Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Simon Trapani on January 18, 2018, 04:22:43 pm
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Hi guys.
Any advice on cleaning the inside of a car showroom? Are ladders a no no even if footed?
Or am I looking at trad pole or an internal dry system maybe?
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Trad style cleaning and mop up as you go. If you're nervous about laddering on their polished floors, stick a pair of these on:
https://www.midlandladders.com/swivel-suction-feet
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Thanks Ian. I won't put those on though. I'd rather not do the job if it comes to that.
It's the top one's in the picture that concern me. There will be two of us so one could foot the ladder. I'd trad pole it but I think with the steel in the way it'll be difficult to finish.
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an unger trad pole with their angle adaptor on would allow you to finish at the bottom of the windows.
personally id pass the job on as i dont want inside work.in fact i havent got a single inside window cleaning job anymore thank god! :)
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Excelerator on a pole in the swivel position.
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Used to do a load of car showrooms including Volvo and a porche showrooms, personally with eyes in the back of your head and ears with a foam end handle (just for belt and braces) trad pole and wagtail or moerman liquidator. Makes sure the bottom frame is cleaned so dirt is less likely to go back on Glass.
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We generally use a scaffold tower as it’s difficult to clean the deep ledges between the pains from the ground
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I'm now thinking footed ladder with mitts and finish up squeegee on sides of top panes not at bottom as like you said that metal ledge is deep.
Just depends if I can reach the top without overstretching.
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Looking again though the vertical bars look deep also. ::)roll
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I regularly clean six car showrooms (in and out) and find the vikan system with a long pole ideal. No water to get on the floors or (god forbid) the cars, no ladders - all done from the ground.
http://gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/all-products/indoor-specialized/indoor-glass-cleaning/vikan-easy-shine-replacement-microfibre-mop.html
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I've never used a Viking though so might look like a right amateur!
Also the pole is out of stock at the moment.
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I've never used a Viking though so might look like a right amateur!
Also the pole is out of stock at the moment.
We tried using one made a hell of a mess very smeary , ok if very very light clean needed but if reasonably dirty we found the only way to get good consistent results that looked good in low angle sun on it was to get up close with squeegee
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We tried using one made a hell of a mess very smeary , ok if very very light clean needed but if reasonably dirty we found the only way to get good consistent results that looked good in low angle sun on it was to get up close with squeegee
Using only pure water will not clean internal glass like the ones in the picture very well unless it was spotless to start with or is in an environment with heppa type filtered air conditioning.
I use SYR pads with two trad poles. I spray a solution of pure water with a small amount of white vinegar and a very very small drop of window cleaning solution like squeegee off or unger liquid on one pad, taking care not to soak the pad, and buff with the other. The results are blinding.
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I would take a guess chance s are they probably own a big pair of step ladders use them .or if using ladders make sure you protect the ledges you put them on
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I got ladder mitts but won’t use any ladders other than ours jk.
I’m thinking squeegee inside tops first time then possibly Viking.
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I’m thinking squeegee inside tops first time then possibly Viking.
That's how I would do it.
If they are to be cleaned regularly inside the Vikan will be fine for the tops after the first clean.
If you do the lower panes with a mop and squeegee, which will all be within direct line of sight I'm sure it will be acceptable.
The trick with the Vikan is to apply the least amount of water/solution possible to the glass.
It doesn't need much.
I do that by just dabbing the glass with a mop and use the vikan pad straight after to just buff the glass off.
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When using a vikan system I add a little meths to the pure water. It helps break up any grease on the glass.
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Andy, can I just lightly spray the pad from the bottle? That was how I imagined it.
Elfyn - meths -really?!
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what about a karcher vac on a pole?
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Yes - meths - really. It's one of the few solvents that is soluble in water. I mix up a 5ltr container of pure water and add about a cap full of meths. Cuts through grease (finger prints etc.) and won't smear. I've been doing this with a vikan systen for about 6 years now.
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I clean this and it has similar deep ledges on the inside to your picture. I use a long unger pole to clean 3/4 of the top section. Then use an A-frame pointer on a none slip rubber mat to finish the top windows, wipe sills etc and clean the tops of the lower window on the way round. Then its simply a case of cleaning the rest of the lower pane from the safety of the ground floor and mopping up any excess water. Job done.
Theres only 1 window I can't clean this way so I bought a few of the Gardiner indoor cleaning bits and adapt my wfp when needed but it's rubbish. It's cleaner for sure, but smeary. You can tell its been cleaned differently, it's never gotten any better and I clean it every 3 months. it's quite frustrating because the rest is spotless! might try the meths approach on this window as mentioned above.
Don't turn down the internal work. Its ideal on wet and miserable days.
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1516460867_com_window_cleaning_window_cheltenham_1.jpg)
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Andy, can I just lightly spray the pad from the bottle? That was how I imagined it.
Yes you can.
But I prefer to use a damp traditional window cleaning mop to wet the window and then buff off with a dry vikan pad.
You use less vikan pads that way, and when they become too damp or dirty I change for another clean one.
I've used this method for years on regular work that have hard to reach interior office windows where desks, computer workstations, printers etc. prevent easy access to the windows to be able to use a mop and squeegee.
If done properly it will give an acceptable finish, and I've never had a complaint.
However for the first clean I would spend time getting up there with a mop and squeegee to give a thorough clean and then use the vikan on the high glass from then on.
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Ok thanks.