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Rinsing help please please please

Windowsforever

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9
Location
Midlands
Good evening

I started up a couple of months ago using the water fed system but I am having quite the problem with time and water usage. 

I feel the problems lays in my rinsing technique.  It is taking me 50 minutes for a "typical" 3 bedroom semi even on my third clean.  

How much time do you guys use rinsing the windows after cleaning?  I am being very methodical in a sense that I rinse in horizontal lines from top to bottom moving down an inch or two all the way down, then an eighth shape back to the top where I then run down each of the sides of the glass, followed by another few figure right rinses moving back up. 

Am I rinsing far too much?  I am scared that I will leave run marks and people won't want me back.  I can only get 6-8 houses done before my entire 500 litre system plus 4x25 litre jugs are empty and I'm barely earning 7-8 pounds an hour before even taking into account my costs. 

 Please help ?

Sorry just to add most of the windows I'm doing are the ones that seem to run in lines rather than in a nice "sheet" style with further increases, my anxiety of leaving a poor result

 
Good evening

I started up a couple of months ago using the water fed system but I am having quite the problem with time and water usage. 

I feel the problems lays in my rinsing technique.  It is taking me 50 minutes for a "typical" 3 bedroom semi even on my third clean.  

How much time do you guys use rinsing the windows after cleaning?  I am being very methodical in a sense that I rinse in horizontal lines from top to bottom moving down an inch or two all the way down, then an eighth shape back to the top where I then run down each of the sides of the glass, followed by another few figure right rinses moving back up. 

Am I rinsing far too much?  I am scared that I will leave run marks and people won't want me back.  I can only get 6-8 houses done before my entire 500 litre system plus 4x25 litre jugs are empty and I'm barely earning 7-8 pounds an hour before even taking into account my costs. 

 Please help ?

Sorry just to add most of the windows I'm doing are the ones that seem to run in lines rather than in a nice "sheet" style with further increases, my anxiety of leaving a poor result
Sounds like you need to try and go out with someone to see how to do it , a typical modern 3 bed semi without a conservatory should take 10-15 muinits tops , we do 5-7 per hour , an initial clean can double the time taken . Try watching some videos on you tube green pro clean has a few that should give you an  idear of how to clean and rinse a window . £30 per hour should be the minimum to be aiming for . 

 
Good evening

I started up a couple of months ago using the water fed system but I am having quite the problem with time and water usage. 

I feel the problems lays in my rinsing technique.  It is taking me 50 minutes for a "typical" 3 bedroom semi even on my third clean.  

How much time do you guys use rinsing the windows after cleaning?  I am being very methodical in a sense that I rinse in horizontal lines from top to bottom moving down an inch or two all the way down, then an eighth shape back to the top where I then run down each of the sides of the glass, followed by another few figure right rinses moving back up. 

Am I rinsing far too much?  I am scared that I will leave run marks and people won't want me back.  I can only get 6-8 houses done before my entire 500 litre system plus 4x25 litre jugs are empty and I'm barely earning 7-8 pounds an hour before even taking into account my costs. 

 Please help ?

Sorry just to add most of the windows I'm doing are the ones that seem to run in lines rather than in a nice "sheet" style with further increases, my anxiety of leaving a poor result
You are over cleaning and rinsing.  A standard 3 bed semi shouldn't take you longer than 20 minutes. All that's needed is 2 passes over the glass and frames and a quick rinse.

The next house you do try that process. Check each window before offering the brush up to it for any bird poo strikes and attend to them first. Then 2 passes with the brush, a quick rinse down the glass and then scrub the sill. Then onto the next window. Then take a breather after you have done the tops and then check the quality of the clean. Then start at the ground floor and repeat. Rather spend a couple of days speeding up but hang around to check the quality before you leave. You will soon gain confidence to clean at this speed and walk away.



We clean the frames first, rinse and then go onto the glass in one motion. A first clean is as per this video. We clean the frames first, rinse and a quick pass over the glass. We move onto the next window and complete the house. Then we start at the first window and scrub the glass and a quick rinse. Then do the sill. We move onto the next window. We will come back to that house and check all the windows a few hours later before knocking for payment. 

 
All this is down to confidence, or lack of it where you're concerned. You are basically doing a first clean plus on every job. After the first clean, assuming no bee, bird mark''s, it should literally be a few swipes to guarantee you get all of the glass and then a few seconds rinsing from the top working down.

Initially, to gain confidence, I suggest you just do your initial rinse and then move to the next window.  After you're confident that this works start rinsing a bit quicker. To give you an idea regarding speed on big jobs we work on a minute a window to clean, rinse and rub the sills.

