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Bungle

  • Posts: 2585
Where Does The Time Go?
« on: February 17, 2026, 04:31:54 pm »
I'm sat here inputting the work I've done today. On the screen it tells me when I first started cleaning the windows at each job. I've been gobsmacked by the amount of years I've been cleaning some of them. I genuinely thought I'd been cleaning some of them for 5 years or so, but they're like 10 years plus.

It's scary. Where has the time gone?
We look at them, they look through them.

AuRavelling79

  • Posts: 27053
Re: Where Does The Time Go?
« Reply #1 on: February 17, 2026, 05:39:28 pm »
The customer I have cleaned for the longest time is a commercial one.

I've cleaned it monthly since 1999.
It's a game of three halves!

The Jester of Wibbly

  • Posts: 2312
Re: Where Does The Time Go?
« Reply #2 on: February 17, 2026, 05:52:20 pm »
It's even stranger when you suddenly realise those customers who had babies when you started cleaning are now adults.
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Splash and dash

  • Posts: 521
Re: Where Does The Time Go?
« Reply #3 on: February 17, 2026, 06:32:39 pm »
It's even stranger when you suddenly realise those customers who had babies when you started cleaning are now adults.


I have customers that when I started doing there windows didn’t have kids ,  now  they have grown up kids that have left home and we do there Windows as well 😂 makes you feel old

dd

  • Posts: 2689
Re: Where Does The Time Go?
« Reply #4 on: February 17, 2026, 06:36:00 pm »
I started in 1988, I still have a few original customers (from the first year or so of trading), although I still clean quite a few of the original houses, just for new people.

When I started aged 23, all my customers were older than me. Now at 61, I am older than a lot of my customers.

Simon Trapani

  • Posts: 1746
Re: Where Does The Time Go?
« Reply #5 on: February 17, 2026, 07:43:24 pm »
I’ve still got some of my original customers. 34 years this year!

Slacky

  • Posts: 8492
Re: Where Does The Time Go?
« Reply #6 on: February 17, 2026, 09:46:35 pm »
The longest I’ve been cleaning one of my customers is a year  ;D  ;D  ;D

AuRavelling79

  • Posts: 27053
Re: Where Does The Time Go?
« Reply #7 on: February 18, 2026, 08:32:49 am »
The longest I’ve been cleaning one of my customers is a year  ;D  ;D  ;D

If you really cared about your customers you'd fly back over every 8 weeks and clean them.
It's a game of three halves!

dazmond

  • Posts: 24710
Re: Where Does The Time Go?
« Reply #8 on: February 18, 2026, 08:45:05 am »
I'm sat here inputting the work I've done today. On the screen it tells me when I first started cleaning the windows at each job. I've been gobsmacked by the amount of years I've been cleaning some of them. I genuinely thought I'd been cleaning some of them for 5 years or so, but they're like 10 years plus.

It's scary. Where has the time gone?

A few of mine are still customers I canvassed in Jan 1993! Lots of mine are 20+ years
price higher/work harder!

dazmond

  • Posts: 24710
Re: Where Does The Time Go?
« Reply #9 on: February 18, 2026, 08:50:18 am »
It's even stranger when you suddenly realise those customers who had babies when you started cleaning are now adults.


I have customers that when I started doing there windows didn’t have kids ,  now  they have grown up kids that have left home and we do there Windows as well 😂 makes you feel old

When they visit their parents and they say ' wow your still cleaning my mums windows!'😄

I also have some that are still living with their parents but are in their 30s now and you just know their parents wish they would just get a place of their own
price higher/work harder!

Stoots

  • Posts: 6467
Re: Where Does The Time Go?
« Reply #10 on: February 18, 2026, 08:28:45 pm »
I'm sat here inputting the work I've done today. On the screen it tells me when I first started cleaning the windows at each job. I've been gobsmacked by the amount of years I've been cleaning some of them. I genuinely thought I'd been cleaning some of them for 5 years or so, but they're like 10 years plus.

It's scary. Where has the time gone?

A few of mine are still customers I canvassed in Jan 1993! Lots of mine are 20+ years

I was still at primary school in Jan 93

How old were you when you started Daz?

dazmond

  • Posts: 24710
Re: Where Does The Time Go?
« Reply #11 on: February 18, 2026, 08:37:07 pm »
I'm sat here inputting the work I've done today. On the screen it tells me when I first started cleaning the windows at each job. I've been gobsmacked by the amount of years I've been cleaning some of them. I genuinely thought I'd been cleaning some of them for 5 years or so, but they're like 10 years plus.

It's scary. Where has the time gone?

A few of mine are still customers I canvassed in Jan 1993! Lots of mine are 20+ years

I was still at primary school in Jan 93

How old were you when you started Daz?

