[Mr Sparkle]

Hi guys i've been going since xmas and have been doing about 6 to 8 custies a day which av all been 1st cleans including frames and sills. They have been taking me around an hour each house and i've been scrubbing like a maniac to get them sparkling hence my name Mr SPARKLE.
When i get home i'm aching that much and my arms and triceps feel like they are about to explode. Think one of these days i'm going to turn green and my shirt start ripping and turn into the incredible hulk . Does it get alot easier on maintainence cleans and if it takes an hour on 1st clean how long should it take after that? I'm waterfed pole.
When you first started did it take you ages to do each house as it's ridicoulous how long it takes me? I think the custies thing i'm a bit of a mong taking so long but i just want to do a good job.

[Tosh]

You sound just like me when I started; it does get easier; year-on-year!

[ZaNo]

1st cleans take half hour, second clean 20mins, third clean 15mins there after.
Hows your customer base coming along now?

[WISEOWL]

An hour still seems a long time for a first clean.

A lot of what you are scrubbing will probably not look much different so strategically focus on the muck above the window as the main aim in your cleaning. The rest of the window should be relatively easy once the top frame/sill is done.

Personally, within 6 months, I am now doing what it used to take 2 of us to do give or take an hour depending on weather.

It will get easier just don't make it too hard for yourself.

[Tosh]

and i've been scrubbing like a maniac to get them sparkling

You don't need to do this.

On a first clean, wash and squeegie; then remove any tough dirt with a scraper (you can wet the scraper for a bit of slip; just touch your applicator with the blade), then wash and squeegie again; then detail with a scrim.

On subsequent cleans, just wet the window ONCE, don't go rubbing the window with your washer like something demented; it won't need it.

[chrisyg]

and i've been scrubbing like a maniac to get them sparkling

You don't need to do this.

On a first clean, wash and squeegie; then remove any tough dirt with a scraper (you can wet the scraper for a bit of slip), then wash and squeegie again; then detail with a scrim.

On subsequent cleans, just wet the window ONCE, don't go rubbing the window with your washer like something demented; it won't need it.

Mr S is wfp...

[geefree]

I did exactly as you are doing.... and i took an hour on some... but the second clean was around 15-20 mins...

these guys were all laughing at me because all i had was first cleans....nowadays first cleans are a doddle.

1. because i know how to do them quicker now.

2. I dont have many. lol.

yes it is hard work in the beginning, but i would say keep doing as you are doing, you have set yourself high standards, and that is important....

as i said , i did the same.... now i am quicker, but i maintain the same high standards....

its all too easy to clean the glass and walk away. dont fall into that trap....

nearly all the customers i got in the beginning complained about the last cleaner not touching the frames... and worse ...dirtying the sills with dirty water.

even today, i dropped 50 leaflets in a new estate....and on some i could see the dirty water marks dropping down from where they had squeegied.... and not detailed the edges... i got one phone call within half an hour.


keep going it gets easier in that respect, but its a long slog building a round to give you and your family a decent wage.... i nearly walked away lots of times... if our lass had not been working, then i would have stood no chance.

[Tosh]

An hour on a 3 bed semi with a WFP?

No way!

 

10 to 15 minutes maximum; probably less!  I see Squeaky cleaning my neighbors 3 bed semi in about five minutes (and he's a bit of a girl)!

An hour; crickey!

[kenaltobelli]

its like that for evry one mine took an hour i used to make £90.00 a week now i can make £159 .00
most weeks no problem

[geefree]

i was trad then... but i did it on purpose as i had little idea of technique... so each house was a learning curve....

i suspect mr sparkle is doing the same... trying too hard ,, like i was...

to get it right, frightened of leaving any dirty marks... and trying too hard to please the customer...

nothing wrong there.... speed comes... new house become less as you move to your second and third cleans you will see.

but it will hold you in good stead.

[Mr Sparkle]

Hi zano customer base as been coming on really well but found it hard in last week or so due to the snow
Hopefully weather will pick up and more custies ring.
Thanks all on this forum for the encouragement it really helps after hard days work