 22 I took over his residential and commercial accounts, and began my own route twenty miles away.  My own company was formed which I called Sunshine Window Cleaning.  Five years later around 1987 I met my second mentor Ed Sullivan.  He introduced me to the swirl and Sansco Window Cleaning concentrate.  It took me some time to master.  I remember actually dreaming about different maneuvers.  This was something new and esoteric.  I loved it.  I didn't love the 27 degree ammonia we used to buy in 15 gallon black pails.  One day I sniffed some by accident. Fifteen minutes of dance and I was as good as ever.  I am surprised after that I still grew nose hairs later on in life.

The soap Sansco took on a mystique for me.  I remember hearing the lore that it was based on silicone.  So I called the manufacturer and badgered them to divulge the secret ingredient.  I was not overjoyed when they absolutely and fervently denied that it had any silicone in it.  This left me with only one alternative.  Find a true silicone soap.  So I did.  Then added it to the Sansco so I could use it for advertising purposes. My slogan was my cleaner would not just clean but leave a super shine from the silicone.  Sounds like my Soap N Seal product now.  This is based on an organo-silane.  The purpose being a hydrophobic rain repellancy, and an easy clean surface.  

My next technical hurdle was understanding hard water spots and how to effectively remove them. This led me to the library and polishing powders and various compounds.  I set up a lab in my kitchen and bought all kinds of acids, alkalies, and solvents.  I had about 2,500 chemicals with an entire file full of MSD Sheets.  And 3 fifty five gallon drums of 100% pure methanol on the back porch.  This great learning almost drove me to madness.  It did drive me to want to share what I was learning.

I remember walking the streets of Dover looking for the library there.  Cuz I believed I would find a collection of phone books for many different cities in different states.  From these I was going to get a list of window cleaning companies.  Then I was going to start a newsletter.  I ended up meeting Rich Fabry in California over the phone.  He told me that he and Rod Woodward had started the American Window Cleaner (AWC) magazine by buying a mailing list.  Then mailing the first issue with an offer for a subscription.  The money they got for this came from selling the patent for the Super System to Ettore. Unfortunately several years later Rod died from complications from a transplant operation. Rich took over the mag and did really well with it.  He always supported his past friend by mentioning him in the magazine as the founder.

I told Rich about my research and how I wanted to also begin a newsletter.  Not a magazine.  I didn't want advertisers.  So that I could be very plain.  And I wanted to write about technical subjects.  So Rich made me an offer.  Write for his publication. An article every issue six times a year.  He would give me an ad at the end of the article in exchange.  After a couple years writing for the AWC the IWCA discovered me and brought me to Texas and Florida to give seminars on Glass Stain Identification and Removal Techniques.  My first newsletter was born.  People started waking me up in the morning with phone calls from as far as Japan, Australia, and England.  I started traveling for consulting jobs.  I remember  trips to Cincinnati, Canada, Florida, DC, Virginia, NYC, PA, Connecticut, MA, and my home state NH.  Some buildings I looked at were the Met Art, Grande Hyatt, and WTC in NYC. Also the chiquita banana office high rise in Ohio.  Many fascinating and enjoyable memories.  I will never forget one warm summer day eating out at a pavilion in Virginia watching about fifty guys play kickball.  So much of what I learned about stained windows and the problems that result from bad restoration techniques didn't come from books.  I met with window cleaning companies that did the damage, companies that were looking to fix it, and lawyers who were called in to litigate.  Most of all I got to see real problems up close and personal.

The newsletter I developed was called Technically Speaking Per se.  Or TSP.  Unger Enterprise bought a subscription.  Henry Unger read the first issue on a plane trip to Germany.  When he got back he gave me a call.  I met him and his son Dane at the convention in Lubbock TX. One thing I wanted to show off then was a hard water spot remover I had developed in my kitchen.  So I took about twenty guys outside in front of the motel and demonstrated.  Dane was watching too.  Immediately after they took me into a vacant room and made an offer. Ettore also wanted to work with me.  I chose the company close to home.  And so began a very enjoyable adventure with Henry and his family.  His goal was to develop a signature line of products using my personal name.  The only trade off was I had to end the newsletter.  Simply because we couldn't market a product if the formula of such had been disclosed to even a very limited group of subscribers.  So in search of the bigger buck I did this.

