Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Jackal on February 05, 2010, 08:54:24 am

Title: what am i doing wrong?
Post by: Jackal on February 05, 2010, 08:54:24 am
been w/c now full time for little over a month and using a squeegee takes a bit of getting used to, but been ok with it until i changed my rubber yesterday then it was cleaning the window brilliant had to be quick so the window wasnt going dry to quick,then after a couple of hours i started to make bowing lines off the ends of squeegee so had to use scrim to wipe them off is it me or is the rubber a bit knackered already

plus how long does it take to get your speed up as it takes me around 40-45 mins do a average house with conservatory doing about 9-10 houses but think im being to pickey trying get all the marks off when i should just wash and go
Title: Re: what am i doing wrong?
Post by: Jack Wallace on February 05, 2010, 09:05:57 am
Hey Jackal,
The lines you are leaving may be a result of how you cut the rubber if its a replacement, if there is a small amount of "loose" rubber trailing on the end it could leave a line.
I find the best way to get a nice clean cut is to use anvil style pruning shears, (just a cheap pair will do) but anything is fine as long as you are left with a clean square cut.
As for time to clean an average property, it takes as long as it takes till you are happy with the job. speed will come gradually, but without doubt you will get faster. Try not to worry about the time it takes and just concentrate on the job and before long you will be churning them out.
Title: Re: what am i doing wrong?
Post by: gewindows on February 05, 2010, 09:08:42 am
That line is likely caused by what Jack suggested, sometimes the offending bit of loose can be barely discernible to the naked eye, it only takes a minute nick in the rubber. You may have to trim a 1/4" off the end or replace it altogether.


I always used a  stanley blade to cut mine.
Title: Re: what am i doing wrong?
Post by: Jackal on February 05, 2010, 09:15:47 am
sound thats proberly why then i used a pair of scissors thats not going help  ::)
Title: Re: what am i doing wrong?
Post by: Craig 72 on February 05, 2010, 09:57:20 am
If you're leaving lines from the ends of your squeegee your technique might need tweaking.Are you making sure that you're overlapping the soap a couple of inches with the squeegee?Also,make sure the top edge of the squeegee leads the bottom edge so the soap flows to the one end and doesn't spill into the clean area.Not sure I'm explaining myself well but there are sites with diagrams etc. 
Title: Re: what am i doing wrong?
Post by: Blue Frog Systems on February 05, 2010, 10:38:11 am
Jackal... Have a look on YouTube. You will see first hand how others do it. There are lots of ways to do it, so see what works for you best.
Title: Re: what am i doing wrong?
Post by: A & J Owen Window Cleaning on February 05, 2010, 05:39:06 pm
i just cut my rubber to just inside the channel so you dont get the wear on the ends you will have to finish with scrim on thw outside panes but will conserve wear also if you have a extention pole put a slight angle on end say 10 degrees so you get a good contact on glass
Title: Re: what am i doing wrong?
Post by: dazmond on February 05, 2010, 05:47:42 pm
i clean a normal 3 bedder with average size conservatory in roughly 15 mins trad.i have had 16 years practice though! ;D ;D

youll get quicker in time!as for rubbers i use the pre cut unger soft rubber in a swivelock squeegy.

make sure youve got a good squeegy and that the channel isnt bent! ;D ;D

regards

dazmond
Title: Re: what am i doing wrong?
Post by: Ian Lancaster on February 05, 2010, 05:51:37 pm
If you cut your rubber with scissors, cut from the back to the front (from the channel bead to the working edge) as the scissors start to cut, they make an angled cut, but as they cut through the angle straightens up, so when you get to the business edge the cut is clean and square.
Title: Re: what am i doing wrong?
Post by: ccmids on February 05, 2010, 06:31:49 pm
try and get in the habit of wipeing the rubber before you put it on the glass , i find this helps remove any bits .
Title: Re: what am i doing wrong?
Post by: wizard on February 06, 2010, 08:58:08 am
Cut your rubber with ablade Put the sharp end flat on the rubber and press down this will allways give you a clean cut. Any scissors will cut from one side to the other and it will never be strait, and could be skew and beveled at the same time .It will never be a clean cut.
Title: Re: what am i doing wrong?
Post by: Jackal on February 06, 2010, 09:23:57 am
had a few goes with an old rubber found that if i use blade and start the cut at the channel end it can still cut not completely straight as the rubber bends slightly so is it best to cut the working end first nice a straight then finished trimming the bead end,or should i just get a meat chopper off me butcher :D
Title: Re: what am i doing wrong?
Post by: gewindows on February 06, 2010, 09:44:23 am
It isnt rocket science boys, just cut it as straight as you can with a stanley blade.

The working end will become the non-working anyway once you turn it round after one side is worn.
Title: Re: what am i doing wrong?
Post by: Jackal on February 06, 2010, 11:59:40 am
"It isnt rocket science boys"

that was my old job but found it to easy so went for a more challenging roll w/c impresses folk   8)