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FREE - A Woman’s View: Professional Window Cleaning part 6 - Ladders

A Woman’s View: Professional Window Cleaning Part 

Written by: Judy Suval
Contributed & Edited by:Cleaning Solutions Magazine

Window Cleaning ladders are slowly becoming like the VCR, you still need them but only if you have not updated your equipment. We are see a total over haul of the window cleaning ladder work industry with the improvements of the WFP (WATER FED POLES). These poles are just what they sound like, the difference is they use pure water to clean the glass and you don’t need a squeegee. This is where the large invest is but when you take into consideration the time savings and safety of cleaning the windows from the ground you will quickly see why they are starting to be as essential part of you window cleaning tools.

Ladders

My first ladder was a wooden eight-foot ladder with three legs. I recommend this type over the conventional four-legged ladder because of its stability on uneven ground. Orchard ladders come in aluminum which is much lighter than wood.

My second ladder was a 24 foot heavy-duty construction aluminum extension ladder. Be sure you buy one that is very stable. I designed a sleeve cap (cut from the sleeves of a sweatshirt) to go over the top of the extended portion of the ladder to prevent marring walls. You could use cotton gloves or socks for the same purpose. For one of my commercial accounts, I made a wooden block the exact size of the step. It made two steps the level of one and accommodated the ladder bottom. I stored the block at the business so it was readily available. Remember: When you’re on a ladder–don’t step back and admire your work!

Both of my ladders fit on top of the roof rack of my station wagon, the orchard on top of the extension. If you have a smaller vehicle, you can add some bracing up from the front and back bumpers to create a rack over the top. The ladders are secured to the rack with heavy duty rubber cords. They have metal “S” hooks on both ends for attachment.

There is also a Combo Ladder. The combo ladder carries like a suitcase with a handle; its OSHA-approved, safe, stable, easy to fold and lightweight. Another type of ladder made for professional window cleaners is sectional. The top piece tapers at the end for placement between windows. There are several reasons why many window cleaners use sectional ladders:

With the pointed top they are easy to set up above, below or on the window frame itself
They work well in smaller areas indoors since they don’t open up like a folding ladder
They are lightweight and maneuverable
They can be carried easily atop/in a smaller type of vehicle
Sectional ladders, however, are not much good above 25 feet or so–some state regulations even say they cannot exceed 26 feet.

A ladder stabilizer rack can be a nifty tool to improve ease and range of movement as well as safety. It holds the ladder away from the window as well as stabilizing it.

Ladder safety is very important for the window cleaner engaged in any work above the ground floor. Always follow the 25% rule–base of the ladder 5 feet out for every 20 feet high (or, out one quarter of up). In general, the feet of the ladder should never be less than 4 feet or more than 6 feet from the wall. The ladder feet should be articulated for better friction.You can also purchase ladder levelers which will keep a ladder straight even when set up on a stairway.

For heights of 40 feet or more, some cleaners prefer to use a self-propelled lift of some kind, which can be rented. Some prefer rolling scaffolds, which allow more room for equipment but are too unstable above three stories or on uneven surfaces.

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FREE - A Woman’s View: Professional Window Cleaning part 7 - Cleaning Solutions

A Woman’s View: Professional Window Cleaning Part 

Written by: Judy Suval
Contributed & Edited by:Cleaning Solutions Magazine

Window Cleaning chemicals today differ based mostly on the individual window washer.  When I started out the guy that taught me use an All Purpose cleaner, but it was $3.00 for only 16 oz. and I did not like it so I switch to what has been one closely guarded secrets in our industry… What is this top secret cleaning magical soap? Joy Dish Soap!  Yup, but if you your window cleaner you might get the common reply that is is a “special window cleaning solution”, here is a clip that catches one of our own in that little white lie… Notice his slight hesitation before he reply…

Cleaning Solutions

As with squeegees and chamois and most everything else in the trade, opinions differ as to the “best” cleaning solution. There are many “home-made” solutions, most utilizing some brand of dishwashing soap and perhaps a touch of ammonia. Some prefer vinegar to ammonia as an additive–both have strong odor potential and should probably be avoided for indoor work. Ammonia can be very hard on the hands and can be destructive to some types of window tinting and bare wood frames or sills. And many cleaners will tell you that vinegar doesn’t really clean but is just a rinsing agent.

