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Cleaning Tinted Windows
Cleaning Methods A large portion of every dollar spent on window cleaning goes to pay the labor costs associated with actually cleaning the windows. Thus, the importance of efficiency in cleaning methods should not be underrated. Practical, professional window cleaning requires a method that will do the work quickly and satisfactorily. The following suggested procedures are commonly used and tend to be the most efficient. However, other methods do exist that may be more efficient in particular situations. Step One: Remove Screens and Grids The first step is to remove any glass ventilators, metal protection grids, or screens. They should be handled carefully and stored against a wall a good distance away from the immediate working area. Once the job has been completed, they should be cleaned with a damp sponge, dried to a polish with a chamois, and then returned exactly as they were before the job began. Step Two: Apply Cleaning Solution The second step is to apply the cleaning solution to the glass. This is done with a sponge, brush, or strip washer. The application process is essentially the same whether the cleaner is working on small, medium, or large windows. One often-used stroke begins at the upper left-hand corner of the window pane and moves to the right. Upon reaching the right side of the window, the motion starts back to the left, immediately below the first stroke. The strokes continue back and forth and from side to side in one continuous motion. When the side-to-side motions reaches the bottom of the window, it then goes up the left side and continues until it reaches the right side. Developing a single, continuous motion enables the window cleaner to reduce the number of strokes which, in turn, reduces fatigue. The single continuous stroke also gives greater speed and efficiency. The use of a circular motion is more time-consuming and gives poorer results, often leaving streaks and overlaps. Don't apply too much solution to the glass. Use only as much solution as is necessary to keep the glass wet long enough so that it can be squeegeed before it begins to dry. If the weather is dry and the glass dries too quickly, apply more solution that usual; in damp weather, apply less. After applying the solution, wipe the surrounding from with a sponge. This will remove the soil from the frame and will also prevent the soil on the part of the frame adjacent to the glass from drawing onto the glass when squeegeeing, which causes streaks. Finally, the windows should be checked to make sure that all of the dirt is free from the glass before going on to the next step - the squeegeeing process. Squeegeeing Methods There are a variety of squeegeeing methods, with dozens of variations for each one. Three methods are described below: · Straight · Fanning · Swirl Before beginning to explain the ''straight'' method, it should be pointed out that some cleaners prefer to start at the top left-hand corner of the window; others prefer to start at the top right-hand corner (usually depending on whether they are left-handed or right-handed). Starting from either corner is acceptable; in the description below, the left-hand corner has been chosen as the starting point. Straight Method 1.Beginning at the top left-hand corner of the window, hold the squeegee blade perpendicular to the ground and tilted away from the glass at an angle so that about two inches of rubber touches the glass at the very top of the window. Using the squeegee blade this way (tilted at an angle) is called ''cutting the edge.'' 2.Draw the tilted squeegee along the top edge of the glass to the top right-hand corner. 3.Remove the squeegee and wipe the blade with a chamois or sponge. Start on the now-dry surface at the top left-hand edge of the window by holding the squeegee blade parallel to the ground with the entire blade against the glass. Draw the blade down to within three inches of the bottom. While drawing downward, now hold the glade at a forty-five degree angle with the right end held higher than the left end. This way, water will not flow off both ends of the squeegee blade and leave streaks on the window, but will flow toward the section of the window that still must be squeegeed. 4.Remove the squeegee from the glass, wipe the blade with a chamois, and go back to the top of the window. Draw the squeegee down the glass the same way, slightly overlapping the previous stroke. Pay particular attention to the angle at which the squeegee is held. Continue the process outlined in steps 1 to 5 until all of the glass has been squeegeed except for a three-inch horizontal strip at the bottom of the window. 5.Before cleaning the strip at the bottom of the window, soak up the excess water that has been forced down to the bottom sash with a well-rinsed sponge. If this step is omitted, the sash eventually could begin to rot and the window cleaning company may be held responsible. 