[texas girl]

Hey Gents;

I don't know about you, but I have a good collection of scars on my hands, legs, and head from window cleaning.

I have several scars from the scraper; some cuts were worse than others.

Then there are the shin scrapes from shrubs, etc.

Then there are the painful head bangings against the ladder; while it is loaded in your truck; walk around without looking;BAM!

Run into the ladder with your forehead! This has happened only a couple of times so I do not have any scars from that showing.

Once my ex and I did a bank with a counter weight system, and some of the equipment fell as we were putting it together; ouch!  Six stitches on the top of my head!

That was the day that I decided any high rise work was not my bag.

If an injury occurs on the job; best to clean it; bandage it; and finsh the job.

With experience we learn what to carry.

Most of my scars are on my fingers from the scraper.

Alway's not having the cover placed back where it belongs! How many times have you shown up on a job with band aids on your fingers?

I call these small scars window cleaner's hands; altho as you can guess, my hands are well manicured and always nice. It was without gloves; too focused on the job; carelessness.

Wearing gloves is wise.  You must keep your hands decent looking so when you collect the money and write the receipt you look maintained.

Someone once told me that when he collected payment he carried an extra shirt that was very nice (proffessional), and he changed into it at the end of the job before collection.

I think that is a good idea.

Hugs,

Texas Girl

[Grafters Cleaning Services]

lots of mental scars

[karlosdaze]

They all heal, like everything in life.

[Roy Harding]

I had a young lad once drop a trim 10 razor that he had got clipped in a squeege handle, came straight down like a dart, it just missed my face and hit me on the shoulder, split my jumper & shirt and put a slot in my shoulder.

And a few weeks ago slammed head in van door 6 stitches in a rush, but Im glad to say the van was fine.

I also fell into some rose bushes about 2 months ago to the delight of my Son.

[Pureandclean]

On one house, as I was pushing windows cleaned ticket through letter-box, a little jack russel dog was sitting the other side of the door, when my fingers came through the letter box, it fastened it's teeth on my fingers.
There then ensued a tug of war battle as I tried to get my fingers back. I won, but when they came back through letter box, dog's teeth had split one of my finger-nails end to end, blood everywhere.
 When I showed the lad working with me, he almost fainted.
I went further up the road to an old lady that normally made me a cup of tea, washed fingers, put plaster on and returned to work, with fingers throbbing away like anything.
When I collected money from owners and told them what had happened, they said he's a rascal isn't he !!
 Good job door was locked or else it wouldn't have just been my fingers in it's teeth !!

 : Blessings  :
Graeme

[Jeff Brimble]

Graeme, snap  mine was a yorkie, dont know how it reached the letterbox, oh and there was also a whippet, no bark just bite.

[Duke]

I have a Rhodesian Ridge Back, wandering free in the back garden of one place...I never climb over the gate on that one....wait till the owners are in......and on another I used to do, there was some scruffy Alsation mongrel that was slowly chewing through the wooden gate on it's compound each visit....desperate to get to me....with the owner looking on in amusement. They wouldn't have been so amused with a deceased pooch and a hefty claim from me afterwards though....
 

[Philip Hanson]

And a few weeks ago slammed head in van door

Sorry but I couldn't help but wonder:  How?

I've been puzzling about it for a few minutes!

[Roy Harding]

It was snowing very heavy and I was getting wet, I put hose trolly into back of van very quick slammed door shut in a rush. Hey presto!

[Duke]

lol...sorry...

[thewindowcleaner1]

I've had a few falls from tops of ladders and off low roof's dead lucky though only broke a finger and Bruised my pride, Now the missus on the other hand used to come out on the round with me, one day she sliped of the bottom rung of some small steps we used to use and broke her arm, ( now every time it's cold and damp I get an earfull that the pain in her arm is all my fault because she was helping me)

[texas girl]

Roy;

Forgive me;

I laughed my rear off when I read that you shut your head in the van door!

Are you  a blonde?

I know what you mean. Focused; not thinking; distracted;

I hope you did not get hurt!

