How Do Professional Window Cleaners Make it Look So Easy?

 Why Can't I Get My Windows to Look That Good??

Are you running out of tips and 'cutting-edge' products to get your windows looking awesome? Maybe you are one like many who has asked me for the 'secret'; one who cleaned a window and felt it looked good only to be dismayed when the morning sun showed all the smears. There are so many favorite cleaning solutions and handheld rags that people have endorsed over decades, I'm sure over centuries, that have been used to clean windows. Their proponents swear by them, while others say they just don't work. The golden items may include vinegar, dish soap, Windex, Jet Dry, corn starch, ammonia, rubbing alcohol, sponge, newspaper, chamois, scrim cloth, used t-shirt, and so on. I'm not going to discuss or critique each and every item here, but I will try to shift the focus to principles that could make just about anything work to a greater or lesser degree. 

The Ongoing Battle to Figure Out the Secret of Beautiful Windows

You may have noticed that there are more than a few advertisements and infomercials that will assure you that all your nagging problems in life are 'not your fault'. Will I say here that disappointing results with your windows are not your fault? No and yes! I think the word fault in the context of not-perfect looking windows is a bit harsh and unnecessary. It really comes down to the amount of patience and tenacity you are willing to expend, as well as a few sensible principles to apply. As with just about every solution to a problem, the big 'answer' isn't going to pop up on your TV or computer screen out of nowhere. This also applies to the secret of making your windows look fantastic, no matter what time of day it is! Two factors that often contribute to this battle are that many different things can accumulate on glass; anything from grease to soap scum, and that the surface of glass can get quite hot or cold. Add to this that humidity can also affect your efforts in getting your windows to look spectacular. 

How Do They Make My Windows Look So Good, and Can I Do It?

As I earlier alluded to, it mostly comes down to patience, practice, and a sensible game plan. Here are a handful of things to remember and how to deal with it.

Many substances can be on glass- Grease can settle on windows. This would usually be on the inside, due to cooking, high humidity, finger and handprints, among other things. Grease from barbeque grills that are near outside glass can pose a real challenge to cleaning windows as well. Smoke from different sources inside the home can leave residue as well. Getting these forms of grime off glass is possible, but it requires some patience. Water alone applied with a paper towel, shop rag, or even microfiber rag will likely not help too much - even with elbow grease! It will probably just smear the glass, essentially redistributing the residue to more concentrated areas of the glass. You can more effectively approach this problem a few different ways.

Use a rag with a generous amount of water and a degreaser such as your favorite dishwashing liquid (doesn't have to be dripping wet) and give the frames and all the glass a real good wiping. This first step does not need to be with precision. You are working on getting the grease, smoke, dust or whatever loosened so you can eventually buff it off. You can go ahead and use another wiping rag or towel to dry the glass. This should ensure that the vast majority of grime is off the glass. You can finish the process by spraying the glass with a glass cleaner or make your own mix. The mix could be a small amount of rubbing alcohol added to water. Optionally, an even smaller amount of dishwashing liquid can be added as well. Not much, though. At this stage you shouldn't need to flood the window again, but just a few spritzes. Take a lint-free towel or rag and lightly work the spray around the glass and also lightly buff it off. Don't forget to get into all the corners. Also, giving the frame around the glass a good wipe will enhance the overall results. 

Another approach is to use an applicator such as a window scrubber or sponge that holds a solution of water and dishwashing liquid, following up with a window squeegee. You could even use a microfiber rag soaked in solution if you don't have a scrubber or large, thick sponge. With all these options, you need to work the solution in thoroughly. Be patient as one quick pass or rotary motion might not be enough effort. You might even be able to 'feel' the resistance that grease and other residues creates go away as you 'unstick' it from the glass and get it into a suspended state. When ready, go ahead and squeegee the solution off the window. Have another rag ready to wipe up the dirty water that will be on the bottom frame and window sill. You can squeegee from right to left or left to right and you can squeegee from top to bottom. It doesn't matter. Detailing after this does matter. You will likely have left a bit of solution around the edges and perhaps some lines from the edge of the squeegee as you made your passes. If you wipe it quickly and with some finesse you should attain very good results. If you think you must have left some streaks, but can't see them, breathe on the glass. The condensation that temporarily forms should reveal lines or smears that you can't see without strong sunlight on it. 

