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UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: ftp on July 15, 2008, 10:18:59 pm

Title: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: ftp on July 15, 2008, 10:18:59 pm
I've just realised this has finally worn off! I've been doing this job now for a year and a half and hated the feeling of being "just a windowcleaner" even though i enjoyed the job straight away.
 I spent thirty odd years in a skilled factory job thinking i was something special when i obviously wasn't. How about you?
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: mr merson on July 15, 2008, 10:23:43 pm
Key word in post is "just" ! If you live by "just" you wont give your 100% .
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: djhaydn on July 15, 2008, 10:27:48 pm
each to there own.
been doing it for 2 years, im a qualified carpenter, but earn more being "just" a window cleaner, have more time off than being employed.and made some good friends in the process.
no more to be said.
Haydn
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: Nathanael Jones on July 15, 2008, 10:31:04 pm
I'm not a lowly window cleaner,.. I'm a transparent partition technician!

 ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: ronnie paton on July 15, 2008, 10:35:45 pm
well i run a business yes a window cleaning business and its bloody good paying and im succesful at it(if i do say so my self) in two  years i think ill prob be office based and only been running my business 3 years
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: edd on July 15, 2008, 10:50:07 pm
well im a liquid vision technician
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: Nathanael Jones on July 15, 2008, 10:58:20 pm
Years ago a mate of mine who's a shiner was on holiday with a buddy who was a chimney sweep. The lady at the B & B was chatting and asked them about work,... the chimney sweep said, "I'm a flueologist,.. but Mike is "just" a window cleaner"!

20 years later he's still annoyed by that comment!

 ;D ;D
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: mr D on July 15, 2008, 11:13:42 pm
at the end of the day were all just window cleaners but what's wrong with that? a lawer is juat a lawer, a pilot is just a pilot and a supermarket manager is just a supermarket manager! the only people that do a job that arnt 'just' are people like fire fighters, policemen. doctors, nurses, solders, ade workers etc etc they make a diffrence that matters. not that being 'just' is a bad thing i love being just and wouldnt change it for the world......


......well maybe if some one offered me a job as a porn star!
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: CC Windows on July 15, 2008, 11:35:17 pm
I may just be a window cleaner, but it is my business, I am my own boss and I work the hrs that I want!

Done the high profile job, I was a finance manager, working long hrs with untold stress, got offered voluntary redundancy, took it and started doing what I do now!

I did have the benefit of having done window cleaning before though for a family member so wasnt going into it blind!

I may 'Just' be a window cleaner, but I love it and wouldnt have it any other way!
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: Cleaner Windows on July 16, 2008, 07:37:37 am
people like to think of window cleaners as being thick, cowboys, benefit cheats and somehow very dirty sorts of people, thats what annoys me about the stigma of wc'ing!
We clean windows, how could you think of someone being dirty if they clean things for a living?
As long as we have a positive mental attitude about work (which is hard sometimes of course) dress smart, be polite and carry out each job in a professional manner, nobody should be able to say anything bad about us.

I stick my fingers up to their attitude, I'm just gonna keep on doing what I do and hopefully one day that attitude will change  :-\

Denis  ;)
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: groundhog on July 16, 2008, 08:36:57 am
It's not what you do that matters, it's how you do it!!!
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: mr merson on July 16, 2008, 08:48:20 am
It's not what you do that matters, it's how you do it!!!
How you doing mate ?  ;D
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: Cleaner Windows on July 16, 2008, 10:44:27 am
“Just” a window cleaner is for the less mindful people on the subject.

Anybody who gave it some thought would be able to differentiate between “just” and “professional” and start to see the difference between the too.

One of the reasons why you have unprofessional window cleaners is because they don’t know how to be professional.

 ;D

 


nice one, that sums it up nicely! well put mate ;)
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: davids3511 on July 16, 2008, 11:39:19 am

......well maybe if some one offered me a job as a porn star!

