TINTED & LOW-E WINDOW CLEANING TIPS

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[@gregcorwin8316]

There are two types of LowE windows, hard coat(called passive by Scott W) and soft coat (called solar control by Scott W). Without going into all the technical differences between them, soft coat LowE has much better energy performance than hard coats, but soft coats CANNOT be exposed on the glass surface that can be touched, either interior or exterior the home, so that soft coats will only be inside of the dual pane unit. Hard coats can be exposed to the elements and if you have single glazed storm windows that are LowE coated then its a hard coat. Hard coats also are hazy as described by SteveO. Soft coats may show some color ranging from light gray to soft purple depending on light and angle to the glass, to green or blue depending on the coating. But soft coats are not hazy in the way that hard coats can be. Also the very slight purple tint that you might see in certain soft coat Low E products is very dependent on viewing angle and light and is not the same, or nearly as noticeable, as the purple described in the video that appears if the coating is damaged. In the video SteveO is describing hard coat or exposed LowE when he talks about cleaning LowE coated windows. Since soft coat LowE will be between the lites of a dual pane or insulated glass unit, windows with standard soft coat LowE coatings can be cleaned like any clear glass window. The coating is protected by being between the two glass lites. Probably something close to 90% of LowE coatings used on modern windows are soft coats. Hard coats are used a lot on storm windows or other specialty products. Although Hard coats are not even remotely on "almost all residential windows...", use of exposed hard coats (or certain exposed soft coats) is increasing a due to the introduction of surface 4 (inside the home, glass you can touch) coatings that improve energy performance or surface 1 (outside) "easy clean" or "self clean" coatings that are offered by a number of manufacturers.

[@ScottWConvid19]

Great topic! More window cleaners definitely need to be made aware of the surfaces we deal with.

[@tinopressurewashing5347]

This has really helped! I put in a bid for my first commercial window cleaning for a building with over 200 windows and they are all tinted.

[@SteveOthewindowcleaner]

Awesome!!

[@ScottWConvid19]

Did you know that there are two types of low e coatings? Passive low e (which is hard set during the cooling process of the glass) and solar control (soft coating)? I actually only had learned about the passive, (which seems to be on the exterior of almost all residential windows these days.

[@dabcorn]

I am retired from 35+ years of window tinting. I first noticed this issue in the mid 1990's. I called PPG (Pittsburgh Plate Glass) and talked with an engineer. He told me, back then, that the 'particles' are a result of poor manufacturing: either too low tempering furnace temperatures, or: debris on the furnace rollers from improper cleaning. Since then most glass manufacturers (including PPG) say that is a myth, that NO glass was never meant to be cleaned with razor blades - ever - in the history of glass windows! Yeah, right, that's why there is an entire global industry that has catered to razor scrapers for glass for over a century! Also, I noticed that window manufacturers actually changed (in the 1990's I believe it was) the wording of the "how to care for windows" stickers that are on new windows to say 'never use a razor to clean'. Anyway, I have never encountered tempered glass manufactured before the 1990's that would scratch. (and there were a lot of older commercial buildings I tinted). The newer, cheaper tempering processes that include 'chemical' tempering will almost ALWAYS result in scratchy finished surface. That is why that "insulated" tempered units SHOULD be assembled with the tempered surface as surface #2 or #3, which would be surfaces that face into the insulating space. That is the same surface that the manufacturers logo's, marks and codes are etched on. If that etching is NOT between the glass panels, or it is a single pane commercial door, then the chances that the surface will scratch is nearly 100%. The same is true for LOW_E coatings. If the coating is NOT on surface #2 or #3 your razor will leave dark gray streaks as the "silver" is scratched and instantly starts oxidizing. I think some window manufacturers actually proudly proclaim that the LOW_E surface is #1 or #4 on their premium windows!!! The most efficient surface is actually #2 (as counted from the outside surface as #1). I have turned down 1000's of $ worth of work because I WOULD not scrape walls of glass on the lakefront side that I PROVED to the contractor were going to be scratched. The physics of tempered glass made it way too dangerous to do. The surface scratches WILL concentrate stress that the tempering is supposed to absorb/mitigate/relieve. Window glass industry actually have detailed pictures and charts on how to determine if a crack/fracture is from impact or thermal stress, but disavow any knowledge or repeatable demonstration that tempered glass in now much worse in surface quality. Hope this helps someone who is "BLAMED" for scratching a customers window .

