The other day I am at a client’s house. I had already cleaned the outside. I am inside the home cleaning the windows and have about 30 minutes or so left upstairs. I see the pest control guy walking around the outside of the house and I think nothing of it. When I finish the inside, I go outside to spot check as usual. I notice the top section OF ALL the windows and doors have what looks like water spots on them. I thought for a second and said…“What the heck happened?” I get up on my ladder and look closely. Then I realize the pest control guy sprayed the tops of them. I immediately go look for him. His truck is gone. I was so mad because I worked hard to get them looking really good. I had to clean the top section of all the windows and doors again.
I asked my client if he could please have the pest control guy not come the day I clean them. He felt really bad that it happened. He said he never thought about him spraying the windows.
Sorry to hear that Chad. Yes it happened to me this last spring. We did a home for a regular customer In/out and they weren’t home at the time so we went ahead and did in and out its about a 3 hour job for two guys. finished up and left the invoice and the thank you card on the counter and left. Later that evening I got a call from our customer saying that exterior window had a film and run marks on ALL the windows, So I went out to take a look that same evening and sure as heck those windows had a film and run makers on them. But here they Spray for spiders a lot so I knew what it was right away and ask the customer if the local spray guy here came out today to spray the house, and she smiled and said "is that what that is…The spray guy was suppose to be there the week before and never showed so I figured that he wasn’t coming"…lol. But we re did the exterior windows for her the following day and she made lunch for us (it was really good!.)
i confess i WAS that pest control guy once or twice, usually by accident since we had a company policy to not spray over windows unless specificly told to do so by the owner.
I had it happened last July. I just got done with the outside and headed inside when a worker started spraying the trees. These trees were like 20+ feet away. He overshot and hit the upper windows of the master bath. I explained to the homeowner what happened. Mentioned I could re do them. He declined since they keep the blinds closed and said he’ll make sure not to schedule same day. We come three times a year.
Sorry to hear that. Makes you feel so bad. Kinda like when you just wash your vehicle and it looks so good. 30 minutes later it starts pouring down raining
In my 21 years of window cleaning I have the pest guy thing happen multiple times. Also had the lawn guys come many times right after I did the outside and it be very dusty and dry and just blow clouds of dust everywhere. Just makes me cringe! Also when I used to do route work the worst was showing up to one of my Arby’s or PF Changs and have the pressure washing guy out there spraying away or even worse have him show up while I’m doing the inside’s first.
I have also had the same thing happen with the lawn care companies. Especially when they are using the blowers and they blow everything towards the windows. I hate that.
Last month while doing the inside , almost finish I see a plumber climbing on the roof and I’m like what’s he going to do? Well he went up to drain the solar panels that heat up the swing pool so they don’t freeze over winter and cause damage . Yeah he just open the valve to flush it out and it came dripping over the whole side of the house . I was so PO , did you not see my truck out and I’ll my equipment by the front door ?
Hey Everyone- first day here. 15 years cleaning residential and have often worried about being own contact with the poison the bug guys are spraying on the sills. Any thoughts?
I tend to be very assertive in this situation (or as some have mentioned the blowers or the pressure washer). There is a pressure washer in town that also cleans windows so he re-does his own windows that he pressure washes this is very professional of him.
But I will go up to the worker and let him know that my job is just as important as his job and if he is blowing he needs to not blow around the windows or make sure not to get them dusty and to blow off my truck when he’s done, also he needs to wait for me to roll my windows up or just wait for me to leave. As far as the pest control guy I will ask them not to spray the windows immediately when I notice them. It has only happened rarely with the pest control, honestly the landscapers blowing is much more frequently and I will let them know “I’m there to service the client and if they mess up the windows they are messing with the clients clean windows not my work”. I like to think that most people are reasonable and that’s why they have always been understanding when I approach them. It could also be that I choose careful assertive words or that I am professionally confrontational/assertive.
I usually ask the clients before i schedule them if any one is coming the same day. That has put a stop to any rework 98% of the time.
Pest control, If i show up at a job and the are spraying I reschedule. I have had them spray my ladders, bucket and towels…I don’t want that crap on myself or stuff.
Lawn care guys are the worst. I had just washed and waxed my truck, parked in front of clients house and hour later lawn care shows up blows grass at and on my truck. I went up to him and told him that was rude and need to clean it. He laughed! I asked him if it was the client’s would he have done the same. He said no! So after a lightly heated discussion he proceeded to clean his mess.
Most of the lawn care guys I deal with now are nice and somewhat respectful.
I had a window painter show up while I was washing a bigger storefront on my route. Told him he’d better come back tomorrow because I was gonna follow him and take it right back off.
