Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Morph on May 05, 2006, 11:53:33 pm
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I did a couple of jobs today, windows probably haven't been cleaned for 3 months, maybe more. Did them wfp, because of the hot day they were dry almost by the time I finished.
Customer wasn't bothered, but I was. Spots all over them! I had rinsed them thoroughly, in fact drowned them, as I had plenty of water left over.
Very disappointed with results. In fact went round wiping them clean.
Any Tips?
I don't want to be doing that again :-[
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I struggled a bit today on some tinted upvc's in the sun.
It was a nightmare trying to wipe the edges, as they dried so quick.
I must admit I thought to myself that wfp wouldn't work too well either. ???
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Shame we're not stock brokers eh?
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Use plenty of water when washing it helps to cool the glass down then you shouldn't have many problems.
Paul
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I know its a bit time consuming but I have finished a job and checked my work, when I have noticed the windows are badly spotted I go back and just rinse, this seems to work, have not had any complaints yet, touch wood
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WFPing in hot direct sunlight.
1: work very quickly.
2: Turn flow rate up a bit.
3: Wet window first to cool down slightly.
4: Treat each pane individually. Wet,wash.rinse starting from top left or right.
4: Quickly go back over the whole window and a fast soft scrub and rinse.
5 WORK QUICKLY.
Jobs a good un :)
The higher flow rate allows you to cover the surface much quicker without it drying out too quickly. You really dont use much more water at all either.
This is how we do it and it works fine for us.
Cheers
Andrew
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like point 2&3 above we give the next couple in a row a good spray of water to cool the window down then wash and rinse really well, more than the norm, thats what we do never really get any probs,i must say sometimes we do give some of the ground floor windows a quick blade off if they look like they gonna dry spotty.
Daniel
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Let's apply a bit of theory to this!
why do windows dry of with spots left?
simply the water left has still got dirt in it.
Why is that?
1. TDS too high - No, we check that - 000
2. Not rinced enough - No, we rince well after every brush on every pane
3. Rince with brush of glass* Yes, we always do that. *
SO WHY ARE THERE STILL SPOTS ON THE GLASS IN HOT WEATHER???!!!
1. When you first brush the glass is so dry a simply brushing does not soak all of the dirt.
Soak the window first then quickly brush a bit more than normal.
2. After brushing the window dries before you have chance to rince.
Use a higher flow rate - more water. Rince each pane (Georgeans) from top to bottom as you wash or wash and rince top, middle and bottom of large panes.
I've come up with the same conclusions as Andrew - just added a bit of theory as to why we need to do these things - I find that if we understand why some thing is wrong we can usually come up with a simply solution.
NOTE THE *
BOG BOG Brush Of Gass.
I had the problem of spots left and I realised I was rincing with the brush ON the glass. As I do sills with the brush, it isn't all that clean when I brush the windows so obviousley if I rince with it ON the glass it will leave dirty water - DER!! Not very quick to learn me!!
David Salkeld
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In direct and hot sun the water can dry out faster than it can run off the glass too.
Gravity doesn't have quite enough time to do its work.
I'm going to do a post about the last house I cleaned yesterday, and post a few pics too, though it is more about the speed you can work at rather than anything else.
However; as I was wandering around taking pics afterwards, and timing this and timing that, 4 or 5 of the windows that were in the direct sunlight had dried out (brown UPVC frames) so I checked them over and low and behold they had spots on them.
After several muttered swearwords I went and got my applicator and squeegee and started to go over them.
But the sun was at an angle where it was blazing full on them, and the squeegeed glass was showing kicks and lines, not excessive of course, but I could see them.
So I thought, 'Sod it >:( and quickly pulled out the pole and washed these 4 or 5 windows again with WFP (less than 2 minutes for the 5 windows by the way and I did a couple more at either side too, all in under 2 minutes)
It was my last account of the day (2.30pm but that took me to £150 so was happy to finish early) so I washed the van with my WFP to kill a couple of minutes while I waited for the windows to dry off completely.
Checked them over when they had and they had dried out perfect.
Wandered around the rest of the bungalow and they were all fine too, perfect in fact.
It was only those few that were getting the full effect of the warm sun, no doubt the brown frames also added to the heat they absorbed.
My own technique for getting around this probelm is a high flow rate (I always have one anyway) and to quickly wash the window, do a couple to the one side and then go back and do a more thorough wash.
I've found that works fine, and I never rinse with the brush OFF the glass either!
Always leave it on there but rinse with the bristle tips just touching the glass.
Works for me anyway ;)
Time taken to clean this bungalow,18 windows including a large, 10 window conservatory?
12 minutes.
plus 2 more minutes to rectify spots.