[@sylviakoresh4161]

Hi Steveo, thanks for posting this video! Everything you said was right but I might add that squeegees don't glide as smoothly as on regular glass. (Job took longer than usual, asked my squeegee partner if it was just me or the tinted windows. It was the tinted windows!) Found my wagtail slipstream combo tool worked better than my highflyers because of the way the channel is angled, plus the new type of rubber that's come out with the recent batches (in Australia) is a harder one than last year's old blue ones so it seemed to help. Thanks for all your useful tips!💖🧼🙏

[@K1C1R1N1]

Hey Stevo, snow is going to be here soon ugh. This will be my first winter window cleaning. I have seen couple of your vids about it , wondering what im in for. We are close to the tip top of Michigan, LOTS of snow and cold. I have an idea about solution but what about some basic issues. How different mops hold up, how other equipment needs to be modified or not? How do the windows react? Would love to see what you do in the freezing blasting cold. Me, id stay inside , lol. Thanks Stevo!

[@zacbunch5691]

Great vid!

[@eschwake18]

Putting this video in the archives for future reference, thx😎🤘

[@SteveOthewindowcleaner]

Your welcome

[@heatherthewindowwoman4835]

Don’t forget that the Ettore porcupine scrubber will also scratch tint, I learned that the hard way... Great info btw.

[@SteveOthewindowcleaner]

Heather The Window Woman I never had issues with it but I also could’ve left some behind and not even known it

[@heatherthewindowwoman4835]

SteveO The Window Cleaner yeah I thought same the thing until I noticed swirling scratches left on a newly tinted door I had cleaned with that scrubber. Luckily the owner didn’t care but I know for a fact it was the porcupine that made those marks. Some tint is just cheaper than others and in this case that tint was just cheap😅.

[@drew5992]

@@heatherthewindowwoman4835yea we will say that. 🤫

[@craiglaing2417]

Not sure if this will work on tint, but there are a few products for removing scratches from Perspex as well as vinyl windows on convertible soft tops. The product for soft top vinyl is a two part process. 1 to remove any staining and 2 to polish it.

[@glennthompson8378]

Magic eraser warning. It does scratch plexi-glass. If there's something the customer HAS to get off the plexi-glass it just makes it a little cloudy, but it does scratch it. I think the plexi glass is just softer than the tint. Make sure the customer knows if they want plexi-glass cleaned, you can remove any paint, adhesives, or other strong debris from the window.

[@K1C1R1N1]

great, thanks Stevo lots of great info.

[@SteveOthewindowcleaner]

Thank you Ken

[@joelsegura1516]

Can you do a video about sun spots or sun streaks on a window. I came across those often. There’s not much I can do to those... so I think.

[@domthornton5994]

Never stop steveo

[@SqueegeeLife]

I’ve used ammonia in my water for 15 years. A lot of tinted windows. Never noticed a change.🤷🏼‍♂️ good video.

[@SteveOthewindowcleaner]

Squeegee Life I know, I’ve never seen an issue, but knew if I didn’t say it someone would give me shit lol tint just sucks in general.

[@SqueegeeLife]

Hahahahaha I know that’s right. Gotta cover your bases on the KZbin

[@awc7713]

Squeegee Life what is the benefit of adding ammonia?

[@SqueegeeLife]

Glide for one. And nothing takes greasy finger prints off glass like ammonia

[@OfficiallyTweakd]

Do a review on “tub-o-towels” That’s what I use on Tint and frames

[@JamesTaylor-xj2jj]

Whats a good way to know for sure if a window has tint or not. We don't have tinted windows often but I'm pretty sure I scratched a tinted window a few times because I i didn't know there was tint. Same with low e...how do you know especially if the customer doesn't even know.

