Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: mlscontractcleaner on February 25, 2012, 08:37:32 am
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I have been a window cleaner for more than twenty years and wfp for about five of those. The money is good, the freedom it gives us is good and I do like my job, but buggar me do I hurt a lot.
My shoulders, my arms, my hands, not all at once, but boy do they suffer.
I think another twenty years of this and I'll be fit for the knackers yard.
Please tell me I'm not alone in suffering for my job :'(
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I have been a window cleaner for more than twenty years and wfp for about five of those. The money is good, the freedom it gives us is good and I do like my job, but buggar me do I hurt a lot.
My shoulders, my arms, my hands, not all at once, but boy do they suffer.
I think another twenty years of this and I'll be fit for the knackers yard.
Please tell me I'm not alone in suffering for my job :'(
This will get all the oldies going!! ;D
Feel the same-manual labour from 16,infantry at 17 for 7 years,15 years in the newspaper trade(wholesale) and now wfp for the last 4
I feel your pain, but just keep taking the sanatogen!! ;D
Roy
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you are not alone i have problems with my gulmas maximus muscle which causes shooting pains in my hips but physio seems to be sorting the problem out ;D
Thinking about doing some heathy living for i bit five a day and all that rubish to see if i feel better after or not ;D ;D
regards paul
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I was going to work today but knackered :'( 23 yrs window cleaning ,ive been working the last 2 wks with sciatica completely numb right leg and muscle weakness and the left leg having to take extra load so thats playing up now.
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ive been window cleaning for 18 years mate(nearly 2 years wfp)and im fine.
dont get me wrong i get a few aches and pains at times and i work hard but i know when to take a few days off or slack off with work a bit.
if you dont mind me asking how many hours a week do you work "on the glass"so to speak and what poles do you use?
i average 25-30 hours a week "on the glass" and a few hours collecting/admin/filling up etc
every 4-5 weeks i have around 3-4 days off then back at it.
if you work a lot more hours than me then id seriously look at scaling down or employing.selling a bit of work.keeping the cream and cutting your living expenses down a bit as you wont get any better as you get older!!
i use a 25FT SLX for all my work.
best wishes
dazmond
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I used to suffer with bad backs when using trolley but thats gone now with van mount.
Just need to make life easy as possible, light poles, long hose reels etc.
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im off to work now.i normally dont work saturdays but i had monday and wednesday off this week.only got around 4 hours work to clean then feet up til monday.
eating a bit better and a good massage off the missus(or another woman!)can make you feel better!! ;) ;D ;D
cod liver oil/glucosamine and a multivitamin tablet every day wont do you any harm either.
give up smoking if you do or try vaping e cigs.
cut down the booze or quit altogether.
lose weight if your a bit of a fatty.
itll all help!! ;D ;D ;D
best wishes
dazmond
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Been going 32 years, started just after leaving school in 78.
I actually feel better than all them years ago, reason being, I remember when I first started canvassing and my first 100 customers or so were mainly 3 story houses, and still do majority of them. ( Saw that no other window cleaners at the time wanted to do them ) think it was the height thing! the only difference being that for 20 odd years they were done trad, and boy did you know you had done them, especially when windy, now wfp so much easier, I laugh at them now ;D
Steve
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I started running regularly about seven months ago; I have lost some weight (not that I was a fatty in the first place); and the new fitness I have really helps on a day-to-day basis.
I also try to work smartly; I use an SLX as my everyday pole; that helps.
So, get fit, lose weight and work intelligently; and I hope there's another 20 years worth of work inside of me. My back up plan, for when the body fails is to drive trucks.
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I am 15 years into this game, 100% trad. I will turn 50 in 6 weeks time, and feel as fit as the day I started (well, fitter really).
I believe the reasons are that I always take my time, and have a relaxed attitude towards my work (although I am OCD-ish regarding attention to detail).
I don't smoke, I drink very occasionally, I have never seen the inside of a gym all my adult life, and I don't exercise.
I am 5 feet 10 and weigh around 12 stone (the last time I checked was 11 months ago when I was about to undergo a hernia op).
