[kikjason]

First job today a block of retirement flats.. Been doing these for years... Last a couple of times I did this there was something all over the bottom flats windows..first I thought it was tree pollen.. Couldn't get it off the windows.. Wfp or trad wouldn't shift it.. Last time cleaned I worked it out it was fat.. Got old lady to boil me kettle and washed it with fairy a few times and left it to soak.. Eventually got most of it off.. Turns up this morning same again.. Found out owners of the top flats letting his son and his mates live there and there chucking there cooking fat out of windows and winds blowing all over the windows the little f####rs.. What's up with people today? Why would you do that.. Its gonna be impossible to get it off some of the middle floor flats windows.. No chance with just wfp.. To high for ladders.. That's my moan for tday

[dazmond]

Neat virosol and hot water will get it off...

[Soupy]

Charge accordingly. Not your fault is it?

[paul alan]

Grass em up!

[Marc Stock]

Bio washing powder in a bucket with some water. Brush it on and wash off.

[The Jester of Wibbly]

Just drop a huge invoice through the buggers letterbox.  Then a Thomas Higgins letter if not paid.  They wont do it again then 

[Slacky]

Yup virosol will get that off

[Shrek]

Thing is - virosol may get it off but you don’t want the hassle every time you turn up . You need to solve the problem, speak to the landlord or whoever pays you and complain otherwise you might cleaning cooking fat off the windows for the rest of your life!

[Slacky]

Very true.

[Windy Miller]

Lazy so and so's 

What condition is your brush in after dealing with it? Surely it's contaminating your brush and subsequent work if not properly washed? Bill them for a new one while you're at it!

[kikjason]

Didnt even try to get it off with my brush today.. I knew it wouldn't shift it.. I haven't got hot water system... I don't clean the flat what's chucked the fat out.. My customers had words with there landlord but obviously saying its not them.. Its amazing how its on middle flats and ground floor flats windows 😀they must be cooking a full pig for how much fats on windows

[Johnny B]

I used to clean a takeaway on which I suspected that the owner was deliberately smearing chip fat on one of the windows. None of the others were affected except the one (a small opener above the door).

It took 20 minutes of scraping and repeated washing to get it off, only to have it happen the next time, and the time after. After 3 visits and fruitless telling the owner of the issue, I walked away.

John

[Pete Thompson]

That’s incredible!

As a matter of policy, if straightforward water fed pole can’t clean something, then it doesn’t get cleaned.

Had an idiot building manager ask me to clean what looked like cement and some sort of silicone off windows once. I told him that’s not “cleaning”, that’s “restoration” which I’m not insured for.

[John Mart]

That’s incredible!

As a matter of policy, if straightforward water fed pole can’t clean something, then it doesn’t get cleaned.

Had an idiot building manager ask me to clean what looked like cement and some sort of silicone off windows once. I told him that’s not “cleaning”, that’s “restoration” which I’m not insured for.

That’s pretty much my policy too. Certainly on run of the mill work. I wouldn’t attempt to remove the fat described above.

[Soupy]

That’s incredible!

As a matter of policy, if straightforward water fed pole can’t clean something, then it doesn’t get cleaned.

Had an idiot building manager ask me to clean what looked like cement and some sort of silicone off windows once. I told him that’s not “cleaning”, that’s “restoration” which I’m not insured for.

That’s pretty much my policy too. Certainly on run of the mill work. I wouldn’t attempt to remove the fat described above.

I would. I'd clean off silicone and cement too.

I'd charge for it though...

[John Mart]

That’s incredible!

As a matter of policy, if straightforward water fed pole can’t clean something, then it doesn’t get cleaned.

Had an idiot building manager ask me to clean what looked like cement and some sort of silicone off windows once. I told him that’s not “cleaning”, that’s “restoration” which I’m not insured for.

That’s pretty much my policy too. Certainly on run of the mill work. I wouldn’t attempt to remove the fat described above.

I would. I'd clean off silicone and cement too.

I'd charge for it though...

Do you go out and quote? I wouldn't bother and therefore wouldn't have a clue how much to charge and if one of your guys is there on the day and is confronted with it, what then? For me it's much easier to just not do it. People often think you should just clean it anyway as that's what they pay you for! So the idea of paying extra often won't go down well. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

[alank]

I would have photographed it and sent it to the bill payer with the price to clean and if it happens again either charge the new price and carry on or dump

[Soupy]

That’s incredible!

As a matter of policy, if straightforward water fed pole can’t clean something, then it doesn’t get cleaned.

Had an idiot building manager ask me to clean what looked like cement and some sort of silicone off windows once. I told him that’s not “cleaning”, that’s “restoration” which I’m not insured for.

That’s pretty much my policy too. Certainly on run of the mill work. I wouldn’t attempt to remove the fat described above.

I would. I'd clean off silicone and cement too.

I'd charge for it though...

