[Cookie]

I've been going about 18 months now but still want to speed up further on maintenance cleans. Moving from a PF trolley to a van mount has made a massive difference, allowing me to clean approx 2 additional houses per day.

Just wondered what techniques or tools you use to help you get around more quickly and knock-off earlier...

[Smurf]

Best not ask me as I'm the slowest window cleaner in the world as me karcher keep going flat 
Maybe I should buy two 

[nathankaye]

Ive been wf for just over a yr now and ive shed loads of time, dispite picking new work up as well.
My work is four weekly, on trad it used to be pretty full each wk, but now i have one full week of work. My other three rounds im getting finished by end of wed. Do most wks getting 2 days off (filling with pressure washing now or render cleans)

For me, its a good carbon pole. 4 jets on a brush with a tap valve at end of pole hose. I have a 500 litre tank in van and pure freedom controller for pump n battery reading. I have my pump on 40 and on maintenance cleans which my work is, it takes no time at all. Basically cleaning clean windows

[sunshine windows]

Where's that old poster bumper? He'd tell you to skip 50% of alternate windows each month or just miss the bathrooms altogether 😂

[JandS]

Miss the bathrooms......never...lol

[Smurf]

In 18 months you should have figured out by now what works best for you surely?
I could make a list but to be honest I just can't be arsed as I'm sure someone else will be along in a mo to help.

What I will say though is most lack confidence in their wfp technique so will spend far too long on each window.
You crack that then you will be half way there bud. 

[Spruce]

I've been going about 18 months now but still want to speed up further on maintenance cleans. Moving from a PF trolley to a van mount has made a massive difference, allowing me to clean approx 2 additional houses per day.

Just wondered what techniques or tools you use to help you get around more quickly and knock-off earlier...

Working smarter can save you time. Evaluate where best to park your van to reach as may houses as you can without packing away and moving. If you are doing 2 houses together, can you put your hose over the fence and do the second house that way.

Can you couple up your hose reel and pull the hose out, plug in your pole and start working. Walking backwards and forwards to the van takes time.

Keeping customer's happy is very important to your business growth. If you start taking short-cuts then your standards will drop and your customers will desert you.

-

[KS Cleaning]

I ring the doorbell for the money before I start downstairs windows at the front, gives the customer time to get the pennies for you, so less time spent hanging about waiting for payment. I'm sure we all have those customers that watch you cleaning the windows then when you ring the doorbell they come to the door empty handed, then go searching for their purse and after they have searched every room  in the house they finally emerge with the money about 5 minutes later

[Shrek]

Like Nathan , I also work with flow on 40 , I started on 12!! What flow do you work with at the minute?

[robbo333]

Don't eat a 'Big Mac', large fries and apple pie for lunch, they really slow you down.

[dazmond]

high flow,very light poles,being organised(chits/invoices ready etc).

work steady and briskly but not rushing around like a headless chicken.

price well and work hard 6 or 7 hours per day then go home.

[Tosh]

Top whack on the pump, an 18" brush, SLX pole, good quality hose-reel, price well so you enjoy the thought of work.

[Nick Day]

Same as above, good carbon pole, high flow and plan you route and parking places. It's amazing how much time can be lost getting parked.

[SeanK]

As Smurf said confidence will determine how fast you clean, brushes,flow,chemicals,hot and all the other
nonsense you hear on here are nothing more than personal confidence builders that will effect everybody different.
To be honest if your an OCD type then your always going to be slower than others as its in your nature and as long as your
happy with your days earning who cares.

[Dave Willis]

high flow,very light poles,being organised(chits/invoices ready etc).

work steady and briskly but not rushing around like a headless chicken.

price well and work hard 6 or 7 hours per day then go home.

.                                                                         Always have a good chit before you leave home.

[Smurf]

high flow,very light poles,being organised(chits/invoices ready etc).

work steady and briskly but not rushing around like a headless chicken.

price well and work hard 6 or 7 hours per day then go home.