Joy, Palmolive or Dawn are all popular dish soap detergents which work well as a cleaner. You want a mild cleaner that can be used on any surface, metal, painted or not, without harm. Many stronger cleaners will etch or discolor metal over time. A small amount is recommended–one lid or capful into a gallon of water–so as not to create too many suds. Suds can be helpful to show you where you’ve been, but too many can create bleed-back from the frames after squeegeeing.

Another cleaner commonly used by professionals is called The Pill. It’s pre-measured for use with 2 ½ gallons of water and it’s small, which makes it easy to carry and store. It has a wetting agent which makes the squeegee

Glass Gleam 3 (known as GG3) from Titan Laboratories, seems to be a favored professional window cleaning solution, available in liquid form. It is a super concentrate, so it is important you mix it only according to manufacturers instructions. GG3 is reputed to be low sudsing and have a pleasant smell. Some cleaners, however, say that it is not completely effective on oils, such as fingerprints, and can benefit from a touch of ammonia. Crystal Clear 550, by Winsol Laboratories, and Glisten, by ABC, are two other professional window cleaning solutions. Bucket in a Bottle, by Ettore, is an interesting innovation in cleansers. It is a concentrated liquid that comes with a squeeze bottle you can carry on your belt.

The solution is applied directly to the washer wand, not the glass, and this eliminates the use of a bucket as well as excess drips and spills. Some cleaners have created their own variation on this theme, using a favored solution in a sports bottle or shower gel bottle (which comes with a built in hook for your belt).

OilFlo, by Titan Laboratories, is a popular and often recommended specialty cleaner for certain problems. It is a water- soluble solvent, reportedly effective on a wide range of soils/stains such as: adhesives, asphalt, caulk, crayon, glazing putty, graffiti, magic marker, nail polish, paints (both latex and enamel), roofing tar, silicone caulking, waterproof sealers, and so on. Sorb Glide, by Sorb, makes the cleaning solution more “slippery” so that the squeegee glides more easily. M.D., Mineral Deposit Remover, by Titan laboratories, is for use in removing hard water film, water spots, lime deposits, acid rain run-off, etc.

Sometimes window cleaners find themselves working in cold weather, and the water will start to freeze. Some cleaners add various types of alcohol or other additives to prevent this. You can try automobile antifreeze, but too much can cause smearing. Another possibility is windshield washing solutions, which are made so that they will not freeze in the winter. Polypropylene glycol is sold undiluted in gallon jugs as an antifreeze for mobile home water systems.

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FREE - A Woman’s View: Professional Window Cleaning part 5

A Woman’s View: Professional Window Cleaning Part 

Written by: Judy Suval
Contributed & Edited by:Cleaning Solutions Magazine

Window Cleaning Equipment is all about getting to the window the fastest and most effective way.  Years ago guys would walk around with heavy wooden window frame ladders (ladders that came to a point at the top). They would also use a wooden broom stick for their squeegee.  Well we have come a long way. The telescoping pole is a sectional pole that can reach your basic ground floor out of hand reach window or clean the glass of a three story building with out the use of a ladder…  I did Kiss 108 Radio station in Boston that way a number of times 10 years ago… Today i would just use a WFP to get it done… but we will talk about WFP’s latter.  Here is Judy’s review of the poles as she seen it 10 years ago.

Telescoping Extension Pole

The extension pole can be useful in reaching windows on the second or perhaps third story without having to resort to a ladder–but beyond that it is not very effective. It consists of telescoping interlocking sections of tapered and usually aluminum tubing to which you attach your strip washer and then your squeegee and basically clean in the same manner just further from your hands. This is of course harder on the arms and shoulders, and is often an awkward operation. Some cleaners have suggested using a swivel and lock type strip washer, tilting it vertically, and then washing the window with back and forth (horizontal) motions rather than up and down ones. This is much easier on the arms and also doesn’t wet the upper window frame as much.

Poling on high inset windows often requires a tool called a ledger, which is an angled extension to which you can attach the strip washer and squeegee in order to get all the way to the bottom of the window. My main use for the pole was for large storefront windows, which couldn’t be laddered, and for extending above the ladder. The poles come in many lengths from 8 feet to 27 feet extended. Most popular is the 12 foot extended. Also available for the pole is a clamp that can hold sponges, towels, chamois or steel wool. Some companies offer adapters for their poles that enable the user, among other things, to change various sizes of light bulbs. These poles are great for paint rollers, too!

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