Anybody out there using a pole and squeegee to clean skylights? Backflips or Wagtails?
For the exterior of skylights I will always get up there nose to glass. I’ve come across too many skylights that need a really good scrub with a white pad or bronze wool.
If you regularly maintain them i would say use a backflip with the porcupine scrubber from Ettore. That sleeve is the best for the hard to get grime.
Mike Radzik
Pro Window Cleaning
Central Massachusetts
Sent from my iPhone using Window Cleaning Resource
I like the porcupine scrubber idea. How does it compare to a Pulex micro tiger sleeve?
I’ve never used the micro tiger, but I always have a 14" porcupine sleeve on the backflip t bar.
I also use the ninja sleeve and that’s great for tough grime too, I just know the porcupine sleeve hasn’t let me down yet for the tough grime.
Mike Radzik
Pro Window Cleaning
Central Massachusetts
Sent from my iPhone using Window Cleaning Resource
Mike if you look at the image here… You can kinda see blue hairs on this sleeve… its kinda like these longer spikey hairs. Almost feels like a thicker fishing line type material. They are spread out randomly across the sleeve.
The micro tiger has a more constant abrasive spot… Not that, that makes it better or worse… its just different.
I have noticed these micro tigers seem to sell best into the Arizona, south west area…
Chris: You’re the guy who turned me onto the micro tiger sleeve. What would you use on a skylight with a backflip? Or what do you think the pros and cons are?
Pulex micro fiber vs Ettore porcupine
Microtiger is one of the best aggressive sleeves that’s pretty much safe for any glass cleaning. the porcupine sleeve is probably the most aggressive sleeve period but there have been warnings not to use in on tinted surfaces. It’s a great outdoor sleeve for pollen, bird gunk, etc and also good prescrub sleeve for wfp pole work on really bad windows.
On the exterior I try to get it done by hand. If I have to use a pole it gets soaped then scrubbed with a doodle bug. I’m kinda anxious to try that new sleeve with the astro turf in it and try to do it in one step.
Interior I use the unger indoor kit
Would you compare the micro tiger to the ninja? Scrubbing material-wise?
I do want that AstroTurf wiljer sleeve
Mike Radzik
Pro Window Cleaning
Central Massachusetts
Sent from my iPhone using Window Cleaning Resource
I forgot about that AstroTurf wiljer sleeve! That may be the best option so far. I want to stay off of the steep roves.
I’ve had good results with a white pad and a high concentration of rubbing alcohol for getting the pollen and alagae off. Simple green works good too, but then there’s the extra step of re-squeegeeing the window to get the simple green residue off. You have to be careful to not scratch the skylights. A lot of them are basically plastic.
For the plastic skylights, I just use 1 bunch of hucks or a terry cloth towel soaked in rubbing alcohol (scrub it until the gunk is liquefied) and then a handful of dry hucks to buff it to a clear sheen. You can’t really use a squeegee effectively on those plastic rounded skylights anyways.
Forgot to mention, my technique is for nose to glass cleaning which I prefer for exterior skylights since they are usually so nasty. But if you want to stay off the roof, I would think wfp with white pad doodle bug on the other side would work better than a squeegee on a pole. Lots of rinsing with di water after a good scrub seems like it would clean the sklylight nicely.
I’ve used a squeegee on a pole from the top of the ladder, but would only want to do it that way for maintenance cleans where the sklylights aren’t too bad. If they’re nasty, I want to be nose to glass.
p.s. It also depends how far from the floor the skylight are. If they are in a bedroom with an 8 foot ceiling you have to do a much better job than if they are in a room with 20 foot ceilings. With the 20 foot ceilings, you can’t see the difference between an A+ cleaning and a C- cleaning lol
[QUOTE=greenj26;294354]Forgot to mention, my technique is for nose to glass cleaning which I prefer for exterior skylights since they are usually so nasty. But if you want to stay off the roof, I would think wfp with white pad doodle bug on the other side would work better than a squeegee on a pole. Lots of rinsing with di water after a good scrub seems like it would clean the sklylight nicely.
I’ve used a squeegee on a pole from the top of the ladder, but would only want to do it that way for maintenance cleans where the sklylights aren’t too bad. If they’re nasty, I want to be nose to glass.
p.s. It also depends how far from the floor the skylight are. If they are in a bedroom with an 8 foot ceiling you have to do a much better job than if they are in a room with 20 foot ceilings. [B]With the 20 foot ceilings, you can’t see the difference between an A+ cleaning and a C- cleaning lol[[/B]/QUOTE]
Very funny Jesse!
Thanks for all the feed back. I was hoping that someone out there could say that they have cleaned skylights on steep roofes with a pole and squeegee successfully. I may can the WFP this season and go strictly traditional. I’ve been cleaning all my skylights with a WFP for the last five seasons but need to make a change. So I guess I’ll just give it a go and see how I do. I bet Christopher Dawber could do it, but he’s special.
I come across lots of 0 degree skylights, the water just puddles. They suck
with a friend a few summers ago ,very small skylights but you get the jist, with the Karcher Wv 50 taped on a pole … is another option … can also be used on side glass where dripping water is an issue, we dont use this on all skylights but it is wise to have in the car for certain situations
[video=youtube_share;9RA9deNg-SQ]- YouTube
Very interesting video but my problem is how to clean outside skylights with a pole and no water fed pole.
what are the temperatures Mike ?.. with such skylights you have to use two different Tbars… get most of the dirt of with a pre wash and an angled scraper on a pole … change the Tbar ( washer pad ) and throw some clean water down and wash and squeegee off with only pure water and little soap… when pulling have the Pole rested across a shoulder. do not be afraid to have to pull all in one stroke. you can take the squeegee off the glass bring it to you wipe the blade of all water and resume . it will leave little or no trace of smearing … any help ??? wfp does work . but you have to use a pole and squeegee to squeegee the excess of after because the water wont run away leaving a streak free finish
