Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Richard iSparkle on August 26, 2019, 09:49:23 am
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We do a bit of indoor commerical and sometimes the windows would require ladders or long reach traditional.
Has anyone used this and found it a solid tool?
thanks
R
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Have used the Vikan kit. It's a handy tool for high or awkward to reach windows as long as the windows are cleaned regularly. Also handy above automatic doors. I've found it's not great on a quarterly garden centre for example or commercial kitchen windows. Can't beat a squeegee, scraper & fairy for those imo.
I also find you have to have the pad just the right dampness. Too wet and it'll smear, too dry & you can't move it without crashing into the frame. The tool swivels well, although doesn't always get right into the edges or corners, probably about a centimetre or so out. It's surprising how much effort it can take but on the whole I prefer it to taking ladders indoors with mitts etc. We don't don't do many insides though. I also kept forgetting to pick up the spray bottle & left it on the first two jobs I used it on.
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As above really - they have their place - if your doing a first clean then you will need to go over the glass twice (at least)
I've found that for first cleans I use the Unger pads that have a long pile - similar to a mop as these really suck up the dirt then use the vikan pads or wrap a fish scale microfibre over the pad head you can then use an almost endless supply of rags on a job at a fraction of the price.
ps - you can get pad heads much cheaper from elsewhere
Darran
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have either of you used the vikan kit along with the gardiner backpack and setup on their website?
https://gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/all-products/indoor-specialized/indoor-glass-cleaning/indoor-cleaning-system.html
and is that worthwhile? or should i just take the vikan on its own?
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I've never used it with my Gardiner's backpack.
I think combined with the backpack it's place would be for if you were cleaning lots of high glass in one hit & didn't want to keep bringing the pole down to re-wet the pad. Not the sort of jobs I'd want to take on personally.
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I've never used it with my Gardiner's backpack.
I think combined with the backpack it's place would be for if you were cleaning lots of high glass in one hit & didn't want to keep bringing the pole down to re-wet the pad. Not the sort of jobs I'd want to take on personally.
Problem is after one wet the pad usually needs changed so the pole still needs lowered, I foolishly spent £400 on a Dragonfly kit before thinking of that. (http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1566851569_grin.gif)
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yes agree - sounds great in theory but the pad itself won't do much more than a single pane so your going tube dropping the pole anyway.
I still have the indoor pole that came with a small water container built in - what a waste of time and effort
might be worth learning to use a wagtail.
I also have a window vac conversion which actually works very well ;D - que the moans and groans
Darran
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Hi. One of our guys (franchisee) purchased the Gardiner indoor kit for some high internal work in some police stations we clean. His words not mine :- 'Fantastic'
Cut the time down from 3 hours to 1.5
Hope this helps.
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Hi. One of our guys (franchisee) purchased the Gardiner indoor kit for some high internal work in some police stations we clean. His words not mine :- 'Fantastic'
Cut the time down from 3 hours to 1.5
Hope this helps.
from what method ?
Darran
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I used to use the vikan kit for the indoors of a car showroom I do, it started off ok, but over time it was smearing. Your rubbing dirt about really.
I’ve gone back to squeegee.
I think they work for smaller windows, but not large commercial glass.
I am tempted to WFP the inside of the showroom I do, then use a wet dry vac to suck up the water 😜 (don’t think I’ll ever actually do it, but wish I could!)
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Hi. One of our guys (franchisee) purchased the Gardiner indoor kit for some high internal work in some police stations we clean. His words not mine :- 'Fantastic'
Cut the time down from 3 hours to 1.5
Hope this helps.
from what method ?
Darran
Long pole mop and blading.
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cheers,
I feel the pain of having to use a mop and squeegee on that sort of work !
I would have thought that it would have been better to try a wagtail - ive seen some great video's - of you can master it I think it would faster than any indoor pad set up
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I have been "padding" every commercial job where possible and the results are still the same but some jobs are halved in time.
I use unger pad system and unger stingray system. The stingray is good but the unger pad system is easier and sometimes quicker. Although i am in talks with unger about them making an attachment. I love the stingray fluid though.