Window Cleaning Tip - Using the Right Equipment for the Job

Window Cleaning is not rocket science. For the most part it requires only the most basic of planning skills to complete a job. Now granted, the level of planning and thought needed to under taken before starting a job increases exponentially as the height from the ground increases.

But even then, it is more a look at safety, how to be efficient, and the window cleaning equipment you will need to complete the job.

That being said, many window cleaners have a tendency to overcomplicate the window cleaning job, which results in hassles, inefficiency, and lost profit on the job.

The other day I saw a picture on the internet of a classic example of overcomplicated window cleaning.

The picture was of a window cleaner using a 25 or 30 foot rented boom lift to reach a set of second floor windows on a five story building that could easily be reached by using a water fed pole, a traditional extension pole or even ladders.

Renting boom lifts for window cleaning jobs can be very expensive. Rental price ranges from around $300 to upwards of $2000 per day depending on the size of the boom.

The boom lift being used in the picture is all wrong for that building, as it’s not necessary for the windows he is cleaning and the lift is too small to reach the windows above the 3rd floor and it looks like it might not even be able to reach all the 3rd floor windows.

By cleaning the building's windows in this manner the window cleaner has made the job more expensive to the building owner and inefficient and expensive for himself. A much better way to clean this building would be (assuming the building is no more than 4 floors) to use a water fed pole system to clean all of the buildings windows from the ground. This method would allow the window cleaner to very efficiently clean all of the buildings windows safely, very quickly and for a much lower price, while still making exceptional money for himself.

If the building is over four stories tall or some of the windows couldn't be reached with a water fed pole system, the best method would be to rent an appropriately sized boom lift just long enough to clean all the windows above the 3rd floor and then use a water fed pole to clean the remaining lower stories windows.

In conclusion, when you go out to bid your window cleaning jobs, take an extra minute or two to see if there is a more efficient way to clean the windows than you originally thought or if the method you've chosen to use could be simplified or streamlined. Doing this will save you time, money, frustration and keep your customers happy.