Was going time how long it took to wash and squeegee the ones with the spots for a comparison for time, but just the one window was taking way longer and the finish wasn't good enough.
Almostthe entire 50 metres of hose was needed for the whole house and from finishing the last window to closing the doors on the back of the van added 2 minutes to the job.
If I hadn't had to redo those spotty windows, the total time for the job would have been 14 minutes. with 2 minutes added on for the spotted windows.
2 minutes were required to re-clean those windows and as only about 15m of hose had to be pulled out it it took less than a minute to wind in and shut the van doors.
The 10 window conservatory took under 3 minutes, and that included frames and sills too.
I'll post pics in a different thread, but as I mentioned it, I thought I would give an outline in this thread anyway.
Ian
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The last few days i wouldnt have been able to manage without my sunglasses on wfp'ing in the hot sun. 8)
Another essential piece of kit 8) 8)
Brett
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It was my last account of the day (2.30pm but that took me to £150 so was happy to finish early)
i have well priced jobs (not being bigheaded, just pointing it out) i do mainly domestic stuff
i am still not getting close to 150 quid a day, and thats from 9 till 5
as most know, i wfp upstairs only, so i am going to be a little slower
i must be doing something wrong :-[
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It was my last account of the day (2.30pm but that took me to £150 so was happy to finish early)
i have well priced jobs (not being bigheaded, just pointing it out) i do mainly domestic stuff
i am still not getting close to 150 quid a day, and thats from 9 till 5
as most know, i wfp upstairs only, so i am going to be a little slower
i must be doing something wrong :-[
Matt,
Sometimes on these forums you get the feeling everyone is doing far better than yourself.
One of my favorate days is cleaning two rows of terraced houses; 23 properties; pretty much all next door to each other.
I charge each one £7.00 each (apart from two with small conservatories; they're a tenner each) and can knock it out in a single day by myself with a WFP. The backpack is ideal because many of the rears have long gardens that would be a pain to run a hose up; some parking issues too.
I only have around five ladder climbs (flat roofs or awkward access around the rear).
My point is, each job may not be well priced, but it's compact and simple to do.
How compact is your round, because working from 9 to 5 is a long old day, when you're cleaning windows?
I did that last week and it knackered me.
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Matt - 9 to 5 everyday? How many houses do you do in that time?
Yesterday I started an office block at 8:30, which I completed at 10:45. That was £100. And then I did 2 more houses which were £25 each... I was home eating lunch at 1pm!
I'm not gloating, but its all about how well your round is put together - It needs to be compact.
Maybe you should convass for some commercial stuff - that might help?
Andy
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It was my last account of the day (2.30pm but that took me to £150 so was happy to finish early)
i have well priced jobs (not being bigheaded, just pointing it out) i do mainly domestic stuff
i am still not getting close to 150 quid a day, and thats from 9 till 5
as most know, i wfp upstairs only, so i am going to be a little slower
i must be doing something wrong :-[
Matt,
Sometimes on these forums you get the feeling everyone is doing far better than yourself.
One of my favorate days is cleaning two rows of terraced houses; 23 properties; pretty much all next door to each other.
I charge each one £7.00 each (apart from two with small conservatories; they're a tenner each) and can knock it out in a single day by myself with a WFP. The backpack is ideal because many of the rears have long gardens that would be a pain to run a hose up; some parking issues too.
I only have around five ladder climbs (flat roofs or awkward access around the rear).
My point is, each job may not be well priced, but it's compact and simple to do.
How compact is your round, because working from 9 to 5 is a long old day, when you're cleaning windows?
I did that last week and it knackered me.
Tosh, thats the thing, as you know, i brought my round off a guy who was retiring (he brought it off a guy who also retired) thus the round is VERY compact, i park the car and it stays put ALL DAY, i stop for about 10 mins for a bite to eat at about 12.20 - 1.00 ish
i have raod's / streets where i do all the houses
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Matt - 9 to 5 everyday? How many houses do you do in that time?
Yesterday I started an office block at 8:30, which I completed at 10:45. That was £100. And then I did 2 more houses which were £25 each... I was home eating lunch at 1pm!
I'm not gloating, but its all about how well your round is put together - It needs to be compact.
Maybe you should convass for some commercial stuff - that might help?
Andy
see above reply to tosh, my round is VERY compact, i was lucky to buy off a guy who was about to retire (he did the same) so this round has been built up over 30 years and is great
i work 3 days a week (mon - wed), 1 day is 7 till 5 and then 2 days of 9 till 5 (the 7 start being a comercail or pub)
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Matt,
I don't know what to suggest if your prices are good and your round is compact.