[@CalebCorbin]

Aweomse video, quick question. Never used goo gone before. I have a customer with Low-e windows and wants some adhesive removed from previous lettering. Do you use goo gone in you water or directly apply with a rag or tbar? Thanks.

[@SteveOthewindowcleaner]

just follow the directions on the goo gone bottle but I apply it to a rag, not in my water

[@billyhallman7603]

I know this video is a little old now, but I have been coming across sunrooms with tinted windows and they are kind of irritating to clean... any ideas? Started using my water fed, but I am cautious as I don’t want to leave scratches

[@amontes3491]

big fan I would doing window cleaning for like 2 months now and I'm really liking it do you sunglasses do anything ? BR Søren

[@nanodrbright3173]

Low E glass has the film on the inside and dont use a squeegee over time you will see scratches. You can only clean it with soapy water and a microfiber cloth

[@rammalammadingdong1]

tried it, still looks dirty

[@christianb164]

Do u think Brillo pads could work on low e glass?

[@jillpozarek7652]

Awesome video...again! Question: my home is in SW Florida near the Gulf, and my windows are hurricane impact. Some of them have water droplet marks on them (outside) that won’t come off with normal washing. Realizing impact windows may not be something you have experience with, any ideas how to get the water marks to go? Vinegar??

[@mannyamenta5566]

Jill Pozarek hi, they sell window cleaning paste for hard water stains, try that with some 0000 steel wool pads from home depot

[@jillpozarek7652]

Manny Amenta thanks much!

[@rammalammadingdong1]

i have ajax dish soap .......is that ok? and what ratio should i use with water ?

[@MicahKilgoreOneJah]

Hey SteevO, thanks for the video. I was wondering about your experience with sleeves that have an abrasive material built in, like the Microtiger sleeve. I haven't personally noticed, but sometimes I worry. Your thoughts? Thanks!

[@SteveOthewindowcleaner]

Micah Kilgore the only sleeve I wouldn’t use is the ettore porcupine sleeve

[@aurafangz3635]

With regards to tempered glass would it just be no abrasives as well?

[@bryanbryant9962]

That morning coffee looks good! It seemed like the milk (if it was milk) foamed up as you poured in the coffee. Could you explain that? I'm just interested because I don't think I've seen that before.

[@danburns8715]

Love it Thank you ! so this? Low-E haze blu/Gry/Purple in direct sun Non-Coated Outside Normal glass Coated Inside Monitor, port glass Light St8 Pulls high friction, streak ez Towel lite minimum NO wool/raz

[@GrahamGilmore]

How can you tell if residential windows are tinted or low e?

[@windowcleanersofbrandon]

This made me look up Low -E windows, and I believe they are normally just double pane with metallic tint in between them. I'm thinking that bronze wool wouldn't matter much but water can always go between panes that are like that.

[@SteveOthewindowcleaner]

Chris Simmons yes your right but they’ve started putting this coating on the outside of the pane and when cleaning it the texture is very sticky to the squeegee blade. And it’s easy to leave “damage” to the glass when using steel wool or bronze wool

[@user-ur4vq3xg7d]

but you 4 got 2 say gotta be carefull with magic eraser, also you use degreaser on tint? what degreaser??

[@mathiasvansteen8691]

Hi Steveo, I have another question but i don't know how to reach you. I am a window cleaner from Belgium and i learned a lot from your video's. thank you for that. I was working the last 10 years with the same material and techniques, so watching you guys is good to become better. I saw that you really liked the xero silencer and i was looking for it to buy it and ship it to Belgium. Can you tell me where i can do that beceause not everyone is shipping that far, or can i buy one from you :)? Tnx for the help yet Mathias

[@SteveOthewindowcleaner]

I can't sell you one but maybe soon you'll be able to buy it internationally

[@SalCaradonna]

How to clean and what to look for with Tempered Glass in store front and homes?