Heat, cold, and humidity can add to the challenge- professional window cleaners often encounter less than ideal conditions while on the job. Direct sunlight or very low humidity can dry up liquid on the outside of glass very quickly, making it an enormous challenge to clean it properly and make it look better and not worse. Direct sunlight can also heat up the glass inside the house, so much that liquid will quickly dry here as well. Doing the removal part, whether hand wiping or using a squeegee, must be done quickly and accurately to have even a chance of good result. Some good sense would dictate either cooling off the glass first with cold or room tepid water to lower the surface temperature, or just waiting until sunlight is not a factor any longer. When the glass is cold or there is high relative humidity, liquid will not dry as quickly, and when you are using a rag to either fully wipe the glass or detail after using a squeegee you may get frustrated with the water just not going away. When conditions are drier, smears or dirty water streaks may become evident. Patience and a dry wiping device will be your friends here. 

Some things on glass are a bit tougher to get off- soap scum, adhesive from tape or stickers and other things can be even more challenging to get off glass. Soapy water, hot water, even a few other additives may just not cut it. Window cleaners may use a nylon or walnut scrubbing pad, #0000 steel wool, or a scraper with a steel or carbon blade to take care of these more difficult tasks of making windows looks spectacular. Without going deep into an explanation, the handheld pads are quite safe and harmless to try on glass, provided they don't have dirt stuck in them and the glass does not have applied tint on it. Using steel wool or a scraper properly can be very effective but calls for more caution and knowledge. 

 Besides these 'secrets' which really are common sense and best practices, there really isn't much more to say. Patience and practice may be the bigger thing if you want to make your windows look amazing. One special thing that many professional window cleaning companies, mine included, utilize is pure water technology on outside glass. For regular dirt, pollen, and light grime, a technician can perfectly clean low windows, high windows, hard-to-reach windows, you name it, from the safety of the ground. With proper training and technique, windows can be cleaned perfectly in high heat, direct sunlight, cold, and low or high humidity. 

The Takeaway?

If you really want to get your windows looking as good as they can be, give the suggestions in this post a try. Be patient as well. What I outlined is not only way, but I've found it to be an effective and easily-implemented way. Use common sense when it comes to prevailing weather conditions, time of day, and so on. Some glass has imperfections or wear from age that you can't fix with a cleaning. You will have to live with such things unless you go for replacement. 

The other very easy solution is to find a professional window cleaner in your area to take care of this for you. Residential window cleaning is a luxury service, but a very affordable one. It is purchased many millions of times each year in the United States and many other places around the world. The pros have 'done the time' and are focused on the know-how end of this noble task. 

If you have any questions or want to discuss this subject you can email me at dan@danwagnerwindowcleaning.com

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Reconciling Window Cleaning With Rain in the Forecast

There's A Chance of Rain in the Forecast!

Rain, or snow, is the legendary and perceived enemy of a window cleaning schedule! From what I've read in various industry groups on Facebook and forums, the alarms go off in the heads of customers at varying levels of probability for precipitation. Some in southern California say that clients will postpone their window cleaning appointments if there is a 5% chance of precipitation. I can't personally confirm or deny that. I don't know that official forecasts go lower than 20% even in arid regions of the US, but the point seems to be that in areas where homeowners are accustomed to clear days as a rule, even the slightest mention of rain may be a dealbreaker. 

I've also gathered from window cleaning and pressure washing companies in the Pacific Northwest that if they allowed the precipitation forecast to strictly guide their schedule, they wouldn't have a business. On average, in Seattle, Washington it rains somewhere around 150 days per year, but it seems to be more frequent than heavy. It clearly depends on local tolerance for precipitation. Here in northeastern Pennsylvania, a chance of precipitation is pretty common, but not necessarily a daily concern. I checked with my local National Weather Service office and they said the lowest probability of precipitation they will mention on their website's forecast is 20%. They mentioned that on social media posts they may say as low as 10%. Either way, rain is a potential factor. 