 
Should of really experimented on your own windows after watching YouTube before getting paying customers. Try one of your windows with your flow turned way way down and a quick scrub and rinse. Wait for it to dry and look at it inside and out. Starting out at the maximum end of the scale you are going to find it hard to curb your massive water usage. You might end up in the “pump flat out gang” for the rest of your life. 

 
Thanks for the positive responses guys.  I think the fear comes from the guy who I purchased my round from had a lot of complaints about leaving run marks so I'm sitting with a constant fear of doing the same as him. I watched him clean a number and it was a case of clean all over the windows and frames then just two quick figures of 8 and he would leave... I have seen the results of the windows he had done and they were covered in runs all over the place.  I am well aware my rinsing is taking far too long, hence reaching out for the advice.  I practiced on my own and a number of friends,  I've received not one complaint and my windows are immaculate, its just the speed that is ruining me. 

I just came for advice on what to change in regards to my rinse as to leave a good finish in good time rather than spending unnecessary time rinsing that is doing nothing other than costing me money.  

 
Thanks for the positive responses guys.  I think the fear comes from the guy who I purchased my round from had a lot of complaints about leaving run marks so I'm sitting with a constant fear of doing the same as him. I watched him clean a number and it was a case of clean all over the windows and frames then just two quick figures of 8 and he would leave... I have seen the results of the windows he had done and they were covered in runs all over the place.  I am well aware my rinsing is taking far too long, hence reaching out for the advice.  I practiced on my own and a number of friends,  I've received not one complaint and my windows are immaculate, its just the speed that is ruining me. 

I just came for advice on what to change in regards to my rinse as to leave a good finish in good time rather than spending unnecessary time rinsing that is doing nothing other than costing me money.  
Where are you based?

 
Part timer is right - it's a confidence issue - have faith in your work.  You have had no complaints because you're spending 3 times too long doing jobs.

Don't be afraid of making mistakes. If there are problems with your rinsing, customers will call you back and you will go and take a look and redo them if you accept you did something wrong. This is part of the learning curve.

I'm a fellow newbie too - I have learnt to trust the brush and water to do their jobs - the video above shows precisely how long to rinse for whilst ensuring full coverage.

Best of luck.

 
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Thanks NewGuy.  I'm aware I'm taking far too long ? guess I just needed people to confirm that I am taking way too long rinsing for a week lol.  I guess I am just going to have to quick rinse and hope for the best, just didn't want to end up losing customers

 
Thanks NewGuy.  I'm aware I'm taking far too long ? guess I just needed people to confirm that I am taking way too long rinsing for a week lol.  I guess I am just going to have to quick rinse and hope for the best, just didn't want to end up losing customers
Quick but thorough is the key...it will come with experience.  I'm taking my time doing thorough work at the moment because I don't have a lot of customers. So I take my time and not rush - but I'm still only spending say 20 minutes on a typical 3 bed semi - maybe 15 minutes. 

 
Thanks NewGuy.  I'm aware I'm taking far too long ? guess I just needed people to confirm that I am taking way too long rinsing for a week lol.  I guess I am just going to have to quick rinse and hope for the best, just didn't want to end up losing customers
No. You don't hope for the best. You go back and check after you have done a quick rinse to ensure the windows are streak free. Once you see that what you are doing it's enough to leave a good finish then you will gain the confidence in your technique.

If you are taking 45 minutes to clean a house and you halve that time you still have 20 minutes in hand to check those windows. If you do that today and tomorrow you will soon realise that you can confidently continue without fear of leaving a bad result.

Where you can get into 'trouble' is with windows that have 2 or 3 openers over a large pane of glass underneath, especially if they are old. We find we have to clean the top openers first and leave them to dry before cleaning the lower pane. This means leaving the job and cleaning the next house a couple of doors away.

If the house was the only one we do on the street I would talk to the customer and explain the issue they have. If you do lots of houses in the area then you might move onto another street and then come back in a few hours to finish the bottom glass if the job is worthwhile financially.

As @Part Timer says, 1 minute to wash and rinse a window including the sill is where you need to be. 

Note to self: 1 minute per window Spruce and stop talking so much to customer's. ?

 
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Thanks for the positive responses guys.  I think the fear comes from the guy who I purchased my round from had a lot of complaints about leaving run marks so I'm sitting with a constant fear of doing the same as him. I watched him clean a number and it was a case of clean all over the windows and frames then just two quick figures of 8 and he would leave... I have seen the results of the windows he had done and they were covered in runs all over the place.  I am well aware my rinsing is taking far too long, hence reaching out for the advice.  I practiced on my own and a number of friends,  I've received not one complaint and my windows are immaculate, its just the speed that is ruining me. 

