[ringo1968]

 Thus far i have worked about 7-8 days with a mate and have yet to decide if i will be a success at window cleaning. He works very fast while i plod my way round the downers while i'm trying to do a good job, there is no way i can work at any speed. He has cleaned for 20 years though.
                Also on blade work i'm always leaving water marks when doing the 'S' shaped stuff and occasionally missing corners. Again he leaves me for dead on speed while leaving no marks !!! And the narrow 'fan light' windows i find very tough to squeegee with the 14" blades he uses, very tough.

        This makes me ponder how fast i would be on me tod and the quality of blade work.

     But i love the leaded/french window work and guttering- as well as the cold, no problem.

[StanA]

Thus far i have worked about 7-8 days with a mate and have yet to decide if i will be a success at window cleaning. He works very fast while i plod my way round the downers while i'm trying to do a good job, there is no way i can work at any speed. He has cleaned for 20 years though.
                Also on blade work i'm always leaving water marks when doing the 'S' shaped stuff and occasionally missing corners. Again he leaves me for dead on speed while leaving no marks !!! And the narrow 'fan light' windows i find very tough to squeegee with the 14" blades he uses, very tough.

        This makes me ponder how fast i would be on me tod and the quality of blade work.

     But i love the leaded/french window work and guttering- as well as the cold, no problem.

Even with plenty of experience, I discovered that I could be much faster on house windows with a smaller channel size - especially the fanlight type windows as it gave me room to maneouvre the blade around.

[Martin ccs]

keep at it!

end of the day - u keep doing that for 6 hrs a day u will get the hang of it and speed up.

its good u have someone with u to help with the work while u get the hang of it.

[paul rulton]

learning how 2clean the windows is quite quick if shown rite  the bit that takes the
time is gettin ur speed up, thats all down 2u come it with time n plenty of practice 
keep goin ringo1968  welcome 2the world of windys & welcome 2 the best forum around 

[ringo1968]

keep at it!

end of the day - u keep doing that for 6 hrs a day u will get the hang of it and speed up.

its good u have someone with u to help with the work while u get the hang of it.

     Cheers. I have a full time job (finish 4pm, 3pm fridays) and earn roughly 20k. I would have to be pretty certain of earning around 25k per year to go for it, i would have to start part time to begin with though ?

[formb]

Not really part time just part time pay. Go full time canvassing and you will be full up in no time.

Good luck.

[steveo22]

What size channel do you use StanA?? i currently use 12", i've got a 14" channel but don't like it!! Thinking of going for a 10"

[cleewindows]

nice one m8,i work nights and earn approx 25k.
im building my round up and when i have about 100 custys i will go down to 3 or 4 nights a week!
 im picking up a few customers a week so i think in no time i will be down to a 3 day week,then when i get to 250 customers,i will pack it in,i will have a nice pay off when i leave my company as i have gained lots of shares over the years of working for them.
 So i will be aiming even harder to pack it in and do the windows full time!
 Keep up the hard work m8 and set yourself targets.
 I go out every morning for a hour and half delivering leaflets,im gonna start knocking doors in the next week or 2!

keep at it!

end of the day - u keep doing that for 6 hrs a day u will get the hang of it and speed up.

its good u have someone with u to help with the work while u get the hang of it.

     Cheers. I have a full time job (finish 4pm, 3pm fridays) and earn roughly 20k. I would have to be pretty certain of earning around 25k per year to go for it, i would have to start part time to begin with though ?

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

The speed will come with time & practice. I too prefere a smaller channel. I use 12" & 10" wagtail flippers for 99% of my trad work & a 6" normal channel for any georgians that can't be wfp'd.

I would practice time & time again on one of your own windows to perfect a technique that leaves minimal detailing & no lines. I would try some squeegee off liquid too. Another thing, don't be tight with rubbers, they are only pennies & a new one makes it so much easier for speed with top results. Trying to squeeze the life out of your rubber is false economy IMO. I use pulex standard personally.

It's just a case of doing it, doing it & doing it, trying a few different tools will do you no harm either. Different rubber, channels (stainless a lot lighter than brass), handles, applicators etc.

Personally i would recommend a wagtail flipper, other than that it would be-

Ettore porcupine applicator sleeve
Ettore ledge-eze handle with stainless channel (various sizes)
Pulex standard rubber
Unger BOAB (bucket on a belt)

And for solution- 5ml of GG3 + 15ml of ettore squeegee off mixed in 6ltrs of water.

I don't know what you use now but If you give some of those a go I think you would see a real difference.