 So, Does Rain Make Windows Dirty?

In my years of interacting with residential customers and even passersby when cleaning storefront windows, countless people will say something such as "it's going to rain later this week and ruin all your work", "it's going to rain tomorrow. At least I'll get one day of clean windows!", or "you know it'll rain tomorrow since you're cleaning the windows!" Thus, the question of whether rain truly makes clean windows dirty and how to address it looms large in the minds of many window cleaners. Such an assertion has become about as common as 'if I go skiing or snowboarding, I'll break my leg'. Here is something to think about. Rain itself is pretty clean and pure in its falling state. That does not mean there are no minerals or any other solid matter in it. Technically, pure water (comprising nothing but H₂O) does not exist in nature. It can only be manufactured by distilling or other methods. But it does mean that there are no chemicals or contaminants in typical rainwater- chlorine and so on. There still must be a reason why the fear that rain that falls within days after a window gets cleaned is going to ruin the whole proposition. No question, in certain cases, windows can look pretty awful after being cleaned and then subject to a rainstorm. How do we reconcile the belief with the reality?

What Makes Windows Dirty After It Rains?

As roughly explained above, by and large, rainwater itself is extremely clean and does not mess up clean windows without other factors entering in. A popular saying with professional window cleaners is "Rain doesn't make windows dirty. Dirt makes windows dirty."  If stated the wrong way, this may come across as patronizing. However, it pretty much is the deal. Granted, in some areas such as heavily industrialized locales, there may be a high level of contaminants in the atmosphere which raindrops will pick up and deposit on glass. This would be a potential issue. Other added factors that can make windows look dirtier after a good rain are as follows:

filthy frames or siding above the glass - this is a solid reason to also have a good program to maintain the cleanliness of the building itself. When cleaning companies offer power washing and window cleaning, the power washing always is done first. Any legitimate window cleaning company, in my opinion, will clean the frames and openings that are part of the window at the very least. In this way, it will eliminate or greatly minimize the potential for dirty water from above to mess up clean glass.

very windy conditions after a cleaning - in fairness, if there is a significant chance of high winds kicking dirt around following a window cleaning, rescheduling might be the best option. A growing number of companies -mine included- use purified water to clean outside windows. The pure water is applied through some type of jets that use gentle pressure along with a brush or pad to scrub the glass thoroughly. Then, the loose dirt and debris is rinsed off the glass with the same pure water, leaving no dirt on the glass. The fact is that the pure water will take a little time to disappear from the glass, by gravity and evaporation. If wind and dust are present, there may be an issue with the remaining water droplets picking up the blowing dust or dirt. This will be a judgment call that an honest company will have to make as to whether it's best to reschedule or use the more traditional method of drying the glass right away with a squeegee and detail rag. 

 dirty window screens - many windows such as double-hungs, single-hungs, and storm panels may be accompanied by screens that are outside of the glass, not inside the house. Screens, by design, keep insects out and collect some of the airborne particulates. When it rains, though, screens that have not been properly cleaned as part of the window cleaning service, will give up some of the junk on them and the junk will be deposited on the glass behind them. So, either leaving your screens out or making sure they are thoroughly cleaned, is the key to keeping the glass clean as long as possible. 

splashing water near ground level window panes - sometimes the lower areas of ground level windows are in close proximity to a considerable amount of loose dirt. Perhaps landscaping is not completed or simply not present near some glass, and so persistent water falling onto dirt nearby can splash mud, in essence, onto the glass.                             

clogged gutters or downspouts causing water spills - it often does not take much of an obstruction somewhere in a run of gutter or at the downspout to cause water to back up. If the rate of backup exceeds the rate of proper flow through the gutter system, enough rainfall will cause water to spill over and out of the gutter at any point before the obstruction. The spilling water will either work its way down the siding of simply free fall somewhere beyond the siding. Strong wind or further physical objects below the gutters may divert some dirty water onto glass. Really, then, just as important as regular maintenance of the siding, is the regular monitoring of how the gutters are working. 