My work hours are from around 9:30 to 5:30 (longer in summer) and I work most Saturday afternoons.
I don't feel your pain literally, but I empathize with you.
John
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As you get older you won't be able to do as much, period. I've found the tortoise approach helps nowdays. Pace your self and just keep plodding on.
I find I need the weekend to recoup, but I'm happy to have a chin wag along the way with my customers - gives me time to 'catch my breath.'
Its alright for these young ones to whip through 30 houses a day, but I can't. As time goes on, I see myself choosing better paid individual work rather than a street of low priced houses that result in good end of day earnings.
Spruce
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Soft..................................................the lot of ya.
I'll finish this when I get back from the doctors. ;D
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im thinking that everytime your hand raises past the shoulder level you lose a minute off the end of your life due to wear
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I have been a window cleaner for more than twenty years and wfp for about five of those. The money is good, the freedom it gives us is good and I do like my job, but buggar me do I hurt a lot.
My shoulders, my arms, my hands, not all at once, but boy do they suffer.
I think another twenty years of this and I'll be fit for the knackers yard.
Please tell me I'm not alone in suffering for my job :'(
I was beginning to suffer a bit as well,I went to a Physio a few weeks back,got some treatment and he gave me some exercises to do at home,it has made a big difference to me,just have to remember to take a few minutes out every night to do the stretches.
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im off to work now.i normally dont work saturdays but i had monday and wednesday off this week.only got around 4 hours work to clean then feet up til monday.
eating a bit better and a good massage off the missus(or another woman!)can make you feel better!! ;) ;D ;D
cod liver oil/glucosamine and a multivitamin tablet every day wont do you any harm either.
give up smoking if you do or try vaping e cigs.
cut down the booze or quit altogether.
lose weight if your a bit of a fatty.
itll all help!! ;D ;D ;D
best wishes
dazmond
Daz I'm 5ft 10", 90kg, work out daily at the gym, have never smoked, drink so little that my kids laugh at how quickly I can get drunk, and eat a very healthy diet, apart from the odd takeaway.
My problem is that perhaps I do work a little too much. Can't imagine cutting out my household expenses though; we take a Christmas holiday each year in the Caribbean; off to Oz for a month next year, plus four expensive kids and five expensive grandkids to think about. I say kids, apart from our eleven year old the rest are 19, 21 and 24 but still remember where we live when they're skint :-\
I guess I'll just have to live with it; or get the right numbers tonight ;D
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i used to be a builder and i packed that job in cause window cleaning was easier on the body or so i presumed. i hope i dont end up suffering like some of you guys. i used to come home and struggled to get out my chair cause i ached so much but now i ve got a new lease of life loving it and dont ache and generally got more energy.
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Yep, plenty of aches and pains here.
I did a lot of ladder work before wfp, but I also used to climb a lot. Fingers hands elbows and shoulders all have a go at hurting here and there. It seems to come in bouts, all is well one day, and the next I can hardly get hold of my toothbrush, or put a t shirt on.
If i have to work on painful days I just neck a couple of painkillers. Lucky I get free ones from the quack.
poor old me... :(
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man up the lot of you ;D ;D ;D
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Window cleaning is BY FAR the easyest job ive ever done !!!!!!
no aches no pains and loads of energy left at the end of the day to play with me kids!!
love it ;)
but saying that ive been working as a climbing tree surgeon for the past 10 years and that is probably one of the most physical job that you can do!
so pushing a gardiner pole round the glass is a walk in the park for me.
think ive put many years on my life with this career chioce ;)
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I think factors in the aches n pains are :
Age & how many years wfp, also what job you did previous to w/c.
Im 45 this year, been wfp for 5 yrs but had over 20 yrs working sheet metal, alot of lifting and gripping steel tightly, so i do get aches n pains in my shoulders arms and fingers, nothing serious though, just general wear and tear
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Window cleaning is BY FAR the easyest job ive ever done !!!!!!
no aches no pains and loads of energy left at the end of the day to play with me kids!!
love it ;)
but saying that ive been working as a climbing tree surgeon for the past 10 years and that is probably one of the most physical job that you can do!
so pushing a gardiner pole round the glass is a walk in the park for me.
think ive put many years on my life with this career chioce ;)
That and the fact that you only do two houses a day mate lol!!!!!!
