I’m practicing to start my business as soon as I have everything I need. I did my dad’s windows the other day while I was waiting and they were filthy. I mean, covered in dirt. After I got them as clean as I could get them there was still dirt in the nooks and cranies of the frame. I’ve tried a tooth brush, a scrubber brush, etc., but I can’t reach certain areas and don’t know how to get it. If this was a customer would you refuse to take the job, go get them and show them and explain to them what’s going on, up your prices, do you know some way to clean it? What would you do?
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A squirt bottle works good for spraying out corners like that. Have you tried anything like that?
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Hello there! Sorry I didn’t make myself known to you and I apologize for that. That is my fault not yours.
Rarely do people start a business especially a first business “ready”. Start up the business now, you are more than ready. The sooner you act, the more time you will have to worry about problems. Let me give you an example of how this mindset makes sense.
Say you have only 10 years left to live. You want to “get ready” even though you were already ready. But you spend 9 years becoming a professional, then you work for 1 year as a professional and die. Didn’t accomplish much by stalling did you?
Same scenario, but lets say you started right from day 1, you are now a professional as far as people calling are concerned and you spend the remaining 9 years and 364 days left as a professional. But you accomplished more? Why?
You will force yourself to learn in uncomfortable situations but the experience will accumulate quickly. Experience comes from success AND FAILURE. Yes you will get good and even great advice on this forum. However, you are the professional. Yes there are jobs that you might not have confidence to do just looking at them. Do them anyway, force yourself to learn and when you get done you will have much more confidence and experience. Your real experience is going to stem from failure, accept it and expect it as part of the business. (I completed a 10 million dollar estate recently, and I originally didn’t want to take the job because I was afraid of certain things. Things were not perfect, took 6 weeks to do with the owners rescheduling often and heavy downpours happening. I still was paid.)
A veteran window cleaner of 35 years said this to me about 2 months back. She said “Your job is to make the windows look presentable, not perfect.”
What I took away from that was, do your best but dont stress if there is 1 molecule of dust on the glass. But if its a big section of dirt you didn’t get, obviously redo it. My motto especially with first time cleans is “Its better than what it was.” Never in over my 1 year of experience have I had an owner complain. I have had bad stuff happen on jobs but never a complaint about the windows appearance.
You’ll do great if you are taking as much care as you are describing your problem to us. Start your business today.
When you say frame what part of the window are you referring to? The part that touches the glass or the wood or aluminum frame that squares the window hole?
Do you mean the window track? @Stoneface if so there are a variety of ways…which I will list once we know if that’s the info u are after!
I have. I actually used a spray bottle when I was cleaning the window and finished it. I can’t get the frame to save my life and I don’t know why.
Jacob, I would like to chat with you. My name on Facebook is Rowdy Harris and I’m wearing a black t-shirt, holding a dog. Can you send me a friend request or message?
When I say “frame” I mean anything that isn’t the glass.
The biggest part was the top of the window that slides up and in the track in which it slides.
Absolutely! I will find you shortly.
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On the exterior of the window you can clean the frames using a wfp or if you are washing the house with Softwash that will clean the frames. On the interior is where you need to break down what you are cleaning and charge extra for each item. It can be very time consuming. Our premium package reads like this
Window Tracks Cleaned
Window Frames Wiped Down
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