We Don't Live in a Perfect World

Ultimately, clean windows will eventually get dirty. Even the highly-touted 'self-cleaning' windows don't promise to never need attention again. Go figure! Many window cleaning companies, including mine, for this reason offer some type of 'rain guarantee'. This guarantee promises that if rainfall after cleaning makes some of your windows dirty up to xx days after service, we will return and reclean such windows at no charge. This should help put a homeowner's fears at ease and also keep the cleaning company's schedule as intact as reasonably possible. When you think about it, if the chance of rain is the sole factor in deciding when ones windows should be cleaned, there are few regions in the world where it would be considered feasible to even bother. I myself have offered a 5-day rain guarantee for probably 20 years and have only been called to return once or twice that I can recall. That's fair and expected, since we don't live in a perfect world! 

What Reasons Are There Not to Cancel an Appointment if There is a Slight Chance of Rain?

As previously reasoned out, a window cleaning company that is completely at the mercy of possible rain in the forecast within lets say the next week, would be in pretty rough shape in most parts of the world. The hard truth is that unless you live in an extremely arid region, it will rain and probably rain will touch your windows within a week or two. I have found that most homeowners will eventually accept this if they don't already. It has also been established that under typical circumstances, rainwater itself does not leave clean windows dirty. If the mitigating circumstances listed above are not present, there should be no issue with cleaning windows before rain is coming or even during a very light rain or drizzle. Another reason, tough as it may be to consider, is that it is not always easy to reschedule an appointment the next day or exactly when a homeowner requests. This all depends on some factors such as how much wiggle room the contractor has, where the company will be in the next few days. Where there is a hard deadline, such as a graduation party, wedding reception, big family gathering, or something else, it may become a very difficult dilemma to solve. 

If you'd like to discuss this or have any questions, feel free to comment below or email me at dan@danwagnerwindowcleaning.com

Dan Wagner Window Cleaning has been serving home and business owners since 1986. Areas covered include Honesdale, Hawley, Narrowsburg, Beach Lake, Damascus, Pleasant Mount, Equinunk, Forest City, Carbondale, Scranton, Dunmore, Lake Ariel, Mount Pocono, Tannersville, Stroudsburg, and others. 

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Five Marketing Phrases That Don't Mean Much in Window Cleaning

Whom Are We Trying to Kid?

"We're the best window cleaners in the area because.........." Insert the terms for carpet cleaning, landscaping, child care, builders- you name it- and this same thinking will apply. Most any service company who is at least making an effort to market for new customers will devise a reason or reasons why they are the clear choice. I like to look at what other companies are saying, especially in my field of expertise, which is window cleaning. There are several common reasons put forth that have, in my opinion, become catchphrases. I will review five of them and why those words might be just words. First, please take a look at this window cleaning pro.

Would it be obvious to you as a customer that this is the gentleman you should hire to clean your windows? 

Here are some of the things he may have on his website, or social media page:

1. We only use state of the art equipment

Now don't get me wrong- state of the art equipment is great and often a game-changer for efficiency and safety. But does it really guarantee that better and/or newer equipment  will yield better results? The x-factor will always be the operator or technician. Does he or she know how to properly use the amazing equipment? Does he have the patience and integrity to take the time to be thorough and careful? What happens when a problem arises and a different approach may be needed for some of the project? Ultimately, the professionality of the human behind the equipment will get you the win. 

If you are a homeowner, do you ever miss your old window cleaner? Hopefully not! But if you do for some reason, is it because he used the best ladders or squeegees you've ever seen in your life? Or is it because you knew that whatever challenge may have arisen, he would make sure everything was right in the end?

