Milestone for Unger

In a small industry like window cleaning not many companies last, let alone celebrate 50 years in business. To achieve that you need good people, loyal clientele, and a great product line. Unger has evidently accomplished all three. This year marks Unger's 50th Anniversary. To celebrate they have released a limited edition set of tools as well as a limited edition clothing line. Both can be found here
I've used many products as a window cleaner and at the beginning of my business I didn't use many Unger products. That has changed over the years and I now use mainly Unger products on my tool belt. In fact the Ninja squeegee handle, stripwasher sleeves, T bars, and microfiber cloths have become mainstays in our business.
At many networking events Unger unselfishly donates free product for attendees. Having something to try out in this way can be vital to a business owner just starting out. They often don't have the disposable income to try every new item that comes out. It may seem simple but many times it's the simple things that mean the most.
So a big thanks to Unger for supporting this industry for 50 years. Happy Anniversary!



For more educational topics go to Window Cleaning Institute

Ladder Safety and You

One of the most profound statements I’ve ever heard when it comes to ladder safety is – “there are two kinds of ladder users, those who have fallen off a ladder and those that will”. While you may not like the either-or scenario of that statement, it is sadly all too true. If we use ladders long enough we can find ourselves on the wrong side of an accident. But as professional cleaners, ladders are an essential part of our equipment. What can we do to minimize the risk?

Location, Location, Location!

While most of us would recognize this adage as something to do with real estate it is a vital element of ladder safety. Where we place our ladder is the most important step we take in using it safely. We need to make sure that the ground we are setting our ladder on is solid. The ladder should also be set at a 75 degree angle. How do we know if we have it right? There are simple ways to check. To establish the angle simply set the ladder where you need it, now with your arms stretched out straight, your hands should land on the rung straight in front of you, then you have the proper angle. As for the stable ground, when the ladder is set, simply stand on the bottom rung and bounce a little. If the ladder doesn’t sink unevenly or deeply then you’re ready to think about climbing. What about uneven ground or getting on a roof?

Every Ladder Needs These

I have found 2 ladder accessories to be invaluable when it comes to ladder safety – a standoff and the Pivit tool.

We use a Werner quick click standoff (some guys call them bullhorns) every time we set up the extension ladder. It keeps the top of the ladder away from the wall, which gives you a better angle to clean. It also gives more stability to the top of the ladder which is especially beneficial when going from the ladder to a roof. We also use the Pivit tool which looks like a big black wedge. It is designed as a leg leveler as well as a plank support for interior scaffolding. Whatever you use, a leg leveler is a must when you need to make sure the ladder is always straight, never climb a ladder that is leaning to one side, even if it’s only by a couple of inches.

Other concerns

If you live in an area where you may need to use a ladder in the winter, you may run into snow or ice where you need to set up. If there is no other option, then make sure to clear the surface of any snow or ice before setting your ladder. Of course there are other options for certain types of cleaning, like extension poles or using different techniques to clean the exterior from the inside when doing windows.  Another great way to reduce the risk of using ladders is to not use them. We use water fed poles as often as possible to keep ladder use to a minimum in window cleaning. Or if you are soft washing a house can you use a longer wand or telescopic pole to get the solution to a setback dormer?

Training is Essential

One thing we also should discuss it the need for training. While climbing a ladder may not be rocket science it’s dangerous and as with any dangerous activity training can reduce those dangers. Most fire departments have training classes so check with your local one to see if you can take a class. There are networking events for cleaners around the country and some may have safety courses and/or demos that you can attend. OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) have online classes (OSHA 10 and OSHA 30) that will help you with the classroom aspects of ladder safety if you take the ones for the construction industry.

To Use a Ladder or Not

Whatever you decide no job is worth taking an unnecessary risk with a ladder so really analyze your options beforehand, apply any and all safety devices for the ladder, be willing to walk away from an unsafe scenario, and remember the only safe ladder is the one you never use!


For more educational topics go to Window Cleaning Institute

Glass Issues – An Employee Guide

We’ve all heard it before, window cleaning isn’t rocket science! While that is true it’s not as simple as it once was. We can run into issues like hard water stains, fabrication debris, tin etch haze, low-e coating reactions, and other things that require us to be educated on a variety of techniques and tools. To further complicate matters what if “we” happen to be an employee and “we” have to explain these potential issues to a client? Let’s discuss a few issues from the employee’s perspective.

Forewarned is forearmed

An old adage comes to mind – to be forewarned is to be forearmed. In other words if we are prepared for the potential problems we can be prepared to deal with them. This means that we need our employer to have procedures in place that we can start with so each issue is dealt with consistently.

But for simplicity here are some basics that will allow an employee to give a simple explanation about how to deal with them, depends upon your companies policies–

Fabrication Debris – annealed glass must go through a heating and cooling process to become “tempered”. It is cut to size before this process and if not cleaned properly it can become contaminated with glass fines (as well as other particulates from the factory) which can become fused to the surface during the heating process. When doing a standard cleaning using a razor, the defects can be moved across the glass surface causing scratches. The options here are – 1) a signed waiver explaining that identifying the defect isn’t possible and clean as usual, 2) not using a razor and trying to use white pads, 3) cleaning only the loose debris off the glass, or 4) using heavy chemicals to remove stubborn debris (this option can void the insulated glass unit warranty).

 Tin Etch Haze – architectural glass today is called float glass which means the liquid glass comes out of the oven, floating on a layer of molten tin. For the life of the glass it will have a thin layer of tin embedded in one side. When removing hard water stains from that side, if a hydrofluoric acid solution is used it will react with the tin and cause an odd colored haze. There are ways to test for the tin side but if the stain is on that side there are two options – replacement or mechanical removal of the stain with a scratch removal system.

Hard Water Stains – beyond regular debris on the glass, you can run into stains from different minerals on the glass. Each stain is different and takes different chemicals or techniques to remove and is no longer cleaning, but restoring the glass. Depending on the stain you can use 1) bronze (steel) wool, white pad and/or chemicals, 2) a polisher and chemicals, or 3) a scratch removal system for more severe stains.

Low-E coating reactions – in order to increase the energy efficiency of a window a metallic sputter coating (called low-e) is applied on one interior surface of an insulated glass unit. Sometimes the coating reacts in spots to different contaminants. It will show up as a rainbow colored haze that you can’t touch with your finger (because it’s in between the glass panes).  The only option here is replacement of the affected unit.

Blown IG seals – when you see fogging or white river like stains between the glass you have a blown seal in the insulated glass unit. If it’s just fogging you can, in some instances, have the moisture removed in a defogging process (usually you need to specialize in this service or know of a company in your area that does). If the fogging has turned into staining on the interior then replacement is the only option.

Preexisting Scratches – when doing a new job you can find yourself being blamed for scratching a window when it was done by someone else and usually at a different time. Here a waiver that covers preexisting scratches and/or a thorough walkthrough identifying and taking note of preexisting conditions are your only real protection.

Before discussing any of these situations with a client, make sure you are authorized to do so by your employer or direct the client to the person who is.

For more educational topics go to A New View Exterior Cleaning