I can remember Henry inviting me to a small convention.  To his personal home in CT.  An inventors show.  And pizza with all the employees at the factory.  The hospitality of Henry and his family was much appreciated.  It was a very enjoyable time in my life.  Unfortunately after about a year Henry died and the contract was dissolved.  His three sons were busy moving into other Countries.  They had all they could do now just managing the business.  This is what I figured.  I had other interests too. In a couple years I was married in 1997.  I moved out of my lab. The chemicals had to go.  I had kids now.  Too young to know that sulfuric acid will burn through your skin.  It was necessary to refocus.

Rich had sold the mag at some time also.  I drifted away from writing and was just busy with survival.  Then about sixteen years later something happened.  The internet had developed into something much larger.  There were window cleaning forums now.  After trying out a couple I discovered Chris and Alex Lambrinides.  Chris just said;... write.  No stipulations. Rich had told me start but you can't stop.  So several years later here I am.  Still writing in the WCR forum.  Writing not for Chris and Alex, but for all of us.  The net made it possible for me to connect with our community in ways that I never imagined possible.  It also has made it possible for me to start a newsletter again.  This time it is a purely electronic newsletter. It is created, marketed, sent, and sold electronically.  The focus is on developing and testing new products.  Much of this information is totally free on my blog and over the WCR forum in my posts. I am developing videos to demonstrate the products I am developing.  Which is probably the most fun part of it.  But the simple idea that I can use social media to market the information I am creating is the most amazing thing. Thirty years ago I bought a five hundred dollar typewriter to produce TSP.  Then I had to print the pages and send them out by mail. I received payment by checks also sent by mail.  That old typewriter went to the local dump.  Now with my somewhat old computer I can do everything without any use of snail mail. I don't even have to travel to the bank.  As long as I remain focused this will continue to work.  I have an IPhone, a Mini IPad, and a desktop computer.  Next I need to get another laptop computer for the road.  I can record video on my phone, tablet, and digital camera. Then transfer the clips via WiFi to the computor.  String them on my timeline where they can be edited, uploaded to You Tube, and published in the WCR Forum and my blog.  Along with other digital social media.  So much advancement in so little time.  Relatively speaking!

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

Publishing The Product Development Review and Addendums
Just 35 dollars for each monthly issue of the PDR.  Addendums are free for regular subscribers..

To automatically receive these posts in your inbox just type your address in the box at the top, "Follow by Email".

Sealing Glass for EZ Clean Maintenance

I have a window cleaning route of about 200 commercial storefronts.  They are cleaned weekly, twice a month, monthly, every other month, and quarterly.  I have marketed glass sealant application to certain accounts with good success.  That being how easy it made their routine cleaning of small mirrors. Like at a salon.  I have about fifteen of these on my route.  So this IS one of the benefits of applying a glass sealant.  It makes it rather difficult for certain things to adsorb onto the glass surface.  That is adsorb with a D not a B.  This is the Wikipedias definition of the word,

Adsorption is the adhesion of atoms, ions, or molecules from a gas, liquid, or dissolved solid to a surface.^[1] This process creates a film of the adsorbate on the surface of the adsorbent. This process differs from absorption, in which a fluid (the absorbate) is dissolved by or permeates a liquid or solid (the absorbent), respectively.^[2] Adsorption is a surface-based process while absorption involves the whole volume of the material. The term sorption encompasses both processes, while desorption is the reverse of it. Adsorption is a surface phenomenon.

I will not necessarily apply a sealant to the inside of windows because it makes it very easy to see any film that develops on the inside.  Such as smoke, or fryolater oil, or car exhaust.  This effect becomes much more pronounced as the weather becomes colder.  Such that there is a temperature differential between the outside air and the inside.

Another concern when applying a sealant to mirrors is they must be cleaned with pure water after.  Such as with a microfiber cloth.  If any type of detergent based cleaner such as Windex is used it will streak;...badly.

