[chrismroberts]

Hi everyone Not been on here for a while!

Just had my first few days WFP. Been working with a mates system. I'm off for a couple of weeks now and hope to have my own system by the time I come back!

Its been a bit of a mixed bag, I must admit! I was quite nervous about finally unleashing it on my customers. Some windows have come up great, and some have just been awful... so I'm not sure whether that is me, or the frames, or the water.  My biggest problem seems to be runs from the top frame.... do many of you guys wash the topmost frame?? If you don't, how do you avoid hitting the frame (especially with the jets when rinsing upstairs windows) and dragging dirt onto the window?

If I've been doing a window separated into 2 - a top light and a main window - I've been washing and rinsing the top window and the frame below it, waiting for it to stop dripping, then washing the window below. The way I see it.... this reduces the chance of dirty water running onto the bottom window. Is that right?

Other problems have been the usual hoses snagging and falling over plant pots etc etc... but nothing that is too serious.  I have faith in the system.. I KNOW it works, so it will just take time for me to get used to it I'm sure. Any hints and tips you guys might have for a newbie would be greatly appreciated though

Thanks

Chris

[darren73]

hi chris im on the same boat as you mate,just got my stuff today and dont know how to use it yet i was going to include the top frames in my clean but dont know if its correct what did you do about those awful windows,did you do them twice or go up and blade them,hopefully we will get enough tips by the end of the night to make it seem easier,good luck darren

[chrismroberts]

Hi mate,

It was really tempting to go back and blade 'em! Knew it defeated the object though and didn't want my customers to think the WFP wasn't up to the job, so just redid them until they were OK. I've got a lot of faith in the system cuz I've seen fantastic results... just my technique I don't trust!

I have practiced on my own windows, and after a couple of cleans... they're not looking too bad. I think the trick is making sure any water that DOES run over the frames comes out clean so doesn't dry as a run.

I've been told not to do the top frame 'cuz it takes too long and isn't necessary. But it only seems to take a small touch of the brush to bring EVERYTHING back down onto the window though so it might be better to spend a bit of time next time round doing the top frames. I'm sure someone experienced will point us in the right direction though?

I read your other topic about practising with tap water, I'd give it a miss though and wait until you can use pure. It'd be hard to see if your technique was working and I think it might take a while for it all to wash out of your hoses.

Let me know if you make any discoveries! Its a bit of a learning curve isn't it?!  I'm out collecting tonight so I'll let you know if I get any feedback!

Chris

[quantum cleaning]

On your initial clean you will have probs clean the top of the frame and  rinse it, then clean the rest of the window but make sure not to go above the top piece of glass finish the rest of the house then walk back round and check you may get a few dont worry. It wont be like this every visit, try and find a wfp near you who you could go out with and do a days free work for them most of the guys and gals on here are willing to help.
good luck Rachel

[quantum cleaning]

sorry forgot to mention if you do get pulled up on a dirty pane of glass explain because you are cleaning the frames as well you may get a few marks in the first couple of cleans.
Try not to wash the top of the frame every visit it wont need cleaning and try and keep away from night vents over windows if you fill them with water they will bleed for ages

[pjulk]

I clean the windows and all the frames every time and never get a problem.

Paul

[macmac]

I never clean a top frame even on first cleans, a rectangular brush with pencil jets is almost a must for this method though. IMO cleaning top frames ( & i am very experienced with wfp ) is more trouble than its worth, but (before the barrage begins) this method takes accuracy, skill, patience, a good light pole & quality brush, but & an even bigger BUT, the rewards are massive, i have none of the troubles of others on the forum. i.e. taking 2/3 times before cleans come good, first cleans taking ages, dirty water dripping down onto glass later in day when i've left etc.etc. a good wfp'er doesn't need ANY excuses, he just needs knowlage & enough confidence not to follow the sheep.
many people think that cleaning the top frame is a must, this is totally wrong & it's even more wrong that many suppliers tell their customers this also.

tony

[Davew]

I appreciate what your saying tony, and the big units work the same way in my area, but it does look awefull. There is a retirement home in my area with shiny windows, nice white frames but black top frames and really minging air vents. I don't have any experience compaired to you so I clean the lot, even brushing out the vents before I turn the water on. I'll learn.

[macmac]

I appreciate what your saying tony, and the big units work the same way in my area, but it does look awefull. There is a retirement home in my area with shiny windows, nice white frames but black top frames and really minging air vents. I don't have any experience compaired to you so I clean the lot, even brushing out the vents before I turn the water on. I'll learn.

