How to Clean Commercial Windows: Your Guide to Cleaning Commercial Windows
Many aspiring entrepreneurs are wondering about how to start a window cleaning business. Window cleaning requires only a modest initial outlay and window cleaners continue to do a brisk business in cleaning commercial windows for small businesses and large corporate parks.
Window washing can be a lucrative business, but efficiency is crucial to protecting your bottom line. Knowing how to clean commercial windows will ensure your new business thrives. This guide on how to clean commercial glass windows will help you succeed.
Knowing how to clean commercial windows is just one part of thorough and efficient window cleaning. You also need the right tools for the job. And commercial window cleaners across America rely on SweepScrub for window cleaning systems.
Take your window cleaning company to the next level with equipment like our IPC Eagle Hydro Cart Window Cleaning Systems. We not only provide cleaning machines, we also offer guidance and top-notch customer support. If you’re serious about window cleaning, call us today!
The Importance of Balancing Speed and Thoroughness in Commercial Windows Cleaning
The key to success in cleaning commercial windows is learning how to work both carefully and quickly. If a commercial window cleaning job takes too long, it will interfere with your client’s business. If it is done poorly and haphazardly, you will leave streaks and grime behind.
Time is money for small businesses. The longer it takes for you to finish a project, the less time you have for another billable job. This cuts into your profits, as do second visits to fix issues that your crew missed on the first go-round.
How to Clean Commercial Windows: Step-by-Step Guide to Cleaning Commercial Windows
Are you new to commercial windows cleaning? Simply follow our instructions and you’ll get great results every time. Here’s the best way to clean commercial windows.
What You’ll Need to Clean Commercial Windows Properly
You need professional tools for professional window cleaning. Investing in the right commercial window washing equipment is critical to your business success. So, let’s start there.
Basic Equipment and Tools
You need high-quality squeegees for cleaning commercial windows. Your squeegee should have an interchangeable channel and a fresh rubber blade. In addition to squeegees, you need T-bar applicators with microfiber or cloth sleeves to apply the cleaning solution.
You’ll also need a wide rectangular bucket that lets you dip your entire T-bar and professional window cleaning soap concentrate. Stock up on clean, lint-free towels and scrapers with both plastic and metal blades.
You can start a window cleaning business with only these tools. But the best way to clean commercial windows is with equipment designed for the challenges of commercial window cleaning.
More Sophisticated Window Cleaning Solutions
Water-fed poles (WPFs) will make your life much easier. They use a long, extendable pole with a soft-bristled brush at the end. A hose feeds purified water through the brush and lets you scrub windows up to several stories high while you stay safely on the ground.
WFPs also use deionized or filtered water, so you can clean windows without worries of mineral spots. A WFP with a water purification system is a significant investment, but it will increase your business’s productivity dramatically.
The BEST Way to Clean Commercial Windows is Smarter, Not Harder!
There’s definitely money to be made in window cleaning, but there are also many competitors in the field. Knowing how to clean commercial windows with the most efficient tools gives you a leg up on your competition.
That’s why you should upgrade your arsenal at SweepScrub. We carry a comprehensive lineup of window cleaning equipment and supplies so you can supercharge productivity and get better results in less time.
The IPC Eagle Hydrocart Compact 3 Stage Complete Kits and IPC Eagle Hydrocart 4 Stage Complete Kits are great for window cleaning companies that want to move beyond manual window washing. They have everything you need to clean windows up to 5 stories high.
Our IPC Eagle Hydrocart Junior Single Stage and IPC Eagle Hydrocart Junior 3 Stage are a good introduction for window cleaning companies on a tight budget. You get the advantages of a window washing system at a more reasonable price.
If you already have a basic window washing system, check out our IPC Eagle Waterfed Poles and Brushes. They’ll help you increase your reach and open doors for bigger clients.
And if you just need a new washer, check out our IPC Eagle Hydrocart Compact 3 Stage Poles and Brushes Sold Separately. IPC Eagle Hydrocart 4 Stage Poles and Brushes Sold Separately, and IPC Eagle Hydrocart 2X Pro Poles and Brushes Sold Separately.
Safety Tools and PPE for High-Risk Jobs
Every window cleaner must have Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including slip-resistant boots and protective gloves. You also need safety glasses to protect your eyes against drips.
If you’re working at height, you must be sure that all ladders are in good condition and equipped with stabilizers or leg levelers for uneven ground. For jobs that require working from a lift or on a roof, each worker must have a full fall-protection safety harness and lanyard.
But it’s not enough to provide safety equipment. You must train all employees in how to clean commercial windows safely. Training your workers in job safety can save them from injuries and save you from costly lawsuits and fines.
Step 1: Prep the Area and Assess the Job Site
Check for potential hazards like overhead power lines or uneven ground. Place safety cones and caution tape to create a secure work zone. Examine the frames, seals, and caulking for signs of leaks and note any pre-existing scratches or damage.
Step 2: Pre-Treat Problem Areas and Dry Brush Loose Debris
Remove all loose dirt and dust with a microfiber cloth or soft-bristled brush. Clean the frames and sills as well as the glass. This ensures the existing grime won’t become mud when you introduce the cleaning solution.
Check for paint overspray, adhesive residue from old stickers, hard water stains, and bird droppings. Take care of these problem spots with the appropriate treatments.
Step 3: Apply Cleaning Solution to the Glass
Use a soap concentrate formulated for cleaning commercial windows. Mix the concentrate with distilled or deionized water to prevent streaking and spotting.
Apply the solution to the glass with a strip applicator. Use broad, overlapping strokes. Make sure you cover every square inch of the window surface. The solution breaks down the grime from the window and lifts it from the glass.
Step 4: Brush/Squeegee Like a Pro
Before your first squeegee pull, run a microfiber cloth along the top edge and one side edge of the window pane. This prevents the squeegee from pulling excess water onto the clean glass.
Place your squeegee in the dry zone where you wiped down the glass. Pull the squeegee straight across the top of the glass, then pull downward in a continuous “S” pattern. Each subsequent stroke should overlap the previous one by about 1½” to prevent missed spots.
Swipe the rubber blade after each complete pass down the window to prevent dirt from being redeposited onto the glass with the next pull. This step separates commercial windows cleaning professionals from amateurs who don’t know how to clean commercial glass windows properly.
Step 5: Detail and Inspect
Trace a microfiber cloth along the windowpane edges. Buff away any smudges or streaks, then wipe down the window frame and sill with a separate damp cloth.
Step 6: Repeat for Interior Glass (Watch Out For Tints/Flooring)
Many interior commercial windows use tinted or reflective aftermarket window films. These films are much softer than glass and easy to damage with razor blades or abrasive pads. You should use a mild, ammonia-free cleaning solution and soft strip applicators and squeegees.
When you’re doing indoor commercial windows cleaning, be sure to protect carpets, hardwood floors, and electronic equipment. Drop cloths and absorbent towels can save your client from damaging drips.
Final Words on How to Clean Commercial Glass Windows
Is window washing a good business? If you’re willing to put in the work, cleaning commercial windows is a great way to become your own boss and start a thriving career.
Buying commercial window washing equipment involves an initial financial outlay. But you save time on each job and open up opportunities that require more than a squeegee. If you’re serious about commercial window washing, SweepScrub has what you need for success.
This guide shows you how to clean commercial windows quickly and thoroughly. If you have any further questions about window washing, feel free to contact us. We’ve helped many others to start their own business and we’re happy to give you a hand. Let us help you today!