Get listed in the Spick and Span Directory

Window Cleaning Issues - Canvassing, pole systems, pricing, problems, etc.

Your views appreciated

Posted by gsijim (gsijim), 5 October 2003
Hi there, looking for some help from you experts!
I live in a victorian terrace that has poor access for the rear of the house and have had trouble, as do all of the neighbours, in getting and keeping a window cleaner. Have decided that the only way forward is to do it myself.
I want to buy some poles to make the job much easy but don't know what to get. I don't want a water fed system and it is only a 2 storey house. I have visited various web sites and the more I look the more I get confused. I don't want to spend a fortune but don't know the complete "package" I need. Can anyone give me a specification? Apart from the poles what exactly do I need to go on the end of them? The sites I have looked at assume a fair degree of knowledge, do you need adaptors to fit the things on the end of the poles? You can see my level of understanding!! Any recommemdations of suppliers? Thanks in advance for any replies.
Posted by Majestic (Majestic), 5 October 2003
Hi gsijim
You want to go to www.window-tools.com and talk to Peter he will be able to guide you as what you need ,and you wont buy anything that you dont need Cool
Posted by karlosdaze (karlosdaze), 6 October 2003
Are you becoming a window cleaner, or is this a one off only?
Do you have sash type windows?
Posted by gsijim (gsijim), 6 October 2003
Hi Karl,
no I am not becoming a window cleaner, just want to do my own.
Yes I have sash windows and each half has 6 small panes, quite time consuming when it comes to painting!!
Posted by karlosdaze (karlosdaze), 6 October 2003
If I remember correctly, the way of doing sash's was to turn yourself round, sit on the ledge, and then pull the sash down over your knees, and clean. Make sure you have a harness attached to your waist, locked on to something more solid and heavier than your own weight, and also another safety rope as a fail-safe. When using ropes, always have another assistant near-by.
Posted by gsijim (gsijim), 6 October 2003
Well I guess that is one way of doing it!! But I was looking for any advice on using poles, what type etc and attachments needed?
Posted by karlosdaze (karlosdaze), 6 October 2003
Work out how far up it is. Go to http://www.cleantech.co.uk/  and look in specials. They have an offer on Unger poles at the moment. All top squeegee brands fit the Unger pole. If you have a ledge, you'll need a ledger mate to get over the top. Pole work takes a little time to get used to, but persistance will give you good results. Personally I like to get on a ladder for the first clean, to get all the mess off with a scraper. When using a scraper (Sharp blade in protective casing), make sure the window is always wet, and only go forward. After you have priced all this up, I'm sure a window cleaner will do it for the "right" price.

This page is a thread posted to the cleanitup forum at www.cleanitup.co.uk and archived here for reference. To jump to the archive index please follow this link.