21 years of age.......if only I could go back with what I know now......😄
price higher/work harder!

james peters

  • Posts: 1002
Re: Where Does The Time Go?
« Reply #12 on: February 19, 2026, 07:49:57 am »
I started in november of 92, but moved in 95 to another town when I got married. I still clean some customers that I had from1995
I am 55 this year.
I was the first window cleaner to convert to water fed pole in my town. that was in 2005

ARWindows

  • Posts: 91
Re: Where Does The Time Go?
« Reply #13 on: February 19, 2026, 03:38:28 pm »
I started window cleaning in 1995 working off ladders. In 2007 i purchased a 3 year old transit connect and had a concept 20 hot
wa ter system installed this system uses a 240 volt supply via an inverter and lpg. I have been using this system for nearly 19 years.
I just wondered if anybody on here has the same system. The company was called Clear View and was based in South Wales. Now 73 and only working part time mainly for management companies,time goes too quick


Bungle

  • Posts: 2585
Re: Where Does The Time Go?
« Reply #14 on: February 19, 2026, 07:09:13 pm »
I started window cleaning in 1995 working off ladders. In 2007 i purchased a 3 year old transit connect and had a concept 20 hot
wa ter system installed this system uses a 240 volt supply via an inverter and lpg. I have been using this system for nearly 19 years.
I just wondered if anybody on here has the same system. The company was called Clear View and was based in South Wales. Now 73 and only working part time mainly for management companies,time goes too quick

I feel like the years are slipping through my hands. I've been actively checking how long I've been cleaning my jobs this week. Just think, over a 10 year period doing an 8 weekly job you've probably only visited that property a total of 50 times. And you're 10 years older. How scary is that 🥴
We look at them, they look through them.

dazmond

  • Posts: 24710
Re: Where Does The Time Go?
« Reply #15 on: February 20, 2026, 09:51:14 pm »
I started window cleaning in 1995 working off ladders. In 2007 i purchased a 3 year old transit connect and had a concept 20 hot
wa ter system installed this system uses a 240 volt supply via an inverter and lpg. I have been using this system for nearly 19 years.
I just wondered if anybody on here has the same system. The company was called Clear View and was based in South Wales. Now 73 and only working part time mainly for management companies,time goes too quick

I feel like the years are slipping through my hands. I've been actively checking how long I've been cleaning my jobs this week. Just think, over a 10 year period doing an 8 weekly job you've probably only visited that property a total of 50 times. And you're 10 years older. How scary is that 🥴

I'm getting married this year and I've just realised I've been with my missus longer than she was married to her first husband(14 years!)😆


price higher/work harder!

AuRavelling79

  • Posts: 27053
Re: Where Does The Time Go?
« Reply #16 on: February 21, 2026, 06:24:38 am »
I started window cleaning in 1995 working off ladders. In 2007 i purchased a 3 year old transit connect and had a concept 20 hot
wa ter system installed this system uses a 240 volt supply via an inverter and lpg. I have been using this system for nearly 19 years.
I just wondered if anybody on here has the same system. The company was called Clear View and was based in South Wales. Now 73 and only working part time mainly for management companies,time goes too quick

I feel like the years are slipping through my hands. I've been actively checking how long I've been cleaning my jobs this week. Just think, over a 10 year period doing an 8 weekly job you've probably only visited that property a total of 50 times. And you're 10 years older. How scary is that 🥴

I'm getting married this year and I've just realised I've been with my missus longer than she was married to her first husband(14 years!)😆

When do we get our invitations?
It's a game of three halves!

Stoots

  • Posts: 6467
Re: Where Does The Time Go?
« Reply #17 on: Yesterday at 02:54:56 pm »
Ive been full time 10 years,  almost 12years since I first made a trolley out of a barell, some sack wheels i found, a 10 quid chinese pump off ebay and some pond hose from b&q. My first pole was a Harris pole with a Tesco sweeping brush  :D


AuRavelling79

  • Posts: 27053
Re: Where Does The Time Go?
« Reply #18 on: Yesterday at 03:44:45 pm »
Ive been full time 10 years,  almost 12years since I first made a trolley out of a barell, some sack wheels i found, a 10 quid chinese pump off ebay and some pond hose from b&q. My first pole was a Harris pole with a Tesco sweeping brush  :D

I started off on ladders part time in 1996.

In 2005 I bought a Fogwash system off of Peter Fogwill in Broxburn Edinburgh.

It was a trolley that took one or two 25 litre barrels and had a small battery and 60psi shurflo pump on board.

It had 40ft of aluminium Unger twist lock poles which was ok up to about 20ft but incredibly whippy beyond 30!

That sat in the back of my Volvo 240 estate with six 25L barrels.
It's a game of three halves!