For the EZ clean effect I might offer to apply the sealant to the outside of windows.  There are two concerns here.  One is in the heat of the summer.  Then the outside is warmer than the inside.  And I have had difficulty with that filming effect I just spoke of.  Mirrors do not experience this because they are always at the same temperature on both surfaces, front and back.  You might test your sealant on a large spot in the middle of a window during the hottest month of the year with the AC blasting inside.  If the EZ clean effect IS the reason you are applying the sealant, you will want one that is water based such that it can be applied with little to no extra time.  This way too if it wears off in one to three months you can just up your window cleaning/maintenance cost say 20% and make more money.  Now the application of the sealant becomes an integral part of your cleaning maintenance.  And the employees MUST use microfiber towels to take off fingerprints in between your visits.

Another application of such an EZ Clean sealant/coating is Water Fed Pole (WFP) work.  My Soap and Seal product is more of a Contact Angle adjustment for window glass.  It is hydrophobic but not as much as Rain X or the Invisible Shield, or Aquapel, etc.  The beauty of this is water tends more to "sheet off" the glass rather than "bead up".  This means there will be less water drops on the glass to dry in the hot sun.  So if there happens to be a certain amount of silica in the water that doesn't show on a TDS meter it will not be left behind.  This problem is greatly reduced.  The SS product is also water based.  So you can apply it to the glass with an applicator then rinse it off immediately after.  I will be doing some videos of this technique.  My idea is to show the results we can get from a surface that has been "modified" by a sealant.  Which make WFP work much easier and quicker.  Cuz you see.  The so called hydrophylic glass that guys say is so wonderful for WFP work is really not truly hydrophylic.  It is indeed hydrophobic. But just enough to change the rinse properties of window glass.

The PDR on the new Soap and Seal water based glass coating will be out in July.  Check out the first video I made of this product.  

Written by Henry Grover Jr.

My newsletter The Product Development Review is available for 35 dollars a month.  It is published electronically on a monthly basis.  Just send me an email if you are interested. henrygroverjr@gmail.com

And if you want to recieve these free posts directly in your inbox just type your address in the box at the top right, "Follow by Email".

Making Soap and Seal

This is a very simple product to make.  To begin I measure out the water by putting 95 tablespoons in a bowl.  Then I put four tablespoons of the silane.  This is the brown bottle with the blue strip in the video.  Next I add a single tablespoon of Dawn.  I am supposing you could add any window cleaning soap/product.  Then I put the mix in a 16 ounce plastic bottle using a funnel.  So it is essentially 95% water, 4% silane, and 1% Dawn.  Very simple.

To apply just wet a dry applicator with Soap and Seal.  Apply to a dry window.  Then squeegee it off.  It is possible to rinse it off too using a water fed pole.  The new surface you create will be hydrophobic.  But not as hydrophobic as Rain X or Aquapel.  It is actually possible to coat treated glass with pure water.  I used the window of my car to show this in the video.  I sprayed the windshield with a garden hose using the soaker setting.  After applying Soap and Seal to a circular area on the windshield.  The water covered every square inch of the glass.  But.  When I broke the surface tension of the water that covered the area I had treated with Soap and Seal using my finger;...the water instantly broke away sheeting out to the edge of the circle.  

I don't like the terms hydrophylic and hydrophobic.  Rather I use the scientific term contact angle. Superhydrophobic is around a 150 degree CA.  Superhydrophylic is down to a 30 degree CA.  If my memory holds.  What WFP guys want is a sealant that is actually right in the middle.  Not one or the other.  So that the rinse water will easily cover the glass but then "sheet off" instead of forming hundreds of very small beads/drops.  This would help in preventing the deposit of silica water spots. Since we get spots from drops.

Written By Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

To receive these posts directly in your inbox just type your address in the box at the top right, "Follow by Email".

Making SKRUB;...a video presentation

A little crude as I am learning a new video editing program.  A cheap one that I downloaded free. Can't get any more cheap then that.  Movie Maker from Microsoft.  Cuz Microsoft took over my computor and "updated" it to Windows 10 when I was VERY content with Windows 7.  Immediately after my old Pinnacle 12 editing program wouldn't work.  Not compatible with my new tracking OS. Just had to vent.

