[Sarah Sarill]

This industry is definately male dominated but is that because women cant or dont want to w/c. ?

Much has been written here about staffing problems, heavy equipment and husband & wife partnerships but is it really possible.

Are backpacks the answer (Tosh seems to think even they are too heavy for women when full) ?

Is there any equipment out there specifically made for womens body frames ?

Do you employ women ? and if so nhat are the benefits/pitfalls ?

Finally, why are there so few women posters on this site or are they the brains behind the braun ?

Have fun with this one guys although it is a serious question.  I am really looking at using wfp downstairs on commercial so any advice really appreciated.

Sarah

[AuRavelling79]

Some off the wall thoughts.

Generally speaking, their size 5 shoes will trample less flowers than my size 10's.
Householders might feel less intimidated when a five foot six lady turns up compared with a six foot bloke with broken nose and cauliflower ear.

Unless they're complete chavs their diction and writing skills are better than men's. e.g.

Lovely Lady Window Cleaners:-

"A cup of coffee would be lovely, thank you. Mmmmm, Douw Egberts, that's super! How do you keep your garden so nicely and how's young Saffron doing at playgroup - and how's Algernon's eczema? How do you keep so trim? Oooh, I know! etc etc."

Raggit and Scarper Blokey Window Cleaners:-

"Cuppa char luv - four sugars ta - corrr! Thassa bit strong innit - (burrrp!)  Sorry abaht yer bizzie lizzies Missus, yew wanna concrete it over. Flippin' soft kids! Need a good slap thass'all. Giz a f a g (coff coff). Wayhay! (Raggit nudges Scarper) Look at the figger on that!" - (belch!)

Better image see! 

[AuRavelling79]

No probs! I've deleted my reply.

[matt]

you forgot the option

How can they clean windows from the kitchen sink ?? ?? ? ??




we need a word with your hubby, letting you leave the kitchen sink and all that 

[windows_chepstow]

Wor Lass is a great window cleaner but she has her limitations.

She's a marathon runner (she ran 17 miles this morning for a training run); but she's only 5' 1" tall.  Doesn't weigh much either, so lacks any real physical strength.

She just can't handle a large set of ladders.  I've asked her to hold onto mine numerous times and she's struggled to do that.

Also, a backpack full of water must weigh around 25 kilos; that's about 55 pounds; heavy for a strong bloke to cart around all day (although it does get lighter as you use the water).

Wor Lass probably could re-fill one from a 25 liter water barrell - with a struggle -and tow it round in trolley, but she definately couldn't hump it around.

So the above are her weak points, but she has her good points too.

She can do ground floor no problems, especially assisted by a set of seven foot A Frames.  A bit slow, no fussing; she just cracks on.

New customers tend to approach her; not me.

She has no qualms about climbing up a ladder, once I've positioned it and goes over numerous garage roofs during the course of our round.

She's good at the 'chat' like MalcG says, which frees me up to work.

She keeps an eye on my standards too.

But I wouldn't 'employ her'.  She's just physically unable to do all aspects of the job by herself.

I think if we had a good van mounted system which meant no hauling round 25 litre barrells of water; then a woman could.

If not, then it would take a strong lass; not your average type of woman.

[thewindowcleaner1]

I'm all for it, will be looking for a couple of lassies next year as I plan to set a van up for a couple of ladies to work from, I think as long as I keep the jobs to normal domestic they should have no problems, the only ladder work they would encounter would be on flat roofs and to get access to the rear of property (to unlock gate),

I think they will create a niche for them selfs in the market,and because they are two females doing a traditionaly male job the publicity will be priceless.

Go for it girls...

Alan

[H h20]

I'm all for it, will be looking for a couple of lassies next year as I plan to set a van up for a couple of ladies to work from, I think as long as I keep the jobs to normal domestic they should have no problems, the only ladder work they would encounter would be on flat roofs and to get access to the rear of property (to unlock gate),

I think they will create a niche for them selfs in the market,and because they are two females doing a traditionaly male job the publicity will be priceless.

Go for it girls...

Alan

come on Alan tell us the real reason about the ladys 

[brett walker]

Equal rights, i say let the women come out and do the window cleaning wfp,  i think we will see more women window cleaners as time goes on.

