Hey everyone need some advice. I have started a small part time window cleaning company. I am learning on my own. I have watched many videos and read many articles about cleaning windows. I am having some issues with streaking when I am doing vertical pulls while using a pole. I know it may be hard to say exactly why it’s happening, however any ideas will help. The streaks are coming from the trailing edge when pulling down. I cut the edge and wipe the sqeegee between pulls. Please help! Thanks.
I would check the following:
- Hows the rubber? Change it and see what happens…
- Check the channel. Is it bent or warped AT ALL? Even the slightest bend in the channel can screw you up.
- Is your pole making a good, tight connection with the squeegee? Try a cone tip, or just making sure the squeegee handle is firmly on the pole.
- Are you using a long enough pole? In other words, are you able to get a good, almost 90 angle(The angle between the glass and the squeegee channel) on the glass from the very top?
- Is this happening on every pane of glass you clean, or just a single instance? Some glass is warped…
Hope that might help.
I flipped my rubber and will try that. I don’t believe the channel is bent. I do plan on ordering some new channels though. I am using the Ettore Pro+ handle with just a plain Ettore brass channel. It is happening consistently on all the glass I am pulling. I don’t know if it’s my technique or what. I am not using much soap at all so I don’t think that is the problem. I’ll keep trying and see what happens. Thanks so much for the advice.
Are you pulling down with the squeegee at a slight angle and overlapping your next pull by a couple inches?
Make sure when you are cutting the top that you start far enough down as to where your squeegie is making full contact with the glass before you pull down. In other words, I generally pull a window working from right to left (depending on wind). So my cut starts on the left, I am basically making a figure “7” everytime I pull down. And check the corners of your rubber. The corners are the first to go, sometimes if you have plenty extra on each side you can cut a bit of it off on each end. And if your windows aren’t too bad (you clean them once every week or two right?) then you prolly don’t have to wet the glass all the way to the top. You can leave yourself a good inch and lessen your chances of streaks or rundowns.
Buy all new stuff and try again.
Without seeing your technique it may be hard to nail down why there is a streak. I will say though if it is only with vertical pulls it most likely is not a equipment prob.
Things I tell people I have trained…
The least amount of water on the top of the window the better.
You should have a “dry” end to the squeegee. Always keep the dry end up to prevent gravity from taking water from the “wet side” to the “dry side”
Too much water at the top of the window will cause your “dry” end to get wet as well.
When pulling, the proper angle of the squeegee as well as letting the water run off into the wet side of the window is important as well. (This also falls under the “keep the dry side up” category.
I assume this is for commercial work or larger panes of glass…the best pole technique for larger panes is the first method in this video. I use it almost exclusively. (Notice how his “dry end” always stays above the “wet end”!
http://windowcleaner.com/vBulletin/mr-sanchez-wc-technique-tips/2156-window-cleaning-techniques-mr-sanchez.html
I dont like the second method at all…when I pull vertical pull only I wipe my squeegee between pulls. It takes ALOT longer but the finished result is better. Sometimes you can get away with only wiping after the first pull and just before the final pull.
I hope this helps!
Nate
whenever you lift the rubber off the glass and then put it back down it will streakin that spot. Try and practice to the point where the rubber never lifts off, if you do lift of and replace be sure to fan over that spot to get the streak
Tapping the squeegee on a wet portion of glass as one goes sheds water as well. It creates a bit of noise inside, though…
