16 year old here wanting to make some money on the side. I’ve been reading and watching a lot about window cleaning and I think I’m ready to get started. What essentials do I need to get me through my first few jobs? I’ll be starting off doing residential. I’ve got about $150 to spend.
Need way more than $150 for that kit. Plus a few ladders.
YEAH,you will need a few different size squeegees,some poles,a razor scraper
(Window scraper).some good rags or towels.Huck towels.I use a lot of t shirts that I cut up.They work awesome,and great for detailing.You can get out of that part cheap if you can find a thrift store who has bag sales.I get a huge garbage bag for $10 all you can put in.T shirt material I think details just as good as huckleberry towels.You will need soap.Dish soap if you are low on money,if you can afford it glass gleam 3 or abc glisten.Hardly any suds which is what you want if you want to do residential. You don’t want tons of bubbles all over the place inside someones house.If you know someone who has a couple ladders maybe you could borrow them.You don’t want wall mart squeegee so you will have to get unger or ettore. I use sorbo only but those would be expensive to you right now.post if you have any more ?
First, just want to say that whatever your preference is when cleaning: Do that.
But, just to give @nmckee383 another view: I don’t think using Dawn is an issue any time you clean any window (resi or commercial). Suds are helpful to me to see what I am cleaning, and Dawn also assists by reducing the friction between glass and rubber which helps to creates a smoother glide with less “catch.” If you see yourself making a mess with the suds, then wipe them up. I would use a mixture of Dawn and some other glass cleaner, but ultimately Dawn should get the job done. What the other glass cleaners do, I’m not entirely sure. It’s just how I was trained to mix soaps. I know Dawn will help cut down on grease and oily substances on windows such as fingerprints.
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I would suggest storefronts for a while before you delve into residential. Houses can be…complicated.
Don’t let negative comments prevent you from trying. My first job was residential. I started out with $95 worth of basic/cheap supplies from Home Depot, squeegee, t-bar, scraper, extension pole, Dawn, 5-gallon bucket, and a few towels. I made enough money on that job to upgrade to some professional supplies. My next job was a nice dental office. After that job, I was able to purchase a few more professional supplies. I have reinvested some earnings from each job into the company to make sure I have what I need for every job.
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@nmckee383
This is exactly what I did Starting out when I was 17. Home Depot stuff is terrible, but I didn’t find that out until after I purchased professional stuff (which happened after I made money with the not so good tools). You don’t great tools, you just need grit. Grit on the glass to clean, and grit in your personality. I’m sure you’ll do great. If I was able to do it, I know you can. Stay strong bud.