.                                                                         Always have a good chit before you leave home.

And best take the day off if you have the runs. If not one wet fart & follow through and that's game over...Oops! 

[Ian101]

basically wack flow up to about 60 ish on a 100 digital readout or about 2 litres a min and clean faster and 1 pass and move on have faith in the system

[Perfect Windows]

Do an experiment.  Wash your windows then wait exactly as long as your usual cleaning interval.

Set the flow to about 2.5 litres a minutes.  That's 60 on our controller but you really do need to measure it.

Then do your windows as fast as you can.  Focus on nothing but doing them fully yet as quickly as possible.

Wait for them to dry and inspect them.  They'll be fine.  You now have trust in just how quickly you can do customers' windows.

I once posted a video on here of me doing mine like that and was slated for "showing off" and told I couldn't be doing a proper job.  They dried perfectly.  Unless you test on your own windows, you'll never know.

Vin

[Ian101]

there was a video on youtube of a lad with a backpack working fast and no rinseing - cant find it buy maybe others can ... like vin says as well

[Nick Day]

I've found that as well!! Sometimes (not always) the faster you do them the better they are!!

[Og]

You don't need to rinse much on regular cleans unless there's poope everywhere or hydrohorrible glass.

[nathankaye]

On maintenance cleans if like mine, every 4wks. I mentioned on an earlier post what flow etc i have. But ultimately, up n down strokes across window then second pass horizontally and this second pass classes as my rinse. I rinse on the glass, never a problem with this.
But find your perfect technique, which i guess you have if been doing so for 18months. Work on your confidence and you will be just fine.

[Cookie]

Thanks all for the comments & feedback. I think I can be a bit OCD sometimes re: small bits of dirt that seem to be on the windows when rinsing (particularly on velux windows). However I've never had any complaint re: my cleaning (apart from one customer who claimed my WFP left smears  - strangely enough his wife didn't agree with him! - I've dumped them now, they were one of these customers who never seemed happy with the job I did).

I will try a higher flow rate (I usually run on 26). I am bit concerned however that I may run out of water on a long day, since I only have a 350L tank, so I'll try it out on a shorter day first.

[Nick Day]

On maintenance cleans if like mine, every 4wks. I mentioned on an earlier post what flow etc i have. But ultimately, up n down strokes across window then second pass horizontally and this second pass classes as my rinse. I rinse on the glass, never a problem with this.
But find your perfect technique, which i guess you have if been doing so for 18months. Work on your confidence and you will be just fine.

Exactly the way I do it and it doesn't use as much water as you think.

[Perfect Windows]

I will try a higher flow rate (I usually run on 26). I am bit concerned however that I may run out of water on a long day, since I only have a 350L tank, so I'll try it out on a shorter day first.

Better still, try it on a full day when you can get home to refill (assuming you have a static tank).  And be prepared to have used less water than you normally do.

Vin

[Shrek]

On maintenance cleans if like mine, every 4wks. I mentioned on an earlier post what flow etc i have. But ultimately, up n down strokes across window then second pass horizontally and this second pass classes as my rinse. I rinse on the glass, never a problem with this.
But find your perfect technique, which i guess you have if been doing so for 18months. Work on your confidence and you will be just fine.

That's interesting as I do the first 'up and down' , then a second 'side to side' movement and then a rinse . I bet you would save loads of time and water not doing a 'rinse' at the end if your second pass is classed as your rinse . Gonna have to try this

[SeanK]

there was a video on youtube of a lad with a backpack working fast and no rinseing - cant find it buy maybe others can ... like vin says as well

There you go,


Video for fast wfp window cleaning▶ 2:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vXV1zhmVao

[nathankaye]

That's interesting as I do the first 'up and down' , then a second 'side to side' movement and then a rinse . I bet you would save loads of time and water not doing a 'rinse' at the end if your second pass is classed as your rinse . Gonna have to try this

Especially if working on an higher flow (i habe mine on 40) and use 4 jets. Theres that much water coming out, that i doubt theres anything left on first pass, but the second secures it for my liking.

