[Craig 72]

Hi folks.Got my WCW backpack over the weekend and used it for the first time today.I was delighted with it initially and everything seemed to go well.I finished a 3 story house and conservatory in probably half the time I would have done trad.Then right near the end of the job I've gone back round to check out how everything looked and there was a good few 'cloudy looking' run marks that were showing up here and there.I can only assume it's from the frames but I scrubbed the bejesus out of them before doing the windows.Anybody else had this?Obviously I'm doing something fundamentally wrong but is there a link or guide to the actual technique of water fed pole cleaning?I've checked out several videos on youtube and thought I had it sorted but apparently not.Thanks.

[JSMC]

i'm dreading this TBH

[Craig 72]

Why's that JSMC?I realise this topic has no doubt been covered a thousand times but after doing a search I couldn't find a thread on the basic technique of WFP,strangely enough.

[EZclean]

if the frames are mucky  specially at the top and especially above the opener, the trick is to clean the top of the frames and give the glass a do while your there but dont go mad on the glass, just make sure all the muck at the top isn't gonna come down. then do the next window the same. when the first one you did has stopped dripping at the top do the glass, scrubbing along the top of the glass onto the rubber seals alot. then rinse it down. just the glass and the separator/cross bar if its got an opener. first cleans on changeover are  
even after you've done all the above you walk away and the rubber seals will leech down from the top of the glass. 2nd cleans are easier but still need lots of care. stick with it bud, i was ready to put my system in orbit in the first few weeks  

[R W C]

Clean all frames and glass on the whole house then go back round and do just glass, rinse rinse and rinse more, as you where trad theres probably loads of soap which you probably wont get off on the 1st clean wfp.

[Nathanael Jones]

I found that first cleans using cold water can be a challenge, but if you attack it in 2 stges the results are good 95% of the time.

1st clean all the frames, especially the top frame of the entire house

2nd, go back to the start and just clean the glass all the way round the house


The 2nd clean is a lot easier, so no need to do it in 2 stages ever again,.. and by the time you're on 3rd and 4th cleans you'll have very few problems.

[Craig 72]

Ok gents cheers.Practice will make perfect hopefully.Luckily I get on well with the customers I did today and explained to them it may take a couple of cleans to get the technique right,which they were fine with.Other customers won't be so understanding though I'm guessing,so hopefully I'll pick it up a bit sharpish.

[EZclean]

i take longer on the windows i know they gonna look out of more, like kitchen and front room or near the telly. i dont do a bad job of the others, just covering myself really till all the first few cleans are out of the way.

[R W C]

When rinsing if your not doing the top frame try and make sure the brush is as close to the window as poss and that the jets hit just under the frame, ive seen people rinse from about a foot away from the glass.

[EZclean]

good point, cos i dont do frames unless i have to, because of style of frame or they pay extra.

[Oakley Windows]

Hook up to the custys outside tap on the first clean and give EVERYTHING  a damn good going over with just tap water. Then go back and re-do them with RO.

I did it that way and out of 200 custys had one complaint.

[chris@c.m.s]

First cleans or swapping from trad, What I do is scrub frame + Glass, rinse frame then glass when done go round house again with a quick wash and rinse off of the glass only.

For me if you took half the time you did traditional then you haven't been thorough enough. first cleans I always allow twice as long, It really does need to be right its often the customers first impression of WFP.

Some UPVC frames have holes in the upper edges that are hard to spot but run onto the glass after you've cleaned, if that is the case do the windows above first let them drip then go back to the bottom window and clean the glass only.         

[Oakley Windows]

Did I say rinse rinse rinse?

If I didnt then make sure you rinse lots and then rinse lots more.

To me rinsing on first cleans is more important than lots of scrubbing.

[johnny_h]

what i did was the clean before i went wfp was to wipe the top of every frame make sure they are clean

[R W C]

Did I say rinse rinse rinse?

If I didnt then make sure you rinse lots and then rinse lots more.

To me rinsing on first cleans is more important than lots of scrubbing.

No you didnt matt i did

Clean all frames and glass on the whole house then go back round and do just glass, rinse rinse and rinse more, as you where trad theres probably loads of soap which you probably wont get off on the 1st clean wfp.

[williamx]

You will find on many frames the customers have used a cleaner to get them clean or remove marks especially white ones.

When this has been done you get a "milky" residue down the glass.

The only way to combat this is to really scrub the frames down, then leave them to dry (coffee break time) then go back and only clean the glass.

After you have cleaned the glass check to make sure that there has not been a run down of the milky substance from the frames, if there has been, blade the glass dry.

On the next clean you should be ok.

Also warn the customers not to use that cleaner again, otherwise it will happen again especially when it rains.

[JS_Cleaning]

Somethings that i noticed when we switched over.

First clean took a lifetime,

We would have done a council house 10mins trad, first wash wfp took 15mins roughly. (More on the awkard ones)

Second clean takes a bit of time too. 

After that 90% of houses were a doddle.

Between the 2 of us we find that we can get 4 council houses done now in 20mins, and not near as tired as we would have been previously.

a coupel of things i would mention, on a scorching hot day, give any hot windows a better than normal rinsing, and avoid frame vents like the plague.

[Clear Vision]

I hear a lot of people saying that it can take up to 3 to 4 cleans for the glass to come good!!!

Personally i think thats utter rubbish!

When i first switched wfp Most of my work came up good 1st time if not the 2nd time.

I have been wfp now for 3 years and I use the hot water system. New house that I take on and haven't had there windows cleaned for years i can get to come up perfect first time round!

I dont do them twice either. All I doo is scrub the top frame, side frame and sill then scrub the glass. I then start rinsing thourghly from the top frame right down to the sill and job done. 99.9% of the time they are all perfect and no complaints.

[Bobs Window Cleaning]

Its easy to see the problem.

You say that you cleaned it in half the time you would have taken trad.  There it is.

When you switch over to wfp, it should take you longer to begin with not quicker.

Bob

[pjulk]

Welcome to the world of WFP which can often bring headache's   

You really need to rinse loads and when you think you rinsed enough rinse again.

Its no magic wand it like starting window cleaning again you have to learn to use the tools correctly.
Do you know anyone near you with WFP who you could spend a few hours with as you will see what you are doing wrong.