Hoping you like my little movie.  It does demonstrate how EZ it is to mix up the SKRUB.  This is a great product for removing light stains from glass by hand.  Can be cut with pure water to your liking too.  At the end of the movie I demonstrate how you can stand up a pen in a cup of SKRUB.  I havn't found a commercial product yet that I could do this with.  They typically use only a very small amount of superabrasive powder.  No matter what it happens to be.  SKRUB is also great for removing greasy fingerprints from restaurant windows. Just add a table spoon of it to a couple gallons of cleaning solution.  Use any soap or chem you want.  A friend discovered he could make up a solution of it in a Gatorade bottle with the pop up cap.  Squirt it on the applicator only when needed.  This way it doesn't cause your entire cleaning solution to turn a dirty white.  And the SKRUB goes a lot further.

What I find personally fascinating is how the powder turns a dark brown when it comes into contact with a water miscible fluid.  This is because the individual microscopic particles have been treated with a proprietary chemical.  Or they have been functionalized.  The particle zoo is quite diversified. 

I would like to take this opportunity to once more warn the manufacturers among us not to waste their time with these "transformer" products I am developing.  They will be gold to us Window Cleaners;...but will be quite impractical to copy and market.  The ingredients cost, and shelf life actually precludes anyone from bringing them to the market.  Even a niche market.

Oh yeah.  If you would like a copy of my newsletter the Glass Smart Product Development Review that gives the sources for all of the ingredients and more just send me an email.  The two page newsletter is 35 bux, sent by email, and billed by Pay Pal. These products along with the knowledge you will find on this blog will give you the edge over other companies.

Be;...

Written and produced by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

To receive these posts directly in your inbox just type your address in the box at the top right, "Follow by Email".

Soap n Seal Glass Cleaner New Product

This is a transformer product.  It is unlike any other glass cleaner in that it cleans and seals windows with a hydrophobic organosilane.  When applied even in the pouring rain it becomes instantly effective.  So when you soap a window with your applicator the OS reacts with the free oxygens of the glass leaving the organic, chain part of the molecule hanging off. This is the hydrophobic end that pushes water away creating a water shield.

You can use Glass Gleam, Dawn, Joy, or most any other synthetic detergent or commercial glass cleaner.  Then add just a very little bit of the OS to your bucket.  Now you are ready. You have a water based cleaner/sealer.  So you can soap and seal at the same time.  No extra time needed.
Transformer products are not commercial products.  You buy the ingredients yourself and put them together.  So your formula is your formula.  No one else has to know what it is. This gives you the edge.
I do not sell any of the ingredients.  You can buy the ingredients yourself directly from the ingredient manufacturers/sales companies.  You might even create a formula or a product that I haven't yet come up with.

All I sell is a newsletter called the "Glass Smart Product Development Review".  Each issue is 35 dollars and is a complete turnkey.  It contains all the information you need to create the product.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

If you would like to receive these posts in your inbox just type your address in the box at the top right, "Follow by Email". 

The Hydrophobics Industry

The Window Cleaning Industry has been around for many years.  It is a true profession.  And yet so many people still think the answer lies in a bottle of Windex.  Well so many times this kind of ignorance has earned me lots of money.  So it really doesn't bother me much.  
Interestingly enough there is another industry closely related to Window Cleaning that even less people are aware of.  Even Window Cleaners don't know about it.  This is the Hydrophobics Industry.   That is the technology of chemically sealing the surface of window glass so that it becomes hydrophobic or water hating.  This industry is really quite large.
There are multimillion dollar companies like PPG that have developed products like Aquapel aimed at the auto world.

http://www.aquapel.com/What-is-Aquapel.php
http://www.enduroshieldusa.com/
http://www.dfisolutions.com/products/diamon-fusion/
http://www.hydroshield.com/
http://www.inovexcoatings.com/products/glass-hydrophobic/
https://www.rainx.com/product/glass-water-repellents-cleaners/rainx-original-glass-treatment/#.VzUYIoQrKXo

