Extension Pole Instead Of Ladders?

[Kips]

Anyone else in here using an extension pole for trad work? Why not, if not? I started using one a few weeks ago, and I much prefer using one to using ladders. I'm just using a harris pole from b&q, it cost me £15 and I stuck an unger quick release thing on the top to click squeegees/scrapers & etc on the end.

It took me a bit of practise to get the technique down, but it's really good now, and I don't have to carry ladders. Which is a big deal as I don't drive, so all my work has to be walkable to and local. So, it's much easier carrying a harris pole for 20min than a ladder!

But aside from that, safety - poles are safe. Also cheaper, and less likely to break something in someone's house vs. trying to carry a ladder through a small terraced house.

Views aren't as good, but I reckon the job is as good and I think it's quicker too..

So, any thoughts? Why aren't you using an extension pole to work, what aren't I getting? Why are you on ladders?

 

[Paul]

I agree much easier because you font drive but I honestly don't think you get as good results as you do rite up to the glass witha squeegee

 

[chip]

I don't cos I'm mainly wfp, but if the idea had dawned on me sooner, I'd have tried to get the knack of that first. I think wagga claims to be quicker with a squeegee on a pole than wfp.

 

[Kips]

I think all things included, mr Wagga prolly is - I've seen a lot of his vids on youtube. I want to get a proper wagtail like his but I can't afford it at the moment. Someday soon hopefully!

 

[Belfastcleaning]

How could it possibly be quicker or better? You Gota mop, bring pole down, put blade on, try and blade, then what do you do for scrimming? Also are you just doing straight pulls? A wagtail would probably be better as you can mop/blade in 1 go..

 

[M.K Cleaners.co.uk]

What happes when you have a scrimmer window, bird ****, you want to scrim the window, drag lines (even with practice they happen)

You dont get a proper look at the glass either you would also need to carry a lot of blades for all the different windows.

There my reasons ^^ Ill agree that its probably easier to carry the pole though but ladders are not that bad after you get use to them. Some of the ladders you get are lights as a feather, i.e B&Q ladders. Theres no weight at all to them

 

[GMcleaning]

i agree, it would take longer and not do as good a job, especially with detailing

 

[Kips]

How could it possibly be quicker or better? You Gota mop, bring pole down, put blade on, try and blade, then what do you do for scrimming? Also are you just doing straight pulls? A wagtail would probably be better as you can mop/blade in 1 go..

Still quicker to do all that taking down and putting up of a pole than a ladder. It is mostly straight pulls but there is a certain way to cut in and then squeegee - you do a sort of 7 shape - there are vids on youtube, it's hard to explain. With a dogeared channel I don't really need to scrim/detail much, but if I do I just bulldog clip a scrim to the end of the pole. But really if I need to use a scrim then I've done my technique wrong a bit. At the moment I just do the window again if it looks **** and put it down to not having used a pole for that long, but you're right, a wagtail is defo the way to go. Shame they cost about 25 quid plus p&p!

 

[GMcleaning]

how do you not need to scrim? i dont care how good your technique is, you have to scrim a window even when your up a ladder where you can cut in better so how could you not need to from the floor? dog-ear or not if your not detailing then the custies will notice from the inside what you cant see from the floor,

also if you think it takes longer to set a ladder and climb it then taking your pole up and down between mopping/blading/detailing/sills then your not using a ladder right mate

 

[John B]

I have a trad pole that I use when I can't access via ladders. As has been said that it's not so easy to detail. I put a microfiber cloth on the end of it and drag it across the edges. I do warn customers, however, that the results will probably not be as good, but up to now I have had no complaints.

John

 

[CNS-southwest]

I thought of this idea also but decided against it as I couldn't be sure it would clean well enough

 

[mr shine]

it took me a few months of constant practice im using a wagtail on a pole a find it great ,its also faster and safer

 

[CNS-southwest]

Hmmm might be worth a crack then

 

[Kips]

how do you not need to scrim? i dont care how good your technique is, you have to scrim a window even when your up a ladder where you can cut in better so how could you not need to from the floor? dog-ear or not if your not detailing then the custies will notice from the inside what you cant see from the floor,

also if you think it takes longer to set a ladder and climb it then taking your pole up and down between mopping/blading/detailing/sills then your not using a ladder right mate

I just don't, dunno what to tell you. Technique, good kit, dog eared squeegee, I just don't need to very often. And if you think it's quicker to set up a ladder (properly), climb up it, clean the window, climb down it, pick ladder up & move to next window is quicker than twisting a cap, dropping the pole down, clicking the mop off and clicking a squeegee on then firing the pole back up there, then you must be nuts! Pole work is 100% most definitely quicker, the only question is quality.

Scraper clicks on there too for bird **** etc.

It took me a while to get it but i'd never go back to using ladders now unless I really had to - first cleans perhaps.

 

[Gmeister]

I thought of this too, but may aswell go for the wfp backpack option?

I know a couple of people on this forum do upstairs with wfp and downstairs squeegee the windows. best of both worlds really.

 

[Kips]

I thought of this too, but may aswell go for the wfp backpack option?

I know a couple of people on this forum do upstairs with wfp and downstairs squeegee the windows. best of both worlds really.

I thought of that but carrying all the water around doesn't sound fun ?

 

[M.K Cleaners.co.uk]

how do you not need to scrim? i dont care how good your technique is, you have to scrim a window even when your up a ladder where you can cut in better so how could you not need to from the floor? dog-ear or not if your not detailing then the custies will notice from the inside what you cant see from the floor,

also if you think it takes longer to set a ladder and climb it then taking your pole up and down between mopping/blading/detailing/sills then your not using a ladder right mate

It is possible to clean a window without scrimming, I do it all the time. If you dog ear you channel. The draw your blade up and down the left/right handside. making sure you corner it each time you go up and down do this again on top, then at the other side. When finishing up make sure you finish flat at the bottom then take one side of your blade of the rubber and then run your channel along the bottom, Its doesnt work on every window and al the time but you will only have to detail it a tiny amount.

 

[Kips]

It is possible to clean a window without scrimming, I do it all the time. If you dog ear you channel. The draw your blade up and down the left/right handside. making sure you corner it each time you go up and down do this again on top, then at the other side. When finishing up make sure you finish flat at the bottom then take one side of your blade of the rubber and then run your channel along the bottom, Its doesnt work on every window and al the time but you will only have to detail it a tiny amount.

Basically this, yes /emoticons/smile.png

 

[M.K Cleaners.co.uk]

Basically this, yes /emoticons/smile.png

Theres no way you could do that with a pole though, that would require an insane amount of skill. Took my years to get it right doing it from a ladder. I still **** it up now and again lol

 

[daley]

its time sum of u lot tuk heed as it can be dun wag on a stik

 

[Posh]

Tried the wag. Just cannot get on with it. I wish I could as it would be great to do this. Still cannot believe you will get a good clean doing it this way. An okish clean but no way a good clean.