Magnetic sponge for windows?

[Anny Middon]

Some time ago (like maybe a couple of years) I read an article in the
Chicago Tribune that mentioned a product that was basically two sponges with
magnets in them. The idea was that you could put cleaning liquid on the
sponges, put one the outside of your window and the other on the inside, and
clean both sides of the glass at once.

Well, I have old windows and deep shrubs outside them, so this sounds like
something to try. But I haven't been able to find it online or at stores.

Has anyone ever seen this product? If so, have you tried it?

TIA

Anny

[Phisherman]

I have something similar that cleans aquarium glass. It's okay, but
not a substitute for traditional scrubbing (using nylon net to remove
algae). It works better on thin glass than thick glass. And its my
guess you have double-pane windows. I found that a telescoping car
wash brush and garden hose works great for cleaning the outside of
windows. Using household ammonia will actually feed your shrubs.

On Wed, 27 Oct 2004 20:30:20 GMT, "Anny Middon"
<AnnyMiddon@hotnospammail.com> wrote:

>Some time ago (like maybe a couple of years) I read an article in the
>Chicago Tribune that mentioned a product that was basically two sponges with
>magnets in them. The idea was that you could put cleaning liquid on the
>sponges, put one the outside of your window and the other on the inside, and
>clean both sides of the glass at once.
>
>Well, I have old windows and deep shrubs outside them, so this sounds like
>something to try. But I haven't been able to find it online or at stores.
>
>Has anyone ever seen this product? If so, have you tried it?
>
>TIA
>
>Anny
>

[av]

I'm in Australia so the brand would be different and I don't know
if they are made nowadays, but yes, I bought exactly what you are
referring to, but probably more than 20 years ago. They did have
a magnet inside each sponge and each sponge also had window wiper
so as to wipe the window clean as they washed. I bought it when
I lived in a fifteen storey flat and there was no balcony outside
my bedroom window. They includ a string that you kept inside the
window so that you could always pull the outside sponge back
inside, and not let it fall. I didn't use them more than once or
twice but I rememebered that they worked very well, which
surprised me.

If I were you, I'd look up in your local business telephone
directory under industrial cleaners or industrial cleaning
products.

.... Took a break from writing this to enter the words "window
sponge magnet" into Google search and it brought up some links
including this one which the exact same one that I bought. In
this ad, it reminds me that mine, too, were called "Window Mate".
I'll paste the link here:

http://www.megashopper.co.za/products.cfm?number=39703&site=3


The next link seems to be the page about this product from the
company that manufactures it:

http://www.verimark.co.za/Product.asp?Cat=6&Prod=41

(Both those sites are in South Africa website) But mine went by
the same name so perhaps it does in other countries as well.

Another link that Google brought up was for a different brand of
the same type of thing:

http://my.ecplaza.net/fineinc/1.asp#One

As I said, I'd check with cleaning companies or manufacturers in
your state or country or else email these sites to find out if
they ship to retail outlets near you.

Or, of coure, check whatever search engine will help you find the
same there.

All the best,

avril









"Anny Middon" <AnnyMiddon@hotnospammail.com> wrote in message
news:wzTfd.17017$5b1.11047@newssvr17.news.prodigy. com...
> Some time ago (like maybe a couple of years) I read an article
in the
> Chicago Tribune that mentioned a product that was basically two
sponges with
> magnets in them. The idea was that you could put cleaning
liquid on the
> sponges, put one the outside of your window and the other on
the inside, and
> clean both sides of the glass at once.
>
> Well, I have old windows and deep shrubs outside them, so this
sounds like
> something to try. But I haven't been able to find it online or
at stores.
>
> Has anyone ever seen this product? If so, have you tried it?
>
> TIA
>
> Anny
>
>

[Anny Middon]

Thanks, Av!

I did find the Verimark one (after posting) but was unable to find a USA
distributor through Google. The other one is Korean, and the company is
apparently looking for distributors. Which maybe means that their product
will become available here someday.

Sounds like a nifty product, and with all us Baby Boomers aging and not
wanting to do ladders anymore, you'd think there would be a real market.

