A customer with a high 2 story or maybe more like a 3 story home has requested I clean the exterior white window frames. Although, they are not terribly dirty there is some dirt and small signs of mold on some of them. They are willing to pay for this extra service. How do you suggest I clean the high ones?
I would use a ladder
Most likely what I will use too. Probably by hand and a little outdoor bleach if needed. Other ideas? Do you think it could be done with a pole and some sort of brush? Anyone, have experience with this? And how were the results? (thanks for your input).
I would use a wfp. You could also use the same brush you use for screen cleaning on a pole and some Gutter Zap heavily diluted. I know someone you could borrow some from if you need to. 
You’re awesome Tony! We’ll talk soon.
Isaac - if you don’t want to ladder the high ones…
Use a little concoction of bleach and dawn, put a doodlebug or white scrub pad on the end of the pole. Then hit them with some soapy water and a t bar w/ sleeve. After you finish that, go back and pole the rest of the window. Well, it’s just a thought…
Dormatex,
Excellent suggestion as well! Thanks for the input. I would like to try that as well.
Just don’t get any of that nasty dish soap on the windows. 
(Couldn’t resist Shawn)
We just use the WFP.
If you use this method the bleach and Dawn solution can easily drip down the side of the house causing clean streaks. I wouldn’t use this method myself but if I were going to I would at least have a garden hose ready to spray water on any solution that drips down on the siding. If it’s brick then it wouldn’t be a problem but hardy board, drivit, vinyl siding, etc. you would need to be ready to rinse any drips to prevent clean streaks on the siding.
I use the WFP on most of my residential accounts. If I haven’t already power washed the house then I’ll go over the window frames with the WFP.
I should have said, to wet surrounding areas first, then dilute the bleach pretty well.
But in the end, I would just ladder these myself and hand scrub.
I didn’t mention this in my previous post but will say it now. My first couple of years in the window cleaning biz I slaved over cleaning exterior frames. I mean I really (hand) cleaned those frames and it really took a lot of extra time, effort, and wear & tear on my body.
I added power washing several years ago and decided if the customer wants his/her exterior frames deep cleaned, completely free of dirt, mold, mildew, etc. then they will have to pay for a power wash.
If they are not willing to pay for a power wash then I will go over the frames with WFP and rinse loose dirt away from the frame but nothing more. If I happen to be using tadititonal method on exterior then I will hand brush the loose dirt, dust, and cobwebs, then wet wipe the frame. This is not a deep clean but looks much better than before.
Bottom line, don’t spend big money time and effort on cleaning exterior frames unless you are getting paid accordingly.
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Well said Richard!
I don’t know Richard - I disagree. I have done some frame cleanings that went really well just with some elbow grease. But for the price of doing the frames, they might as well have gotten a house wash too!
If they are white vinyl frames and you are up there cleaning the windows anyway you could try a magic eraser as well.
I’m not sure where/why you are disagreeing with me. As I said in my last post that I used to clean exterior frames by hand. I used my regular window cleaning solution, hucks, white pads, and elbow grease to clean those frames back then. It took tons of effort and a lot of extra time, but they came out looking great.
My point in my last post is that I no longer do this deep cleaning of deep frames the hard way. I offer a soft wash power wash that cleans multiple windows as well as the eaves and entire side of a house in minutes. The window frames look brand new or freshly painted after power washing with very little effort and absolutely no elbow grease. This is the only method I now offer for extremely deep cleaning of window frames.
If the customer doesn’t want to spring for the cost of a power wash I will go over the frames with WFP to remove loose dirt and cobwebs as I clean the glass. If I’m using traditional method on exterior I will brush loose dirt & cobwebs then wet wipe the frames. They look much better with this simple brushing and wet wiping but it’s not the same as a deep clean whether that deep clean be by elbow grease or soft wash power wash.
I don’t care to ever deep clean window frames the hard (and time consuming) way when I have invested thousands of dollars in equipment that will yield optimum results with very little effort in just a matter of minutes.
I never said that frames cannot turn out good when done by hand so I really wonder why you disagreed with me.
I meant no harm by disagreeing with you…I just don’t see the need of pw’ing or wfp. I can and have cleaned window frames fairly quickly and easily. I was just saying that you do not NEED a pw’er or wfp to do a good job cleaning them.
So I guess I disagree personally with your suggestion, but not your method or practicality…Softwashing does make the frames look great by no doubt - just not necessary to do a good job.
No harm done. I simply did not understand how our statements really differed as far as the effectiveness of hand washing window frames go.
You may not recognize the need for WFP or power washing right now but if you ever get equipped with these wonderful tools you will soon be seeing that you are working smarter, making more money in less time with less effort. It may not neccesarily be a need…maybe classify it as a luxury…or anything you want to call it but it certainly does make the job go faster with less effort. I’m all for that.
Hey I’m all about streamlining processes. We do pw’ing but have not ventured into the wfp arena, and probably never will.
Now you’ve got my curiosity going. Any particular reason why you don’t think you’ll ever venture into WFP use?