Hugs

Debbie

[windows_chepstow]

I've no scars from window cleaning (yet), but I'm a relative newcomer to the job and have recently entered my third year.

I've lots of scars and two missing teeth from UDIs though!

[Glass Ben]

Most of my scars are on my hands and I have never wore  gloves till this winter. Now I intend finding gloves that I can wear when ever I am working not only cleaning but gardening DIY etc...
What it has taught me is that I can detail with more accuracy and less pain. There is nothing worse than picking up a niggiling little cut that is aggraveted by dirt.

[Steve_Richardson]

I was working on some builders cleans years ago, and I needed to change the blad in my scraper. Instead of tapping it out sideways, I decided to follishly use a pair of plyers to try and pull the thing out. The blad snapped, the pliers slipped and the broken blade edge (covered in bord mess) went straight into my thumb between the joints, down to the bone. 

I then had to cover this with a peice of old tissue (to keep it together...no more details needed!!) and walk the length of this building site to tell the forman I was going off site.

After walking back (staggering through loss of the red stuff) I drove one-handed to hospital where I was stictched up by the nurse who had actually stiched up my finger from about 2 weeks previously!

The scar on my thumb is almost as long as the scar on my fore finger from my carpet fitting days. Working in a newly painted and refurbished police station I decided to split my finger open from nail to middle, then I proceeded to shake it in pain and you know what went everywhere on the nice blue walls and carpet!! Oh dear  :

Cheers
Steve

[texas girl]

Hey HANDSOME SMART Gents;

You can tell I have had 2 beers; just kidding. Isn't it intersting the tools and the challenges of the trade!

Who would think very much about the hazards of window cleaning unless you were in the business?

Construction workers and carpenters, highway workers; they get the glory.

Not that I am whining at all; but isn't it amazing how hazardous window cleaning can be?

Of course, it is the best business to be in; so undiscovered as to the success available, that is why I say smart.

I am thankful to have found this forum; even tho I am a blonde female I have a lot in common with all of you;and it is welcomed into my busy world.

I hope all are having a good week!

Hugs,

Texas Girl

[rosskesava]

I've got quite short legs (I'm 5' 7"). I was following the other 2 I work with to the back of the property and they just stepped over a gate so I tried to do the same.

Having shorter legs I crushed my crown jewels, so to speak.

In trying to extracate myself, my foot slipped on the mossy path and I did the same again.

It was agony. I was out of action for about an hour.

That incident left a mental scar that has made me wary of gates, fences etc ever since.

[Justin H]

I've squashed my fingers with the whole weight of me & my ladder before now.Also went  & slipped on a manhole covered in moss (didn't even know it was there) when wet & the ladder I was carrying landed on my head!Bloody nose & dizzy for a few minutes but it still didn't knock any sense into me.

[c w window cleanin]

On one house, as I was pushing windows cleaned ticket through letter-box, a little jack russel dog was sitting the other side of the door, when my fingers came through the letter box, it fastened it's teeth on my fingers.
There then ensued a tug of war battle as I tried to get my fingers back. I won, but when they came back through letter box, dog's teeth had split one of my finger-nails end to end, blood everywhere.
 When I showed the lad working with me, he almost fainted.
I went further up the road to an old lady that normally made me a cup of tea, washed fingers, put plaster on and returned to work, with fingers throbbing away like anything.
When I collected money from owners and told them what had happened, they said he's a rascal isn't he !!
 Good job door was locked or else it wouldn't have just been my fingers in it's teeth !!

 : Blessings  :
Graeme

ive perfected a techinque where you open the letter box by a smidgin(if theres a crazy mutt on the other side!)and you first insert the tip of your squeegee and carefully proceed with the ticket......if the mutt goes for the prime finger steaks it see's before him , you spear the little git in the chops, the instant he attacks............you have to know your enemy in this job!! ; 8

[Simon Carter]

It's 10.30 & I've just popped back to the unit between jobs. Just had a quick read of this. I'm not sure I want to go back out !.