Window cleaning is one of those jobs that everyone thinks they can do themselves. But it’s very difficult to achieve a professional finish. There’s a lot more to window cleaning than buckets and sponges, and an old rag dipped in a bucket will never result in a streak-free shine.

Here is a list of the basic tools that every professional window cleaner should be using:

A Squeegee

No window cleaner is worthy of the name unless they have a squeegee. This is the device that looks like the tool you use to scrape the ice off your windscreen on cold winter mornings.

A squeegee is used to remove water, dirt and soap off the window to speed up the drying process which is important for a streak-free finish. The key part to a squeegee is the rubber, which is the part that makes contact with the window. As you may imagine, this part of the squeegee needs to be replaced on a fairly regular basis.

Squeegees come in all shapes and sizes, but we recommend that our cleaners use squeegees at least 14 inches long, as this allows them to get an even finish in super-quick time.

A Glass Scraper

The glass scraper is used to remove extra-stubborn dirt from the surfaces of windows. This might include dried-on paint or even bird faeces.

The scraper comes with a re-usual scraper blade that’s a little tougher than the rubber at the end of the squeegee. It helps the window cleaner to remove the stuck on substance without scratching the pane.

A Scrim, or Cloth

If your window-cleaner turns up boasting about the chamois leather that’s been passed down through the generations from his great-grandfather, you know he’s not following best practice. A few decades ago, many window cleaners did use chamois leathers for most jobs, but technology has moved on since then.

Our window cleaners use cloths that are much more effective for cleaning glass: a scrim (a light, interwoven textile made from cotton or flax) or a micro fibre cloth. Not only are they more effective, but many customers also prefer us to use cloths rather than leather and we like the fact that we can give our customers a choice..

A T-Bar

A T-Bar is the device your window cleaner should be using to apply a cleaning solution, if one is needed. The T-bar resembles an ice-scraper, and holds a roll of material that soaks up the detergent solution that is then applied to the window. This is a far more effective way of applying the cleaning solution than just using a sponge.  This enables us to use less water which is so much better for the environment.

Many of our cleaning techniques mean we don’t need to use detergent at all, but this is the most eco-friendly and least wasteful method when we do.

A Sieve

Your cleaner should arrive armed with a specially-designed window cleaner’s bucket, which contains a T-bar sieve to hold the T-bar when they are not using it.

Poles and Ladders

Squeegees and T-Bars can be attached to poles to extend their reach, and Aquamark cleaners also use water-fed poles.

If you have a large office building, then your cleaners may need a window cleaning cradle, or an abseil rig.

The Right Tools

If you hire the services of a window cleaning company, then you ought to check that they have the right tools to enable them to do an effective job. If they don’t, then your dirty windows are likely to remain a gloomy issue for you. Hire the window cleaning experts: speak to Aquamark today.