Crazy or what?
“Cleaning windows in winter? Are you mad? Is that even possible?” These are the sentiments of many window cleaners and customers alike.
The answer is yes, it is possible to do. But what can you do as a professional window cleaner to ensure you are safe, warm and able to work a full day without you or your equipment freezing up?
Safety
Firstly your SAFETY is paramount as you will have to contend with ice and snow on the ground which is highly hazardous when using ladders., So, what can you do to minimise the risks? One option is by buying an anti-slip mat to go under the feet of the ladder. Or you can buy rubber feet for the ladder which also helps, but you may need to clear the ice or snow in the area you are going to be working.
Another way to do this quickly is to keep very hot water with you and pour it on the ground where you are going to be placing the ladder. Also putting salt down will improve your safety. Always exercise extreme caution when using ladders in winter and if you can use an extension pole instead of the ladder then this would be a much safer option. A good idea is to carry salt with you to put on any of the customers walkways or steps that are slippery. They will really appreciate this and you may just earn some brownie points!
Stay warm
Next is STAYING WARM. There is nothing worse than cold hands and your hands are essential to getting the work done, so what can you do to keep them warm and making you money? A good tip would be to buy waterproof gloves, and also wearing a disposable glove inside of that waterproof glove will help keep the cold at bay. Your core temperature will also be getting hit by the winter weather so wearing multiple layers and a good hat to keep your head warm will make working more bearable. Also keep a good travel mug with you in case any nice customers offers you a hot drink!
Equipment
How do you stop your CLEANING SOLUTION FREEZING UP? Once it drops below zero it can be annoying when that solution freezes up and turns to snow on the glass so what can you do?
A good tip for you is to use good quality car screen wash, personally I use a brand called Xtream which is super concentrated and wont freeze down to -65 Celsius! You don’t need much of it in your bucket and it will enable you to work even on those colder days. By using these tips you’ll be making money no matter what the weather throws at you. Be safe, be warm and most of all be out there working.
Written by: Trad-Man
