Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: robbo333 on May 21, 2014, 05:56:42 pm

Title: Elbows taking a battering...best brush?
Post by: robbo333 on May 21, 2014, 05:56:42 pm
I've always used a gardiners medium sill brush and I love it.
Problem is I have developed tennis elbow and need the lightest brush possible.
What is the best Gardiners extreme to use? I work quick and I need the best scrubbing power.
Cheers
Robbo
Title: Re: Elbows taking a battering...best brush?
Post by: J.D on May 21, 2014, 05:57:54 pm
Ive had tennis elbow for past two weeks now, bloody killer! :(
Title: Re: Elbows taking a battering...best brush?
Post by: dazmond on May 21, 2014, 06:17:44 pm
extreme medium mixed brush mate.very light and scrubs well for a small light brush.

however i use a SL standard medium mixed most of the time on domestics as it scrubs off snails trails and birdmuck better.cleans sills with ease and is an all around better brush.great for leaded too.
Title: Re: Elbows taking a battering...best brush?
Post by: 8weekly on May 21, 2014, 06:27:46 pm
Go and see a sports physio.
Title: Re: Elbows taking a battering...best brush?
Post by: Fin Clearview on May 21, 2014, 06:50:31 pm
Hybrid medium mate you won't want to use any other brush again.
Title: Re: Elbows taking a battering...best brush?
Post by: ♠Winp®oClean♠ on May 21, 2014, 07:21:25 pm
Hybrid or mixed medium & the lightest pole you can afford!!

Had tennis elbow for 12 months a few years back- to the stage where I couldn't even grip a cup of coffee!! Don't have it now but I've been left with a permanent lump on my elbow from it!
Title: Re: Elbows taking a battering...best brush?
Post by: J.D on May 21, 2014, 07:22:55 pm
It would seem that's it's a waiting game until it gets better ?
Title: Re: Elbows taking a battering...best brush?
Post by: robbo333 on May 21, 2014, 07:25:33 pm
Daz - cheers for that.
8 Weekly - I'm seeing a sports physio and it is getting better with massage, heat and wrist exercises (yeah I know!)
Fin - Hybrid medium, thanks for that, I'll order one up.
Winp- just bought myself a 25 extreme (very nice pole)
Update:
I've just spent 20 mins in my garage drilling some of the plastic out of radius sill brush to make it lighter (hopefully without upsetting its integrity).
I could have the lightest sill brush ever  ;D
Title: Re: Elbows taking a battering...best brush?
Post by: ♠Winp®oClean♠ on May 21, 2014, 07:31:05 pm
It would seem that's it's a waiting game until it gets better ?

Yep, physio had zero positive impact on mine.
Title: Re: Elbows taking a battering...best brush?
Post by: Jonny 87 on May 21, 2014, 07:40:45 pm
It would seem that's it's a waiting game until it gets better ?

Yep, physio had zero positive impact on mine.

Glad you got over it winpro.

I'm getting a twinge in my elbows sometimes.

Hope it just stays a twinge......
Title: Re: Elbows taking a battering...best brush?
Post by: J.D on May 21, 2014, 07:53:47 pm
Its catching by looks of things!  :o
Title: Re: Elbows taking a battering...best brush?
Post by: robbo333 on May 21, 2014, 07:56:05 pm
My physio is ok and the heat helps.
What really has made a difference is the reduced strain on my elbows day to day.
Now i've got an extreme pole that has made a huge difference.
Also, I used an AquaDapter but found it too heavy. Now I use an AquaTap which is lighter, but I may even go back to using a good ole gardiners hand held tap.
It seems lightness is the key to helping my elbows.
Title: Re: Elbows taking a battering...best brush?
Post by: dazmond on May 21, 2014, 08:18:12 pm
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1400699740_IMAG0495.jpg)

heres where ive put my gardiners tap robbo.ill guarantee you ll break your tap very quickly if you have it dragging on the floor on the other end of your pole hose.i speak from experience(i broke 2 in a matter of weeks!) ;)
Title: Re: Elbows taking a battering...best brush?
Post by: ♠Winp®oClean♠ on May 21, 2014, 08:27:15 pm
The best advice I can give it to not grip your pole any harder than is necessary. You might be surprised at just how tight you subconsciously grip the pole. It seems it's quite natural to over grip & I had to make quite an effort not to grip it as tight as I always had done! ;)

I would never have imagined just how painful & restrictive tennis elbow can be had I not actually suffered it myself! 
Title: Re: Elbows taking a battering...best brush?
Post by: Lee GLS on May 21, 2014, 09:20:42 pm
Daz - cheers for that.
8 Weekly - I'm seeing a sports physio and it is getting better with massage, heat and wrist exercises (yeah I know!)
Fin - Hybrid medium, thanks for that, I'll order one up.
Winp- just bought myself a 25 extreme (very nice pole)
Update:
I've just spent 20 mins in my garage drilling some of the plastic out of radius sill brush to make it lighter (hopefully without upsetting its integrity).
I could have the lightest sill brush ever  ;D


If you are wanting the brush to be lighter, and are not worried about cleaning the cills, you can reduce the weight by 50g by pulling out the lower 3 rows of bristles, the ones that clean the cill, without affecting the cleaning ability of the glass.

That way you will have a brush that is not a lot heavier than am xtreme, but has much better cleaning ability.
Title: Re: Elbows taking a battering...best brush?
Post by: ben M on May 21, 2014, 09:25:51 pm
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1400699740_IMAG0495.jpg)

heres where ive put my gardiners tap robbo.ill guarantee you ll break your tap very quickly if you have it dragging on the floor on the other end of your pole hose.i speak from experience(i broke 2 in a matter of weeks!) ;)
Daz, you don't use anymore a carbon gooseneck?
Title: Re: Elbows taking a battering...best brush?
Post by: dazmond on May 22, 2014, 08:54:12 am
of course i use the goosenecks ben.for certain commercial jobs and deep ledge sash windows,conny roof cleaning,solar panels etc but for regular domestic work and f/s/g cleans i use the resi neck. :)
Title: Re: Elbows taking a battering...best brush?
Post by: Chris - CBWC on May 22, 2014, 06:55:09 pm
The best advice I can give it to not grip your pole any harder than is necessary. You might be surprised at just how tight you subconsciously grip the pole. It seems it's quite natural to over grip & I had to make quite an effort not to grip it as tight as I always had done! ;)

I would never have imagined just how painful & restrictive tennis elbow can be had I not actually suffered it myself! 

+1.  Your elbows, much like your arms and shoulders, are not built to be used in the way we use them for wfp.  How do I know?  I'm seeing a physio after I went hell for leather since February on first cleans trying to be as quick and thorough as I can - gripping the pole way too tightly, short fast movements with the pole and fooked myself right up.  It's all wrong and you'll wear yourself out in a bad way.

There's a reason people say rock forwards and backwards and side to side, your power is in your legs, stomach (core) and bum, not your shoulders and elbows.
Title: Re: Elbows taking a battering...best brush?
Post by: J.D on May 22, 2014, 07:16:49 pm
Good advice Chris....