Time For A Change

[GMcleaning]

decided to get myself a trad pole today and gave it a go on my own windows, quite impressed with the results tbh,

im quite happy on a ladder and always feel safe but it felt like no work at all with the pole, no ladder to carry etc so im gonna give it a go on my custys windows, i dont mind using the ladders for any customers that specify they want it but i think it will make my working day easier if even only half are ok with it.

got a few mods planned for edging and sill cleaning too /emoticons/smile.png

just thought id share

 

[stevelewis]

been thinking about this myself what sort did u get mate?

 

[GMcleaning]

its just a cheap 3xextendable pole with a cone tip, my normal mop and squeegee fit nice so should be ok for a while, might invest in a better quality one at some point, some nice ones on cleaning spot, especially like the moerman ones

 

[stevelewis]

oh right i have got a 3x extendable pole (Harris pole from B&Q) that i use on a few props but want to get a wagtail with angled adaptor, for those kind of mid height difficult to get to windows

 

[GMcleaning]

yh i know what you mean, this one you can adjust the angle on but there would still be some windows i might not be able to get, few and far between tho i reckon

 

[stevelewis]

in fact gunna browse now for 1, gunna look on cleaning spot and wcw, might get myself an early xmas present, who needs wfp aye lol

 

[CNS-southwest]

I have one and its ok, but at the moment I'm using a cheapo on it, investing on a wagtail shortly which Should make it much better /emoticons/smile.png

 

[GMcleaning]

yh same, im just using a standard squeegee, gonna invest in a wagtail in the new year

 

[CNS-southwest]

I'm using the money from the commercial I did last week to buy the wagtail, along with a few other bits /emoticons/smile.png

 

[Belfastcleaning]

i seen a guy cleaning in the city centre on xmas eve, it was a restuarant, ground floor, windows approx 10 ft tall, 6ft wide, he was using a unger pole, with standard squeegee, and the way he was doing it, i felt like pulling over and getting my wagtail out and show him how to clean windows...

i was sitting in traffic so got to see him do most of it, his technique was terrible, doing 1 along top horizontal, then starting a few inches from top, with straight pulls down, no wiping blade.. i was thinking how the hell does he get away with it!!! there is absolutly no way it was a good clean... although he was an ole boy, with just his pole and black b and q bucket, prob charging peanuts and been doing it for years... but to me that isnt window cleaning...

and neither would stretching up to second floor windows trying to clean with mop and blade on a pole... dont get me wrong, i have done it before over conservatories etc, but there is no way id do my whole round like this... i would rather climb a ladder... and to be honest iv had enough of ladders too..

dont mean to offend anyone, but i could see customers complaining

 

[CNS-southwest]

My pole does just fine on the upper windows.... Each to there own, I doubt anyone will complain at all about a the use of a squeegee on a pole

 

[stevelewis]

yeah im gunna get a wagtail for my pole make life a bit easier for me on certain props, gunna get it with my xmas tips

 

[GMcleaning]

and neither would stretching up to second floor windows trying to clean with mop and blade on a pole... dont get me wrong, i have done it before over conservatories etc, but there is no way id do my whole round like this... i would rather climb a ladder... and to be honest iv had enough of ladders too..
dont mean to offend anyone, but i could see customers complaining

stretching?...my pole reaches the top windows no probs, and i dont think id get any complaints from it either, if i were to turn up with a wfp then that would definitely get me complaints and id almost certainly lose a few as they dont like wfp cleaning but trad is trad even on a pole im not leaving the windows 'wet'

 

[Belfastcleaning]

I expected to get complaints from wfp, and also to loose quite a few.. I lost 1, ( which was replaced about 20min after by a better paying customer who liked the pole idea as his last guy kept breaking tiles on his porch roof ) and had no complaints, had quite a few people ask why and how? After explaining, everyone is happy with wfp and a few have said its better.. Yes people like dry windows.. Until it rains! And that could be 10 mins after you have cleaned them! Half of my customers are never in when I clean, so they don't even know the difference.

I just don't think the quality of the job would be any good using trad on a pole, scrimming edges, cleaning frames etc etc

 

[CNS-southwest]

The frames bit is a bit harder with the pole, although I'm making an adaptor or that to make it easier, te frames come up great though, its just a bit more effort than it needs to be, But it still quicker than getting up an down a ladder.

I will be going wfp when I expand, but that will be for commercial work and I probably won't turn the domestic to wfp because its easier and quicker to grab the Harris n bucket than get the reel out and reel it out, then grab the H&S signs then back for the pole.

Where as I can grab Harris, bucket and sign in one hand.

Bit that's just personal preference and once I get my trolley to start, I may change my mind lol