I have a successful power washing business and am looking to add window cleaning services to our offerings. Our specialty is washing structures and while we typically wash the windows as part of our service that’s all we do wash and rinse, nothing else. We don’t squeegee them and I don’t offer window washing exclusively.
I’m looking for some input on what equipment a I should be buying, cleaning solution recommendations, pricing standards or anything anyone can share. I’m confident that obtaining work won’t be an issue. I’m most concerned in learning the skill of properly cleaning windows and being able to identify situations.
26 years WC, frankly I’d just stick with PW and call it a day. You may be able to make decent money on commercial, but I typically get 1/3 per man hour WC on residential.
Exterior only cleaning is appealing to a lot of guys who’ve been inside and out window cleaning for years, so from my perspective, if you’ve already got successful outside operations then the NEXT step if you want to expand services would be offering exterior only window cleaning. Interior cleanings are necessary for many window cleaning companies as to not alienate customers and fine if we price well, and if you’ve got trustworthy employees. But I’d think about that after launching exterior window cleaning from a pressure washing company, and succeeding, then maybe you will or won’t want to.
Now, I opine that a window cleaner should LEARN traditional (scrubber/squeegee) before learning how to clean with a water fed pole. Mainly to learn what it takes to clean a variety of windows, what it takes to remove stickers, mulch spores, silicone, hard water, etc, than you can decide whether or not to offer those services), and why there’s a variety of tools that are out there and necessary (razors, steel wool, chems, etc). It helps if you’re using the water fed pole to know what you need to do or can’t do. Just my opinion, but not absolutely necessary.
Whoever would be training the team might watch window cleaning vids for a while and practice traditional techniques, again for knowledge and for the scenarios where you won’t break out the WFP . Also watch WFP videos and get a list going of what you’ll want to buy ASAP because really it’s essential sooner than later. WFP would almost certainly be the priority for your company.
Just get a wfp set up and offer a better “glass only” cleaning. Set a minimum and run with it, i would rather add $200 for the window cleaning after a house wash than drive to another job site.
Thanks for your input much appreciated and I think we will start with and exterior only focus at 1st. Do you recommend and particular cleaning solution?
I appreciate your advise and definitely think I’ll focus my WC efforts on strictly commercial. I have several current commercial clients that have already told my I have their WC business whenever I want it.
For traditional cleaning I maintain that the base solution is water and dish soap. If that doesn’t work on what you’re trying to clean or remove with a standard scrubber then it’s a matter of tools (magic eraser, doodle pad, steel wool, scraper).
There’s additives out there and chemicals that help and do different things as well, also alternatives to dish soap that probably work well. Prob a lot of threads here on preferences.
When you get a water fed system you’ll just filter the solids out through reverse osmosis, deionization, or both, and scrub and rinse. The large majority of our industry uses this method, or wants to.
Hi. I’m also run Shiner swag cleaning company in Mississauga. We provide these services Commercial window cleaning ,Residential window cleaning & Gutter cleaning services.
