I disagree. I would bet every asset I own that there is a hundred streaks left on that window. Everybody is so worried about speed that they never look back. It takes more than one angle to see if a pane doesn’t have any streaks.
Then you would be homeless. lol. Only kidding. By saying it is the proper method I only meant to communicate that it is a well known method in the window cleaning industry, and probably the best method based on speed and quality. If it left streaks I would have stopped using it 10 years ago. My quality standards are very high. If it left streaks it would be easy to catch them when doing the inside ( I generally do the outside first as it is generally dirtier. After cleaning the outside you can better see what is on the inside and catch your mistakes on the outside as well). This method is much faster than having to go back and detail every window and it does not leave lines or runs when done properly.
This is one of the methods also detailed in the Unger advanced window cleaning techniques DVD. It is the method I have taught all my employees or guys who have worked along side of me. If your use to having to detail it may seem like it is crazy to not have to detail but yes it is possible to squeegee the glass and not have to detail. When you get to doing large jobs and competing in a competitive market
(not sure if you already are?) a lot of detailing will make it harder to stay competitive. The answer is learning to squeegee without leaving runs or lines and streaks.
If you don’t think you can make the method work that’s fine I just thought I would help. I would encourage you to at least try it before you throw it away as it will save you a lot of time without compromising quality when mastered and performed properly.
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I have tried everything and nothing leaves without water or smudges somewhere (with straight pulls).
The one thing that i haven’t tried is switching soaps. I am really starting to think that GGthree is what is causing half my touchup. The rubber that I switched to has been giving me more grief too.
If you reread the post I did not say to do strait pulls. I said to start your squeegee to the left of your pull and swipe right and then pull down. This is different. Be careful because just because you can’t do it doesn’t mean that its not possible. It’s possible because I do it every day all day. So do a lot of other window cleaners. Even so I can do strait pulls without leaving marks or lines as well. The swipe method is just quicker to use so I do that. Maybe you just need more practice. I’ve trained tons of guys how to do it so it can be done. I don’t know how long you have been cleaning windows or your skill level but you can learn it. If you did learn how it will save you a ton of time. 
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what solution and rubber do you use?
you are correct though that I haven’t used that method a whole lot. I have tried it a couple times just trying different stuff on my own and it didn’t work to well so I moved on. To be fair I should practice this method more I guess.
After you do the first top border pass…you don’t leave lines when you slice over to prepare for the pull down? Or you do, but you over lap that with the next pass to remove the line?
WOW - you must be a gamblin man then to bet everything you own on something you haven’t done a lot of. Not trying to start with you, just saying those are pretty strong/wreckless words to be using for something you haven’t spent much time on.
It is called the Mr. Sunshine Wiggle, Justin!!!
John
I think it may be an issue of someone showing you who knows how to effectively use that method. I was taught it by a guy who was a master at it. When he showed me it was amazing to me how fast he was and how quick and effective the method was. It made me feel embarrassed of my method. I almost wanted him to leave streaks because he made me look so bad.
Because I saw him do it I knew it could be done even if I could not do it well. I was able to practice and keep at it until I became efficient at it. I used to detail all the time when I first started out. It was when I started doing large commercial jobs that I realized If I was going to be efficient I had to learn to squeegee better without needing to detail.
After you cut in the top and pull down at the right side you can make the rest of your pull downs. If you start to the left of where you will pull down, with the right tip of your squeegee just above the wet glass in the dry area and the rest of your squeegee in the wet area for slip, you can slide your squeegee sideways before you start pulling down. This sideways motion will remove water from the right tip of the squeegee blade and keep any remaining water on the right tip from being released out the right side of the squeegee as you pull down. It can help as you pull down to angle the right side of your squeegee down this will also make it more difficult for the water to be released from the right side of the squeegee leaving any lines. Its not necessary to do that but it does help if you have trouble with leaving lines.
You will leave a mark on the glass where you began your slide over but on the next slide over and pull down you will slide over above those marks to make you next pull. So on each pull down you are actually squeegeeing off any lines or marks on the glass on the right side of your previous slide. you should never have marks or lines above or to the right of any pull you make, but you can leave as many marks or lines to the left because those will be taken off on your next pull. On the last pull the only marks or water left should be directly underneath the area of glass that the squeegee will cover on the last pull, leaving the glass with no lines or marks as long as you feather the glass at the top of your last pull.
