Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Kevin Miller on August 29, 2014, 04:12:40 pm
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First time poster in the window cleaning section as I pressure wash driveways but looking to earn some income in the winter months. Basically I'm looking to get in to cleaning gutters, and conservatories and possibly fascias etc, as driveway cleaning gets really quiet for me now but I have some questions. I've been doing loads of reading on the forum but want clarify some stuff.
1) what is a good WFP to buy? At the moment I have one of the cheap 18ft ones from amazon which would run from customers tap. To clear out gutters I will probably use traditional ladders and bucket etc while I'm up there but to clean facias and soffits etc what is a decent WFP to get.
2) I read a lot about using pure water. Is this a must for cleaning conservatories and facias etc etc.
3) for cleaning facias and conservatories etc what is a good cleaning detergent? From reading on here viro-sol seems to be the detergent of choice is this correc
4) Pricing- seems £30-£50 for clearing gutters dependant on size and £70-£90 for clearing gutters and cleaning g/s/f. Am I allowed to post links to possible I equipment I may get ie from amazon like magic sponges and stuff to make sure I'm getting right equipment?
Cheers
Kev
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Post all the links you want to buddy
If you're just getting wfp stuff for winter use then i suggest a gardiners clx 27 for your first winter (not too much outlay while you test the water, if you find you get lots of work then next year upgrade to a slx)
Also on the Gardiners website you can buy an adaptor so that you can plug your pole into out doors taps so you can use the customers water supply (or make your own adaptor all you need is a hoselock, pole hose, and the connector to your pole)
Pure water is only needed if you are cleaning a clear, transparent surface. G/s/f will be fine with normal water. Polycarbonate conservatory roofs will also be ok with normal water, but if you are then going to clean the conservatory windows afterwards then you'll need pure (and a system to pump it from)
Pricing, just price on your hourly rate. Personally i like to charge a little higher hourly rate than if i were cleaning windows as otherwise i may as well clean windows as its easier, and i wouldnt be making more money, id just be making the same but for a different service!
I'm sure you can still pick up Upvc cleans during winter, but i'd also suggest that it may possibly slow down like your experiance with jetwashing
Saying that, i expected it to have slowed a bit now but got them coming out my harris
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Post all the links you want to buddy
If you're just getting wfp stuff for winter use then i suggest a gardiners clx 27 for your first winter (not too much outlay while you test the water, if you find you get lots of work then next year upgrade to a slx)
Also on the Gardiners website you can buy an adaptor so that you can plug your pole into out doors taps so you can use the customers water supply (or make your own adaptor all you need is a hoselock, pole hose, and the connector to your pole)
Pure water is only needed if you are cleaning a clear, transparent surface. G/s/f will be fine with normal water. Polycarbonate conservatory roofs will also be ok with normal water, but if you are then going to clean the conservatory windows afterwards then you'll need pure (and a system to pump it from)
Pricing, just price on your hourly rate. Personally i like to charge a little higher hourly rate than if i were cleaning windows as otherwise i may as well clean windows as its easier, and i wouldnt be making more money, id just be making the same but for a different service!
I'm sure you can still pick up Upvc cleans during winter, but i'd also suggest that it may possibly slow down like your experiance with jetwashing
Saying that, i expected it to have slowed a bit now but got them coming out my harris
Thank you so much for the reply it's really appreciated, I'll check that pole out maybe I will land lucky and get one second hand, sorry the daft questions are gonna keep coming, how does the water run through that pole then. So on the simple one I have the hose lock clicks in to it and away I go. From you response I can buy a hose lock adapter that clicks in to the end of the pole which then means I can plug a hosepipe in to that
Here is what I think I need to buy
http://www.amazon.co.uk/10-Magic-Eraser-Sponges-Chemical/dp/B003QITQC6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409327467&sr=8-1&keywords=magic+sponge
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004V3QIJY/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=LHRIG8TDPNWM&coliid=I7IBYW04A551
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003VUUDRG/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=LHRIG8TDPNWM&coliid=IPOF2WIP4ZBWT
What I have at the moment lol
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005GTZ0IM/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=LHRIG8TDPNWM&coliid=I325P77SES12WQ
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http://www.gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/acatalog/CL-X-Carbon-Composite-Pole-CLX_27.html - pole i'd suggest for the time being, the one you have will be pants in comparison.
Its not top spec but its rigid, light and long enough for now
Bare in mind with the pole that the heavier, more floppy they are the longer the job is likely to take. You'll also start to resent doing the work and sack it in...
http://www.gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/acatalog/adapter-to-useez-snap-tail-pole-standard-hose-reel.html and that would be the adapter to get the pole hose to clip straight to tap/hose reel
Or - http://www.gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/acatalog/nylon-male-pole-hose-connector.html
The gutter clearing kit and virosol look ok
The magic erasers depend on how good a job you want to offer really
If you're offering to clean and get rid of stains then yep go for it but price higher as bare in mind you'll have to clean and then back up a ladder to use the magic eraser
If just offering to empty the gutter and then give a good clean then i wouldnt bother with the pads (maybe get them just incase?)
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http://www.gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/acatalog/CL-X-Carbon-Composite-Pole-CLX_27.html - pole i'd suggest for the time being, the one you have will be pants in comparison.
