Traditional Starter Kit

[Ellisium]

Hi,

I'm looking at cleaning the windows on my own property and also on a couple of rentals. This site has been very informative with the Unger products regularly mentioned.

I would like to put together a simple kit for me to use and found a thread suggesting the following:

Unger bucket- £7.61 - http://www.wintecs.c...&products_id=28

Unger Ergotec Handle - £5.78 (this will be your 'main' handle)http://www.wintecs.c...&products_id=64

10 inch channel w/ soft rubber (this and the handle above I use on 99.99999% of trad jobs. Smaller channel = easier to work with = faster = better.)- £2.58 http://www.wintecs.c...roducts_id=1041

Unger S squeegee handle - £4.09 - (this is for the 6 inch channel below, I use this handle because its smaller and the 6 inch channell only gets used on openers and such where the 10 doesnt fit. They are the perfect combination.) http://www.wintecs.c...products_id=522

6 inch channel - £1.92 - see above - http://www.wintecs.c...&products_id=54

Unger T bar for applicator, 14 inch - £2.75 - http://www.wintecs.c...&products_id=96

Ettore porcupine applicator sleeve - £8.61(has bristles that take off dirt and **** really well - saves me using a scraper a lot. I am the envy of all my friends! Really worth getting.)http://www.wintecs.c...&products_id=83

Pulex bucketonabelt - £10.64 (you can't really trad without a boab, well - you can, but it's a nightmare.) http://www.wintecs.c...products_id=112

Unger 15cm scraper - £7.85 - Have never needed or wanted a smaller scraper since I bought this and the porcupine glove. http://www.wintecs.c...products_id=923

Jumbo microfibre - cut in 2, so it's easily pocketable. £3.03 - http://www.wintecs.c...products_id=641

(Maybe get 2 or 3 if you think you will need to do a lot of detailing?)

Unger soft rubber - 42 inches - My personal favourite rubber. £2.29 - Nothing worse than starting trad work, finding there is a nick in the rubber, and not having any spare. Worth getting.http://www.wintecs.c...products_id=237

Only other thing I think you'll need is a 'sill cloth - I just use whatever, an old teatowel, £1 microfibres from the pound shop, my favourite is a carlsberg beer rug towel thing from the local pub - it's just for sills so it doesnt really matter much.

http://windowcleaningforums.co.uk/threads/reccomended-traditional-starter-kit.7122/#post-161975

I realise I do not actually need all of the above but would appreciate your recommendations as one of the properties has not had the windows cleaned since they were installed in 2008!! Thanks

 

[mrtaytay]

Sounds pretty comprehensive. What about a pole for those hard to reach windows?. Personally, I like to have a long channel to hand (18 inch) for really big windows.

 

[Tuffers]

How about a ladder too?

 

[TolishAPurd]

Scrims, way better for detailing then microfibers IMHO.

 

[tench0771]

Scrims, way better for detailing then microfibers IMHO.

i used to think that till i tryed these

 

[Posh]

Seems a lot of outlay for 3/4 houses??

 

[Ellisium]

That's what I was thinking Posh, but I also need the windows doing properly as it forms part of the maintenance agreement but also allows me to keep an eye on the properties.

Essentially I am looking for a basic kit to allow me to keep on-top of things i.e from the list above

I presume it would consist of:

• bucket - Unger seems fine
  
• monsoon/microfibre sleeve - ??
  
• squeegee & rubber - most useful size?
  
• microfibre cloth/scrim - I presume the microfibre is best to start with
  
• porcupine sleeve
  
• sill cloth - tea towel
  
• cleaning fluid - E-cover gets mentioned alot
  

I already have ladders but just wanted thoughts on the above as I would only need one squeegee etc. Have I missed anything?

Thanks

 

[cheapncheerful]

ahh but you will need a 6 inch scraper for our friend the bird poop...soap first.../emoticons/smile.png

it is in the list above ...defo need it...

 

[Posh]

Ecover= defiantly

Fishscale microfibre

Bucket= any bucket you can get your applicator in. Cheaper ones around then unger. There good but for just 3/4 house a cheaply would suffice

Applicator= a normal monsoon would be enough. A porcupine is good but you wouldn't need both.

Squeegee & rubber= you can't beat unger

Scraper= yes

Maybe a cheap belt to hold your stuff in.

To me tats all you would need.

For safety I spose you could add ladder mits & rubber mats for your ladder but that's up to you.

My personal favourite squeegee is a unger 10 inch

Hope this helps

 

[Ellisium]

Thanks Posh, CNC and others, very helpful info

I've just measured some of my windows and the 10 inch squeegee would work the best.

I'll have a look online at the best places to buy the gear from, not forgetting the scraper.

Health & Safety wise my ladders already have rubber feet so they should be fine.

One other question, what do you use if doing the inside of the window?

 

[Posh]

Same as outside but put a towel down on the floor or put your applicator underneath your squeegee to catch the water.

 

[Gavin]

Yep as posh said really. I found trying not to get the window to wet helped but a towel works fine.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[cheapncheerful]

ditto...but i not so keen on insides...too much clutter...if i can ...as you know by now ...i do a runner:rofl:

looks good using your applicator to track your blades movements to catch the drips...

i still remember that vase that i went to move which shot out of my hands and did a triple somersault before i caught it....i not so keen on insides...

 

[Gavin]

Yes that is another point. If you are going to be moving a load of stuff to get to the window you will want to ensure when charging you add this extra time, or arrange that the customer clears everything out of the way before you come.