[Shrek]

there was a video on youtube of a lad with a backpack working fast and no rinseing - cant find it buy maybe others can ... like vin says as well

There you go,


Video for fast wfp window cleaning▶ 2:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vXV1zhmVao

2 minutes to clean the whole front of a house !!! he sure is fast.....

[tlwcs]

Electric reel.. May not save time but defo energy. Best bit of kit I've bought recently.
Tony

[trippyboy]

Rinse on

[Ian101]

there was a video on youtube of a lad with a backpack working fast and no rinseing - cant find it buy maybe others can ... like vin says as well

There you go,


Video for fast wfp window cleaning▶ 2:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vXV1zhmVao

Yes thats the one

[Stoots]

Makes sure your round is in the best order possible firstly,  time spent driving is time wasted so ensure the best route.

Secondly, learn the quickest way for each property, i find van mount isnt always the fastest.. some jobs can be quicker with backpack or the trolley, maybe they have a lot of plant pots in the garden that the hose catches on etc.

once you have these things down then lighter poles, the correct brush, flow rate.

confidence is key so practice working quicker on different windows and check how they dry. Certain houses you will have to take more time, others will need next to no rinsing.  After that up prices and get rid of any customers that slow you down, i.e awkward parking, access through house, too chatty etc

[robbo333]

Basically as above really. I'll defo try out the techniques mentioned, thank you for that.
The biggest time saver for me has been the Xtreme pole and Extreme brushes. Before that I used the SLX with a radius sill brush. I am much quicker with the Xtreme.
Other little things are:
1. Knock on the door when you arrive and start cleaning straight away (do not wait), you can have a quick chat while you're cleaning. Having said that, if they want a 2 minute chat then do it, that's what building customer relations is all about.
2. If I know they are paying online then I say..."I won't disturb you when i'm done, i'll just leave you a slip"
3. If they pay cash then knock on the door before you pack up.
4. I use pole hose as my main hose, very quick and light to use.
5. Park, so the back of your van (if you work out the back) is in-line with their back gate, so you've got a straight run
6. Awkward little ground floor side windows. Forget the pole just wipe over with a pure water cloth and quick polish.
7. If the front door is not minging, quick wipe over with a cloth of all the horizontal ledges and sill (don't soak the door).
8. Never leave a front door soaking wet (unless you can guarantee the custy is out all day). I've picked up loads of work because the previous windy 'left the front door soaking wet'
9. Don't get annoyed with tangled main hose, if it happens. If you relax you can sort it quicker.
10 Relax in general. If you start rushing around you tend to muck things up and make mistakes...which takes longer.
11. If you know the custy isn't in...splash and dash! 

[slap bash]

Thanks all for the comments & feedback. I think I can be a bit OCD sometimes re: small bits of dirt that seem to be on the windows when rinsing (particularly on velux windows). However I've never had any complaint re: my cleaning (apart from one customer who claimed my WFP left smears  - strangely enough his wife didn't agree with him! - I've dumped them now, they were one of these customers who never seemed happy with the job I did).

I will try a higher flow rate (I usually run on 26). I am bit concerned however that I may run out of water on a long day, since I only have a 350L tank, so I'll try it out on a shorter day first.

The secret of window cleaning is the flow of water one the l
glass .The dirt floats off the glass if the film of water is too thin the dirt will settle on the glass. On Velux windows and flatter conny roofs change the brush so that the water flows backwards so that the water flow, powers the dirt off. The angle should be 75 degrees backward to the glass for this to work well and the pole does not stick in the  gutters. Skimping on water is a big mistake in this job.

[Shrek]

On maintenance cleans if like mine, every 4wks. I mentioned on an earlier post what flow etc i have. But ultimately, up n down strokes across window then second pass horizontally and this second pass classes as my rinse. I rinse on the glass, never a problem with this.
But find your perfect technique, which i guess you have if been doing so for 18months. Work on your confidence and you will be just fine.