Its not top spec but its rigid, light and long enough for now
Bare in mind with the pole that the heavier, more floppy they are the longer the job is likely to take. You'll also start to resent doing the work and sack it in...
http://www.gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/acatalog/adapter-to-useez-snap-tail-pole-standard-hose-reel.html and that would be the adapter to get the pole hose to clip straight to tap/hose reel
Or - http://www.gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/acatalog/nylon-male-pole-hose-connector.html
The gutter clearing kit and virosol look ok
The magic erasers depend on how good a job you want to offer really
If you're offering to clean and get rid of stains then yep go for it but price higher as bare in mind you'll have to clean and then back up a ladder to use the magic eraser
If just offering to empty the gutter and then give a good clean then i wouldnt bother with the pads (maybe get them just incase?)
Again thanks, really appreciated and just been googling that pole and looks the business. With the adapters you linked one is £10 one is £3. What's the difference between the 2?
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Deleted last post as made no sense!!!
Ez snap connectors mean that if you have multiple poles, if you fit them all with the male ez snap connectors you can just unplug one pole and plug in another (as long as your hose reel has the female ez snap)
So the £10 adaptor means you can still use the ez snap connector on your poles but also plug them into hoselocks
The second one fits straight onto pole hose but only plugs into hoselocks
If your just plugging into hoselocks get the second/cheaper
If you order the clx it'll give you the option to which connector you want, so no need to order separately
You'll no doubt want a brush? I'd go forva sill brush with fan jets for the type of cleaning you want to do (gets in a the nooks and crannys)
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In regards to whether to use pure water, dont forget you'll need to use pure on clear conservatory roofs otherwise water marks
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Deleted last post as made no sense!!!
Ez snap connectors mean that if you have multiple poles, if you fit them all with the male ez snap connectors you can just unplug one pole and plug in another (as long as your hose reel has the female ez snap)
So the £10 adaptor means you can still use the ez snap connector on your poles but also plug them into hoselocks
The second one fits straight onto pole hose but only plugs into hoselocks
If your just plugging into hoselocks get the second/cheaper
If you order the clx it'll give you the option to which connector you want, so no need to order separately
You'll no doubt want a brush? I'd go forva sill brush with fan jets for the type of cleaning you want to do (gets in a the nooks and crannys)
Thanks so much really appreciated, things are a little clearer for me now lol
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In regards to whether to use pure water, dont forget you'll need to use pure on clear conservatory roofs otherwise water marks
Thanks don't think I'll go down the pure water route so will steer clear from clear conservatory roofs. Thanks once again, really appreciated
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No worries
Buy yourself a decent mop and squeegee as well mate if not wanting to use pure water as you'll probably get asked to do the full conservatory
Clean the frames with the wfp connected to the tap water, wait for the water to stop dripping and then trad the windows
You can sell it as a full conservatory clean then
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No worries
Buy yourself a decent mop and squeegee as well mate if not wanting to use pure water as you'll probably get asked to do the full conservatory
Clean the frames with the wfp connected to the tap water, wait for the water to stop dripping and then trad the windows
You can sell it as a full conservatory clean then
What's trad? Traditional? ie clean with mop and squeegee
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00454CG04/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=LHRIG8TDPNWM&coliid=I3PT0RHWPAT6GW
http://www.amazon.co.uk/HG-Hagesan-Window-Cleaner-500ml/dp/B000IU3WC0/ref=pd_ys_sf_s_rp_a1_2_p?ie=UTF8&refRID=0ZRKJZHYTWVKPVXYHVWG
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Mate, forget amazon...its 5hite for window cleaning gear
Get decent trad/traditional equip
http://www.windowcleaningwarehouse.co.uk/unger-ergotec-50th-anniversary-kit.html
(Thats a 14'' squeegee channel, maybe get 10" or 12" so it will fit in all size windows)
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Thanks don feel I've done a weeks window cleaning course in 3 hours on this forum lol
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You can get 200 magic sponges on eBay for just over a tenner inc p&p. Shipped from Hong Kong / China though.
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Would these 3 products be all I need to trad wash a conservatory obviously detergent and water lol
http://www.windowcleaningwarehouse.co.uk/NJ250.html
http://www.windowcleaningwarehouse.co.uk/ESA30.html
http://www.windowcleaningwarehouse.co.uk/NI250.html
I assume I need the t-bar as my washer sleeve would go on there?
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Yeah but get this mop - http://www.windowcleaningwarehouse.co.uk/unger-stripwasher-micro-strip-pac.html
No need for the swivel whilst you still learning trad and 14'' on the mop will be fine for 99% of conservatory cleaning (i use a 14" mop on everything i trad)
For the squeegee, 10" will fit in most windows but obviously conservatories have larger windows so you may be able to get away with a larger channel (you can change channels without needing another handle)
Larger handles means less work on the glass as it covers a larger area...
I'd get a 10" and a 14" channel
Use the 14" on most of the work, and on the odd smaller window you'll have the 10" just incase (or just use the 10" on everything)
You'll want scrims/microfibre cloths to detail the edges btw (wipe the water at the edge of the windows)
If you know a local windie, ask him if he'd teach you how to fan