We did a job today for a new contractor.
The house we did had several scratches on the windows
when I first started. Well one of my employees asked
me to look at a window she was cleaning, it had cement
mud on it. I told her to spray with water and easily
take a razor to knock off the cement. She grabed the paint
scraper and said I think this will work better.
So I told her to be careful and not scratch it!
When I checked on her work there were probaly 5-6
scratches on 2 windows! She said she didn't think she
did them and you don't know what's hiding behind it.
I don't know if she did it or it was there under
it because of the other windows have several.
I don't know what to tell the contractor, this
house has a lot of activity going on because
they are having a parade of homes this weekend.
Do any of you feel like sometimes that scratches
on all the windows is done by the cleaner cause of
you being last one in the house?

Amy
Windows are your biggest liability before hard wood floors on any project. Be very careful using any inexperienced help when cleaning them. The first thing you should always do is you yourself inspect all of the windows before cleaning for scratches. If you see any, dont clean the window until you have notified the builder or superintendent on the job. By letting him know, this releases you of any liability or blame.

A lot of upper-end custom homes in our part of the country use Low E glass. Low E glass has a thin metallic coating on the surface that is hard to see if you are not sure what you are looking for. It is very easily scratched; we never use a window blade on Low E glass. If you are not familiar with Low E you should do some research. We arranged to take our crews through a window manufacture for training and product information.

On regular double pain glass it#%92s hard to scratch it with the Stanley window knife. What happens a lot of times is the painter will touch up a window with his sponge sanding block leaving scratches on the windows. Have your people change their blades often. I also insist my guys use a cut resistant glove; we have spent too much money on $425 doctors visits and stitches in the past.

If you know what the sanding block scratches look like, you have plenty of ammo if a builder tries to blame your cleaning company for the problem.

Good Luck

So should you mention it about the mud or not say nothing
until he says somethimg about the windows?

Are you talking about the mortar on the outside of the windows from brick or stucco masons or dry wall mud from the sheet rockers on the inside?

Mortar from the masons.

Good respose dirty talk. Im getting into window cleaning here in Montana myself along with my house cleaning business. I have my first customer monday hopefully. Its high, vaulted windows, about 23 feet at the highest point. I just bought a 12 foot folding ladder as I didnt want to lean an extending ladder against the walls inside and out. I have some good extendable handles with various attachments for cleaning. I liked your advice about looking over the windows first and about the Low E glass windows; We have LOTS of double pain here becuase of the winters. What do those Low E windows do, help filter the sun? What can you use to clean stucco and putty, etc. off Low E windows if not a knife?

Can you repair scrathes with that same stuff they fix windshields with?