Window Cleaning Success

10 Window Cleaning Tips For Correct Water Fed Pole Usage

Water fed poles and de-ionized water technology is taking the window cleaning industry by storm. More and more window cleaners are purchasing water fed poles to add to their selection of tools. And its not hard to see why.

The right tool for the job means higher efficiency and ultimately more money in your pocket. This is due to the fact that using water fed poles on many window cleaning jobs can typically allow you to cut the time needed to complete the job by 35% to 50% while at the same time allowing you to remain safely on the ground.

However, just because water fed poles can be a great asset to your window cleaning business, improper or inefficient use of this technology will result in added stress, sore muscles and poor quality of work. In order to help you avoid these unnecessary headaches below you will find a number of tips for using water fed poles correctly.

1. The pole should be positioned with a 1:3 ratio. Meaning the window cleaner should be 1/3 the height of the pole away from the wall. This allows for the weight of the pole to be displaced against the building.

2. The brush should be rested on the glass or building façade whenever possible to protect against sudden wind gusts and worker fatigue.

3. Brush rinsing is the most popular method of rinsing the window. Tilt the brush to one side allowing for the two streams of water to flow onto the glass. This will also cut down on fatigue as you do not have to hold the pole away from the glass.

4. Another popular rinsing method; it can be done by moving close to the building and resting the bottom of the pole on the ground and holding it out from the glass. Place a foot across the back of the pole to prevent the poll from popping out. This method works best on poles under 30 feet.

5. Do not scrub or rinse sideways with any pole over 10 feet as this motion puts dangerous pressure on your spine and back muscles.

6. The best way to work is to hold the pole at waist level close in to the body’s side and rock back and forth to cover the glass surfaces. Short steps can be taken to walk the pole up and down the glass.

7. Rotate the pole to one side or the other to ‘hop’ over the window mullion or frame to get to the next window. This allows the brush weight to remain on the glass.

8. Poles over 30 feet should be lowered prior to moving around a buildings corner. It is very easy to lose control of the pole during this maneuver.

9. All motions should be confined to a waist to shoulder region. Avoid raising or extending the arms above the shoulder height.

10. For max efficiency a two man crew is best. This allows one window cleaner to clean the windows while the other is moving the DI system around to keep up, keeping the work area clear, spotting obstacles as well as swapping out with the worker on the pole when he gets fatigued.

The window cleaning tips you just learned were gathered from years of trial and error while using water fed poles. Hopefully after reading these tips you will be able to utilize your water fed pole more effectively and without the long learning curve many other window cleaners were forced to go through.