What is your best or preferred method for cleaning frames? I don’t normally include cleaning the frames as most jobs don’t want to pay the extra money. Because of this I do not have, or have not developed a preferred or efficient method for cleaning frames.
I usually try to keep the frames relatively clean around the entry’s of buildings and the bottom sills. I have a job that spends around $30K a year with me cleaning all their locations on a regular basis. They have some investors coming to look at the locations and requested the frames around the entrances be wiped down, which can be anywhere form a few windows to a good amount of frames. I want to do a really good job but I want it to be very efficient so I am not wasting time.
What is your most effective way of cleaning or wiping down the frames that is highly effective but also efficient?
Its not the easiest question to answer there are many different types of window frames, wfp is the quickest and easiest way to get most frames nice and shiny, a general wipe down with a damp cloth is what i include. If the frames are heavily soiled then i would use a magic eraser. IF they want the frames to look like a million bucks then its a pain, means magic eraser the damp cloth then buffing afterwards.
Soak a rag in WD40 and wipe the frames down then go over them with a dry rag to pick up the residue. They will look like new, but will pick up dust quicker. At least for a short while they will leave a nice clean impression with the investors.
microfiber, slightly damp in your solution of choice works great. if they are heavily soiled i’ll keep a bucket of fresh water around to rinse out my microfiber between windows.
I use a damp cloth, I try to keep the doors and area around the main entrances always looking good. If it’s bad pollen or gross dirt I’ll wet with my strip washer the wipe with a rag.
I have some blue huck towels and terry cloth towels, both work well once you dampen with your stripwasher. Also when I started using gg4/Ecover I noticed the sills were stilling shining when I came back for the next clean. I’m sure whatever solution you use will still clean them just fine though.
Mike Radzik
Pro Window Cleaning
Central Massachusetts
Sent from my iPhone using Window Cleaning Resource
great input guys. I was trying to stay away from wiping the frames by hand as not to have to break out a ladder on each location. If I can do it with a pole it will stay efficient. If it is efficient enough I may continue to do it just to keep them happy with the service. If frames are really bad I usually hit it with a cobweb brush on a pole to get the dust and cobwebs before getting anything wet. IF they need a little wiping I generally hit it with my strip washer and GG while wetting the glass and it will usually dry looking good. If it is to dirty though then it will just smear and look sloppy. I am trying to figure out an efficient way to use a pole to wet clean them without them looking sloppy afterwards. Here in Texas things get really dusty so when you wet it it leaves smears if its not wiped clean. Wiping them down by hand is always effective but not necessarily the most efficient. Some locations have a lot of frame work near the entrances and will cost a lot of time if I have to do it by hand. Water fed pole is out as not all locations have outside water sources and I’m not dragging a tank of water to every location either so that’s a no go.
I like the WD-40 @G & R Mobile Wash suggested. That might come in handy on some locations that are dirtier than others.
I’m thinking; Start with the entrance dry pole brush the frames first to remove cobwebs and excess dust, wash the frames and glass with fresh water and gg3 to remove most contaminants from the glass and frames, then with a bucket of fresh clean water only wash the frames again with a wet brush then give the glass a quick clean with fresh water and gg3. It sounds like a lot of extra steps but I would rather wash the glass and frames twice with a pole than use a ladder. I think it would go quicker and get better results than using a ladder, but I could be wrong. On some locations I may just use something to polish the frames like WD40 instead of trying to wash them. Some locations won’t need anything on the frames depending on the color of the frames.
I’m not sure what I will do yet but I appreciate all the input. If anyone has anymore ideas please let me know. I generally like to brain storm as many ideas as possible and choose the best ideas to try and implement and throw out the rest.
Thanks for the idea Gerald. Have you used that method much? do you apply the WD40 before or after you clean the windows? Do you have to clean the frames first or do you clean it with the WD40?
WD 40 will make them look good temporarily…then from then on it will become a thorne in your side. (collect dirt,bugs,after a
heavy rain residue will run on to the glass no matter how well youve wiped them after application.)
I’m sorry, but WD-40 is a Bucket Bob move. Very hackish, IMO.
You do as you want, but you’re a pro or you aren’t.
A fixi clamp (made by Unger) will hold towels, sponges, or magic erasers. You want to do it from a pole, there is your solution. Personally, I think the ladder work WILL be necessary to do a good job.
If they are asking you to do work outside the scope of what is normally provided, charge them for it. Once clean, they are easier to keep clean, if they would keep it on a schedule. If they would lock in regular maintenance of the frames, it would not be hard to build a WFP that ran off a backpack.
Yeah, if this is a good customer and they’re going to have a special visit, just ladder up and do it. It’ll cost you some time, but for a good customer it’s worth the investment.
I’m assuming that this is just a simple wipe down and not a scrub and polish type job?
We get a lot of dust here and I’ve been thinking of a tool for doing frames. I just haven’t had the time to prototype it. I’ll probably send this tool to unger or ettore to produce since they’ve got the molds and whatnot.
I have a question regarding the WD-40, are you doing all frames with wd or just stainless steel frames. as wd is quite often used to clean stainless steel?
Hahaha, yeah it seems like a bucket bob idea doesn’t it? It works though. I’m not saying a guy needs to incorporate this as a regular cleaning routine, but the original post said he needed an idea that would impress the investors. Nobody will care what you use, as long as the results are good.
I’ve tried the fixi clamp before over the years with hit and miss so I have reserves about it but did conciser it in conjunction with a few ideas. As for charging more for the frames, I will be charging more but it is complicated with this account with to many heads, so I need to keep the charge to a minimum which is the reason for me wanting to be efficient. The obvious answer is to use a ladder and wipe the frames by hand, but I wanted to try and see if I can come up with a better solution.
I did one location today and after time spent I think the WD40 option is a good possibility. Customers don’t always understand what they need so their expectations can be way off from the reality of price verses results. For example customers often see water spots and think I need to get my windows cleaned, not realizing that simply cleaning them is not going to give them the results they want. Because they view it as a cleaning job the price in their minds is low so they call you. But when you tell the the price to remove the water spots they have sticker shock. Often it calls them to question your expertise. Often in their minds they can get someone to do it cheaper. No problem if it’s a new customer. Give them your price for restoration and if they take it great if not good luck to you. But if it is a regular customer who spends $30,000.00 a year with you then it is more complicated.
They think they want the frames wiped down because they look dirty and wiping them down when you are already cleaning the windows is easy in their minds. In reality they have staining and oxidation on the frames which is a very expensive and timely job given all their locations. Rather than try to explain that to all those involved in the decision making process It is best to deliver to them the results I think they want within the budget I think they are looking for and everyone is happy and I don’t loose $30,000.00 a year.
I will probably try to find a product specifically designed to create the effect that the WD40 produces. If not then I will try the WD40. If it works I will use it on all locations that need it and wipe the rest.
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I DO understand where you are coming from. A 30K account is nothing to fluff off.
But immediate “quick fixes” can have a lasting consequences. Oil attracts dirt and dust. Oil rots rubber. Oil ruins paint. There are several disadvantages to doing a quick fix, that could haunt you later. One of them could be too, that they will now expect the extra work be included.
A better quick fix could be a terry towel and the spray wax for cars that comes in a trigger bottle (can be had at walmart or and auto store. ) At least the wax won’t eat up any rubber seals, rot the rubber, or eventually cause paint to flake all off.
I know well, that almost all customers have no idea what it takes to do the work they want done. I really would rather have it that way. I would rather educate them about the process we need to do, to accomplish the results they want. If they thought it was so easy to do, they wouldn’t call us to do the work.