I just came for advice on what to change in regards to my rinse as to leave a good finish in good time rather than spending unnecessary time rinsing that is doing nothing other than costing me money.  
It sounds like the guy you bought the round off never got the frames and windows up 2 a good enough standard to work fast. And that's why he was getting streaks!  You have definitely given the windows and frames a good scrub from the sounds of it, so you will be fine speeding up and get great results. 

Hopefully your customers will recommend you to there neighbors for being very good.

 
Note to self: 1 minute per window Spruce and stop talking so much to customer's. ?
Ah, the conversing with customers challenge 

It’s a skill which in our job is as important to learn as how to clean windows. ?

The learning how to be friendly but knowing how for to go without drawing someone into a long conversation or allowing yourself to be drawn in, getting to know the ones who are more likely to draw you in and how to handle any interaction with them. Also, when someone genuinely is in need and being able to give them a listening ear for a few minutes.

I don’t always get it right, but I’d like to think I’m getting better at it.

 
It sounds like the guy you bought the round off never got the frames and windows up 2 a good enough standard to work fast. And that's why he was getting streaks!  You have definitely given the windows and frames a good scrub from the sounds of it, so you will be fine speeding up and get great results. 

Hopefully your customers will recommend you to there neighbors for being very good.
Once the frames etc are spotless every clean I do I scrub the frames(including top one) and glass as one and rinse the whole lot(well my flow is so high with my fans I don't actually rinse separately just as I clean on the glass.

Never get a problem.

Even a first clean if you thoroughly clean the frames and glass there is no need to rinse separately once all the dirt is gone.

It's a fallacy about needing to rinse the life out of the windows.

@green pro clean once did a vid about it on youtube and I totally agree with him.

It's all about having the confidence to know it will be fine.

 
If rinsing isn't necessary how come you see so many people using the pole ending up with streaks and spots all over when they're done?  Is it just down to not scrubbing enough? 

Also what exactly is it that causes some glass to run in lines (and often see the water moving back up the pane?) And some run in a lovely "sheet"style? 

 
If rinsing isn't necessary how come you see so many people using the pole ending up with streaks and spots all over when they're done?  Is it just down to not scrubbing enough? They haven't done the clean properly. Follow Alex Gardiner's video I linked to earlier. You have to rinse after you have agitated the dirt off the glass as that's how the dirt gets removed. If you don't wash this dirt away with rinsing then some will stay behind and dry leaving spots.

Also what exactly is it that causes some glass to run in lines when you see a straight line of water droplets running down from the frame above then those droplets can develop into spots when the water dries. They may dry fine though. We always pay attention to those lines when we see them.(and often see the water moving back up the pane? don't recall seeing that unless wind is doing it)

And some run in a lovely "sheet"style? The difference between hydrophobic and hydrophilic glass.


Some glass is more hydrophobic than other glass is. We used pencil jets for rinsing both types of glass long before fan jets were produced. You just have to divide the glass up into sections and rinse each section at a time to keep a water flow with pencil jets.

 
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Boy do I resonate with this post. Reminds me when I first switched over from Trad and having those doubts and simply 'not knowing' if you're leaving streaks. I hated that at first. 

But like you've said, keep experimenting on your own windows to see what you can get away with. I'm guessing they're already clean? Literally give your living room window a couple of rubs and a quick rinse taking no more than 1 minute to finish it. Leave it to dry and see what state it's in. Then you'll learn what you can and can't get away with.

Maybe the customers who have windows a bit trickier say to them that you'll be back in 30mins and just have a quick look over them for your own peace of mind and to make sure they've dried ok. I'm sure they won't mind.

But you're simply gonna HAVE to speed up if you want to make good money. Have confidence and go for it!

 
You don't want to rush, neither do you want to overdo it as it wastes time and water, both of which are precious commodities. At first it's better to overdo it a little so as to make sure the job is done to a satisfactory standard and your customers are happy, but you also don't want them to think you're always going to take that long otherwise as soon as you start gaining a little speed they will assume you are not doing the job properly, that is of course if they are at home when you are working. It's a balance you have to find.

Another thing to be mindful of when using more water than necessary is the greater the likelihood of complaints from water ingress. I experienced this a few times at the start and even had one cancellation due to big puddles forming on a wooden window ledge inside a customer's property and leaving water marks.

 
Another thing to be mindful of when using more water than necessary is the greater the likelihood of complaints from water ingress. I experienced this a few times at the start and even had one cancellation due to big puddles forming on a wooden window ledge inside a customer's property and leaving water marks.
We do an old cottage with leaded windows quarterly and you only have to squirt the water on them for them to start to leak, the majority of them leak as well. Wouldn't like to even try and trad them as they're the small panes and very very fragile. The owner knows they leak and doesn't appear to be bothered.

 

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