This guide will hopefully show you some of the reasons why people do choose to use a professional window cleaner, but more importantly, detail some of the most important things to take note of when shopping around for your own window cleaner.
A Little Background
Glass is not flat. Under a microscope, it has a very rigid surface, much like an incredibly fine sandpaper. This means that dust and dirt fill these surfaces and we aren’t even aware! This is why you will never achieve a crystal clear finish by spraying and wiping your windows with newspaper, rags or even high quality microfibre cloths – not to mention the tiresome strain of polishing windows with dirt!
But first off, Why? Why spend your hard earned money on a professional when you can do it yourself?
- It will actually get done! Cleaning windows is a job that most people put off, often for years – every day dust, grit and grime will build up on windows, dramatically affecting the appearance of your home, and the appearance of the world outside for anyone looking out! This is not as simple a problem as many people imagine it to be – see below for more details as to why windows should be cleaned at the very least two or three times per year.
- If you have chosen your window cleaner correctly, you will get a far better result via their skills and cleaners than you could yourself – even if you spent three times as long!
- Chances are that if you are two stories up on a ladder, desperately stretching for that last top corner and gravity gets the better of you, your insurer won’t really care at all that you can’t work for six months. Using a professional means your safety is not compromised, and neither is your bank account.
But how do you choose a window cleaning company that is right for you? Sadly, it’s often a last minute decision because you’re selling your home, or you’re about to get that dreaded inspection by your landlord, so you simply go with the first window cleaner who picks up the phone, and rarely get the results you really need. The list below will hopefully help you in making an informed choice the next time you’re looking for a window cleaner.
Most window cleaners today will be using the correct equipment and techniques, however it is important to make sure exactly how your they will be working. Ask them how they go about cleaning high windows and what equipment they find is best for the job. Unger, Wagtail and Ettoré are by far the most reputable brands in the industry, and any cleaner using anything else is simply not in the game.
Price & Quality
Just as with general house cleaning, you may call three different window cleaners and get three varying quotes – This comes down to the quality of the service you’ll receive, the costs to the cleaner and of course the time taken to complete the work. Rarely will the most expensive quote give you the clearest windows, just as the cheapest quote won’t always do the worst job. At the end of the day, choose a cleaner you trust in your home, that arrives on time, that appears professional and fully equipped, and most importantly, you like.
Chemicals
A cleaner (or company) who is serious about their work, will be using their own high grade chemicals. Professional window cleaners don’t require an array of chemicals to clean your windows. Generally a mixture of a light, environmentally friendly soap and an acidic component will do the best job, and less suds are better. Any window cleaner who uses copious amounts of soaps and chemicals is simply unprofessional.
What’s Included
Many window cleaners will not wipe down framing, dust or wash flyscreens, and some won’t even clean the inside of your windows. These are all things you’ll need to ask your cleaner whether they take care of. If they don’t tick all the boxes, find someone who does, even if it means paying more.
High Windows
As I mentioned above, many new homes are built with beautiful, high windows as they allow for extraordinary lighting affects in your home, the trouble is that your architect will rarely consider how awkward they will be to clean. Often this leaves you with no choice but to call in a professional, only to have them say they can’t do the job when they arrive because their equipment simply can’t handle the work. A good window cleaner can effectively clean the windows on a three story home from the ground without even reaching for a ladder. When you’re looking for the right person for the job, make sure you ask about their limitations too.
Individuals or Teams
Depending on the angle of the sun and the treatment of the glass, often a window cleaner cannot actually see marks on the glass from the outside, and is therefore forced to move from inside to outside to ensure all marks are cleared. Having two cleaners present for the job (one inside and one outside) means the work is done in a third of the time (saving you precious $$$!) When you call for a window cleaner, ask whether they have an option to send out a team of two cleaners for no extra cost. Rarely they will.
Geographical Area
This post is entitled “Window Cleaning in Adelaide” for a reason. In the northern states, moisture levels in the air mean it is often less dusty – The seasons are a little different in the southern states, and with the dry dust always in the air, windows can become filthy very quickly, and when that dust sits too long, it can stain (and even scratch) your windows (not something easily fixed). Ensuring the window cleaner you choose knows about the special needs of windows in the Southern States is vital.
Hopefully this checklist will help you in making an informed decision about what services will suit you the best. For more information on the Window cleaning services provided by Acclaimed Maintenance Services, please call us on 0403 271 741 or simply post a reply to this thread and we’ll get back to you ASAP!