Others too like Repcon, Rain-X, and the Invisible Shield.  Then we have products like Enduroshield, Diamon Fusion, and Hydroshield that have been aimed at the granite, porcelain and architectural glass world.  Years ago we had two products developed by DuPont down in Wilmington Delaware.  One of them based on a PTFE (teflon) chemistry was discontinued. The other one known simply as their TLF 8291 was marketed to the mirror manufacturers.  Here it was called Mar Guard.  But it too has been discontinued.  There are other companies that have specialized in silicon (the element not the molecule) chemistry.  These have developed both hydrophobic and hydrophylic sealants for glass.  I think by now you get the idea. That there has been a ton of money devoted to developing this type of product.  There has also been a ton of money spent to have one of these applied to buildings.  Even and especially brand new buildings.  How much money?  Just do the math.  At four bux a square foot multiply by the number of square feet. A large office building for example might have five hundred windows.  At 30 square feet per window this comes to 60,000 bux.   
What amazes me is some of these buildings are brand new. That means the sealant is being applied to new glass that hasn't even been stained yet.  How do you sell that?  My guess is a lot of hype.  We know that is is tough enough to sell a stain removal job.  And we really don't want it.  We just want to keep the window cleaning contract.  Now sealing glass is not a bad thing.  It absolutely will help to prevent weathering of the glass over the years.  And make it much easier to remove any stains that might develop.  Especially if the window glass is flush with the exterior facade and there are bricks or concrete directly above every window.  Or if you are doing a job that is almost or right on the ocean.  What coastal window cleaning company isn't painfully aware of the problem of sea salt?  Sprinklers systems too must be positioned right next to windows. Especially if they carry very hard ground water.  So yeah. There are situations where one can most definitely predict that brand new buildings will be stained.  Sometimes a brand new building will start developing stains before it is more than a few months old.  What would help us sell a sealant would be a quick demo.  Just look at a new building with this in mind.  Look for the sprinklers or the design of the windows and concrete, brick, or stucco.  Then clean a window, fog it to show the newly forming spots.  Which will become unsightly braille over time. Then make your pitch.  At this point it would be rather easy to remove these deposits and seal the glass.  Pricing correctly is very important so you can make a profit.  I will save this for another post.  However the easy answer to that question is just to actually do one entire window for a demo, add up your times, add in the cost of your products, then multiply by what you will need to make per man hour.  Always add around 20 percent to the final quote just to be safe.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

If you would like to receive these posts in your inbox just type your address in the box at the top right, "Follow by Email".

Steel Wool Video

Check out this video on how steel wool is manufactured.  You will find it totally fascinating. 

Henry Grover Jr.

Concrete Sealers

I remember twenty years ago consulting on the Chiquita Banana high rise building in Cincinnati Ohio.  All of the windows were covered with hard water spots. Which were from the concrete.  You see acid rain soaks into concrete as if it were a sponge.  All concrete and brick has pores.  Brick, concrete, and lime stone are alkaline.  So acid rain will react with these materials literally breaking them up.  The minerals that are leached from the pores are then carried away by the rain and run down the glass.  Once there they are deposited on the windows when the sun comes out and dries the rain.  These mineral deposits or hard water spots will now lock into the glass pores.  Next the window cleaner comes along to clean the windows.  But cannot remove the spots.  The windows have been severely stained and are in need of restoration.

But here's the point.  Restoring the windows to full clarity is NOT the most important matter. Stopping the concrete from leaching minerals with a good quality sealer IS.  Why?   Because if these panels are not properly protected with a sealer they will ultimately need to be replaced.  When I was working with the company that hired me I was told about another building on the other side of town that was currently having their concrete panels replaced because the building was crumbling!  If your high rise window cleaning company is going to price the glass restoration, you should also price the sealing of the concrete or brickwork.  Which should also help to prevent the hard water spots from coming back.  It could also represent another twenty thousand bucks in your pocket. Another reason why the window cleaner should also seal the concrete is he will make sure the sealant doesn't run down over the glass.  Further, cleaning the windows every six months will tell how well the sealant is working.

I will never forget looking at a problem job for a window cleaner out west.  The windows were covered with concrete sealant.  The building owner couldn't understand the difficulty since he could scrape off some of the sealant with his fingernail. To which my friend replied, "Well then use your fingernail on the entire building"!  Obviously this is a rather large problem if you don't have a liquid chem that will dissolve the sealant and wash it away.  Kind of like when someone opens a can of Pepsi on a window.  A good cleaner and strip washer is usually all you need.  But concrete sealant is much more difficult to remove.  Here is the reason.  First let me copy some technical information regarding the chemistry of concrete sealers from the Wikipedia.

