[Bob McKillop]

I have been cleaning windows two handed now for a month or so and really speeded up but have recently heard that it is even quicker with an All-in-one Applicator/squeegee. Is this right and if so where would I get one? based in N. Ireland.

[replacement]

I think you are looking for a Backflip. Try www.windowcleaningwarehouse.co.uk there pretty cheap and next day as well.

Justin

[pjulk]

I use both hands quite a bit now after Terry Burrows showed me how it was done at london excel last year.
I also use a backflip but only use it on a pole and tried it without the pole but find it slower as i can't quite get used to turning it like i can with normal applicator a squeegie

Paul

[Ian_Giles]

On some of the stuff I have to use trad methods on, I use the two handed technique, but not always as in the full 'speed clean' way, rather depends on the window you are doing and if the customer is watching What you don't want is someone saying you can't possibly have cleaned them properly in that time

I do a vets, did it today as it happens, I don't bother with the WFP on it, would take to long. it's all downstairs work, 17 windows and it only takes about 5 or 6 minutes,  on some I use the full, flat out speed clean, panes are just the right size, there are 7 of the windows that have 4 panes per window, my 18 inch squeegee just fits perfectly on 2 of the panes on each of these windows, the other 2 are a little wider, can't 'speed clean' them because I have to stretch.
The other windows are a mix & match collection.
Dog eared squeegee, unger liquid in the water, I take a scrim but rarely need to do any detailing, and they are always to busy to pay attention to how quickly I do them.
But £10.00 for 17 windows is a really fair price.......isn't it

I love that account

Ian

[windows_chepstow]

Ian,

Tosh here.  I know that vets; the one by the George pub.  I fancy that one, so will call in and offer to do it for £8.00.

Thanks for the info.

Tosh.

[Ian_Giles]

lol, I'm sure you will Tosh, but I've cleaned their windows for 17 or 18 years, I should be safe there.
What did you say you were cleaning the Kings Head for?

Ian

[billozz]

can someone please help me with something...just what is this 2 handed technique and is there anywhere i can get help with my blading technique...i find i am leaving some marks on the window after blading...i tend to ge from left to right and then dwon at the right hand corner.....i find that this leaves a diagonal line from the right hand corner ...i have tried everything ..going faster going slower ...but this marki is always there
thanks guys

[rosskesava]

I have exactly the same problem. All I do is wipe it with a chamois.

I've never found an answer.

[Ian_Giles]

Billoz and Rosskesava,
Ignore the two handed technique, thats advanced stuff and can't be used on all windows all of the time.
When you start off with the squeegee, if you are right handed, put the squeegee onto the glass on the left hand side of the pane,
Start several inches below the top of the pane.
Make sure the blade starts on the glass almost horizontal.
slide the squeegee up to the top left hand corner of the glass, making sure that as you do so the bottom edge of the squeegee is very nearly parallal to the left hand vertical edge off the glass.
As you draw the squeegee from left to right along the glass, ensure that by the time that the top leading edge of the squeegee reaches the right hand corner of the glass, that the trailing edge of the squeegee is almost parallel with the top edge of the glass.
That little bit is important!!!

Don't wait until you are almost all the way across the glass before you try to get the squeegee horizontal with the top of the window pane!!
you should not have to try and twist the squeegee into this position at the last minute, this is the point you will get the 'kicks' on the glass that leave the marks.

As you begin to draw the squeegee down the glass, allow the leading edge of the blade to drop very quickly into the vertical position, allow the squeegee to continue rotating through this point, when you have rotated past 180 degree's you are then ready to through the process going the other direction from right to left!
But before you have gone all the way across, yet again ensure you have allowed the trailing edge of the squeegee to have lifted to the point where the blade is horizontal!!

God knows if that little description will help you


Ian

[pjulk]

Great answer Ian.

It's all practice watch what the sqeegie is doing and try it differant ways i used to get a line on the right hand corner but i change the way i use the sqeegie after watching what it was doing going slow.

You will soon get it, follow what ian said and with practice you will get it right.

Paul

[rosskesava]

Hi Ian

Great description. You'd be useless as a politician because that made sense.

I tried what you said today at work. 

It works. It slowed me down a bit because it's a different way of doing the window to my normal.

All I have to do now is make that way of doing the window a habit.

Cheers

Ross

[Ian_Giles]

thats great Ross!

You will find that as you adapt it to your own technique your speed will come back, its only cos its a little different that it has slowed you down.

Ian

[billozz]

Ian,
thanks for the reply ...very good description of how to do it ....now i am gonna try and follow it, i will let you know how i get on
regards
bill

[billozz]

ian,
couple of things about your suggested method.
when you say "make sure the blade starts on the glass almost horizontal" do you mean vertical, i think you do but just want to be sure.
and i have tried turning to horizontal before i get to the right hand corner and all that happens is that the "kick" is in a different place, instead of being diagonal it is now almost horizontal, could it be that my blade is not close enough to the top of the window, when i get to the right hand corner should the whole lenght of the blade be touching the top of the glass.
thanks again
bill

[Ian_Giles]

Oops
Good spot Bill, yes, I did mean almost vertical at the start!
You can do it with the squeegee inverted and horizontal, but you have to start 'squeegeeing' a good way down the pane of glass so that by the time your leading edge is at the top corner, your sueegee is indeed vertical.
The rest of the explanation is just about correct, though rotating past 180 degrees isn't essential on the 'downstroke' but it can help to begin with as you develop your technique.
Make sure your grip on the squeegee isn't to rigid.
Also experiment with different Squeegee rubbers, they can vary in hardness. I have personally found that the 'hard' rubbers tend to make 'kicks' if you are not adept with the squeegee. I found the Ettore soft rubbers were way the best, but they don't last as long as the harder compound rubbers.

But each to his own where rubbers are concerned, each type has their enthusiasts and their detractors.
So have a go with different ones and find the type that suits you best, it can make a big difference.

Ian

[gaza]

squeegeeing is like sex, once you get the rythem its easy

[poleman]

WELL I would not put it like that BUT you do have a point

Andy

[rosskesava]

Hi Ian

Two day's on .........

I've now found that I squeege slower but easier and the end result somehow seems faster and is definately much better. And there's more 'flow' in my action if that's makes sense.

I actually really enjoyed doing windows yesterday.

Cheers

Ross

[billozz]

hey guys,
i must be really bad at this. no matter how i try to do it i am still getting the "kicks" they are not in the same place as before but they are there.
dont spose theres a video i could watch so i can see how im goin wrong is there...
thanks again
bill

[rosskesava]

Do you mean 'kicks' caused by the squeege sticking?

If you do, a good tip I got from someone in this forum, was to add water softener tablest or crystals (I use Calgon).

It does really seem to make a difference but I live in a very very hard water area because the land around here is all chalk.

Cheers