Do you go out and quote? I wouldn't bother and therefore wouldn't have a clue how much to charge and if one of your guys is there on the day and is confronted with it, what then? For me it's much easier to just not do it. People often think you should just clean it anyway as that's what they pay you for! So the idea of paying extra often won't go down well. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Dear customer, we never cleaned your windows today because xxxxx If you'd like us to remove xxxxx it'll cost £££

Thanks

[John Mart]

That’s incredible!

As a matter of policy, if straightforward water fed pole can’t clean something, then it doesn’t get cleaned.

Had an idiot building manager ask me to clean what looked like cement and some sort of silicone off windows once. I told him that’s not “cleaning”, that’s “restoration” which I’m not insured for.

That’s pretty much my policy too. Certainly on run of the mill work. I wouldn’t attempt to remove the fat described above.

I would. I'd clean off silicone and cement too.

I'd charge for it though...

Do you go out and quote? I wouldn't bother and therefore wouldn't have a clue how much to charge and if one of your guys is there on the day and is confronted with it, what then? For me it's much easier to just not do it. People often think you should just clean it anyway as that's what they pay you for! So the idea of paying extra often won't go down well. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Dear customer, we never cleaned your windows today because xxxxx If you'd like us to remove xxxxx it'll cost £££

Thanks

Yep, that might work, but the van's down on the day. Either way you've likely got an irritated customer so lose, lose. 

[Soupy]

Yep, that might work, but the van's down on the day. Either way you've likely got an irritated customer so lose, lose. 

So what do you do? Just tell them you're incapable of cleaning it, they'll need to do it themselves or get a proper window cleaner?

[John Mart]

Yep, that might work, but the van's down on the day. Either way you've likely got an irritated customer so lose, lose. 

So what do you do? Just tell them you're incapable of cleaning it, they'll need to do it themselves or get a proper window cleaner?

I certainly wouldn't be attempting to remove fat as described in the op. Limescale we would, paint splashes too, but not concrete for example. If I don't know how long something will take I'm not interested. And I certainly wouldn't go out to have a look.

[Soupy]

Yep, that might work, but the van's down on the day. Either way you've likely got an irritated customer so lose, lose. 

So what do you do? Just tell them you're incapable of cleaning it, they'll need to do it themselves or get a proper window cleaner?

I certainly wouldn't be attempting to remove fat as described in the op. Limescale we would, paint splashes too, but not concrete for example. If I don't know how long something will take I'm not interested. And I certainly wouldn't go out to have a look.

Go out to have a look? But you're there?? Otherwise how would you know?

[John Mart]

Yep, that might work, but the van's down on the day. Either way you've likely got an irritated customer so lose, lose. 

So what do you do? Just tell them you're incapable of cleaning it, they'll need to do it themselves or get a proper window cleaner?

I certainly wouldn't be attempting to remove fat as described in the op. Limescale we would, paint splashes too, but not concrete for example. If I don't know how long something will take I'm not interested. And I certainly wouldn't go out to have a look.

Go out to have a look? But you're there?? Otherwise how would you know?

Not usually - neither are you.

[Soupy]

Yep, that might work, but the van's down on the day. Either way you've likely got an irritated customer so lose, lose. 

So what do you do? Just tell them you're incapable of cleaning it, they'll need to do it themselves or get a proper window cleaner?

I certainly wouldn't be attempting to remove fat as described in the op. Limescale we would, paint splashes too, but not concrete for example. If I don't know how long something will take I'm not interested. And I certainly wouldn't go out to have a look.

Go out to have a look? But you're there?? Otherwise how would you know?

Not usually - neither are you.

Never, but I've long since trained all my lads how to price a job.

[John Mart]

Yep, that might work, but the van's down on the day. Either way you've likely got an irritated customer so lose, lose. 

So what do you do? Just tell them you're incapable of cleaning it, they'll need to do it themselves or get a proper window cleaner?

I certainly wouldn't be attempting to remove fat as described in the op. Limescale we would, paint splashes too, but not concrete for example. If I don't know how long something will take I'm not interested. And I certainly wouldn't go out to have a look.

Go out to have a look? But you're there?? Otherwise how would you know?

Not usually - neither are you.

Never, but I've long since trained all my lads how to price a job.

Well if they've the experience to know how long it will take to remove first floor windows splattered with fat then they're better trained than me. I wouldn't have a clue. It's one of those impossible ones in my experience. The customer thinks you should just do it anyway, but if you quote £30 to do it, they'll just get someone who'll do it for nothing. Plenty around. I find it's easier to say we don't do it. There's no right answer though. Each to their own.

[Soupy]

Well if they've the experience to know how long it will take to remove first floor windows splattered with fat then they're better trained than me. I wouldn't have a clue. It's one of those impossible ones in my experience. The customer thinks you should just do it anyway, but if you quote £30 to do it, they'll just get someone who'll do it for nothing. Plenty around. I find it's easier to say we don't do it. There's no right answer though. Each to their own.

They're certainly better positioned to price that than me.

It's always a bit of a punt with jobs like that sometimes you get it spot on, other times not so much. If they turn you down then fair enough, it's got to be better than "I'm not capable, sorry".

BTW £30 isn't enough. Probably.