6.Once the excess water has been removed, ''cut the edge.'' Start at the top of the three-inch strip (with the squeegee blade touching the glass) and draw down along the left edge of the window to the bottom. 7.Wipe the squeegee blade and begin again at the now-dry surface at the bottom left-hand corner of the window. Holding the squeegee perpendicular to the ground, draw it across the bottom of the window the right-hand corner. 8.Remove any remaining water and soil from the corner of the pane, the metal sash, or the framework by wiping each with a chamois cloth. Fanning The second method, used more often by experienced cleaners, is the ''fanning'' or ''snaking'' method. The method gets its name from the movement of the squeegee across the window. Watching an experienced cleaner use this method has been described as ''poetry in motion'' as the cleaner moves the squeegee side to side in what appears to be one single, graceful movement. Because the cleaner does not lift the squeegee off the window nearly as often as in the ''straight'' method, ''fanning'' takes less time. However, even though it takes less time, it is more difficult than the ''straight'' method and should be used only when the window cleaner has completely mastered the technique. The first step in ''fanning'' is exactly the same as the first step in the ''straight'' method - the cleaner should ''cut the edge'' from the top left-hand corner to the top right-hand corner. Any type of window cleaning, regardless of the method being used, begins with cutting the edge. This procedure allows cleaners to start the squeegee from a dry spot and to avoid streaks. After the squeegee blade has been wiped, place it on the glass horizontally and draw from the now-dry left-hand corner down across the left edge. Stop a few inches from the bottom of the window. (Remember: the right edge of the squeegee blade should be higher on the glass than the left end when drawing the squeegee down the window.) The third step is the same as the straight method's second step, with the exception that the cleaner begins at the opposite side of the window. Starting from the top right corner, draw the squeegee along the right edge of the window to within three inches of the bottom. This time, the left end of the squeegee blade should be higher than the right end so that the water runs off to the left end onto the part of the window that still needs to be squeegeed. Starting at either the top right side or the top left side (it doesn't matter because both sides are dry now), begin fanning by moving the squeegee back and forth across the window from side to side in one continuous motion until the squeegee is worked down to the bottom strip. When ''snaking'' down the window like this, it is important to have the top of the squeegee blade angled farther forward in the direction it is headed than the bottom of the squeegee blade. (When the squeegee is being moved across the window to the right, the blade should look like this: /. When the squeegee is drawn across the window to the left, the blade should be held at the opposite angle: \. This will ensure that the water flows off the squeegee and onto the part of the window that is yet to be squeegeed.) If tilted at the wrong angle, the squeegee blade will leave a streak of water behind it. Remove excess water from the bottom strip and squeegee the strip as instructed in the section on the straight method. Once this has been completed, the window should be as clean as possible. Before moving on to the next window, however, make sure that everything is back the way it was before the job began. Swirl The third method is the ''swirl.'' It's much faster and leaves fewer rubber marks than simple straight down or straight across squeegeeing. Once you know the swirl, you'll be able to just slide the squeegee back and forth across the glass in one motion without taking the squeegee off the glass. While it may appear similar to the ''fanning'' method, it's quite different. After brushing, use a dry rage to wipe the squeegee blade, the top edge, and the side edge of the window (no more than ½ inch of glass). Then place the squeegee in the dry strip on the side edge. As you cross the glass, the top edge (the ''critical edge'') must be angled slightly forward. Go straight across; don't let the squeegee dip down until you begin the next turn. The purpose of the swirl turn is to dry the squeegee rubber for the next swipe across the glass. By creating a dry area down the side and bringing the squeegee back through it, the rubber is dried. With a dry rubber you'll avoid streaking. As you approach the turn, begin angling the top edge forward. When you reach the window edge, bring the squeegee down about 18 inches. This will create a dry area down the side. To finish the first half, just flick your wrist. To finish the turn, just lower the squeegee handle close to the glass