[pt]

Hi everyone,

Come on all you experienced wfpers, can you give us newbes some tips and pointers for Winter working.

Many Thanks,

Paul.

[mlscontractcleaner]

Wrap up warm!!   

[Archy136]

Get some wellies. Dont worry about being a style guru.

[AuRavelling79]

Gloves:-

I've used unger for three winters now (one set per season) but while very good they catch and tear and so I often wore those gloves you get at diesel pumps underneath.

This year I've just bought some sealskinz which have grippy palms (on recommendations of this forum)  and when I wear them in the cold I'll give you a comparison.

Footwear:-

I wear a pair of Karrimore walking boots - waterproof - which have lasted three years so far (including all my mountain walking and scrambling I do) and show no sign of significant wear.

[Pj]

"Dress like an onion"

In other words, put on a number of thin breathable layers rather than one or two thick ones, that way you can "peel" a layer off if you get too warm.

[Spruce]

Hi
As this is going to be the first winter WFP for me, my worry would be creating a slip hazard with water turning to ice - have thought that I must pay careful attention to the amount of water left behind when cleaning windows near access doors. I also brush wash all doors - maybe this may have to be replaced with cleaning with a damp cloth instead.
Do anyone of you sprinkle any salt down after you have finished to reduce the risk of ice forming?
Thanks
Spruce

[Chris Cottrell]

I think if its too cold out I'd rather stay indoors ( solves the working in cold problem )

Chris

[brett walker]

You will find on really cold days your brush head and jets will freeze up when its that cold i just stay at home or wait til later in the day when it warms up.

regards

Brett

[rosskesava]

Plenty of vitamin C.

Waterproof clothes and gloves (Sealskinz - what great make of gloves) plus a roll of insulating tape to wrap around your wrist and your waterproof jacket otherwise when that freezing ice cold water goes down the insides of your arms and makes you wet and cold from the inside out ...........

When it's that cold that wfp freezes then don't worry, those using trad methods will find ice on their mops and that also the squeegie freezes to the glass.

One big problem is that when the ground temperature is below zero (which happens rarely) and the air temperature is a few degrees above then the water from wfp will freeze on the ground.

On those days, pack up working and go home and enjoy staying in the warm.

Turn the radio on, lie on your bed, and enjoy. Or do whatever is your thing.

[JM123]

we always carry a small sack of high grade road powder, like salt but its £400 per coal sack size bag - a small handful will do an area the size of a tennis court though.  Really good stuff.

[rosskesava]

And then the salt gets walked into their house and all over their carpets.

I'd still stay at home.

Those days don't happen that often. Just enjoy the day off.

[JM123]

I wouldn't worry about the salt getting walked into their home, it dissolves in the water and you only need a tiny amount.

[Pat Purcell]

Dont know about wfp but when we used to power wash in the winter at the end of the day we would run windshield washer fluid thru the system until it came out the nozzle and let it sit in the hoses overnight to stop them freezing

[EasyClean]

Sub-contract your work out to Polish immigration workers in the winter and go on vacation to the south of France or the Carribean for a few months with the extra money you earn from the benefts of WFP work.

[Paul Coleman]

Hi
As this is going to be the first winter WFP for me, my worry would be creating a slip hazard with water turning to ice - have thought that I must pay careful attention to the amount of water left behind when cleaning windows near access doors. I also brush wash all doors - maybe this may have to be replaced with cleaning with a damp cloth instead.
Do anyone of you sprinkle any salt down after you have finished to reduce the risk of ice forming?
Thanks
Spruce

I carry rock salt with me if there's a chance of a freeze-up.

[Spruce]

Hi All WFPers

Have just spoken to the Salt Distribution Manager at Boulby Mine (Cleveland Potash) and he has advised against putting rock salt down on anyones driveway.

Salt apparently 'corrodes' the concrete and leaves salt staines on brick paving. Customers would not be happy with you - providing they realised where the 'damage' was coming from.

Spruce

[master cleaner]

we wear signwrighten overalls in the winter then we can wear whatever clothes we want underneath to keep warm and still look professional without havint to spend a fortune on expensive clothes an having each garment signwrighten ( spelling )

gary

[AuRavelling79]

One big problem is that when the ground temperature is below zero (which happens rarely) and the air temperature is a few degrees above then the water from wfp will freeze on the ground.

On those days, pack up working and go home and enjoy staying in the warm.

Turn the radio on, lie on your bed, and enjoy. Or do whatever is your thing.

I light the log-burner, crack open the brandy/red wine/southern comfort and watch an old film.

[geefree]

just grab a bit of grit from the bin at the end of the street.... the customer will think ... "oh how kind of my window cleaner to grit my frozen drive"

problem solved 

[rosskesava]

I light the log-burner, crack open the brandy/red wine/southern comfort and watch an old film.

Now that is class and 100% pure style.


I work with 3 others and they just wear whatever. During the summer I spend a few bob on proper winter clothing.

Last winter, as with previous winters, I did not once suffer from the cold. The others I work with found it a big problem.

I think it pays to have proper decent winter clothing. You also have to think of the years to come when when todays cold joints for days on end will matter.

This summer I bought 3 sets of untrendy thermals. I paid £180 for them but they are for mountain climbing in sub zero temperatures. One thing about buying stuff that is for climbers is that such clothing means that you can move freely and still be warm. Layers of clothes can become very restrictive and tiring.

For boots, anything Gore-Tex. 100% waterproof in any conditions.