So, yes, state of the art or SOTA is wonderful. But is it a deal-winner? Probably not on its own.

2. We give attention to detail

C'mon! Isn't it simply expected that any service company, window cleaning or otherwise, will give attention to detail? I'm quite certain this catchphrase is not meant to imply that all other competitors don't care about detail. It is true that some technicians will agonize over the minutest detail while others will go 99% of the way. The point is that any professional will give due diligence to detail. A 'splasher and dasher' will not. 

3. We are a family-owned business

Again, I have no qualms about family-owned businesses. I'm part of one, happy to be so, and wish there were more of them. But does family-owned itself automatically mean you will be better served? Not automatically. Some families, sadly, don't operate above reproach in business. Some families may feel they have such a strong reputation in the community that they can cruise on that alone and relax in the customer service category. At the same time, a nationally-known company may vet their subcontractors so carefully that you'll actually do better with them. This is not to say that these scenarios are typical or expected, but the catchphrase 'family-owned', as with the others, needs to have teeth. I feel as I mentioned earlier, that it is great to support family-owned businesses, especially when they are your neighbors, if it is a good fit. You expect that a local family business knows that in rural America word spreads fast. They can bolster their reputation in the community or ruin it by how they deliver during and after the transaction. 

4. We use a proprietary solution

Somewhat similar to the 'state of the art' saying, this one is assumedly used to imply that it is better than the solution that the other companies are using. Or perhaps the company touting this has the secret sauce that nobody else knows about. There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of chemical suppliers who sell proprietary solutions for cleaning. Most are very good to excellent. Some are run of the mill or largely ineffective. Proprietary in this context simply means specifically designed for a certain application. And, of course, the x-factor, like with state of the art equipment, is the operator. The proprietary cleaner needs to be applied and used properly. That said, it is better to use proprietary cleaners than all-purpose as a rule on windows, siding, and roof shingles. 

5. Organization membership or certification

Yet another horn toot that doesn't seem to mean much to a prospective window cleaning customer. It means a lot to the company marketing with it, for sure. In almost 38 years of speaking to customers, I don't think anyone has ever asked me if I belong to an org or have certifications. To be clear, I don't have any problem with window cleaning companies spending time and money to become further educated and trained in proper procedures and safety. In my experience, the fact that some test was passed or course hours were spent or money was paid or all three, does not automatically translate to a better choice for a customer. Who is going to enforce the standards that are to be upheld? If they are broken, how does the customer get compensation? The reality is, a window cleaner can become a professional without vaulting over even the lowest bar. Once he buys basic equipment and completes his first of many transactions, he is a professional. His inclination toward honesty and integrity is probably just as strong as the organization member and certification holder. How he handles the challenges and customer relations will be the key.  I'd venture to say that the average consumer trusts good standing in the Better Business Bureau more that membership in some organization that few have heard of and less know anything about. Thus, touting one's piece of paper or passing grade bespeaks effort, but is no guarantee of excellence. To be fair, neither is it an indication of less relevance.

Concluding Comments

It is understandable and expected that service companies will provide plenty of reasons they feel they should be your choice. The five I listed above and certainly some others are overused in my opinion and may not have the convincing power that is hoped for. I've actually found that good and believable reviews are mentioned to me as a convincing factor to give me a call or email. At least that's my experience.

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Residential and Commercial Window Cleaning in Northeastern Pennsylvania since 1986

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Pure Water Window Cleaning- Hype or Reality?

 Pure, Ultrapure, Distilled. What's the Difference?

How 'clean' does water need to be to clean windows?

Few people would disagree that water quality should be a serious consideration in most anything that affects them. Beermakers, bottled water brands and others often highlight the pureness of their water, perhaps because it comes from a high mountain, a glacier, or an extremely clean spring. 

When it comes to window cleaning, who of us would intentionally start a project with obviously dirty water? If you've had the privilege of being in stopped city traffic and had someone voluntarily clean your windshield, you may get really mad or be okay with it. Regardless, if you see the water is filthy and probably contains some of the junk from previous recipients' windshields, that may be the dealbreaker! Yes, we like clean water. 

