Bucket or trolley: which is better for a shop run? (& why)

[Kevin Jacob Galea]

Hi everyone,

I have a shop run of about 190 shops.

Some window cleaners swear by using a trolley, other window cleaners hate them.

I'd like to hear the advice of window cleaners also doing shop runs on how they organise to carry their gear around when they're on the job.

Do you carry a bucket of water tools, or do you have a trolley system? and more importantly, why have you chosen your current method.

Thanks, I look forward to hearing your feedback and the conversations that follow

Kevin Galea, SqueegeeMEclean

 

[Incheck]

Bucket any day for me, means you can do the interiors and not have to worry about a trolley outside, also if you have a trolley you’re gonna need the bucket anyway as you can hardly do insides wfp. The only catch is when the shops want the windows above them done then you will need wfp


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[Clisty1989]

I'd go bucket, and trad pole for higher bits, easier to carry about, and no worrying about bits getting pinched.

 

[Kevin Jacob Galea]

Hi Incheck,

Thanks for posting. When you say "Bucket any day for me, means you can do the interiors and not have to worry about a trolley outside" are you referring to shops or homes?

Bucket any day for me, means you can do the interiors and not have to worry about a trolley outside, also if you have a trolley you’re gonna need the bucket anyway as you can hardly do insides wfp. The only catch is when the shops want the windows above them done then you will need wfp


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[Kevin Jacob Galea]

Hi Clisty 1989,

What do you use when doing your shop run and why?

 

[Incheck]

Shops mate


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[Nudel]

Do you mean wfp trolley or bucket on wheels trolley?

Back in Norway when we did a lot of shops, we used a bucket each, refilling occasionally. It was cumbersome to pick up the buckets when they were full, and irritating having to bend down to dip the applicator constantly, as my colleague didn't believe in boabs. Back then a bucket on wheels would have been brilliant.

I have a few shops now where I use wfp because the windows are tall and I do the rest of the building wfp anyway, but I can park my van right beside, so no worries.

If you can reach most of the windows by hand, i find tradding with the occasional pole work faster and giving more reliable results in the long run.

 

[Clisty1989]

Hi Clisty 1989,

What do you use when doing your shop run and why?

Moerman exelerator with fliq, and a trad pole. In my opinion the exelerator is unbeaten with pole work and great in hand once your used to it. Then a bucket of plain water and bottle of washing up liquid to put straight onto fliq pad.

 

[Incheck]

Moerman exelerator with fliq, and a trad pole. In my opinion the exelerator is unbeaten with pole work and great in hand once your used to it. Then a bucket of plain water and bottle of washing up liquid to put straight onto fliq pad.

Yup, spot on couldn’t agree more


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[Dave B]

I wish I had made something like this when I luved in london and did a lot of shops 

Would be away from my van for around 5 hours twice a week walking up and down the Edgware road 

Would be perfect for people with loads of shops

 

[scottish cleaning service]

1 hour ago, Dave B said:

I wish I had made something like this when I luved in london and did a lot of shops 

Would be away from my van for around 5 hours twice a week walking up and down the Edgware road 

Would be perfect for people with loads of shops

He forgot to say where the pole goes?

 

[Kevin Jacob Galea]

Hi InsCheck,

Call me a fool for not understanding... You have or had a commercial shop run and you would prefer to carry your bucket of water and tools rather than use a window cleaning trolley (not WFP). 

Your main reason for this is because you didn't like / or couldn't take the trolley inside the store, so it would have to stay outside, in which you were fearful that it would get stolen.

Thanks 

 

[Kevin Jacob Galea]

Hi Clisty,

Do you use a window cleaning trolley (not WFP) to carry your bucket and gear from shop to shop?

Hi Dave,

Thanks for your post.

Why did you never attempt to make or buy a trolley? carrying your gear around when you were doing your shop run?

Cheers

Hi Dave,

Thanks for posting.

Might I ask, why did you never attempt to make/buy your own trolley (not WFP) ?

What was the biggest annoyance/problem you had with carrying your gear around on your shop run

Cheers

 

[Kevin Jacob Galea]

Hi H Man,

Thanks for posting and providing the picture

How do you cart your gear around while doing a shop run? If you use a trolley, could you post a photo, please?

