If your window cleaner turns up with a ladder, a bucket and a dirty rag, you might be forgiven for thinking that traditional window cleaning is very much still in vogue. But while the traditional methods do have some merit, modern window cleaning techniques are much more efficient.

Window cleaning, just like any other job, moves with the times. These days there are several advantages to using modern window cleaning methods – even soapy water is now old hat. Here are a few pointers as to what you might expect from modern window cleaning.

Modern window cleaning – the basics

For residential homes, a window cleaner really needs to arrive armed with three items: a window cleaner’s bucket, an applicator and a squeegee. He or she will expect you to provide the water, and may use a basic detergent.

Modern detergents are extremely effective at removing dirt and debris from windows – even hardened dirt like bird faeces. Once the detergent has been mixed with water and applied to the window, it only takes a few seconds for it to break down any dirt and remove it from the window. The squeegee is then used to remove the dirt, detergent and water, leaving behind a sparkling, gleaming surface.

We recommend that only eco-friendly detergents are used to avoid harm to local wildlife. Old-fashioned detergents can use chemicals that are harmful to fish.

The pure water solution

Most window cleaners will happily use tap water when cleaning your windows, but some use the pure water technique. Tap water is full of impurities and contaminates, and when used to clean a window tap water will leave smears, marks and spots.

Pure water is water from which all dissolved solids and particles have been removed, and it has also been de-ionised. Your window cleaner will arrive with a supply of pure water which is usually pumped from their van. The water is pumped up a pole, a water-fed pole, on the end of which is a special brush. This pole is then used to clean the windows, using only pure water and no detergent. These poles can be extremely long, negating the need for ladders and other access equipment.

Using only water to clean windows is much friendlier towards the environment than using detergents, and we prefer to clean using water-fed poles as it’s safer for both our staff and yours.

Tackling high buildings

When it comes to cleaning tall buildings that have windows that are largely inaccessible, abseil window cleaning has become the most popular way of keeping windows clean.

Abseil teams start from the top of the building and abseil down it step by step, held from falling by a specialised design of ropes and pulleys. As they slowly descend, they clean the windows up close. This is cheaper and more practical than installing a window cleaning cradle, and it means nobody has to lean out of the windows at a dangerous angle.

Finding a window cleaner

Window cleaning robots do exist, but we’ve yet to find one that can do as good a job as Aquamark. If you have a demanding cleaning job to do, get in touch and find out about the modern and creative ways we tackle difficult buildings.

If you would like to know how Aquamark Window Cleaning can make your windows shine please contact us today.