There's different types of porn you know ;D
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: NWH on July 16, 2008, 07:19:38 pm
You`d still need a stiff pole lol. ;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: scud on July 16, 2008, 07:25:26 pm
  I bumped into a friend in Halfords a couple of years ago while we were looking for a birthday present for one of the kids, I told my wife we had nowhere to put a go-cart, he said
 "you should get a proper job and then you could buy a house big enough"

  I said nothing, just invited them round for a bbq, the look on his face was priceless when he saw the size of my house and garden.
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: matt on July 16, 2008, 07:27:03 pm
people like to think of window cleaners as being thick, cowboys, benefit cheats and somehow very dirty sorts of people, thats what annoys me about the stigma of wc'ing!


thats exactly how a fair % see it

Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: NWH on July 16, 2008, 07:54:37 pm
  I bumped into a friend in Halfords a couple of years ago while we were looking for a birthday present for one of the kids, I told my wife we had nowhere to put a go-cart, he said
 "you should get a proper job and then you could buy a house big enough"

  I said nothing, just invited them round for a bbq, the look on his face was priceless when he saw the size of my house and garden.
What an awfull thing to say to someone,the best way to get him back would have been to kick him in your pool lol. ;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: mr D on July 16, 2008, 07:59:38 pm
  I bumped into a friend in Halfords a couple of years ago while we were looking for a birthday present for one of the kids, I told my wife we had nowhere to put a go-cart, he said
 "you should get a proper job and then you could buy a house big enough"

  I said nothing, just invited them round for a bbq, the look on his face was priceless when he saw the size of my house and garden.

scud i'm sorry but you are a muppet! you invited some one who said that round for a bbq! :o i'd of floored him
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: NWH on July 16, 2008, 08:01:34 pm
  I bumped into a friend in Halfords a couple of years ago while we were looking for a birthday present for one of the kids, I told my wife we had nowhere to put a go-cart, he said
 "you should get a proper job and then you could buy a house big enough"

  I said nothing, just invited them round for a bbq, the look on his face was priceless when he saw the size of my house and garden.

scud i'm sorry but you are a muppet! you invited some one who said that round for a bbq! :o i'd of floored him
I didn`t want to say that but i agree with you.
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: Dean Taberner on July 16, 2008, 09:00:02 pm
well i run a business yes a window cleaning business and its bloody good paying and im succesful at it(if i do say so my self) in two  years i think ill prob be office based and only been running my business 3 years

Well done Ronnie 8)
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: Wayne Thomas on July 16, 2008, 09:32:40 pm
I'm all for window cleaning having a stigma attached. It helps to deter wannabes from starting up and becoming competition :)

I couldn't care less what people think about window cleaners as long as I can earn decent money working for myself and stay content with my chosen job/profession.
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: ants on July 16, 2008, 09:44:29 pm
Started a new call recently,while Iwas cleaning the man of the house came out and said "All the people on the dole round here and we couldnt find a w/c"
I didnt reply cos  I was to annoyed.
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: scud on July 16, 2008, 11:02:30 pm
  I bumped into a friend in Halfords a couple of years ago while we were looking for a birthday present for one of the kids, I told my wife we had nowhere to put a go-cart, he said
 "you should get a proper job and then you could buy a house big enough"

  I said nothing, just invited them round for a bbq, the look on his face was priceless when he saw the size of my house and garden.

scud i'm sorry but you are a muppet! you invited some one who said that round for a bbq! :o i'd of floored him

  At least he wasn't a stranger calling me a muppet, which I might be less inclined to pass, if you get my drift.
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: NWH on July 16, 2008, 11:16:53 pm
  I bumped into a friend in Halfords a couple of years ago while we were looking for a birthday present for one of the kids, I told my wife we had nowhere to put a go-cart, he said
 "you should get a proper job and then you could buy a house big enough"

  I said nothing, just invited them round for a bbq, the look on his face was priceless when he saw the size of my house and garden.

scud i'm sorry but you are a muppet! you invited some one who said that round for a bbq! :o i'd of floored him

  At least he wasn't a stranger calling me a muppet, which I might be less inclined to pass, if you get my drift.
I don`t think he meant it like that Scud.
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: Tosh on July 17, 2008, 07:07:08 pm
Seven years ago I was a Staff Sergeant in the army, in a Warrant Officer's post (therefore my next promotion to a 'Sir' was fairly guaranteed).  Had I remained I would be just over a year from my pension (about a £45K tax free lump sum and a monthly payment of about £600 per month for doing nothing; payable from the age of 40 years old (after 22 years service)).

But after an extremely turbulent previous five years, never being at home and despatched off to places I didn't want to go to, like Bosnia, Kosovo, Scotland (I covered Paisley during the fire-strikes), etc I jacked it all in.  During my 'round robbin' of termination of service interviews I told them all, including the Commanding Officer that I was going to be a window cleaner.

They couldn't believe it; how could someone with a good career/income/pension leave it all to become a lowly window cleaner?  Honest; they thought I was taking the p out of them.  I may as well have said I'm going to be a circus entertainer, eat fire, juggle, and ride a uni-cycle.

