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Cleaning with a pole problems - streaks and residue left behind

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Hi all,

Ive recently started window cleaning. We moved near Melbourne 10 years ago, so most houses here are one storey (or bungalows to you). I've just done a couple of two storey houses. When I squeegee off the window it never comes off clean, there's always streaks left behind under the squeegee which is good quality and brand new.

Any suggestions what I'm doing wrong please. Should I stand real close to the building or further back. The house I done yesterday I put a wetter mop onto the window and less dish cleaner in the solution and although better still had a couple of marks.

Any good tutorials on YouTube or advice would be most appreciated.

Thanks,

Neil.

 
Hi all,
Ive recently started window cleaning. We moved near Melbourne 10 years ago, so most houses here are one storey (or bungalows to you). I've just done a couple of two storey houses. When I squeegee off the window it never comes off clean, there's always streaks left behind under the squeegee which is good quality and brand new.

Any suggestions what I'm doing wrong please. Should I stand real close to the building or further back. The house I done yesterday I put a wetter mop onto the window and less dish cleaner in the solution and although better still had a couple of marks.

Any good tutorials on YouTube or advice would be most appreciated.

Thanks,

Neil.
i suggest you practice more. put aside an hour and do the same window over and over again , dont stop till you have spent 1 hour minimum on that same window . after half an hour you should be getting more confident and finding your own style and be improving your result.

at least 1 hour ,

itll be tiring on your shoulders yes but this replicates how you will feel on a long day where you must still get good results even if its late in the day

dont stand too close to the window nor too far back. you will find the optimum position after the first 30 minutes

 
Remeber to dive bomb it to the middle when you pull down, like this \ /

Not as much degree but think you get the point. And use quality rubber thats also important

 
The blade could be at too steep an angle

I use an unger adjustable angle tip on my harris pole so i can adjust it depending on the situation..also it gives better reach to close out on the bottom against the sill

Don't need to adjust it much only 1 or 2 clicks but makes all the difference

I have seen Herman using the same sort of thing on his vids

Also a 0° (straight) swiveloc is very usefull

You just bend the adjustable crank right over and then the pole is like a huge 30-40° squeegee

This is my 0°

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLh7n0ly368[/media]

 
I have just got used to using my wagulator on a pole with the scrubber

It behaves differently than with the wagtail channel

I didn't like it at first but with the handle angle altered to 20° it works fine as a hybrid tool

 
Do you get streaks from the top of the squeegee when doing non pole work on a one storey? I'm in Perth and get it on some windows and not others but i believe some of the streaks are down to the standard of the window, sounds daft but there are different grades and some are terrible here.

 
Thanks for all your comments and suggestions guys. The ground in the garden is on quite a slope and uneven with holes so ladders were a no-no. The glass is Low-e. I get perfect results when holding and working a squeegee on ground floor level. Its just when I used the pole (which was my first time with it). Funny, I bought an attore 18 inch back flip specifically for this massive Australian Mc Mansion and then went to use it and found it was too long for my bucket LOL. Got a longer bucket now. Wondering if I need an angle adaptor. The owner works for Stegbar (Australia's number one window supplier) and got it from them, so doubtful its poor quality glazing.

 
anyway good luck neil and keep us informed of your progress../emoticons/biggrin.png

its hard to get the angle the same every time off pole and that does count...so you may have to move backwards or forwards to try again...

of course it is harder to do upside down...:rofl:

 
It's always good to practice different techniques for awkward jobs

I am now working on doing this..one day I'll be as good

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_JCxUWTi9Q[/media]

But won't if i don't practice

My neighbours must think i have lost the plot this evening cleaning the same window over and over lol

 
Last edited by a moderator:
yep me likes to try all new techniques if nothing else it stops the boredom setting in and you can add a skill to your list.../emoticons/biggrin.png

 
and this job certainly comes up with challenges all the time..

I did an inside on a big house and came to the kitchen to see a lovely big arch window above the kitchen cupboards and I had no ladders...

and then...I remembered my pole...saved the day again.../emoticons/biggrin.png

 
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