I was wondering, on average, if you change the squeegee rubber per a certain number of windows, weekly, monthly, or daily? Thanks!
I flip my blade when it stops doing its job properly.
Since I’m trying to estimate how much squeegee rubber I need to have in stock when starting out, I’m wondering if I can get by for a few weeks cleaning windows before changing them out?
Buy a dozen or two to start out.
I do about 90% residential so I change my rubber every day. Its pretty rare that a rubber will last more than a day for me. If it’s not producing perfect or near perfect results I’ll change it. I have a new guy that was taught to do windows by someone else. He says his rubber is fine and then when I look at his “clean” windows there are lines and puddles.
like Larry said, buy a couple dozen, do some work and then you’ll get an idea.
Remember when one wears out to flip it around, replace after both sides are bad.
It also depends on the rubber you use.I find Ettore lasts longer. If you wanted to go a few weeks and make sure to flip the blade and use both sides then a dozen or two will hold you for a while.
Ettore master squeegee rubber 12 pack 18 inch
Definitely get yourself a dozen good quality rubber to start. There is no set period of time for changing out rubbers. like other have mentioned, just flip over or change out once you notice performance issues. Sometimes if all that is worn on the rubbers are the ends, I’ll cut it down and use it on a smaller channel.
I’ve had rubbers last me half a day and on some rare occasions, half a week. Improper storage and rou handling can lead to premature wearing.
Mr. Nice…
This thinking process would make sense in other respects but not with something like a rubber…Estimating always helps but you need more info to estimate ! You gather info through trial and error !
A few weeks may work if you clean one or two windows a day for two weeks ! The best way to filter out the information you need is thru being in the field and seeing what works.
Buy yourself two dozen 20" rubbers, that’s if your largest channel is 20"s…Work the rubbers until they are all worn out and then you’ll know how long it took you to use up your rubbers…Then buy accordingly !
You need to flip your rubbers and or trim your rubbers as needed ! A fresh rubber always works best so when a rubbers is worn out on the flat you need to flip it.
If your rubbers corner is worn down and the flat is still workable just trim the end ! Every time you flip it trim the end. Most times you can trim a rubber 2 to 3 times at least once on each side of the flat, but that shortens the rubber to the point where you need to stretch it in the channel to clip it. So start out with your rubber hanging out at each end about an 1/8 of an inch . Two trims one flip is pretty much the distance I go.
Also dog ear the corner of your channel if you using a standard channel and not a clunky Sorbite. [SIZE=“1”]TSP,TSP,TSP…ETTOREEEEEEEEEEE[/SIZE]
If your flat isn’t worn down to much then you can reduce the rubber to a smaller less used squeegee. New rubbers should always go onto your primary squeegees ! As time goes by you’'ll get the feel for what works for you and then you’ll know how many to buy and how often !
In the field application will bring you in-sync and fill your bag of knowledge to overloading !
Sometimes a rubber will last only for one job, or all day on several jobs with trimming and flipping always being applied. It may last a week, that all depends on the frames of the windows and how long you use the rubber and or the job, so in the field processes will determine how things go.
Just always pay attention to your rubber and do what you need to do when you need to do it ! Just never keep using your rubber until it looks like a bald tire !
This is all part of the learning curve and your the only one who can make any adjustment to your processes.
Practice makes perfect !
Dangerous Dave
PS…Oh by the way, welcome to the forum !
I keep a very simple inventory system. When I start out, I buy two of everything. I reorder when I open the 2nd package.
For example, I buy 2 dozen rubbers, I put one dozen in the truck and the other dozen in the supply cabinet. When I open the pack in the supply cabinet, I order another dozen. I always have a dozen in the cabinet. I do the same with scrapers, blades, channels, mops/heads.
until the rubber cant be sharp on all sides, everyother day or once a day depending on the window type
Severn-Man
Another excellent point…
Dange in the Range
A new squeegee rubber just makes the whole day better. The squeegee will glide across the window effortlessly. No stress about solution being left behind anywhere. Life is just better with a new squeegee rubber!!!
Yo Chip-Man
[SIZE=“5”][COLOR=“#2f4f4f”]AMEN…[/COLOR][/SIZE]
Ever/present Dange-Ster
just a few months ago I was really wondering about this very question of how long to go before changing squeegee rubber.
I have found that outdoor temperature makes a huge difference. I use ettore rubber and it seems to last incredibly long when its cold outside. (0 to 10 celcius) I get a least a week out of rubber. When its warm out ( 15-30 deg celcius) I have to change rubber once a day.
I am not sure if anyone else has found this or not?
Jade
Like my brakes, I don’t change them till I here metal scraping…
LOL, Now that’s the funniest comment I’ve read here in years!
Eric Mettler
Mettler Maintenance Window Cleaning
Central Coast, California
www.mettlermaintenance.com
Im not just saying this because we sell rubber… BUT - we change ours daily @ ACWC… Its just a nice feeling starting off the day with a fresh one. 
Good thoughts and ideas. 
I didn’t like the soft this summer. Just didn’t seem to work. Put in wagtail, seemed to work fine. Even after a few days I noticed little lines about 3" from end. There was a female member saying if you see this you need to change. An older thread but stuck in my head. Cannot see anything so flipped it. Few days later, again. As time wore on I took out the old soft ninja rubber. Wag was super quick and then got a steccone channel, even faster. Yeah rubber is strange. Correct solution is good too. Maybe harder the rubber the more slip needed?
My personal pref is when doing ccu is have an old blade to do the first removal like after scraping and after a first scrub. Those little bits of mortar or bigger sand particles will nick the rubber. Although tiny, it will mess it up. So, old rubber still used to take one for the team.
Try a few different ones and see which one you like then stock up on it. Always have spares at the ready. You never know when you need to change out. Hate you to end up doing all this xtra detailing and making sounds like the father in the basement fixing the furnace from the movie Christmas Story, You know the one with Ralphie and the french leg lamp. Like rubber, "fra-gee-lay
Depends on your work load.
Hard to equate changeing out your rubber daily if one only has a few accounts a day.
When I started With storefronts i used a money amount .
After cleaning $400-500 worth of storefronts I would flip the rubber.
Sometimes take a day sometimes a week.
Take some of the above advise.
Keep track
Use one rubber till you start to have issued.
Then change and notice the differance.
When you get to $400 a day swap /flip your rubber daily.
Ettorre rocks!!!
Pax
