Pilkington — Window Cleaning Guide

Quick Facts

Brand at a Glance

Product Range

Why This System

Step 1 of 2: Manufacturer Recommendations

Official Care Guidance

Pilkington Activ Self-Cleaning Glass

• ✓The coating uses daylight and rain to keep glass clean - both are required for full function.
• ✓During long dry spells, replicate rainfall by gentle hosing or clean with a soft cloth and warm soap water.
• ✓Warm water with soap (such as washing-up liquid) is the approved basic cleaning method.
• ✓Consult Pilkington's List of Approved Cleaning Agents before using any proprietary cleaner.
• ✕Abrasive materials must never be used on the coating surface.
• ✓The coating requires activation after installation - five to seven days of direct sunlight before it becomes fully functional.
• ✓The coating handles organic dirt only - inorganic deposits like salt, mineral dust, and heavy tree sap require manual cleaning.

Silicone Compatibility (Critical)

• ✕All glazing systems using silicone-lubricated gaskets are incompatible with Pilkington Activ.
• ✓Many silicone-based rubber gaskets also interfere with the coating.
• ✓Silicone contamination creates picture framing - a hydrophobic border around the glass edge where the coating stops working.
• ✓Once silicone is removed, the Activ coating resumes normal function - but silicone is extremely difficult to remove effectively.

Standard Pilkington Glass (Non-Activ)

• ✓Clean with a clean cloth and a clear non-abrasive cleaner.
• ✓Soap water or a proprietary window cleaner both suitable.
• ✓Do not use abrasive materials on any coated glass surface.
• ✓Clean glass as soon as possible after construction to prevent bonding of cement dust, plaster, or paint.

Step 2 of 2: The Orloffs Protocol

The Orloffs Protocol

Pro Tools

My daily tool list. This is what I carry to every job.

Follow these steps in order. Each one builds on the last. This is the same sequence I use on every Pilkington installation.

1. 1

   Preparation -- before any water touches the glass

   Fill the bucket with at least 10 litres of water. Add soap for cleaning power -- enough to cut through environmental deposits, not so much you are fighting foam.

   Before touching the glass, brush down the surface to remove loose dust, spiderwebs, and debris. Any grit left on the glass during the wash phase risks scratching during agitation.

   Check the glass frame condition before you start. Confirm which cleaning product is safe for that surface before opening any bottle.

   Cover anything below the windows that cannot be moved.

2. 2

   Agitation -- apply and work the solution

   Dip the microfiber T-bar completely into the soap water, both sides. Remove excess water with your hand so it does not drip. Apply the solution across the entire glass surface with overlapping passes.

   The goal is to fully dissolve and release every deposit from the glass surface. Anything not released during agitation gets transported across the glass by the squeegee as a smear.

   For stubborn spots -- insect marks, salt residue, environmental deposits -- re-apply soap water and allow it to soak for a full minute before agitating again. Use more soap water, not more pressure.

   For panels above arm reach: attach the T-bar to an extension pole. Work in sections -- top first, then middle, then bottom -- keeping each section wet until you squeegee it.

   Rinse the T-bar cover regularly during the job. A dirty applicator causes microscopic scratches that accumulate over time.

3. 3

   Detail the frame edge before squeegeeing

   Use your 100% cotton towelling rag, finger pressed into the fabric, to work into every junction and remove pooled soap water before the squeegee pass.

   This prevents drips running down onto already-cleaned areas during squeegeeing and keeps soap water out of drainage channels.

   On Pilkington glass frames, pay particular attention to the bottom edge where glass meets the frame sill -- water pooled here runs into drainage openings and leaves residue over time.

4. 4

   The squeegee

   Tilt the squeegee at a slight angle so soap water spills from one side of the channel only -- not both. If the rubber is jumping or squeaking, either the rubber is not lubricated enough or the glass surface has warmed.

   Cutting in: start with the rubber blade making first contact on a dry edge of the glass.

   Side to side: horizontal passes across the panel. Works well on wide sections. Top to bottom: vertical passes down the panel. Works well on tall narrow sections.

   The J tune: one smooth unbroken motion top to bottom, wrist rotating at each end to reverse without lifting the rubber. The most efficient method on larger panels -- but it requires training before applying it to premium glass.

   Wipe the rubber dry after every pass. Overlap each stroke by 2-3 cm.

5. 5

   Final edge detailing

   After squeegeeing, there is always a residual line of water along the bottom edge and at the panel sides. Take a dry cotton rag, fold to a clean corner, and detail these edges in one smooth pass.

   On Pilkington frames, the bottom edge where glass meets the sill requires the most careful attention. Water left here runs into drainage and leaves residue that affects the next clean.

   Rotate the rag to a clean section after every pass. If the rag picks up grit at any point, replace it immediately.

6. 6

   Frame wipe and hardware check

   On glass from Pilkington: use pH-neutral solution only on all coated surfaces. Any coating damage -- Low-E, self-cleaning, solar control -- is permanent and the unit must be replaced.

   Check that all drainage openings are clear and unobstructed. Water must be able to flow freely -- a blocked channel leads to accumulation that affects seal performance over time.

   Operate every opening window through its full range. Stiff handles or resistance at locking points indicate hardware that needs lubrication. Flag it to the owner rather than forcing it.

Pro Tips

• ★ Identify the glass before you clean - Activ self-cleaning glass requires silicone-free tools and products throughout.
• ★ On Activ glass, use more soap water and more time, not more pressure. The coating is 15 nanometres thick.
• ★ Pre-brush the glass surface to remove loose grit before the T-bar touches it - grit trapped in the microfibre scratches coatings.
• ★ Never use silicone-containing products on or near Pilkington Activ glass - silicone masks the self-cleaning function.
• ★ Never clean in direct sunlight - on Activ glass, UV-heated surfaces accelerate the photocatalytic reaction against your soap water.

What NOT To Do

Bundle Kits and Tool Recommendations

Cleaning Frequency

Standard coated glass: 2x per year minimum (Spring and autumn.). Pilkington Activ self-cleaning glass: Inspect every 3-4 months (Clean manually during extended dry spells or when inorganic deposits accumulate.). After construction work: Immediately (Cement dust, plaster, and paint bond to coated glass rapidly and the Activ coating cannot break down inorganic material.). After salt exposure: Clean promptly (Salt is inorganic and will not be removed by the self-cleaning function.). Gasket-glass junctions on Activ installations: Every clean (Inspect for signs of silicone migration or picture framing.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Field Notes

“Standard coated glass: 2x per year minimum, spring and autumn. Pilkington Activ self-cleaning glass: inspect every 3-4 months, clean manually during dry spells. After construction: clean immediately - cement dust and plaster bond rapidly to coated glass. After salt exposure: clean promptly - the self-cleaning coating cannot handle inorganic deposits. Frames and hardware: follow the window manufacturer's schedule - Pilkington supplies glass only.”

Justin Orloff