Likely stupid question - tap water for solution?

Title says it all. I been binging lots of videos, got my business LLC and insured, already got a decent amount of estimates out, and 3 jobs on the dock. However, a thought crossed my mind - do you guys just use tap water for your solution? Or do you purify it or buy distilled? I’ll just be doing traditional, no fancy water feds yet.

Solution I plan to use:

  1. Dawn Heavy duty
  2. Vinegar
  3. Tap water

For winter:

  1. Blue Windshield fluid
  2. Dawn

(would you use vinegar in winter?)

Thanks for the help! Excited for the future.

2 Likes

Welcome to the group! …and there are no stupid questions.

For traditional, tap water is good since it will not be drying on the glass. Personally, I feel like pure water makes it a bit tougher to work the squeegee on the glass.

I know some guys use the heavy duty dawn and that’s fine if that’s what you like, I like the standard dawn better, but that is purely my preference. Not right or wrong either way.

If you’ve never cleaned windows professionally, the videos make it look like the simplest thing in the world. Expect a learning curve though, practice makes perfect.

I don’t do as much in the winter as other guys so I really have no comment on windshield fluid but I know they use it as well as other mixes. Basically, as with the soap, try a few different things and see what works best.

Best of luck to you!

2 Likes

You can use windshield fluid or just straight methanol alcohol. Whatever is easiest to find. If you’re doing a lot of work the methanol is cheaper. (It’s the ingredient that’s in the windshield fluid)

As far as soap it’s totally your preference. We prefer heavy duty but I know a lot of guys that prefer standard dawn.

Vinegar I find it is completely unnecessary. Just complicates your solution. But this is just my opinion.

2 Likes