Just tried this on my Windows, flow on 60 , up and down , side to side ....
Dreadful, dirty water spots all over

[simonr]

Did you wash the frames as well?

[Shrek]

Did you wash the frames as well?

Yep , they look ok now , the windows which were bad , had the sun shining through them (south facing) .
I'm actually quite surprised at how much cleaner they are even with the spots , even though I didn't do a separate rinse

[nathankaye]

60 seems high though.
When cutting across top line, if water spray is too high, the flow of water goes up the glass (in a circle radius) ehich can then get into seals n pull dirty water back down.
 This may have been what happened perhaps?

[Shrek]

60 seems high though.
When cutting across top line, if water spray is too high, the flow of water goes up the glass (in a circle radius) ehich can then get into seals n pull dirty water back down.
 This may have been what happened perhaps?

Quite possibly yes, il try again in another 4 weeks on 40 lol

[SeanK]

60 seems high though.
When cutting across top line, if water spray is too high, the flow of water goes up the glass (in a circle radius) ehich can then get into seals n pull dirty water back down.
 This may have been what happened perhaps?

Quite possibly yes, il try again in another 4 weeks on 40 lol

If your going to use a high flow you need to cut back the pressure either by using wider jets or adding a few more to the brush,
the aim is to get more water onto the glass without the power wash effect.

[Shrek]

Aha ! cheers Sean , maybe that's why it works for Nathan as I think he has 4 jets/ fans

[Perfect Windows]

If you're rinsing on the glass, the bristles above the jets form a curtain to stop the water hitting the top frame: you can go to as high flow as you wish without danger.

Vin

[Shrek]

If you're rinsing on the glass, the bristles above the jets form a curtain to stop the water hitting the top frame: you can go to as high flow as you wish without danger.

Vin

Good point vin , having looked at them this morning, they're ok but not as good as when I rinse. Could be my technique, maybe I noticed more as the south facing sun was shining right through ... But overall they're not bad

[SeanK]

If you're rinsing on the glass, the bristles above the jets form a curtain to stop the water hitting the top frame: you can go to as high flow as you wish without danger.

Vin

Have been unsuccessfully trying to hunt out a youtube video showing the action of the water on a high flow with too
much pressure, its filmed in slow motion showing  how much of the water is actually bouncing back against the brush stock
and running off it without ever touching the glass, rinsing on certainly helps but unless you have the brush stock pressed tightly
to the glass then there is still going to be a lot of waste.

[Shrek]

If you're rinsing on the glass, the bristles above the jets form a curtain to stop the water hitting the top frame: you can go to as high flow as you wish without danger.

Vin

Have been unsuccessfully trying to hunt out a youtube video showing the action of the water on a high flow with too
much pressure, its filmed in slow motion showing  how much of the water is actually bouncing back against the brush stock
and running off it without ever touching the glass, rinsing on certainly helps but unless you have the brush stock pressed tightly
to the glass then there is still going to be a lot of waste.

Might give better results if I used another brush that's got 3 ticks on gardiners website for rinsing on like a supreme soft or something like that

[Perfect Windows]

If you're rinsing on the glass, the bristles above the jets form a curtain to stop the water hitting the top frame: you can go to as high flow as you wish without danger.

Vin

Good point vin , having looked at them this morning, they're ok but not as good as when I rinse. Could be my technique, maybe I noticed more as the south facing sun was shining right through ... But overall they're not bad

Daft question but I'm assuming you're using a monofilament brush and fanjets?  I think there's a risk with anything else.

Proof of the pudding is in the eating, of course; I do my own windows every twelve weeks and inspect them carefully.  There's only ever a problem with one particular pane that's very hard to reach.

Vin

[Shrek]

If you're rinsing on the glass, the bristles above the jets form a curtain to stop the water hitting the top frame: you can go to as high flow as you wish without danger.