To be honest, you can hardly tell (on my accounts) that the frames (any part of the frame) dont get cleaned. never had anyone request to have frames cleaned, never had anyone complain frames are dirty.
The problem is that people go in with wfp totally over-selling it, with a barrage of conflicting advise, clean frames, windows stay cleaner for longer etc.etc. they're just making a rod for their own back. once you tell the customer all about how clean their frames will be etc & bull it up to be such a life changing experience then you've got to live up to it i'm afraid. All i give (if asked) is a quick explanation of how it works, when i've done their windows are clean, thats it. I clean windows, how i acheive this is my problem, not the customers.

tony

[Sir Squeaky]

I clean the top frame mostly, but I still get runs sometimes.

It's all very well saying "If you don't, you could splash it when you rinse".
Even if you do the top frame you'll splash above that.
So then what? Do the bit above that, and above that?
Where does it end? The bloody roof?

If you ask me it's better to do it, but it's still pot luck.

Also, if someone open a top opening fanlight window (or whatever you call them), you're stuffed.

Impure water runs down from in the crack that you couldn't get to.
It happens every time. :

[Sir Squeaky]

By the way Tony, good post mate.

It's way overhyped.

[quantum cleaning]

mac mac we dont give excuses but we wish we were perfect as Im sure you are.

[chrismroberts]

LOL....

The brush I'm using is an oval vikan one, which does cause problems I must admit when trying NOT to touch the top frame. Anyone recommend a good rectangular brush?

If I were to clean the top frames, is it an idea to go round and do them all first, then return to do the windows? This way they would dry by the time I come back to do the glass?

Just been out collecting and had good feedback, even on an account I KNOW didn't turn out great. So maybe nobody notices? LOL.

Thanks for the tips

[Sir Squeaky]

If I were to clean the top frames, is it an idea to go round and do them all first, then return to do the windows? This way they would dry by the time I come back to do the glass?

Certainly would, but only on the first one or two cleans.
You don't want to be doing that every time, it'd be quicker by hand.

[chrismroberts]

Good stuff, I would feel more comfortable doing that. I've been told definitely not to do the top frames... but it just doesn't sit right? Is it maybe a yearly job?

[Paul Coleman]

I'm not so thorough as I used to be. Apart from vents, I certainly do top frames on first cleans - and I follow up with a second go around for glass only.  After that though, I haven't been doing top frames much.  What I have been doing is to just do the top frames once a year during murkier Winter days when things don't show up as much.  On the time that I do this, I rinse the glass more thoroughly.
This isn't about laziness though as it's no more effort really to do top frames.  It's because I found there were too many windows where the water was getting into small gaps and going inside.  I've found it seems OK so long as you pick the darker days for the top frame clean.  Obviously on vents I leave well alone.
There is one job I have where top frame has never been cleaned - even first time.  They leave the windows open slightly on a latch so  I wouldn't dare do top frames on those.  Never had a problem with the job either.

[Davew]

Hardest i've found are the wood finish plastic frames - you can't see the dirt and you can't see if your jets have caught the frame.

[djhaydn]

someone told me on here last week, one good tip is make sure you rinse rinse and rinse, i have now been using mine for just over a week, and the results have been excellent and customers are gobsmacked how just pure filtered water gets the windows so clean, oh and i have been doing the tops of the frame, the windows look like new after they are done, also i have picked up 4 new customers this week because they have seen the system work,
but f**k it has been hard work, i feel like my arms are going to drop off.
Haydn

[macmac]

By the way Tony, good post mate.

It's way overhyped.

It's just the way it is squeeks, wfp can be perfect most of the time, but,IMO not by the means of the majority of posters on here. I watched a newbie the other day, he'd taken advice from this forum & window tools forum & to say the least, he was completely wasting his time. both in his technique & his equipment. I give him some honest advice, i know it will take time for any newbie but what he was doing was absolutley laughable to say the least.
It's not that the eventual results are over-hyped, its that to get to the stage where you can make wfp really work IMO it takes well over a year, there is just so much to it than people on this forum make out ( thats what pi**es me off). it's not easy, it wont make you more money (for a good while anyway) & the results can be worse than when you started to even clean the windows if you dont know whet you're doing.
I could rant on forever but big brother's back on.

tony

[macmac]

someone told me on here last week, one good tip is make sure you rinse rinse and rinse, i have now been using mine for just over a week, and the results have been excellent and customers are gobsmacked how just pure filtered water gets the windows so clean, oh and i have been doing the tops of the frame, the windows look like new after they are done, also i have picked up 4 new customers this week because they have seen the system work,
but f**k it has been hard work, i feel like my arms are going to drop off.
Haydn

This is another problem, people with 1 whole weeks experience wfp & thats it! the whole world is going to change. with this limited experience comes the danger of passing off totally useless & miss-leading advise to other members thinking of the change. I dont want to sound big-headed or harsh, but after 1 week wfp you may as well be a 1 year old child giving a talk on global economics!

tony