Anyone here try that Windex product you attach to your hose for cleaning the
outside of windows? I tried it when it came out and thought it didn't work
very well, but maybe they've changed the formula.

Anny

"av" <PeaceAndStillness@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4180f2a8$0$22631$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.a u...
> I'm in Australia so the brand would be different and I don't know
> if they are made nowadays, but yes, I bought exactly what you are
> referring to, but probably more than 20 years ago. They did have
> a magnet inside each sponge and each sponge also had window wiper
> so as to wipe the window clean as they washed. I bought it when
> I lived in a fifteen storey flat and there was no balcony outside
> my bedroom window. They includ a string that you kept inside the
> window so that you could always pull the outside sponge back
> inside, and not let it fall. I didn't use them more than once or
> twice but I rememebered that they worked very well, which
> surprised me.
>
> If I were you, I'd look up in your local business telephone
> directory under industrial cleaners or industrial cleaning
> products.
>
> ... Took a break from writing this to enter the words "window
> sponge magnet" into Google search and it brought up some links
> including this one which the exact same one that I bought. In
> this ad, it reminds me that mine, too, were called "Window Mate".
> I'll paste the link here:
>
> http://www.megashopper.co.za/products.cfm?number=39703&site=3
>
>
> The next link seems to be the page about this product from the
> company that manufactures it:
>
> http://www.verimark.co.za/Product.asp?Cat=6&Prod=41
>
> (Both those sites are in South Africa website) But mine went by
> the same name so perhaps it does in other countries as well.
>
> Another link that Google brought up was for a different brand of
> the same type of thing:
>
> http://my.ecplaza.net/fineinc/1.asp#One
>
> As I said, I'd check with cleaning companies or manufacturers in
> your state or country or else email these sites to find out if
> they ship to retail outlets near you.
>
> Or, of coure, check whatever search engine will help you find the
> same there.
>
> All the best,
>
> avril
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> "Anny Middon" <AnnyMiddon@hotnospammail.com> wrote in message
> news:wzTfd.17017$5b1.11047@newssvr17.news.prodigy. com...
> > Some time ago (like maybe a couple of years) I read an article
> in the
> > Chicago Tribune that mentioned a product that was basically two
> sponges with
> > magnets in them. The idea was that you could put cleaning
> liquid on the
> > sponges, put one the outside of your window and the other on
> the inside, and
> > clean both sides of the glass at once.
> >
> > Well, I have old windows and deep shrubs outside them, so this
> sounds like
> > something to try. But I haven't been able to find it online or
> at stores.
> >
> > Has anyone ever seen this product? If so, have you tried it?
> >
> > TIA
> >
> > Anny
> >
> >
>
>

[Tom Miller]

On Wed, 27 Oct 2004 20:30:20 GMT, "Anny Middon"
<AnnyMiddon@hotnospammail.com> wrote:

> | Some time ago (like maybe a couple of years) I read an article in the
> | Chicago Tribune that mentioned a product that was basically two sponges with
> | magnets in them. The idea was that you could put cleaning liquid on the
> | sponges, put one the outside of your window and the other on the inside, and
> | clean both sides of the glass at once.
> |
> | Well, I have old windows and deep shrubs outside them, so this sounds like
> | something to try. But I haven't been able to find it online or at stores.
> |
> | Has anyone ever seen this product? If so, have you tried it?
> |
> | TIA
> |
> | Anny
> |
> |

I had one of these cleaning systems many years ago when I lived in a
penthouse apartment. I found that they worked poorly. The magnets
weren't strong enough to put much pressure on the sponge on the
outside of the glass, so all but the mildest dirt and grime stayed on.
And the outside one kept falling off, so you had to drag it back in
with the safety string and start again. They were also way too small
to cover much area, so it was a great deal of effort to clean a large
window. You had to keep hauling in the sponge to load it up with
whatever you were using as glass cleaner.

I admit, however, that these were large picture windows, nearly
floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall, and made of very thick glass to
withstand the gales that sometimes came blowing up and down the Hudson
River. The magnest might hold better on regular home window glass, and
they would be smaller, of course. Also, the urban grime of a city
environment was much more than you might get in the suburbs.