and glide up through the dry area. As you near the bottom, the squeegee motion must change because there just isn't enough space left to make the regular turns. The technique to use near the bottom is called the ''super lean.'' To do the ''super lean,'' just angle the top edge forward. When you're ready to make the turn, simply tilt the squeegee down and come back the other way. Repeat this until you're about eight inches from the bottom. As you approach the bottom corner, tilt the squeegee so that the top edge of the squeegee is only two inches higher than the bottom end. Then simply flick your wrist and make the last swipe across the bottom. Special Considerations When cleaning windows that are larger or smaller than most, the methods of cleaning may vary somewhat from those previously described. For instance, on smaller windows, it may not be possible to use the ''fanning'' method. If windows are very small, it may not be appropriate to use a squeegee at all. In this situation, some cleaners recommend simply using a chamois or towel to dry the window. This approach may also be necessary when attempting to dry certain sections of oddly-shaped windows. The drying motion for the chamois is the same as the scrubbing motion described above. When working on large windows, many cleaners prefer to clean them one half at a time. The top half is scrubbed first and then squeegeed. Then the bottom half is scrubbed and squeegeed. When breaking the job down into sections like this, you still must remember to always start the squeegee close to the frame, on a clean dry surface. Therefore, as is always the case, it is necessary to ''cut the edge'' before starting to squeegee the rest of the window. If the top of the window is too high to be reached by hand, extension poles may be necessary. These lightweight aluminum poles are generally available in sections, with total lengths up to 27'. The hand tools described above are designed to fit onto the upper end of the poles for scrubbing, squeegeeing, scraping, or drying. It should be noted, of course, that, the longer the pole, the more exaggerated the loss-of-control on the hand tool, and the lesser quality of the work. Thus, extension poles should be used only when the window (or part of the window) cannot be reached by hand. On the other hand, most professionals clean second story windows using an extension pole rather than a ladder because it's safer and easier. When using an extension pole, the first step is to scrub the entire window. After this, you have two options, depending on how accessible the window is. If the entire window is out of reach, the ''straight'' method of squeegeeing should be used. ''Fanning'' with an extension pole simply does not do an adequate job of drying the window, mainly because of the lack of control. If the top portion of the window is the only part that is out of reach, then that should be the only part on which the extension pole is used. Squeegee the top part of the window with the pole using the ''straight'' method, then finish the accessible part by hand, using whichever squeegee method you prefer. Window cleaning is best done in the shade; cloudy days are also fine. If it is necessary to clean windows in the sun, the work should be scheduled early in the day, before the windows heat up. Hot wind can cause evaporation of the water before the window cleaner has had a change to remove the water with the squeegee. If the water sticks to the glass and evaporates, all the solids in the water will be left on the glass. In order to leave the window perfectly clean, the cleaner should completely remove water with the squeegee, and not let it dry. If the work cannot be scheduled early in the day, and the windows are already hot, you may have to clean the glass one small section at a time so the water won't evaporate before you use the squeegee. Also, keep the windows as wet as possible. Source: Janitor USA
Some feedback from our valued members: "Dear Maribel, I would like to thank you for the lead that we received from the window cleaning directory. I appreciate your website and directory. We have received a couple of different leads, it helps our business with new continued growth!! Thanks!! Sincerely, D.Day, Owner Streakfree Window Cleaning & Maintenance" "I get a lot of leads form you guys thanks a lot. Doing great Thanks so much." - A to Z Cleaning "Thank you for the lead. I really appreciate all that you are doing for our company." - Seth Brown Panes & Drains Dear Maribel, I want to thank you for the great job you do. I recieved a lead for a large disribution center. This turned out to be a win-win situation for both me and the customer. We owe it all to you. Thank you again for all your efforts and helping our company grow in a direction we can be proud of. Troy Nelson Xtreme Cleaning Janesville, WI When Quality Counts www.1xtremecleaning.com |
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