[@craigfield9447]

Hey, just want to ask the question and hoping you or any of the other viewers can see answer this question. Can you use the squeegee on low in a glass on the inside ? I’ve read information saying that you can’t ….and notice that you did so I’d love to hear your thoughts. Thanks for the video

[@g_beats7156]

what is the white pad you use?

[@mistone9784]

yeap did a log home for a lady had the triangle windows she did not tell me they were tinted I used steel wool then quickly I figured out they were tinted no major damage done just a few spots hard to see from ten feet close call

[@jjgionet1735]

These Low E make me nervous! What about water fed pole? Can they be used on Low E? I take it preferably no boar hair brush?

[@thomasjeffries1020]

Low-E construction cleans are not a problem for me. I just charge quite a bit more. I can still use steel wool and razors. I just swap out my wool and razor very frequently and rinse them out ever more frequently. If you're careful, you can do it.

[@jimmyevans2965]

Nice vid Steve,how many miles do u cover in a week it look like u drive a long way to job's,ps I hate the dark mornings

[@SteveOthewindowcleaner]

I bet around 250miles

[@zacharyjeans5917]

How do you get stubborn spots off tempered glass? Use a scraper before I realized a window was tempered and scratched the crap out of it.

[@dutchshinewindows484]

I didn't realize you could use white pads on tint. We use magic erasers and they work well. Have you used magic eraser on tint?

[@SteveOthewindowcleaner]

I have used magic eraser on tint a lot, great for removing finger prints or lite adhesive

[@redsresearch]

pretty sure I used a magic eraser on my car tint and pretty sure it made it wavy and blury, ill have 2 try it again

[@frankmarek9921]

If the tint is inside the glass I used a razor ettore 4inch blade I worked for Walmart clean glass with scrubber and squeegee.ettore different sizes scrubbers and squeezes .there way is bottle of glass cleaner paper towels ladder.frank in Oswego ill

[@milesd-6]

How do you identify if a window has low e coating? Is it obvious?

[@noby5711]

I thought the low e coating was in between the glass and that you could just clean it just fine because it just regular glass on the in and outside?

[@brocktorning1890]

Acetone is your friend with Low-E, it can remove paint spots and other gunk, works well in my experience👍🏽

[@SteveOthewindowcleaner]

Awesome thank you Brock!! Every time I clean low e glass I wonder why manufactures put it on the accessible side of the window.

[@itisflat1356]

Don't know if this is the same but if you get a "burn mark" you can buff it out with hydro-cloric acid.

[@brocktorning1890]

SteveO The Window Cleaner I know! councils here in Aus made it mandatory to put Low-E in new houses or renovations, so I’ve seen countless times the issues that come with the glass, I’ve actually wanted to buy a scrap piece of Low-e to do my own testing, apparently a mixture of water and hydrochloric acid can be used but I’ve never been game to try it

[@brocktorning1890]

Itis Flat yeah I’ve read that a mixture of 1% HC Acid and 99% water is safe but I’ve never tried it..

[@ScottWConvid19]

Yep. I use brake parts cleaner on a cotton towel to remove silicone, grease and residual plastic from new construction, sometimes. You can remove a lot of material with the fine Bio- clean. They make two grits. One is a little too course for low e. I also use plastic razor blades for some thicker material, like mortar, paint globs, etc.

[@christophergeorge8800]

Can I use a silicone window squeegee on my tinted car windows?

[@SteveOthewindowcleaner]

Yes you can

[@phillipchavez4885]

mini or large bronze steel wool pad on your water fed Pole???

[@SteveOthewindowcleaner]

It’s the larger one

[@lordismo]

Wish I would’ve known this last week. I used ammonia in my solution on tinted windows at my church. 😬

[@zacbunch5691]

Should be ok after one use. Did you see anything?