"Topical Sealers: Topical Sealers can provide visual enhancement as well as topical protection from stains and chemicals. They require a dry, clean surface during application to gain adhesion. Topical sealers may alter the coefficient of friction which can make substrates slick when wet – a condition that can be remedied by adding anti-skid materials. Life span is generally 1-5 years, although high-end epoxy/urethane systems can last significantly longer.

Penetrating Sealers: Penetrating sealers can be applied to dry or damp surfaces and should be properly matched with substrate porosity in order to effectively penetrate the surface and react. The chemical reaction bonds active ingredients within the substrate blocking surface moisture. Penetrating sealers generally do not significantly modify substrate appearance or traction. Lifespan is generally 5 years or more.

Acrylic Resins: Acrylic resins form a topical film membrane on the substrate surface. They are available in both water-based and solvent-based formulas, affordable, and generally simple to apply. They are well known to increase perceived visual enhancement (sometimes described as a “wet look”) and can provide good UV protection for colored substrates. Despite being the softest and least lasting of the major sealer categories, price and convenience make acrylic resins a very popular choice for decorative concrete such as stamped concrete and exposed aggregate. Acrylic resins are also commonly used as curing agents for new concrete, and many comply with ASTM C309.

Epoxy/Urethane Systems: Epoxy/urethane systems are also topical film membranes. They share many of the same characteristics as acrylics, but the performance levels and life span are superior and commensurately more costly with more complex installation requirements. Novolac epoxies are particularly noted for chemical resistance and acid resistance. High-end urethanes are known to be extremely abrasion resistant. Epoxy/urethane systems are frequently used in demanding applications such as factory floors, garage floors, and restaurants, and water-based versions are often used to seal concrete countertops. Epoxy/urethane systems are generally applied only to fully cured existing concrete, although certain epoxy products can comply with ASTM C309.

Silane: Silane is the smallest molecular compound of commonly available penetrating sealers. Chemically, Silane forms a covalent bond within porous masonry that clots surface pores. Silane is known to be hydrophobic and oleophobic and will only wear away if the concrete surface itself wears away. Noted for very low viscosity, silane is frequently used for sealing dense concrete, such as parking decks, concrete facades, and dense brick. Silane is generally applied only to fully cured existing concrete.

Silicates: Silicates are another small molecular compound ranging from premium lithium silicates to economical sodium silicates. Chemically, silicates form calcium-silicate hydrate crystals which can densify concrete surfaces and be burnished to develop a polished appearance. Silicates are known to be hydrophobic and oleophobic and will only wear away if the concrete surface itself wears away. Noted for crystallization, silicates are frequently used for polishing concrete floors popular in large format retail outlets. Silicates can be applied to new and existing concrete, although they do not comply with ASTM C309 as a curing agent.

Siliconates: Siliconates are moderate-size molecular compound. Chemically, Siliconates form a repellent cross-linking membrane barrier within the surface of porous concrete and other masonry. Siliconates are known to be hydrophobic and oleophobic and will only wear away if the concrete surface itself wears away. Noted for extreme water repellence and stain repellence siliconates are frequently used for sealing exterior concrete such as roads and driveways, tilt-up walls, porous brick, and porous stone. Siliconates and organo-siliconates have also been shown to be affective as curing agents for new concrete and certain products can comply with ASTM C309.

Siloxane: Siloxane is the largest molecular compound of commonly available penetrating sealers. Although not highly reactive, chemically siloxane forms a bond within porous masonry that clots surface pores. Siloxane is known to be hydrophobic. Noted for large molecular structure, siloxane is frequently used for sealing exterior concrete, porous concrete block and porous brick. Siloxane is generally applied only to fully cured existing concrete.

In summary, all major concrete sealer chemistries can have valuable and practical applications. Topical sealers generally require higher application standards and maintenance, but the decorative appeal and potential stain and chemical resistance can make them a superior choice for many applications. Penetrating sealers should be matched with substrate porosity for long lasting low maintenance water repellence and freeze/thaw protection."