Have you tried timing yourself on each part of your round, not each individual property, and then dividing the time by payment to work out an hourly rate?
This may show you some weak areas that need to be addressed.
I could be sticking my kneck out here, but if you work a hard-long day, use WFP (albiet for tops only), have well(ish) priced houses, a compact round, and live in the Southern part of the UK; you should be able to hit £150 at least.
I don't think I'm being unreasonable by stating this, however when I first started window cleaning, only a few years ago, I used to read posts like this and think 'show-off'.
Then I was knackered after £50 to £70.
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Matt,
I don't know what to suggest if your prices are good and your round is compact.
Have you tried timing yourself on each part of your round, not each individual property, and then dividing the time by payment to work out an hourly rate?
This may show you some weak areas that need to be addressed.
I could be sticking my kneck out here, but if you work a hard-long day, use WFP (albiet for tops only), have well(ish) priced houses, a compact round, and live in the Southern part of the UK; you should be able to hit £150 at least.
I don't think I'm being unreasonable by stating this, however when I first started window cleaning, only a few years ago, I used to read posts like this and think 'show-off'.
Then I was knackered after £50 to £70.
Ditto
Absolutely the same for me a normal day for me should see £150 but before wfp £70-£80 was it and hard work
Chris
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Matt
Your problem probably is that you split how you clean.
I tried splitting but found that I felt like I was doing two different jobs.
Or it could be that your prices are not as good as you thought!!
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We split how we clean.. unless its all leaded or georgian then it all get WFp'd.
Round the top with WFP the back to under the first WFP'd window and do it trad. We are around 50% faster than when we were all trad. Our pricing isnt as good as some areas.. not an affluent area and WCers coming out of our ears around here.. Please dont be offended by this Matt.. do you spend a lot of your day talking to customers? Its amazing how this can eat into your earnings. We have learned to "talk as we work". Sounds hard but it does work and the customer doesn't feel ignored.
Andrew
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Please dont be offended by this Matt.. do you spend a lot of your day talking to customers?
andrew are you trying to say i have too much to say ::) ::) ::)
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Please dont be offended by this Matt.. do you spend a lot of your day talking to customers?
seriously though, joking aside
its something i need to work on, as the round is established and normally older people, they do like to chat a bit ;)
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Thanks for advice chaps.
i'll have a chat on your threads about my problems ;D
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Thanks for advice chaps.
i'll have a chat on your threads about my problems ;D
Sorry, PJ,
I apologise for assisting this thread to go off-topic, but isn't that how 'normal' conversations go?
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Thanks for advice chaps.
i'll have a chat on your threads about my problems ;D
your problems were solved B4 i made my post, its all to do with the final rinse
now back to mine ;)
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I always lift the brush off the glass on the final rinse and just let the water jet onto the glass. I dont know if most do this.
Steve
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me too unless its 30' or more then i turn up the flow and leave it on the glass to rinse
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After several muttered swearwords I went and got my applicator and squeegee and started to go over them......etc..etc
.....Checked them over when they had and they had dried out perfect.
Co-incidence? ;)
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I have had no problems with spots on hot glass.
In fact its one of the things I like about wfp, I know how hot glass gets so I just put plenty of water on and rinse with brush on glass, no pressure on the brush, it just sits there resting on the glass.
If the glass beads, and thats were your biggest problems are going to be with spots and hot glass, as some parts of the glass are likely to be missed in the rinse so as the water dries the dirt particles present in the water are left on the glass causing spots.
After cleaning the window A monofiliment brush resting gently on the glass going from side to side thourghley in the rinseing processes with a good flow rate will cover the entire area of glass leaving no dirty water to evaporoute leaving spots.
Nel.
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Tut tut Rog,
Taking a quote and re-arranging it to agree with your own point of view.
And you may be quicker than me with an applicator and squeegee, but you are certainly not better!
Ian
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Wow. How nice to get questions answered without asking the question. :o Thanks Guys.
I'm quite new to the site but boy did it help me a lot.
Coming to the spotty window problem... It was said the windows have not been cleaned in 3 months?
I had to do a school a few weeks ago that wasn’t cleaned for 1 year. What a job.
I always make sure the customer understands how I clean the windows.
I also explain that regular cleans leave a better effect. This wash all dust out and reduce spots.
Make sure your customer knows that the first wash might leave spots and explain why.
For 3 monthly or once per year jobs...well I prepare myself for washing all windows twice or even more and I then prepare my quote likewise. ;D
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Ive not had any probs with spotting in hot weather yet, but please enlighten me i use normal jets. Does this make a difference as to fan jets,.......
Just wondering!!!
Also type of brush head too, I use Ionics!!
Do you think these 2 points might have a bearing?