Commonly asked window cleaning questions

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Here are a few frequently asked questions on window cleaning and answers to them, whether you are a potential customer or a window cleaner yourself, if you have any window cleaning questions that are not answered here, feel free to send us an e-mail and we would be happy to answer your question.

 

The window cleaning topics that we cover in this article are (in order):

 

 

Can windows be cleaned while it’s raining?

Rainwater is pure water unlike tap water which has minerals in it. If rain water hits a clean piece of glass, it will cause no spotting or residue when it dries off, unlike tap water which will spot.

Therefore, the rain itself will not cause any problems unless the rainwater hits something before it hits the window. Thus, dirty sills could cause the rain to bounce off the sill onto the bottom of the window. Cleaning & wiping the sills first can avoid this.

The majority of homes have eaves & generally in light rain, the actual glass does not get very wet, if at all.

When it comes to heavy rain, this then becomes more of a safety issue as would strong winds if there is a lot of debris flying through the air.

Therefore, light to medium rain does not pose any problems in the cleaning process; it may pose a problem on some jobs that require roof access etc. Heavy rain and/or strong winds, as stated above, can pose a problem at times although generally under these conditions, we will work inside & continue outside after the storm has blown over.

 

What’s wrong with using spray bottles & rags?

Providing the rag is lint free & dry, it can be used sparingly. The problem is that it wont keep dry for long if it is being used to clean the whole window pane.  As soon as the rag picks up moisture, it will be incapable of getting all the remaining dirty moisture off the glass, leaving streaks & wipe marks.

As the rag retains moisture & dirt from the window cleaning (soaking up liquid when completely dry but releasing it immediately thereafter) it will deposit a dirty film over the remainder of the glass as the window cleaning continues. This dirty film will not always be immediately noticed, especially if the weather conditions are dull. Glass is normally at its most testing time when sunlight is shining directly upon it. Also, using a rag can also create static electricity on the glass, which can then attract lint easily.

All professional window cleaners use a high quality squeegee, which has a special rubber with a sharp edge. It is this sharp edge when correctly used on the glass, at the right angle, that removes the dirty mixture on the window with one action across the glass.

As the sharp edge on the squeegee is critical, most professional window cleaners replace this rubber on a daily basis to obtain sparkling windows with no dirty moisture being left behind. Hence, perfectly clean sparkling glass.

 

Can I only get some windows cleaned?

Yes, Kenkleen personnel are happy to quote on one, a few, half the building or whatever you require to be cleaned. Keep in mind that there will be a minimum charge which covers the time to arrive, quote, unload & load equipment so it may be in some cases uneconomical to only get a small number of windows cleaned. In this case, you could ask how much can be done for your minimum investment.

 

Do you guarantee your work?

Yes, we guarantee that you will be absolutely happy with the finished job. If there are any problems, just let us know and we can redo the windows/s in question until you are completely happy. We want our customers to be happy customers so that we can be invited back at some time in the future to make your windows sparkle again. Also, we also get a lot of referrals from our happy customers.

Depending on the weather & light at the time, it is possible for any window cleaner to miss a spot, mark, stain etc but we are always happy to come back and redo, reassess or clarify what the marks are. Sometimes, when your windows are spotlessly clean, you actually see marks in the glass, which cannot be removed. Glass is manufactured from sand, is porous and sometimes in direct sunlight, sand granules inside the glass can be seen.

 

How often should you have your windows cleaned?

Window cleaning frequency is based on several different factors and it is not the same for everyone. Preference, holidays, events, preventative maintenance, spring-cleaning, Xmas looming etc.

Its what makes you happy - some people get some windows cleaned every quarter, six monthly or yearly.

We would recommend for residential that your windows are cleaned at least twice a year. If you want to cut down on cost, twice a year on outside & once a year on inside. Note that Xmas is a very busy time of the year and preference has to be given to any customer that has their windows cleaned more than once per year, as normally, not everyone can be fitted in at the end of the year.

 

Do you give free quotes?

Absolutely, window cleaning, unlike some other services generally requires an on site inspection to get the quote accurate. The reason for this is there are a lot of variables with window cleaning which is impossible to ascertain over the phone.

Some of the variables that we take into account & which will alter the time taken to do the job properly includes the following:-

• Type of fly screen & ease of removal.
• Are fly screens very dirty?
• Location of windows – what ladders will be needed, access requirements on roofs, etc.
• Dirtiness of windows – very dirty windows may have to be cleaned twice, bladed, etc.
• Placement of ladders, sometimes a neighbor’s property may have to be accessed.
• Length of ladder – will a very long ladder be required for this job.
• Type of glass – special coated glass may need different cleaning techniques.
• Difficult access to windows – bushes, trees, can that patio roof be walked on?
• Inside fly screens held in by a roller blind, which may have to be removed.

