Window Cleaning Issues - Canvassing, pole systems, pricing, problems, etc.
Are we making our days work more complicated?Posted by shinnyshinner (shinnyshinner), 14 November 2003
What ever happened with the days when you get up grab your work, bucket of equipment stick abit of fairy in it do a days work with out worrying about what liquid to buy, what water system to buy etc. etc.
Are we making are days work more complicated then we have too.
Are we driven by technology.
Does it always work?
Are they as good as the marketing people sell them as?
What do you people think
Cheers AlanPosted by samm (samm), 14 November 2003
I have to agree alan, fair enough if it works for others but; squeegees, ladders and fairy work best for me.
At the end of the day what matters is a clean window and proffessional approach.
samPosted by STEVE71163 (Steve Lowe), 14 November 2003
Hi Alan,
I agree with you but i guess this is what the window cleaners said when the squeegee first came out and look at how much quicker that is 
Steve Posted by sham33 (sham33), 14 November 2003
I guess we are looking for the fastest way to clean windows to a high level to make the most money. Posted by shinnyshinner (shinnyshinner), 14 November 2003
Hi samm. Steve. Sham,
Even though we are looking to make are days work easyer and quicker do you think they work.
I got the winspray a while ago and is good for wash downs, conservatory roof cleans etc, But I find these can make more work take washing window frames if you use a water gun it soaks everything and takes quite a bit of drying I find using a couple of floor cloths or scrims just as easy and your not drowning everything.
What do you think.
Alan Posted by sham33 (sham33), 15 November 2003
I normally try most new things, not pure water systems though, too costly. At the end of the day i always think Fairy and a squeegee is all u really need, and some scrim.
I've been using GG4 for the past 3 months. Its nearly run out and in not too sure if im going to get some more. Its great for not having to wipe the sills but its easy to leave some on the windows as you cant see the suds.
So i'll probably be back to the way i was when i started 10 years ago soon 
Posted by g_griffin (g_griffin), 16 November 2003
I worked Saturday morning and used just Fairy and it was the first stress free days window cleaning I`ve had in months. Admittedly there was more mopping up but I wasn`t constantly looking up at windows I`d done for smears,stop lines and bits I`d missed and my squeegee action was much quicker. I`m still willing to try things to make my job easier or more profitable but they won`t get the time and effort gg4 got if I`m not happy. It also seems that a lot of us are experiencing the same problems ie. bits missed,sticking squeegee and its use in strong sunlight so it can`t be down to each individuals errors. There is less mopping up with gg4 than Fairy but I think this is due (PARTLY) because the Fairy suds left on the sill are white(and thicker,I know) and so more visible to the customer. But give me more wiping up and a cleaner window any day. IT`S THE RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL SUDS. Gerry. Posted by sham33 (sham33), 16 November 2003
yep i helped out my m8 the other day, he was using fairy and i felt more relaxed using it. I've given GG4 3 months of my time but im not ordering anymore.Posted by fez (fez), 16 November 2003
on 11/16/03 at 13:43:27, g_griffin wrote:I worked Saturday morning and used just Fairy and it was the first stress free days window cleaning I`ve had in months. Admittedly there was more mopping up but I wasn`t constantly looking up at windows I`d done for smears,stop lines and bits I`d missed and my squeegee action was much quicker. I`m still willing to try things to make my job easier or more profitable but they won`t get the time and effort gg4 got if I`m not happy. It also seems that a lot of us are experiencing the same problems ie. bits missed,sticking squeegee and its use in strong sunlight so it can`t be down to each individuals errors. There is less mopping up with gg4 than Fairy but I think this is due (PARTLY) because the Fairy suds left on the sill are white(and thicker,I know) and so more visible to the customer. But give me more wiping up and a cleaner window any day. IT`S THE RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL SUDS. Gerry.
Thankyou for posting that, it makes me feel better that I'm not the only one. I've really tried my best to persevere with GG3 but I feel that I'm in the same boat, constantly having to re-check my work for anything that I've missed. I think that it's cost me a lot of hours of my time. 
I was thinking that I must be doing something wrong after constantly reading on this forum that some users didn't have to detail at all! I think I'll have a week on the Fairy and then decide what to do (I've still got a full bottle of GG3). 