And for the first few years as a window cleaner I was totally skint; I even flogged my medals on e-bay to pay for some unforseen car repairs (honest); and the £1.5K I got for them amazed me (there's some sad people out there).

But now it's the best thing I've ever done; become a window cleaner; and I don't justify it to anyone.  It's what I am and what I do.
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: Sir Squeaky on July 17, 2008, 08:36:37 pm
And for the first few years as a window cleaner I was totally skint; I even flogged my medals on e-bay to pay for some unforseen car repairs (honest); and the £1.5K I got for them amazed me (there's some sad people out there).
That's tragic mate.

If done a job and risked my life (which I assume you did) and got medals, I'd never ever sell them.

They can't be replaced. :o
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: matt on July 17, 2008, 08:41:06 pm
And for the first few years as a window cleaner I was totally skint; I even flogged my medals on e-bay to pay for some unforseen car repairs (honest); and the £1.5K I got for them amazed me (there's some sad people out there).
That's tragic mate.

If done a job and risked my life (which I assume you did) and got medals, I'd never ever sell them.

They can't be replaced. :o

i agree

tosh, them medals were earned by you

im a little shocked at that, i guess you had your reasons, you needed the money, so you had to do what you did, so fair play to you

Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: Gordon Saunders on July 17, 2008, 08:50:53 pm
i am not just a window cleaner
 I am a parent , a son, a brother, an uncle ,a cousin a football player/ coach, a guitar player, a drug support worker/youth worker , a poor poker player , a cyclist and many other things. .
 Why do people only measure themselves by what they do to earn money life is so much more than that .
   If i was only a window cleaner my life would be pretty meaningless.
  G
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: matt on July 17, 2008, 08:51:45 pm
i am not just a window cleaner
 I am a parent , a son, a brother, an uncle ,a cousin a football player/ coach, a guitar player, a drug support worker/youth worker , a poor poker player , a cyclist and many other things. .
 Why do people only measure themselves by what they do to earn money life is so much more than that .
   If i was only a window cleaner my life would be pretty meaningless.
  G

very goo d shout  :)
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: paulscotney on July 17, 2008, 09:06:13 pm
I think some of you are far too sensitive, Earn good money enjoy life. If you don't like admitting to being a window cleaner go and do something else. Estate agents have a bad name, they don't seem to worry too much, well not until recently.
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: ftp on July 17, 2008, 09:21:08 pm
I don't mind admitting to what i do now, but to start with it was a bit different. I would see some scruffy herbert in the town cleaning and think God is that what i've become! Now with the earnings potential and with the help of  intelligent conversation on here (sometimes) i really couldn't give a toss about how others perceive the job.  :)
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: Cleaner Windows on July 17, 2008, 10:38:21 pm
i am not just a window cleaner
 I am a parent , a son, a brother, an uncle ,a cousin a football player/ coach, a guitar player, a drug support worker/youth worker , a poor poker player , a cyclist and many other things. .
 Why do people only measure themselves by what they do to earn money life is so much more than that .
   If i was only a window cleaner my life would be pretty meaningless.
  G

very goo d shout  :)
yeah that makes a lot of sense ;)
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: gsw on July 17, 2008, 10:51:29 pm
i used to be a financial futures trader in london for best part of 15 years, coloured jacket waving my arms about doing tic tac and screaming my nuts off all day. now i'm "just "a window cleaner I earn a very similar wage after 3 years building a business...... and most of it is due to the good advice on here.

the next hurdle to be jumped is employing, which needs to happen when we lose the hour of daylight.

fingers crossed
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: mr merson on July 18, 2008, 06:39:37 am
I think Dave Morris has the right idea ! He does his collecting in his porshe  ;D   :-*
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: pingu on July 18, 2008, 07:15:09 am
I like many have seen some scruffy w/c about and thought...is that me....so I decided to re-vamp my uniform....I now enusre that my boots are polished each morning my clothes are fresh each day ....I bought additioanl trousers, gillets and each day I wear fresh and ironed...does the customer notice or even care? I doubt it...but it makes a huge difference to how I feel as I walk out of the door.
Title: Re: Stigma Of Windowcleaning
Post by: gsw on July 18, 2008, 04:34:03 pm
i dont polish my boots, but always have an ironed shirt on, with my company name on it and never wear ripped jeans..

the customer does notice, you can charge more if you look professional IMO.