While it’s important to the aesthetic appeal of a building to clean high windows, they are often overlooked since they require specialized washing equipment and proper safety planning. High window cleaning is best done by professionals who use specialized equipment to access and clean windows on tall buildings. Such professionals usually undergo safety training and are comprehensively insured against potential hazards.
When buying window washing equipment for high windows, several factors must be taken into account. These are the design and shape of the building, obstacles on the property such as trees and parking lots, daily activities associated with construction, and weather conditions. These dynamics determine the amount of time needed to access and clean high windows.
Below are eleven of the best window washing equipment for cleaning high windows:
1. Squeegees
The mighty squeegee is one of the best window washing equipment for high windows. To safely access high windows, your squeegee must be long-handled. You can also increase its length using a telescopic pole. The squeegee can have a replaceable rubber blade, or you can get one that has a a stripwash on one side and a rubber blade on the other.
The combination squeegee is better since you don’t have to keep switching heads. The extension pole is attached to the squeegee handle to allow access to out-of-reach areas.
2. High Ladders
Another essential window washing equipment for high windows is the high ladder. When using this equipment, never try to clean windows by standing on the interior and then hanging out of the exterior windows if more than your arm has to be extended.
Stretching from the waist and below is potentially dangerous. Expandable ladders are recommended for this task. The base of the ladder must be non-slip and should be hooked to the roof. It can also lean against a solid wall for stable support. Never use the gutters as ladder support.
3. Window Washers
This tool is used to apply the cleaning chemical to the windows. This window washing equipment comes in different models and sizes. The sleeves and T-bars can be bought separately. Sleeves have abrasive, microfiber, or cotton pads.
4. Washing Buckets
Window cleaning requires six-gallon plastic/nylon buckets that come with four casters for ease of movement. The buckets should be long enough to use with the appropriate washer. They can fit a stainless steel drain sieve, making it is easy to wring out window washers and cloths.
5. Scraper Equipment
This window washing equipment is used to remove impurities caked on the window, such as bird droppings. The scraper has a very sharp razor blade that runs along the windows, scraping stubborn dirt off the window. The razor is pressed flat against the window, and as it glides along, it leaves no scratches on the glass. A window scraper removes whatever is stuck on the glass without leaving streaks or scratches.
6. Bosun Chairs
The bosun chair derives its name from the old days of sailing ships. Bosun was a petty officer on a merchant ship responsible for maintenance and related work. For very high windows a ladder won’t reach, the window cleaner sits on a bosun chair and lowers himself down the side of a building as he cleans the windows. The bosun chair comes with hooks for tools and buckets, padding, and safety belts. When using a bosun chair, a fall-protection harness must be worn at all times.
7. Window Safety Harness
A full-body harness comes with an array of basic design features for versatility, comfort, and usefulness. The harness helps in carrying and organizing cleaning tools since it has multiple equipment loops and retainers where one can attach tool holders and pouches.
This type of equipment aims to protect the user from high heights. The harness can be used with a variety of fall arrest anchors and equipment. The safety harness allows the user to hang from the dorsal attachment point for a long time in case of a fall. It eases pressure on the attachment points by using the dorsal construction wrap.
8. Descenders
These help the operator to slowly and safely glide down a properly anchored rope. There are two primary types of descenders: rack and cylinder systems. For cylinders, the rope wraps around a shaft as it slides around. At the same time, it gently lowers the worker.
Rack systems have at least four parallel bars through which the rope is woven. The bars slide up and down the bracket, causing resistance. Racks also offer a controlled descent for a worker.
9. Rub-Off Equipment
This is a window washing tool that removes hard water stains and stubborn mineral deposits from the surface of the glass. It can remove all manner of stains, including soap scum, aluminum screen stains and rust. Rub-Off is a potent powder cleanser that’s safe to use on various types of surfaces, including glass.
10. The Side Kit
The side kit carries all essential window cleaners. It has compartments for keeping different items. This helps to keep the clean items separate from the dirty ones. It also has a back pocket and a bottle holder. It can be attached to the safety belt by using on/off clips.
11. Window Cleaning Detergents
Cleaning detergents help to remove grime on windows. Since cleaning high windows takes a long time, it isn’t done often so dirt tends to build up. You need a strong detergent to get rid of stubborn dirt. Such detergents come in 500ml bottles, which have a spout to allow easy application.