Our professional business owners are trained to take all this into account and more when arriving at a competitive quote for your property.

 

Do you offer a regular service?

Yes, we are happy to do one off cleans and/or organize a regular service whereby we will call back on a regular basis to keep your windows looking great. We have systems in place, depending on the arrangement, where we can call you, a number of prearranged days before the job is to commence, to remind you of the regular appointment.

Shops & showrooms can be cleaned on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis depending on the business needs.

 

Are you careful inside my home or office or any place of business?

One of the hallmarks of any good tradesman is the care that is taken in other people’s property. When entering your home, we will either remove our boots, change into slip-ons or cover them with a disposable cover. We use drop sheets anywhere that water can get too. We take pride in our work and take pride in leaving your property in exactly the same condition as when we arrived. Even to removing a footprint in your garden if we have to reach over to get to a window.

 

Why should I get my windows professionally cleaned?

First is the equipment needed to achieve a good job – static free rags, squeegees of various sizes, extension poles, various ladders, various sized applicators, cleaning solutions etc.

Different cleaning methods need to be applied to different types of glass to achieve an optimal result, without causing damage to the glass.

Safety is something learnt over many hours of working on jobs, safety on roofs, ladders, patios or anywhere you are required to leave the safety of the ground.

Professional window cleaners have many years of experience in performing window-cleaning work efficiently, to achieve an excellent result at a competitive price.

Most people can buy some equipment & attempt to clean windows, but if you take all the above into account, is it really worth the effort?

 

Do clean windows stay cleaner longer if professionally cleaned?

Windows can look dirty after they have been cleaned. This can easily happen by using rags or paper towels, with Windex or some other glass cleaner. This method of cleaning leaves a film on the glass that then attracts other dirt, pollen etc that blows around and bonds with the left over dirt/film on the glass. The windows become dirtier more quickly even though they looked clean at the start.

A professional window cleaner will leave the glass perfectly clean and therefore it becomes much harder for other dirt blowing around to bond to the shiny surface. Therefore, clean windows can last a much longer period of time before they require cleaning again.

Obviously, the location of the building will have an effect, together with aspects etc. Any glass near the ocean won’t stay clean as long because of salt spray in the air.

Since a good window-cleaning job will last a long time, it doesn’t really matter when you get the job done.  A weeks rain is not going to duplicate what took a year to accumulate. When it’s done, use your eyes to let you know when it needs doing again.

 

What is the best window cleaning solution?

There are various commercial window cleaning solutions on the market which the bulk of which will do a great job, as they are especially made for the purpose, i.e they don’t suds up too much and leave minimal chemical on the window.  Even common dishwashing liquid can be used although it tends to be very sudsy & can be difficult to remove completely from the window making it harder to use.

Kenkleen uses a commercial solution to which we add a degreasing agent and also a water-repelling agent.  The reason being that once the windows have been cleaned, any water hitting the windows will bead off leaving them cleaner for longer.

 

I have toughened glass in my new building, does it scratch?

Yes – Safety glass, toughened glass is made by passing the glass through a tempering furnace on rollers to give it unique properties in regard to breakage. Unfortunately, the side of the glass that rests on the rollers may have shads of glass at a microscopic level stuck to the surface. If a cleaning blade is used on this side of the glass, small scratches will run across the glass where the blade has dragged the shads of glass over the surface.

These scratches generally will be most visible when sunlight shines on the glass.

Windows cleaners must be careful when cleaning glass in new buildings to ascertain the type of glass installed and also which side is likely to be the scratchy side. If there is debris such as paint, mortar, silicone on the scratchy side, the cost of removing will be greatly increased due to a cleaning blade not able to be used on that side of the glass.

 

Do you know about all the new-coated glass on the market?

It is our business to know all about the various glasses today on the market, as cleaning methods vary greatly depending on the type or brand. The wrong cleaning method can cause damage, which we all want to avoid.  There is barely a week goes past without receiving a call from someone about damaged or scratched glass asking if it can be repaired.

 

Do you carry full insurance?

All Kenkleen operators carry public liability insurance for a minimum of $5,000,000.00 in respect to any single claim. 

 

Does cleaning windows with newspaper work?

Newspaper is a lint-free material which is recommended for cleaning windows, however, the paper contains many chemicals which will be left on the glass and make it easier for other debris to stick onto, which will mean the window will get dirty faster.