Special Window Washing Technique

Hey everyone,

I know there are probably some who will think I'm crazy after reading this, so I will tell you up front, those of you who don't know me, Yes I'm crazy plus I don't like to do windows.
I know that all I have to do is say no to the customer, but I hate to do that about as bad as I hate to do windows. It seems as though there are a lot of requests for residential and commercial window washing lately in my area and since there is only a few people in the area that does this, I decided to try a new technique that I feel would make the job more interesting and hope for the best.
If any of you have any input, please feel free to comment.
I may be biting off more than I can chew, but I thought I would try it just the same.
I plan to mix my shurflo with a warm cascade and (Jet Dry) spot free soapy rinse. After applying this to the windows, I plan to rinse the mix off with about 800psi to 1000psi 212 degree with my hot water rig. I then plan to follow this up with using a squeegee with hopes this will be sufficient.
On this particular residence, there are small medium and large windows which I plan to price right around $6, $8, and $10.
The residence has approximately 14 medium windows, 4 large windows, 2 small windows and a large front door with about 17 small window panes. I have estimated this job at about $240.00 plus tax and believe it will take about 4 hours by the time I finish taking off the screens and putting them back on.
If anyone has tryed this technique or has any input, please let me know.

Thanks

Richard

This sounds like it will take longer and get worse results than if you did it the right way. Take a window washing mop, soap up the window with a window wash soap(we use glass gleam) then squeegee off. Check windowcleaningsupplies.com for different soaps and tools.

Sounds like your way is better.
I will definitely check it out.
Thanks

Richard R.

Richard,

The only way it really is effective to use a power washer to wash windows is if you rinse using DI water..............that allows you to skip the squeege..........with DI water, the window will dry with no spots. You do however have to rub the window with a scrubber or something before you rinse it.


As much as it sucks, just do it the old fashioned way!

Mike

What is DI water

Originally posted by Mike Hughes
Richard,

The only way it really is effective to use a power washer to wash windows is if you rinse using DI water..............that allows you to skip the squeege..........with DI water, the window will dry with no spots. You do however have to rub the window with a scrubber or something before you rinse it.


As much as it sucks, just do it the old fashioned way!

Mike

Click to expand...

DI water is "De-Ionized" You need a system that you either rent or buy to filter your water and make it DI.

Do a search on the board on "DI water' for more info.

Also, check out www.culligan.com I think there is a company called Ionics that sells systems also.


Mike

Richard,

I know I will be jumped on by others for what I am about to say but are you not taking on more then you can handle?

Windows I do not do, some of my accounts ask if I would just rinse them as I clean the concrete and I tell them I can but they will spot.

I have also been told how to avoid some of the spots without the DI water system but I just don't do windows.

Nothing hard about smiling and telling the customer as much as you would like to do them it is not what you do.

I have two window cleaners I can recommend to them, one also passes my name around too.

Network with the few window cleaners in your area, if need be have them bill you and you add a couple bucks to it for your profit.

Besides with all that dust there just how long are these windows going to stay clean?

Jon,
Your very right. Windows are not my specialty either.
This was something I did back on about May 31st and believe me, I needed the work. This was a high profile neighborhood and was the house next door to one of the first houses I washed on or about the first of the year, so I had to do somethng to keep my business name going in this neighberhood.
Believe it or not, it worked out great. At least they seemed to be real happy about it. After I started taking off the screens, I realized why this couple wanted their windows done. I think the Family was tired of raising their windows and seeing all the dirt that was trapped inside the exterior frames and the visual dirt on the exterior glass.
I mixed a water, vinegar, cascade, and spot free solution and pressure washed the dirt off of the windows and frames. I also washed the large 3 car garage doors that seemed to uniform the wash or ice the cake so to speak. The helper I had back then, came in behind me and quickly sprayed and wiped the light spots, if there were any, with a streak freak window spray and the glass sparkled like brand new. I think it gave them a sanitized feeling since the house was mostly brick and seemed to be clean anyway except for the dirty windows.
I would do it again if the money is right. It felt the same as merely doing a regular house wash. If I seen anything else that needed cleaned such as places on the eves, I cleaned it too.
It was pretty neat how it turned out. Kind of gave me another chance to advertise in this high profile neighborhood and try a new technique at the same time.