Vin

Good point vin , having looked at them this morning, they're ok but not as good as when I rinse. Could be my technique, maybe I noticed more as the south facing sun was shining right through ... But overall they're not bad

Daft question but I'm assuming you're using a monofilament brush and fanjets?  I think there's a risk with anything else.

Proof of the pudding is in the eating, of course; I do my own windows every twelve weeks and inspect them carefully.  There's only ever a problem with one particular pane that's very hard to reach.

Vin

I'm using the ultimate medium soft brush with fan jets , which brush do you use when rinsing on?

[Perfect Windows]

I'm using the ultimate medium soft brush with fan jets , which brush do you use when rinsing on?

Supreme soft hybrid, though some of the franchisees use the medium.  Used to use the same method with the medium mixed sill brush.

I tested the finish by contacting a bundle of customers who had, at one time or another, complained about a clean and spent a day doing their windows the new way.  Before I cleaned, I told them that if they inspected their windows and found a problem they would be doing me a favour by letting me know.  No calls bar one saying they were perfect, so I knew it was OK.

Vin

[Shrek]

I'm using the ultimate medium soft brush with fan jets , which brush do you use when rinsing on?

Supreme soft hybrid, though some of the franchisees use the medium.  Used to use the same method with the medium mixed sill brush.

I tested the finish by contacting a bundle of customers who had, at one time or another, complained about a clean and spent a day doing their windows the new way.  Before I cleaned, I told them that if they inspected their windows and found a problem they would be doing me a favour by letting me know.  No calls bar one saying they were perfect, so I knew it was OK.

Vin

Ok cheers pal , il order one and try again next month

[the king]

I've been going about 18 months now but still want to speed up further on maintenance cleans. Moving from a PF trolley to a van mount has made a massive difference, allowing me to clean approx 2 additional houses per day.

Just wondered what techniques or tools you use to help you get around more quickly and knock-off earlier...

carbon poles  ( less fatige )
good brush  (quicker cleaning)
hot water system  (quicker cleaning)
electric hose real   (less fatige)
univalve (saving water +quicker cleaning)
higher flow   (quicker cleaning) i have mine set at 60
all these will help ur get more work done in a day and speed u up 

[Nick Day]

I've actually found I get through less water on a high flow going faster than when I first started on a much lower flow! And the windows come up much better I've found myself.

[Shrek]

I've actually found I get through less water on a high flow going faster than when I first started on a much lower flow! And the windows come up much better I've found myself.

What flow do you have yours on Nick ? And which brush do you use?

[Perfect Windows]

Shrek,

Found this.  Me doing a clean at a normal rate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9Kger9r_38

Minimal slug trails on the window to the right of the bay.  Twelve weeks since the last clean.

Checked after I cleaned and there were a few small drip marks on the left hand side of the bay (where I had to lean backwards over a pile of bricks to clean).

Flow at about 60 on the controller (about 2.5 litres a minute).  SLX22, Gardiners Supreme medium hybrid (since changed to soft).

Cue the Poisonous Brothers to tell you that I'm wearing the wrong clothes, showing off, doing a splash and dash, must be a poor job, my customers are mugs, franchises are a con, etc, etc ad nauseam.

Vin

[Shrek]

Shrek,

Found this.  Me doing a clean at a normal rate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9Kger9r_38

Minimal slug trails on the window to the right of the bay.  Twelve weeks since the last clean.

Checked after I cleaned and there were a few small drip marks on the left hand side of the bay (where I had to lean backwards over a pile of bricks to clean).

Flow at about 60 on the controller (about 2.5 litres a minute).  SLX22, Gardiners Supreme medium hybrid (since changed to soft).

Cue the Poisonous Brothers to tell you that I'm wearing the wrong clothes, showing off, doing a splash and dash, must be a poor job, my customers are mugs, franchises are a con, etc, etc ad nauseam.