It’s a bit technical when explaining it because it involves slight maneuvers with the squeegee that are very important. If you watch the video in this post or other videos on you tube and study both my posts you will catch on and it may be easier to perfect it. It does work and it is very efficient. Good luck if you have any questions let me know.
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that was the reason I questioned this method but the first few times I seen the vid I missed how you go back over those lined areas like you said.
I am going to work on this method and hopefully be able to perfect it.
What soap and rubber do you use though!!! haha…
I personally use ettore rubber. I have been experimenting with Ecover soap the past several weeks.
That said it really should not matter what soap or rubber once you master the technique. I have used all types of rubber squeegees and soaps. From Glass Gleam to dish soap, from Ettore squeegees to Sorbo, Pulex, and Unger, swivel handles strait handles ledgers and zero degrees. After trying everything I have gone back to the Ettore brass squeegee with a fixed handle Ettore rubber and a fixed 18 inch T-bar.
The reason for the fixed handles is because I use this method mostly. For me swivel handles seem to get in the way when I am doing a lot of windows using this method, which is what I do mostly when using a pole. Often the handles will be angled when I want them strait all the time. I find myself having to readjust the handle too often and it slows me down. Every once in a while it would be nice to have a swivel handle for those impossible to reach windows but I keep a swivel ledger in my bucket modified with a ettore quick release. I use it when I need a ledger and those vary rare occasions where I need a swivel. 90 % of the time I use a fixed handle. I use the brass because the channels are cut strait to a 90 degrees and it keeps the corner of the rubber tight to the glass and I can squeegee the edges without having to detail. I use the Ettore rubber because it seems to last the longest out of all the rubbers I’ve tried.
The Sorbo squeegee seems to be a lot easier to use when feathering the glass though.
Bottom line perfect the method and you should be able to use the squeegee, rubber and soap you like best without a problem. I hope that helps.
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right on, thanks man.
I have been using that video method since it was explained to me and I would have to say it works pretty good. I picked up some brass channels and It works very well actually. I am honestly surprised at how easy it is…
I picked up some of that eco crap and I think the windows will look absolutely amazing with this method now. I guess poles still have a use haha…
Why to go John,
Good to see your in the learning mode…This process will become a stabilizer !
I’ve been in the learning mode for 32 years !
Good Luck…Next thing- Start using a Natural Sea-Sponge, it works the best dude !
Dange-Miester
For cleanup or what?
Some guys use the sea sponge to clean sills when doing storefront work. If you are doing residential I recommend a PVA towel like the AquaDry.
For clean up, for wiping the edge of the glass before squeegeeing it to draw out water from the edge which helps to lessen detailing ! To wipe your squeegee off , to catch dripping water, So on and so forth.
For Residential , Commercial , Industrial, Storefronts/Retail…For all window cleaning ! It’s the sweet pea of window cleaning…
Sure other things will work but the Natural Sea-Sponge is the apex of those other things that can work, it’s the best !
Dange/With-Range
Hi John,
You have already heard from many on the answer for this issue. The mall video is what I first saw many times over and it did take me some practice.
This method is commonly called the seven method, as that is the shape you make on pull across through the soap and down the glass.
It takes practice and it’s easier on tall commercial bur I have used it successfully on residential as well. But I do use WFP when it is warm enough not to freeze.
It takes a combination of a few hints to do this well
- proper soaping.
- feathering at your starting point. Others have mentioned this.
- the seven method tipping the downward pull slightly toward the dry glass as others have also mentioned in this thread.
Here are two videos, they are a total of 25 minutes long, but the 1st on starts the skills needed for pole work, (feathering, & soaping technique) and the 2nd one builds on the teaching of the first and shows the seven method on an actual job.
I also have a third video that shows the wagtail and Ettore flip in action using this method as well.
Hope this helps you out.
Matt
I know this is very old, but i think @whatapane’s explanation is one of the absolute best on the forum.
I was wondering… Why not just feather every pull after the first “7”, rather than swiping right each time? Could that be even faster? I feel like I’ve seen steve-o videos where he just pulls straight down every time and it was so fast. I would love to learn the trick to that.
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