If it's an inside window, put a towel along the bottom of the window to catch any runoff. Watch for and wipe up any water that gets on the windowsill. An important part of the secret is to get a good quality squeegee. A $4 one won't do it. However, my 18" squeegee is too long. My previous squeegee (which mysteriously disappeared) was 14" inch and that was a good length for me. When I bought the replacement I wanted 14" but they didn't have any in stock. I find the 18" hard to control. I had to choose between 12" and 18". I thought the 12" would require too many passes, but next time if I can't find a 14" I'll take the 12". Expect to pay about $10-$12 for a squeegee (after that replacement blades are about $2) and about $12 for a scrubber (replacement covers are about $4). I have a 10" scrubber which works well for me. An extension pole will cost about $14-$16 if you need one -- you won't need one if you can reach the top of your highest window with the squeegee. A 14" rectangular bucket would be handy (so the scrubber will go all the way into the water), but I don't have one. In summary, all my gear -- squeegee, scrubber and pole -- cost about $35-$40. Oh, yes. One more thing, don't wash a window that's in the sun -- catch it in the shade or at dawn or wait for a cloudy day. If all this seems complicated, it's not. I just over-explain things trying to be sure they're clear. |
Does anyone know what professional window washers use as a cleaning solution? It seems very
sudsy, but squeegees off cleanly. -- Bob From: "Soggy" <soggy@pacifier.com> Thu Dec 11, 1997 Traditionally, a small amount of TSP [Tri-Sodium Phosphate, available where paint is sold.--ed].
Janitorial supply houses also sell a special powder or tablet for such. My personal favorite is 1
once per gal. of BREEZE, a detergent available in some parts of the country (if I recall correctly
from Mission laboratories, if desired I could check as I have 40 gal in my garage<G>).... 20+
years a cleaning contractor...Soggy From: "ManxBoy" <polishing@the18thhole.com> .. my favorite for good climate weather is cheap liquid shampoo. If you're just doing the windows
around the house, go with the cheap stuff. None of my customers has ever complained up here in
Canada. From: John Book <lordbook@ix.netcom.com> I worked as a high-rise window cleaner for three years in Minnesota and New York City. Our main cleaner was "dawn" dishwashing detergent, specifically the type that advertised its "grease cutting" capabilities. You only needs a couple drops of Dawn applied directly to a damp sponge, which is then swirled around the water bucket. A little Dawn goes a long way... On exterior high-rise windows and/or windows that were extremely dirty, we would also include a
very small quantity of "Soilax," found in any good hardware store and typically used [I think] for
cleaning painted surfaces in preparation for painting. Apply with a good natural sponge, and that
should do it... A tip from Tom Roberts: When looking for those odd sized squeegees, buy one a size bigger, remove the rubber portion, cut off the metal part, re-center in the handle, cut the rubber to fit and reinstall. If you have a lot of windows of a particular size you can made customized squeegees to fit. If you have trouble with streaking I've read adding a quarter-cup of ammonia to the wash water will help. I don't have trouble with streaking, so I've never tried it. -- jim |