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I am due in hospital soon to have my thumb and wrist on the right arm to be fused and plated.I have already had the left arm done,so cannot bend or grip anything with that and to be honest i am 5hit1ng myself this time as i am not sure how i will be able to carry on wc.At 47 what the ferk am i going to do with two manky arms.... :'(
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Window cleaning is BY FAR the easyest job ive ever done !!!!!!
no aches no pains and loads of energy left at the end of the day to play with me kids!!
love it ;)
but saying that ive been working as a climbing tree surgeon for the past 10 years and that is probably one of the most physical job that you can do!
so pushing a gardiner pole round the glass is a walk in the park for me.
think ive put many years on my life with this career chioce ;)
That and the fact that you only do two houses a day mate lol!!!!!!
But there 2 very well priced houses so I can afford to go home ;)
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;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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you are not alone i have problems with my gulmas maximus muscle which causes shooting pains in my hips but physio seems to be sorting the problem out ;D
Thinking about doing some heathy living for i bit five a day and all that rubish to see if i feel better after or not ;D ;D
regards paul
had the same pain since christmas hips thigh and pain down to the knee, feels like a trapped nerve. 42 years old not good.
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I am due in hospital soon to have my thumb and wrist on the right arm to be fused and plated.I have already had the left arm done,so cannot bend or grip anything with that and to be honest i am 5hit1ng myself this time as i am not sure how i will be able to carry on wc.At 47 what the ferk am i going to do with two manky arms.... :'(
I hope things work out for you DW.
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I am due in hospital soon to have my thumb and wrist on the right arm to be fused and plated.I have already had the left arm done,so cannot bend or grip anything with that and to be honest i am 5hit1ng myself this time as i am not sure how i will be able to carry on wc.At 47 what the ferk am i going to do with two manky arms.... :'(
I hope things work out for you DW.
Thanks...i appreciate that....
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you are not alone i have problems with my gulmas maximus muscle which causes shooting pains in my hips but physio seems to be sorting the problem out ;D
Thinking about doing some heathy living for i bit five a day and all that rubish to see if i feel better after or not ;D ;D
regards paul
had the same pain since christmas hips thigh and pain down to the knee, feels like a trapped nerve. 42 years old not good.
Get yourself an INVERSION TABLE off ebay, they are from £50-the best money you will EVER spend.
I get a re-occuring sciatica problem(probably every 4 months or so) just a few 5 min sessions on this and it frees the nerve...Gauranteed.
I struggled around for weeks before I heard about these machines...Do yourself a favour ond google it. 8)
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I have been a window cleaner for more than twenty years and wfp for about five of those. The money is good, the freedom it gives us is good and I do like my job, but buggar me do I hurt a lot.
My shoulders, my arms, my hands, not all at once, but boy do they suffer.
I think another twenty years of this and I'll be fit for the knackers yard.
Please tell me I'm not alone in suffering for my job :'(
One word "YOGA"
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I do look pretty hot in lycra :o
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One word "YOGA"
Ok boo boo ;D
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If you are down the gym daily than that could be part of your problem - no time to recover. As has been said on here - get the lightest kit possible.
Extreme poles and Extreme brushes for me - get the old tennis elbow still but it's all part of the ageing process. Some people are lucky - some aren't.
PS never lift the reel out of the van or use trolleys.
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yoga would help you immensely if you could devote say 20-30 mins in the morning and evening to it.a lot of athletes do it and it would defo help with aches and pains.throw in a bit of meditation and you have a good healthy tonic for your mind and body.replace the gym with it.youll feel miles better
regards
dazmond
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Are you kidding?????
Replace the gym?????
My escape from the wife and kids????
No eye candy to watch doing their stretches and lunges?????
I don't go each day and smash weights, I alternate between cardio, weights and swimming; then time spent in the steam room, sauna, etc
A lovely way to end the day.
And all that eye candy ;D
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I like the eye candy part