[birdymiller]

nice one m8,i work nights and earn approx 25k.
im building my round up and when i have about 100 custys i will go down to 3 or 4 nights a week!
 im picking up a few customers a week so i think in no time i will be down to a 3 day week,then when i get to 250 customers,i will pack it in,i will have a nice pay off when i leave my company as i have gained lots of shares over the years of working for them.
 So i will be aiming even harder to pack it in and do the windows full time!
 Keep up the hard work m8 and set yourself targets.
 I go out every morning for a hour and half delivering leaflets,im gonna start knocking doors in the next week or 2!

keep at it!

end of the day - u keep doing that for 6 hrs a day u will get the hang of it and speed up.

its good u have someone with u to help with the work while u get the hang of it.

     Cheers. I have a full time job (finish 4pm, 3pm fridays) and earn roughly 20k. I would have to be pretty certain of earning around 25k per year to go for it, i would have to start part time to begin with though ?

What night work do you do? When i first started i did 4 0n 4 off permanent nights in a factory 12 hour shifts.

To original poster you need to keep at it cant you do any full days as starting at 4 or 3 is prob not helping by time you get into a rythum you are finishing

[jonnyald]

i too would say get a 12 "wagtail flipper.  i would say the extra reach  of about 6 inches over a regular squeegee makes a whole world of difference. put soft rubber in it by the way

 i wouldnt fret over doing the fanning /s- method.  i did my first year doing straight sideaway pulls only and slowly started doing the fanning way.

[ringo1968]

Ettore porcupine applicator sleeve
Ettore ledge-eze handle with stainless channel (various sizes)
Pulex standard rubber
Unger BOAB (bucket on a belt)

And for solution- 5ml of GG3 + 15ml of ettore squeegee off mixed in 6ltrs of water.

I don't know what you use now but If you give some of those a go I think you would see a real difference.

        My mate uses ordinary fairy liquid, but doesn't seem to change his water much when i'm out with him. He uses 14" Ettore blades and he is bloody quick. I think i feel pressured into keeping up with him, thus leaving water marks and missing some corners. I love the work though it is harder graft than i thought.

[ringo1968]

keep at it!

end of the day - u keep doing that for 6 hrs a day u will get the hang of it and speed up.

its good u have someone with u to help with the work while u get the hang of it.

     Cheers. I have a full time job (finish 4pm, 3pm fridays) and earn roughly 20k. I would have to be pretty certain of earning around 25k per year to go for it, i would have to start part time to begin with though ?

What night work do you do? When i first started i did 4 0n 4 off permanent nights in a factory 12 hour shifts.

To original poster you need to keep at it cant you do any full days as starting at 4 or 3 is prob not helping by time you get into a rythum you are finishing

       Unless i do saturdays ? Or on days off ? Perhaps that is a way to start.

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

Ettore porcupine applicator sleeve
Ettore ledge-eze handle with stainless channel (various sizes)
Pulex standard rubber
Unger BOAB (bucket on a belt)

And for solution- 5ml of GG3 + 15ml of ettore squeegee off mixed in 6ltrs of water.

I don't know what you use now but If you give some of those a go I think you would see a real difference.

        My mate uses ordinary fairy liquid, but doesn't seem to change his water much when i'm out with him. He uses 14" Ettore blades and he is bloody quick. I think i feel pressured into keeping up with him, thus leaving water marks and missing some corners. I love the work though it is harder graft than i thought.

No need to feel pressure Ringo, it's taken him years to get that fast. You might get that fast in 6 months, maybe even faster, thus you'll be better than him then

NOBODY is fast & good with a squeegee right away, it's just a knack that'll come with time & practice.

[cleewindows]

im a team leader in a distribution centre,i was training to be a team manager which pays 35k,i couldnt work there forever or anywhere simillat,too many poles and far to boring!mind numbing|!

nice one m8,i work nights and earn approx 25k.
im building my round up and when i have about 100 custys i will go down to 3 or 4 nights a week!
 im picking up a few customers a week so i think in no time i will be down to a 3 day week,then when i get to 250 customers,i will pack it in,i will have a nice pay off when i leave my company as i have gained lots of shares over the years of working for them.
 So i will be aiming even harder to pack it in and do the windows full time!
 Keep up the hard work m8 and set yourself targets.
 I go out every morning for a hour and half delivering leaflets,im gonna start knocking doors in the next week or 2!

keep at it!

end of the day - u keep doing that for 6 hrs a day u will get the hang of it and speed up.

its good u have someone with u to help with the work while u get the hang of it.

     Cheers. I have a full time job (finish 4pm, 3pm fridays) and earn roughly 20k. I would have to be pretty certain of earning around 25k per year to go for it, i would have to start part time to begin with though ?

What night work do you do? When i first started i did 4 0n 4 off permanent nights in a factory 12 hour shifts.

To original poster you need to keep at it cant you do any full days as starting at 4 or 3 is prob not helping by time you get into a rythum you are finishing