You might have inferred from this information the reason why it is so difficult to remove certain penetrating concrete sealants from glass. The ones I have highlighted in blue.  These go through a curing process.  The polymers will crosslink to one another and the glass.  You see glass has what are called free oxygen atoms at the surface.  These are the atoms that the sealant polymers also react with or bond to.  This is why it is impossible to remove all of the sealant with a razor blade, steel wool, or even very powerful organic solvents.  The only way to completely clear these sealants from windows is to remove a very thin layer of glass with a polishing compound.  The window must be polished with an optical grade superabrasive suspended in the most powerful organic solvent.  The solvent should also be water miscible.  This makes it very easy to remove after soaping and squeegeeing.  You will know you have done the best job possible by fogging the clean window after.  If there is ANY residue left at all, the fog will show it up.  Even if the window appears crystal clear on a bright sunny day it can still be holding onto residue.  This makes for an easy demonstration when soliciting a job.  Just buff out a small spot by hand and fog it with your mouth.

I have created just such a specialty compound for removing concrete sealant rundown from glass .  It is a SKRUB transformer product.  And is described in my one page pdf e-letter Raw Ingredients.  For 35 dollars.  You can buy the ingredients yourself.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

To receive these posts in your inbox just type your email address in the box at the top right "Follow by Email"

Making SKRUB

SKRUB is made from two very simple 'Raw Igredients'.  One is a high tech synthetic silica.  Ultra pure at 99.9%.  It is based on a particle of aproximately 3.6 particle size.  And is "functionalized" so it goes very well into water for easy removal.  The other is a very thick and clear water miscible liquid.  It also loves water but is NOT water.  Completely different chemical formula.  The two are put together slowly at the right temperature.  But once together the silica which has a rather high specific gravity, will not fall out of the carrier liquid.  It remains suspended.

The silica is what does the bulk of the work.  It can be added directly to your bucket of water at one tablespoon to a gallon of cleaner.  Or even added to a soapy solution in an old plastic soda bottle.  Then you just squirt it onto your strip washer when you encounter greasy finger prints.

For a detailed description of SKRUB just email requesting a copy of my letter, "Raw Ingredients".  Then if you want to buy the ingredients in bulk from the factory you can.  But if you want to buy the ingredients in smaller amounts I can help you with that.

If you would like these posts to come directly in your inbox just type your address in the box at the top right "Follow by Email".

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

Creating a Slow Release Polishing/Grinding Pad for Stain and Scratch Removal

The very basic idea in making a slow release polishing or grinding pad is to first come up with a plastic powder that dissolves in pure water.  This is your emulsion which can be loaded with whatever superabrasive you choose.  It can be an aluminum oxide, silica, cerium oxide, silicon carbide, or polycrystalline diamond powder.  Locating exacting which one to use is a bit tricky.  First you should heat up the water to about 80 degrees.  Then slowly mix in the plastic powder.  Next allow it about a day or two for the air bubles to clear.  Then slowly mix in whatever superabrasive you want.  Once complete it can be 'painted' onto any flat which will not scratch glass.  This could be a thin piece of hard felt, or paper pulp board, or even a soft wood.  The flat can be glued onto your polishing wheel whether it is aluminum or steel.  I had my Wobble Wheel constructed from a hard aluminum alloy.

As you can see in the video to operate just clean the window, wet again with clean water, polish, then wet with soapy water and squeegee.  That is all that is involved.  Once again there is a tremendous variety of slow release polishing pads that can be created from this concept.  But you will need the raw ingredients such as a source for the best water miscible plastic powder, and the super abrasives whether they be mineral or compositionals.  These are given in my newsletter "Raw Ingredients" at 35 dollars.  It is a one page PDF and can be purchased using Pay Pal.  Sent by email attachment.  This explains in more detail how to build a slow release polishing pad, and includes the source, and pricing for purchasing the raw ingredients in bulk.  If you need to buy much smaller samples I will provide these at a minimum cost of 25 dollars each.  But you will always have the opportunity of purchasing larger quantities at a much reduced price.

To receive these posts please type your email in the box at the top right, "Follow by Email".

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com