Vin

Cheers vin , appreciate that, I think 'rinsing on' saves a hell of a lot of water and time , just Gotta get my technique right. Where you scrub the top of the glass before moving up and down, I just did a side scrub once and then up and down and side to side. Before others criticise - upload your own video so we can see your technique 👍

[SeanK]

Shrek,

Found this.  Me doing a clean at a normal rate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9Kger9r_38

Minimal slug trails on the window to the right of the bay.  Twelve weeks since the last clean.

Checked after I cleaned and there were a few small drip marks on the left hand side of the bay (where I had to lean backwards over a pile of bricks to clean).

Flow at about 60 on the controller (about 2.5 litres a minute).  SLX22, Gardiners Supreme medium hybrid (since changed to soft).

Cue the Poisonous Brothers to tell you that I'm wearing the wrong clothes, showing off, doing a splash and dash, must be a poor job, my customers are mugs, franchises are a con, etc, etc ad nauseam.

Vin

Nothing wrong with the cleaning, but I cant recommend or agree with anybody other than somebody in an old folks home wearing leather Moses sandals. lol.
Nice vid.

[nathankaye]

Glad someone put a vid up. I tried the other day to do one, but holding camera in one hand made it imposible to do. So going to do another and get someone to hold the camera.
In meantime, this is my failed attempt.
https://youtu.be/A41Dqsd3orY

[Smurf]

Nice vid Vin

That's a good example of how I would do it too as I find a good flow and rinsing on the glass like that is so much quicker.

[SeanK]

The problem when talking about high and low flows is everybody has a different idea of what a high and low flow actually is,
I wouldn't consider myself a high flow user but there would be as much if not more water running off the sills when I clean as
in Vins Video.
I wonder when some on here talk about a high flow are they comparing it to what some would consider a dribble.

[Shrek]

The problem when talking about high and low flows is everybody has a different idea of what a high and low flow actually is,
I wouldn't consider myself a high flow user but there would be as much if not more water running off the sills when I clean as
in Vins Video.
I wonder when some on here talk about a high flow are they comparing it to what some would consider a dribble.

I would relate the flow to be whatever my flow controller says as in high flow is 40+ on the digital flow controller

[SeanK]

The problem when talking about high and low flows is everybody has a different idea of what a high and low flow actually is,
I wouldn't consider myself a high flow user but there would be as much if not more water running off the sills when I clean as
in Vins Video.
I wonder when some on here talk about a high flow are they comparing it to what some would consider a dribble.

I would relate the flow to be whatever my flow controller says as in high flow is 40+ on the digital flow controller

Its only a number on a screen, there will be many things that will effect the flow, the only way is to measure the amount coming
out at the brush head while timing it.
You will find that even with a high flow your talking around 2lts per minute, even a shurflo pump flat out would be doing well
to hit 3lts per minute at the brush head.

[Perfect Windows]

Its only a number on a screen, there will be many things that will effect the flow, the only way is to measure the amount coming
out at the brush head while timing it.
You will find that even with a high flow your talking around 2lts per minute, even a shurflo pump flat out would be doing well
to hit 3lts per minute at the brush head.

Agree on both counts - puts me in mind to test how high I can get the flow. 

Vin

[SeanK]

Its only a number on a screen, there will be many things that will effect the flow, the only way is to measure the amount coming
out at the brush head while timing it.
You will find that even with a high flow your talking around 2lts per minute, even a shurflo pump flat out would be doing well
to hit 3lts per minute at the brush head.

Agree on both counts - puts me in mind to test how high I can get the flow. 

Vin

I think my pump is around 5 years old and I got just under 3lts per minute with it flat out, that said with the amount of vibration and noise coming from it I wouldn't have liked to run it like that all day.

[Perfect Windows]

I think my pump is around 5 years old and I got just under 3lts per minute with it flat out, that said with the amount of vibration and noise coming from it I wouldn't have liked to run it like that all day.

I thought my pump was on its way out by the noise it makes.  Just been out to check, 2L per minute set at flow 60, same set at 80, just much more noise. Looks like my pump's up the swannee.

Vin