[@SteveOthewindowcleaner]

Ammonia is heavily not suggested by manufacture directions for cleaning some windows but overall I've never seen any issues from it so I wouldn't stress it

[@lordismo]

SteveO The Window Cleaner thanks and keep up the great work. It’s obvious you have had a positive impact on a lot of people.

[@lordismo]

Zac Bunch no I did not notice any change in the tint, but it will probably be something I look for throughout the following weeks.

[@tinopressurewashing5347]

Is magic eraser ok on tint?

[@tinopressurewashing5347]

NVM. You answered my question towards the end of the video LOL

[@ScottWConvid19]

Sorry, don't mean to be too heavy on the comments, but when you mentioned Pella, it made me wonder, Is that what's on the inside portion of the storms of pellas that's on the in between side? That's definitely a soft coating

[@LecoupderacletteNETBinche]

My main issue is actually to determine if a window is a tinted glass or not or low-E or not. It’s not always so obvious...

[@AMindInOverdrive]

As someone starting out again after not cleaning windows in 9 years...I worry about how I RECOGNISE slightly tinted or low-e glass....

[@thomasjeffries1020]

There is usually a 1/16" gap between the tint and the frame/seal. Even ceramic clear UV film can be spotted if you look carefully. Low-E is harder to spot but is sometimes indicated in the corner etching.

[@bt45240]

i open the window and look out to see the colours and light of the enviroment clearly. Then i look trough the window and its looking like trough sunglas, you think you have sunglases over your eyes.

[@AMindInOverdrive]

I'd probably have the customer contact the glass/window company. They may be able to suggest how to clean construction debris....but really they should have been protected during construction with some film or something

[@Blutoniumboy19851]

Did you say "scheiße" when the lights go out? :D

[@scottpratson7766]

A steamer for removing tint

[@seaton5150]

What about using a porcupine sleeve? Out here everyone has low e glass or tint, I've been using that no other scrubbers and havent had any issues... yet. I did a 2 story house last month and couldnt even touch their inside windows as the previous owner had put car tint on the window himself. The new owners had a cheap paint company come and they over spread on every window. Cust was pissed i couldnt make it brand new. I explained and explained to the point where we ended up doing what we could and left. Next thing I knew they were blasting my company all over the local fb group about how bad we were. SMH!!!

[@SteveOthewindowcleaner]

Tint can suck especially when its damaged and the customer is ignorant to it. I've never had any issues with the porcupine sleeve

[@Fosellar]

That sucks when you have a customer who rejects the truth like that. It is best to not ecen start work on a job like that. It limits the negative things they can slander your company with.

[@FlashTechEngineering]

Titan green and white magic pad

[@halleluyahissacharbrew3635]

@flashtechengineering Do you add the Titan green to the Dawn water? And if so what’s the ratio?

[@FlashTechEngineering]

@@halleluyahissacharbrew3635 hi about 10-15 to 1 ratio in a spray bottle works best 👍

[@halleluyahissacharbrew3635]

Thank you

[@reliablewindowcleaning9829]

👍

[@ryanfewster574]

👍🏻

[@dynamicshine2974]

With tinted windows, if it’s sticky..DONT fan it down you will leave rainbow streaks even if you can’t see them then. Once the sun hits it will show them all. Straight pull them as wet and slippery as possible. If they are small tinted windows honestly I just give them a pull with the squeegy then wipe em all down with a lint free micro fibre

[@SteveOthewindowcleaner]

I agree, tint can definitely create rainbow streaks very easily

[@thewindowguys2960]

That beard makes me all warm and tingly inside. Hubba hubba

[@SteveOthewindowcleaner]

its gone......

[@thewindowguys2960]

@@SteveOthewindowcleaner 😭

[@ronaldmorris7672]

You can’t really make tint better just replace it

[@jeremyshapiro5412]

Just remove the window film. Its easy to do.

[@ScottWConvid19]

I've worked for a lot of women that had really nice tints and glass. Of course we've all seen the reality old, worn out tints and glass too. 🤷‍♂️ Curb alert 4:05.

[@vcash1112]

I love big tints!👀