Does it matter when it comes to residential or commercial window cleaning? It certainly does, to an extent. The application and the method have a bearing on how 'clean' or pure your water should be. 

The words clean and pure must be taken in context when it comes to water. No water existing in nature is by strict definition 'pure'. Rain droplets pick up solid matter as they fall. Water flowing over and through exceptionally clean areas of the earth pick up minerals. Thus, there is always some foreign matter in water that has not been processed for a special purpose. That isn't always a bad thing. Our bodies need certain minerals, of course, and water can provide some of that. 

For cleaning glass, water that is not filthy and is being properly removed in a short amount of time with proper tools, is sufficient. Many realize that just spraying water on glass, even with some force, is not going to yield great results on its own. That is one reason why my window cleaning company gets some requests to clean an owner's windows professionally. Those spots on your high windows or the white haze on low-lying glass that is getting hit by automatic sprinklers is probably from pretty decent quality water that, after draining or evaporating, leaves a residue of calcium, magnesium, or something else that is in the local water. Removing mineral deposits can be quite difficult. 

Do the terms 'pure', 'ultrapure' and 'distilled' mean anything in window cleaning?

As in any industry or service field, terms can be used soundly or casually. They may be relevant or simply be buzzwords or catchphrases. For a more technical explanation, here's a helpful article

In the arena of professional window cleaning, you will likely never see someone advertise that they use distilled water. However many, including Dan Wagner Window Cleaning, will happily announce that they use pure or ultrapure water, especially for outdoor applications. What is their relevance and how much does it matter? In a nutshell, distilled and pure water have been by different processes, had practically all impurities removed. Distilled is associated with boiling and condensation while pure is associated with filtration. Ultrapure water, by description, has had as much impurity removed from it  as humanly possible. So a layman might say 'ultrapure' is actually purer than 'pure'. When it comes to window cleaning, this distinction is not as vital as in high-end industrial or medical applications. 

So how and when is pure water a benefit for window cleaning? The benefit is by and large seen when using a water fed pole whereby the technician is first scrubbing off the dirt and grime and then rinsing said dirt and grime off the glass. With this method there is no need to follow up the wash with a squeegee or detailing rags. The pure or ultrapure water that is still on the glass after thorough rinsing will dry spot-free. Although there are many window cleaners that will maintain 'till their dying breath that hands-on or 'nose to glass' window cleaning is always superior and the truly professional way, probably just as many, hopefully more, realize that this is simply not true under all but the most difficult circumstances. A window cleaner who knows how to properly use pure water technology and the tools that go with it and understands there is equipment maintenance involved, and also that there are certain limitations that at times will dictate he opt for 'older school' methods' when necessary, will be in very good shape for successful execution. For companies like mine that also clean interior windows, we still need to do an amazing job in the inside with common methods, such as what cleaning solution we use and the tools and level of thoroughness and detail. You simply can't hide mistakes whether inside or out when the right light hits it!  That is one reason we often get called to provide service in the morning, when the sun is just coming up and homeowners look out their east-facing windows with sunken hearts. 

So in summation, pure, ultrapure, or distilled water has many benefits, especially for outside cleaning.

Is it really a good idea to drink distilled water?

This question continues to be debated and also used by opposing camps to argue their cause one way or the other. If this is a very important matter to you, there is an abundance of articles that present compelling arguments to support or oppose the use of distilled water for human consumption. And many articles explain that either choice is not life-altering. In a nutshell, our bodies need certain minerals and distilled water does not contain any. But many or most don't feel it is too difficult to compensate for what that type of water lacks. It is best to do your research, and that will be very easy if you have an internet browser!

At Dan Wagner Window Cleaning  we have been producing smiles and happiness in northeastern Pennsylvania since 1986 and we are not going away! I

Serving Honesdale, Hawley, Scranton, Lake Ariel, Stroudsburg, Tannersville, Mount Pocono and many other towns. 

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