They can do the house work when they get home 

regards

Brett

[thewindowcleaner1]

come on Alan tell us the real reason about the ladys 

At my age I'm a dedicated window shopper...
Like looking at stylish cars but only having a worn out three wheeler to drive

[H h20]

come on Alan tell us the real reason about the ladys 

At my age I'm a dedicated window shopper...
Like looking at stylish cars but only having a worn out three wheeler to drive

I hope for your sake Alan your misses don`t read that lol 

[thewindowcleaner1]

I hope for your sake Alan your misses don`t read that

I doubt it she still has'nt learnt how to turn the heating on (in her defence we've only had the boiler for 6 years)

She used to come on the round with me until she fell of the btm rung of some steps and broke her wrist (and that was before the WHD )

[Simon Carter]

A serious reply as it is an interesting question. I have one woman opeartive & one who has just started. The first is no good with heights, but the same is true of a lot of men. She also struggles with anything other than a light weight 18 foot pole, even through she isn't a female of the petite variety. The second one who went out for the first time on Friday said that it was more physically demanding than she expected. Previoulsy she was doing ladscape gardening. She's 26 & fit & strong for a girl.
The short answer is that there is no real reason why a woman shouldn't be a window cleaner, it's just that a smaller percentage of woman will be up to it in comparison to men. Moreover, not many women would want to, which is a shame as for the right one, it's an excellent opportunity, especially on the domestic side. Name another job where within reason, you can start when you want, finnish when you want & take a day of if necessary with no notice. Tremendous flexibility for someone with a young family to think about.
The advent of the water fed pole makes it even more viable. I certainly would happily recruit a woman who I thought could do the job. In fact I think I would do so out of preference.

[thewindowcleaner1]

The advent of the water fed pole makes it even more viable. I certainly would happily recruit a woman who I thought could do the job. In fact I think I would do so out of preference.

I believe they in the main are more critical of the finnish than males

[busydaffodil]

Good reply Simon.  Was starting to think Sarahs question had opened the floodgates to the hidden darker side here!  Oink      Now I'm probably going to get a warning for that!!

OK OK OK  I KNOW your all joking!!!      

Seriously though, a woman employee on a window cleaning team could make potential customers come onboard quicker.   Women can be a little wary of men only teams.  The fact a woman is present would make a housewife feel more secure about the business.   Of course, this is only my opinion but I know what I would think if I saw a woman window cleaner.

[thewindowcleaner1]

Of course, this is only my opinion but I know what I would think if I saw a woman window cleaner

 

[busydaffodil]

Of course, this is only my opinion but I know what I would think if I saw a woman window cleaner

 

Hmmmm.....I AM A WOMAN by the way!   

[thewindowcleaner1]

I know....

[busydaffodil]

then why the wink?   Hmmm........??   
CONFUSED here!

[Sarah Sarill]

Hi everyone,

Matt - kitchen sink
Tosh - Good at the Chat
The window Cleaner - keep the jobs to normal domestics
                                Does'nt know how to turn the heating on
Brett - do the housework when they get home

etc etc etc etc

Just what I expected from you guys - all that testosterone ................

Seriously though, how do you overcome the problem of carrying the weight of the water if a van mounted system is not viable for the types of properties you have ?

Hubby doing upstairs with Omnitrolley already which is heavy to pull when full so need something small, compact and lightweight.

Was thinking of a backpack in one of those old ladies trolleys whch will hold the pole too but they dont carry the weight so.............................

over to you guys for ideas.

Sarah

[AuRavelling79]

Sarah, I've got the Broxburn trolley which takes two 25L barrels. When full I find it heavy to pull along. Up a slight incline or across gravel and it's tough work. I often just put only one barrel in. So a tank in vehicle with a hose reel seems more suited to the lighter framed window cleaner IMO.

Or some type of trolley with two 12 litre drums and m/cycle battery instead of 85 amp/hr one. Matt's prolly the best chap to talk to. But that = more trips back and forth to the vehicle to refill..

I ain't Hercules but I am 13 stones and 6ft tall so meatier (or is that flabbier?) than most women.

(By the way, guy I work with on some bigger commercials - no family - has a Pug 405 estate and he has a 400litre tank, r/o and reel in it - he puts the seats down and runs the hose reel out of the back window and although it's a complete pain, at the end of the week he drains the tank removes it and has the car back to normal - but it is 20 minutes work which is a drag when you come home knackered on a Friday! - and putting it back and filling on a Sunday)