Richard R.

Richard,

Keep that up and you will end up buying a house there in a couple years.

That will truly be a good day for you.

Just think of the all the key players living there saying hey my WINDOW GUY LIVES NEXT door to me!

Glad it worked out for you Richard, heck you might become the window cleaner for all those businesses and forget pressure washing.

Jon,
I didn't say I like it that much.
I'm not going out looking for thoughs kind of jobs. Besides,
I've already had that life style once in my life. It was wisk away by one divorce.
The way I look at it, if all it takes is a divorce to change my life style to the degree it is now, it wasn't worth it.
The chances of me ever living in a neighborhood like that one again, is slim and none.
I have a lot more friends now than I did back then.
I guess it's more fun working toward that life style than it is being in it.
That doesn't compute does it?

Hey, but it is the truth.

Richard R

Window Cleaning

The best way is with a sqeege and and a scrubber, a normal house can be done in 3 to 4 hours and normal cost is around $160-$180 dollars depending on the number of windows. I have been doing this for 3 years and even on the days when i get tired of cleaning windows i think of the days when i had a boss !!! Then i think of how great it is to clean windows....

Mark Poole

Anyone try one of these spotfree devices?????????

I found this one on the net and looks good and not to high priced compared to
some others Ive seen. They all seem to use a inoized material that you can use over
just by putting rock salt thru it every so often. That will reactivate the the process
they use. So you can use the thing over and over again. Sounds good to me.

Ive seem some guys using them on their boats and they leave the boat fiberglass real clean.

Poster,
Where do you get this rock salt type stuff.
I'd like to try it.

Thanks
Richard R.

Mark or Heidi,
Do you do the inside too or just the exterior?

Thanks
Richard R.

reply

Usually i do both but i have anual customers and it just depends what they want

The reason I asked was for the price.
You had mentioned 160 to 180 dollars and I was curious what that price offered your customers.
I don't mind telling you, the price definitely sounds like an exterior price. People complain more about having to clean their own windows more than they complain about anything else. I've never understood why people charge so little to do this job, especially on houses.
This is the reason I hate to do them. When I work long and hard and spend so much time to get something right, I like to be paid a price that makes the job worth my time.
I will take any advise you have to offer.

Thank You
Richard R.

Rock salt you can get small box at food store people use it to make Icecream

Originally posted by Richard R.
Poster,
Where do you get this rock salt type stuff.
I'd like to try it.

The other place would be any water treatment company selling softners for homes
that are on well water. My dad use to use one on the well. You would put 100lb
bag od salt into a tank the water would filter thru and slowly use it up. Then you would
have to put more in.
This spotfree thing uses the rock salt to rejuvenate the ion filter looks like. Sounds like
a neat idea to be able to use it over and over. Rock salt is cheap too.
I think I might be getting onw of those myself. I could use it on my boats to keep
them looking nice and shinny, cars too etc.

Thanks
Richard R.

Click to expand...

reply

Well It depends on the house that is the average for inside and out. the reason maybe im alittle cheap, thou i think for this area im in the ball park is because windows is my way in the door. I dont mind not getting a premium price for the windows. I am more interested in becoming the customers all around man. I also do gutters and decks. So i make about 50 dollars an hour for windows, which is pretty good. But where i make my money is gutters and decks. Gutters i usually make about $80-$120 per hour and decks are usually $ 100-$150 per hour, so if im a familiar face, and they like me i am more apt to get the job for the other 2 just because i am familiar and know the customer. Just a theory but seems to work good.

Mark Poole

Poster,
Let me see if I have this right.
I have a 425 Gal. Water supply tank on my trailer which I use many times for my water source on some of my jobs. Now, Would I just pour the rock salt inside the tank of water? What do you think the amount would be for a filled tank of water?

Would you be guessing your answer or do you have something to base this by? I just don't won't to mess something up.

Thanks
Richard R.

spot free

You only use the rock salt in the unit when you want to rejuvenate the
filter inside the unit. The you dump the rock salt out and its ready for
you to hookup your water source to go thru it.

Your water source hooks to one side and out theother comes the spotfree
water you use to rinse things down.

Thats the way I see it.

http://www.topoftheline.com/spotwatfil.html