EquipmentTo get off to a good start with cleaning your windows, it's important to have good quality equipment. Some of this may be a little more specialised, but you should be able to find it all at a large hardware store, or a cleaning supplies shop - a specialist window cleaning supplies shop is even better. Show Here is a list of what you would find in my window cleaning bucket BucketPreferably wide enough to fit the squeegee and mop in. This blue one is great for professionals, but a little over the top for householders. Typical window cleaning bucketSqueegeeThere are huge differences in quality available, and this is probably the most crucial tool of all. So I suggest purchasing a good one, not like the ones you find at petrol stations. Unger, Ettore, Sorbo are recommended brands. Wagtail is also a good brand and it's Australian, but the swivelling handle takes a little more getting used to. Good quality squeegees will usually come assembled from three pieces. The handle, the channel and the piece of rubber supported by the channel. The rubber can be turned over when it gets old, and then replaced when both sides have worn out. (Window cleaners usually have their favourite brand of rubber, but I don't think it makes a big difference.) Typical squeegee - fixed handleI have various sizes of squeegee, from 4 inches to 24 inches, but I use the 14 inch about 90% of the time. Mop (Also called 'Washer' and 'Wand')This comes in two pieces: the plastic t-bar and sleeve. When the sleeve gets dirty, you can detach it from the t-bar and put it in the washing machine. It's usually attached by Velcro or buttons. 14 or 18 inches is a good length. The sleeves come in different versions: Porcupine - with little plastic bits throughout it to help scrub off tough marks, Regular, Scourer - with a scouring strip on one side. But my favourite is definitely the Water Retention one. It's handy not to have to return to the bucket so much to dab more water on it. The handles can either be fixed, or swivel. The swivel one is easier on the wrist and far better when using a pole. ScraperThis comes with replaceable metal blades and is useful to get tough marks off, such as paint, varnish or stubborn insect marks. A little one inch, pocket scrapper (as seen to the right) is usually enough for most maintenance jobs, but larger 3 and 6 inch ones that fit onto the end of the pole are good for scraping larger areas. Take care using scrapers on glass! If you don't know the correct methods, you could cause permanent damage! Check point 2 in 'How to do it' below. DetergentI hate to be the one that lets the cat out of the bag since there are a lot of window cleaners who jealously guard their secret formula, but I don't see any point in not telling. 'Morning Fresh' and 'Palmolive' are probably the most popular detergents. At the cleaning supplies shop you can spend a lot of
money on all kinds of window cleaning detergents. I've tried a lot of them, and seem to always come back to Palmolive (soft on the hands and does a great job). Other things not in the bucketRagsThis could just be an old towel (old is best as the lint and fluff would have worn away). I usually carry a towel and a micro-fibre cloth. More about how to use them later. PolesI carry a short one that extends. It is 1.5m closed, 2.3m opened. This can be very handy for certain windows - but you need to know how to use it. I also use a 4 section pole that extends to 3 storeys high - though it is nearly impossible to clean accurately at that length. 2 storeys is about the limit for squeegees on a pole (even that is pretty tricky!). LaddersI find a three step step-ladder is very useful, and the extension ladder that reaches about 2.5 storeys high - not advised for anyone not confident being at heights. Tool BeltThis supports a side bucket and is a good place to easily access your scrapper and rags. Bucket-on-a-BeltThis is really just for the professionals. It is a small bucket that hangs down one leg off a belt around the waist. It is a great place to easily stash you mop and squeegee, saving them from dripping all over the place, and also giving you two free hands while walking up the ladder, on the roof etc. How to do it
So there you have the inside knowledge on how to get a perfect finish to your windows. My next free tips page discusses how to approach cleaning small sized windows - French Colonial, Lead lights and Louver windows. What solution do window cleaners use to clean windows?Tip #1: Use Cheap Washing Liquid
All you need to achieve brilliantly clean windows is a bit of washing up liquid and warm water. There's no need to buy expensive washing up liquid as the cheap stuff will do the job just as well as long as you use just a little bit.
What liquid do professional window washers use?Window washing solution: This is very important because it removes dirt and helps reduce the number of streaks. A typical solution used by professionals is 3/4 cup clear ammonia or white vinegar, 1 gallon of water and 2 to 4 teaspoons blue Dawn dishwashing liquid combined in a bucket.
What do professional window washers use to clean glass?Pros use a lambswool tool that they rub across the glass. This tool is soaked in the water solution, and the sweeping motion the pros use gets the dirt off the glass. The brass squeegee you see the pros use is not a magic tool that's cleaning the glass. It's just removing the left-behind water.
Do Professional window cleaners use Windex?Professional window cleaners don't use Windex, so why should we? This special blend will give your window the crystal clear shine you're looking for.
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