 

[Kevin Jacob Galea]

Hey Bingo,

Thanks for posting. Out of curiosity, why didn't you just buy Sorbo's Leif cart, all the work's already done!

Was lugging around a heavy bucket the only reason you innovated to a trolley solution?

 

[Daniel Perkins]

Hi everyone,

I have a shop run of about 190 shops.

Some window cleaners swear by using a trolley, other window cleaners hate them.

I'd like to hear the advice of window cleaners also doing shop runs on how they organise to carry their gear around when they're on the job.

Do you carry a bucket of water tools, or do you have a trolley system? and more importantly, why have you chosen your current method.

Thanks, I look forward to hearing your feedback and the conversations that follow

Kevin Galea, SqueegeeMEclean

Hey mate I am all retail jobs, I have a lot of work on shopping malls & retail parks and I used to walk around carrying a bucket. Done it for years and wear and tear sets in. We as self employed guys are only as good as our health. I got the Sorbo Quadropod, I wouldn't ever have anything else has saved me over the years. You can also pick it up and legs collapse. I cannot stress enough the amount of strain this takes off the lower back. You essentially have a mobile work station aswell, that you can put scraper, various tools etc & it looks the business. The only thing I would say is that it doesn't do well over rough terrain. I use it aswell for outdoor retail work. It's pricey & you don't have to get this particular one but IMO it is worth the money. I love it!!

 

[Kevin Jacob Galea]

Daniel & Bingo,

Guys thanks for your feedback. Seems like health and RSi are the biggest issues people have carrying buckets around. 

Daniel, so the only problem you have now is the size of the wheels? Is there anything else that could be improved upon? How do you carry poles, rags ect...

How about you Bingo, what would you like to improve in your current setup?

I would love to see some photos of your setup's

Cheers

 

[Daniel Perkins]

Daniel & Bingo,

Guys thanks for your feedback. Seems like health and RSi are the biggest issues people have carrying buckets around. 

Daniel, so the only problem you have now is the size of the wheels? Is there anything else that could be improved upon? How do you carry poles, rags ect...

How about you Bingo, what would you like to improve in your current setup?

I would love to see some photos of your setup's

Cheers

Not so much the size of the wheels but the hard plastic doesn't really do well unless the surface is flat, if i come to cobbles or similar i will just pick it up. I'm sure they could design some much better castors for the trolley like small pneumatic wheels.

The Sorbo pole clicks into the fittings but any other trad pole is much too thick IMO. I carry cloths myself in my pouch but have something called the towel viper, which is basically a black plastic cloth clip. I clip it onto the metal loops and cloths hang from that which allows wet cloths to dry easily, also have 6 inch blade and small squeegee slotted into the loops. I will try to get some pics tomorrow for you

 

[Kevin Jacob Galea]

Not so much the size of the wheels but the hard plastic doesn't really do well unless the surface is flat, if i come to cobbles or similar i will just pick it up. I'm sure they could design some much better castors for the trolley like small pneumatic wheels.

The Sorbo pole clicks into the fittings but any other trad pole is much too thick IMO. I carry cloths myself in my pouch but have something called the towel viper, which is basically a black plastic cloth clip. I clip it onto the metal loops and cloths hang from that which allows wet cloths to dry easily, also have 6 inch blade and small squeegee slotted into the loops. I will try to get some pics tomorrow for you

Thanks Daniel

 

[Daniel Perkins]

This is my trolley, my well used trolley. I think I've been using it for about 3 or 4 years now everyday. You can obviously store different things in the side loops but this is usually what I would use on shopping malls or commercial jobs.

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[Kevin Jacob Galea]

Cool, thanks for posting. That's a long applicator!  Does the fact that you can't soak the whole applicator affect how effective it is?

Is there anything you would like to do to improve upon your trolley setup?

Not so much the size of the wheels but the hard plastic doesn't really do well unless the surface is flat, if i come to cobbles or similar i will just pick it up. I'm sure they could design some much better castors for the trolley like small pneumatic wheels.

The Sorbo pole clicks into the fittings but any other trad pole is much too thick IMO. I carry cloths myself in my pouch but have something called the towel viper, which is basically a black plastic cloth clip. I clip it onto the metal loops and cloths hang from that which allows wet cloths to dry easily, also have 6 inch blade and small squeegee slotted into the loops. I will try to get some pics tomorrow for you

Thanks Daniel