Posted by peterf (peterf), 16 November 2003
Unlike the USA where gg3 and gg4 is made, our windows here are being cleaned on a more regular basis. Instead of fortnightly or monthly, residential window in the USA are mostly cleaned 3 monthly. The gg's have chemicals to shift more stubborn dirt - try cleaning insides of a pub window with both to see what I mean - Here we very seldom need the extra cleaning power, all we need is a bit of glide for our squeegee.
Lot’s of window cleaners here and in the USA, add a little dish soap to the gg's to give it that extra bit of glide, and if you do you are loosing the benefits of using it in the first place.
When I did have some that I got as a sample years ago, I added a little in my bucket when I came across really dirty windows, like pub insides.
Peter FogwillPosted by g_griffin (g_griffin), 17 November 2003
Hi Peter, when you say adding dish soap to gg4 loses the benefits of it, do you mean it reduces cleaning power or the mopping up and detailing bit is negated? Do you use gg4 only on really dirty windows and if so what do you use mainly? Cheers. Gerry.Posted by peterf (peterf), 17 November 2003
Gerry, I don't use it at all now, I only used it when I had a free sample. I use Fairy.
The main benefits apart from extra cleaning power is the fact that the window stays wetter longer, and you are supposed to get less bleed back on to the glass after squeegeeing, it is not supposed to leave the film on the glass that the dish soap leaves either. When you add the dish soap you get more glide, but I dont suppose the other qualities remain.
When we use a substance in our water it is not to clean the window, it is to make squeegeeing easy, give it glide. I have personally dipped my applicator in a dirty puddle in an emergency, to get that last couple of windows done on a roof for example. These windows were left just as clean as all the rest. It was the remaining dish soap left in my applicator mixed with the dirty water that enabled me to leave these windows clean.
I found gg3 to have the same effect as using water straight out the tap when cleaning regularly cleaned windows. When having to deal with really stubborn stuff on the glass such as smoke on the insides of pubs, I found it to cut through it easier.
What I would recommend to do with it now is mix some up in a spray bottle, and take it with you when needed.
Peter FogwillPosted by g_griffin (g_griffin), 17 November 2003
Peter, I use gg4 in a small spray bottle for leads and leaded lights,then mop and scrim and find its excellent but couldn`t master it with a squeegee. I suppose I could spray dirtier windows first then do as normal using fairy(on windows without lead). I`ll probably do this until it runs out but it`s a bit expensive to use as an additonal solution so I won`t buy anymore. I agree with you about Fairy and better glide because I`ve tried Unger`s liquid and couldn`t get used to that either.Washing up liquid gives me the best glide. Gerry. Posted by g_griffin (g_griffin), 16 December 2003
!on 11/14/03 at 19:42:54, shinnyshinner wrote:What ever happened with the days when you get up grab your work, bucket of equipment stick abit of fairy in it do a days work with out worrying about what liquid to buy, what water system to buy etc. etc.
Are we making are days work more complicated then we have too.
Are we driven by technology.
Does it always work?
Are they as good as the marketing people sell them as?
What do you people think
Cheers Alan
.
RO unit?
DI unit?
10 ppm?
TDS meter?
YES WE ARE!
Gerry.Posted by jonesy5 (jonesy5), 16 December 2003
i have 2 friends who are also window cleaners a bit older than me both in there 50s. they just cant get used to using fairy they always use a bucket of water (changed every other house!!) 
they happy to earn £10 an hour if they lucky, now washing up liquid and modern cleaners earn between £15 upwards but there is a limit.
if we want good money you either need staff or a machine, then you need good bookkeeping skills. so like everything in life the easier something is the less pay ! and vice versa decisions decisions decisionsPosted by pw (paul w), 16 December 2003
has any one tried sunlight washing up liquid i find it ok its about £4 a gal [cash n carry]........paulPosted by Smithcleaning (Smithcleaning), 12 January 2004
Yes, but there's always someone who's got to make a simple job complicated. I've been working nearly 18 years and making a good living with my double 3m ladder and a 2m pointer, buckets, Fairy Liquid and exclusively Ettore kit. It looks basic, and it is, but my customers like the results and the prices si I'm happy too. I see blokes with cars/trailers/hoses, printed shirts, you name it and their net income is less than mine because of massive overheads. They're losing work with the wps due to it all being soaking wet, hoses taking flower heads off in the gardens etc. and all the fuss and bother and I'm adding it to my round! Keep it simple, be pleasant to the sutomers and always do a top job, wipe cills, close gates behind you and you'll never be short of work.
Andrew
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