[James Styles]

Is there any tips people could give on cleaning filthy (I mean absolutely disgusting, nearly black) windows frames sills and vents using WFP.
I’ve been doing them all well so far (customers have been very happy) but today I had the filthiest house I’ve ever seen.
When I was rinsing the vents above the frames the water was pouring out black!!
I rinsing them over and over until the water was running clear from them, gave all the frames/glass/sills a good clean yet she called me this evening saying she had some dirty water runs from the vents that ran onto the glass.
Obviously this didn’t look to good for me I explained that they was really really bad and I rinsed them a lot but there must still be dirt in them vents and I’ve told her I’ll come sort them for free Wednesday which she was happy with.
Would you guys have any tips on making sure no runs come down off the top frames/vents on filthy first cleans?
Should I just go over them extra and keep rinsing more or is there any other tricks.

[SB Cleaning]

Should of gone back over the windows under the vents after they had time for the water to run out   other than that sounds like you did a good job.

Alarm bells always ring for me when I turn up to a house with windows that bad, usually chavs just wanting their one off 15 year clean

[Stoots]

I use a microfibre towel on windows with vents on first cleans.

So scrub the hell out of all top frames/vents and rinse really well.

Slap a microfibre towel over the brush head and dry off the top frames and vents.

Then clean the rest of the windows and frames below the top frame/vent as normal.

Very slim chance of runs.

[lal]

 James, whenever you get a house that disgustingly bad, (we all get them once in a blue moon)   after you are happy you
 have gotten them as clean as you can, just start from the first window again to the last window checking there are no
 dirty water runs coming from the vents, where necessary clean again  under the vents, be very careful this time to not
 get anymore water into the vents, as they could run again when you have long gone, hope you charged her well for this
 DIRTY FILTHY JOB.

[nathankaye]

Same as Lal,  once you've gone around and completed the clean, go back to the begining and just clean the glass.
This is a learning experience that you won't forget 👍  especially with the frames vents being so disgusting. Another aspect that can happen is a late leaky seal around the window and so make a mental note of it for next time and change the way you clean that particular window.

However, I also agree with SB cleaning and I hope you have taken note of all the previous advice and charged more for this first clean, as I'm taking it took you quite a while to clean, especially with a back pack

[James Styles]

Cheers guys for the good advice I will make sure I take it all on board, I charged her £5 on top of the monthly price so £17, took me about 40 minutes, I will certainly learn from this on first cleans to make sure those vents are thoroughly clean, then go back over the glass again.

[Spruce]

No matter what a customer says, our mind set is that we treat any new cleans as a one off until they prove otherwise.

You just never know 100% if its a special occassion clean or a genuine regular clean. You will start to develop a gut feel for where a job will most likely end up like most of us have.

When pricing a job up we find having 3 figures in mind works. For example;

"The intial clean price will be £20. You then have the choice of a 4 week clean at £10 or an 8 weekly clean at £12. Which would you prefer, 4 weekly or every 8 weeks?"

If they change their minds further down the line, say at the next clean, and tell us that they will call us, I will thank them for their business and inform them politely that I will take their clean off my schedule (I won't say; take your name or details off the list due to the new data laws because those deatils will still remain on my computer records.)

"If you would like us to resume cleaning at a later date then the cost will be £20."

If they do call futher down the line then you make the choice whether to clean or not.  If you have gaps in your work schedule then I believe I would do it as we needed the work at one time. If you have a full schedule then its easy. "Sorry, I'm afraid my work schedule is now fully booked. Would you like me at add you to my list for when I have a cancellation?"
Then make sure you have a valid mobile number. If you do take them back on then you need confirmation that the customer still wants the clean and not found someone else.