Window Cleaning on a bicycle

Hello!
I have just found this forum and hoped that you would help me.
I am soon going to be a student and will need a way to make some money.
I have always had entrepreneurial dreams and I have gotten this idea of starting a window cleaning business, but on my bicycle. I would like to know if you think it’s a good idea and what I would need to get started doing it? What equipment is necessary? What should I be aware of in the window cleaning industry?

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Hey there! Welcome!

Good for you for thinking outside of the box! Where do you live? Urban, downtown, burbs… Ect?

It can be done and in fact you will most likely never find a way to be more profitable. Our profit margins are massive since we started using cargo bike and trailers for our business. I can’t begin to list all of the benefits. We were told it couldn’t be done… in fact we’re still told it can’t be done! However, we’re competing with some of the largest companies in our city with 4+ million people because we offer what others just cannot.

We tell our story in pictures on Instagram at “purewaterpurebike”

Let me know if you have any questions…

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Do you have clients? How close together is your route? Is it a “horseshoe” route to maximize your drive/pedal time? Do you have a window cleaning kit yet? What type of bicycle do you have to work with?

You will need to carry water.i assume you would have to have a cart of some kind.If you can’t haul enough water you would have to get it at some of your customers.It also would depend on how close potential customers are.if there are many customers clustered around you and by each other I think you would make out pretty well.you would have to have some decent business cards at minimum,and as far as equipment goes a few different size squeegees,a good sized bucket so you don’t have to go back to your bike to keep changing the water.you will need some huck towels or old t shirt material for detailing,wiping up etc.you need a t bar scrub handle different sizes.10 inch to 18 inch probably.scrubbers that go on the t bars…I would suggest any squeegees that can go on a pivot handle like a sorbo,ettore,or anything where the handle could pivot to squeegee sideways or any direction for that matter.Some windows may be easier to go sideways instead of pulling down.soap could be dish soap.i use glass gleam 3 or abc glisten.low suds so there isn’t as much clean up which would save you time.I am sure other guys on here could suggest other things as well.Good luck!

Thanks for your answer!
I am soon moving to a couple kilometers outside of Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark.
It will only be a 15-20 minute bike trip to get into Copenhagen. But I thought it would be better to do it closer where I live where there are also more regular houses, as it would be difficult to do multiple stories.
I have a question about the temperature of the water you use. Is it not better to use hot water when cleaning windows or is it okay with cold water? What do you use?

Wow, thank you for taking your time and making such a detailed description and list!
I will definitely read this answer a couple times more along the way.
So I might have some questions later on.

At the moment it’s only an idea that I had. So have no clients or route yet.
I have a “fake” mountain bike or I guess you could call it a lighter version of a mountainbike.
What would you recommend in terms of a window cleaning kit?

Hot water is the best,it will clean deeper and easier.Squeegees will glide better with hot water.the jobs always go faster with hot water.now if it is really hot and in direct sun I like to use water in the mid temp range because if you have too hot of water in very hot weather in direct sun the windows will dry faster.