What cleaning solution is used on high-rise windows?
Keeping your high-rise building’s windows cleaning is an excellent illustration of this balancing act. The pressure is on to produce high-quality results from a recognized, insured, and well-trained provider, all while ensuring that cost accountability is as clear as your glass!
It’s advantageous if you’re familiar with the various procedures and equipment utilized in commercial window washing. That way, you can be confident you’re getting the best service possible without spending more than you need to.
Let’s take a closer look at the many ways for cleaning windows in high-rise buildings, as well as the relative benefits of each, especially if your building is unique in terms of structure, height, or function.
System of water-fed poles
This is the simplest and most cost-effective approach to get a flawless finish on windows in many commercial buildings.
100 percent clean water is sprayed to the surface using cutting-edge technology, with a force powerful enough to move dirt without destroying the infrastructure. It allows you to fully clean glass roofs, atriums, skylights, cladding-covered structures, signs, and canopies, for example.
The water-supplied pole system not only saves money but it’s also considered an environmentally beneficial cleaning solution because it doesn’t use detergents.
The high-rise window cleaning staff works from ground level, which ensures their safety. They may be scheduled to arrive, accomplish their duty, and leave with the least amount of interruption to the building’s day-to-day operations. For constructions up to five stories, the newest feed pole technology can be used. Aside from that, one of the options below might be more acceptable.
Cradles are a type of cradle that
In certain high-rise structures, suspending a cradle from a building façade will be the only means to access windows. However, it is evident that this is a very specialized cleaning process that can only be used in specific situations. A competent window cleaning company that specializes in high-rise structures would consider not only the height of the structure but also its structural stability and the size of the setup.
Some modern buildings are designed with integrated cradle systems to make maintenance, cleaning, and repairs easier. Even in this situation, it’s critical to use window cleaners who have experience with cradles and are adequately insured.
Platforms that are attached to the wall
Some building faces can be accessible from a mounted platform when a cradle system is not available or recommended. This might be a platform that is operated as a standalone machine or one that is installed to a specialised vehicle.
In any case, it’s a flexible and responsive solution for cleaning high-rise windows. Crews can rapidly set up and complete the operation by using a mounted platform that is appropriate for the building’s scale and architecture.
When working on a structure with unusual dimensions, a mounted platform has the extra benefit of being flexible, allowing employees to maneuver into position quickly. Truck-mounted platforms, in particular, have a great deal of height reach.
Window washing by abseiling or rope access
If a cradle isn’t available – and isn’t required – another alternative for high-rise window washing is to employ the abseiling method.
Using professionals is critical since this has a greater risk factor and significant compliance obligations. You must also ensure that this approach can be carried out without causing any harm to the exterior of your building.
The appropriate window cleaning crew, on the other hand, might employ rope access to properly clean your building’s exterior. It is not only responsive but also cost-effective due to the lack of heavy or specialized equipment.
With complicated structures, the rope access/abseiling technique of window washing truly shines. Once the equipment is in place, the team can move about fast, getting to spots that would be difficult to access using the other techniques.
Because abseiling allows specialized window cleaners to obtain direct access to windows, they can go much closer to them for a more complete and faultlessly clean. Keep in mind that this means they’ll be right outside your windows, so verify with your building’s inhabitants about privacy arrangements.
Professional Approach (S-Technique)
If you’ve ever watched a professional window cleaner operate, you’ve probably observed how they run the squeegee across the glass in a continuous motion and don’t remove it away until the window is entirely clean. The s-technique, which is more adaptable than a straight pull, is the most complete window cleaning technique.
The following materials and equipment are required:
Cloth made of microfibre
Squeegee with a sharp rubber squeegee
Detergent for professionals (we recommend Glass Gleam 4)
Window Cleaner
The s-technique has various versions, but we’ll go over one of the most fundamental ones here.
- Apply a water-detergent solution to the window using the window mop or microfibre cloth and clean the glass.
- Take the squeegee and drag it over the window’s left side, towards the upper left corner.
- Draw the squeegee from the upper left to the upper right corner of the window without lifting it off the glass, then drag it down to cover about a fourth of the window.
- To cut down the center, use the squeegee to create arcing strokes from right to left and then left to right. Check sure the squeegee overlaps the residual soap by about one and a half-inch from the tool’s end with each arc.
- Finish by maintaining the squeegee channel parallel to the bottom or side of the window for the final stroke.
- At the conclusion, gently push your squeegee on the window ledge to drain any extra water.
- Wipe down the window’s corners and edges, as well as the sill or ledge, with a towel to remove any remaining water.
- If you’re cleaning indoors, mop away any standing water.
The s-technique takes some work to learn, but once you do, you’ll be able to provide brilliant, streak-free windows in less time. If you have a lot of windows in your house or are in charge of the upkeep of numerous properties, this approach will save you a lot of time without sacrificing quality.
Using a Pressure Washer
One of the quickest window cleaning methods is pressure washing. When done correctly, it can help remove particularly tenacious residue and restore the appearance of the windows to factory-new condition.
The following materials and equipment are required:
- Various spray nozzles on a pressure washer
- the hose
- Specially formulated multipurpose soap for pressure washers
- Turn on the pump and extend the pole by plugging it in.
- Activate the flow valve.
- With the water running, brush the entire window at least twice. Concentrate on the top edge of the glass first, as this is where dirt likes to settle. You may need to brush the windows many times depending on how dirty they are.
- Rinse the glass by holding the brush head 10 to 12 inches away from the window and generating a water curtain effect from the top. With the water jets, follow it down the window.
Some property owners are concerned about their health and the environment, therefore they avoid using a detergent to clean their windows. Because the water-supplied pole technique only utilizes pure water, it’s a good option for individuals who don’t want to use chemicals. For a list of cleaning firms that can assist you, go here.
Method with Vinegar
Vinegar is frequently used as domestic cleaning and disinfectant, and is sometimes referred to as a “wonder of nature.” Its acidic composition dissolves the dirt that collects on glass surfaces such as windows, leaving a gleaming, streak-free gloss.
The following materials and equipment are required:
- Vinegar, white (distilled)
- Cloths made of microfiber
- Squeegee with a sharp rubber squeegee
- Mop the floor
- a big bucket
- In a bucket, combine equal parts white vinegar and water.
- Dip a microfiber cloth into the bucket, squeeze out any extra solution, and wipe off the entire window.
- Wipe the solution away with the squeegee. Wipe the rubber edge dry with a microfibre towel each time you finish a stroke. Make sure your strokes are at least an inch apart.
- Using a towel, wipe off the window’s corners and edges to prevent any cleaning solution from leaking down the glass.
- Wipe up any surplus solution on the window sill or the floor.
You may also clean the window tracks with vinegar. Add one or two teaspoons of baking soda to each track, along with a tiny quantity of vinegar, and let it bubble for a few minutes. Apply paper towels to the track to soak up the baking soda vinegar solution and wipe clean after removing tenacious dirt with a q-tip.
Are you unsure what to put on the windows of a high-rise building?
Let’s have a look at the finest window cleaning tools for skyscrapers:
Original Windex Glass Cleaner
This product is the best window cleaning product on the market for you if you require a crystal-clear outcome with no contaminants. It’s one of the most well-known cleaning brands in the market, with solutions that have proven its reputation as a dependable window cleaning solution for both homes and high-rise structures.
It’s one of the most well-reviewed window cleaning solutions on the market, and it’s well-known in the United States. Ammonia-d is the only authorized component in its unique composition. It shatters all oil and filth layers on a glass surface, leaving no residue.
Windex removes all forms of window stains, including smudges, dirt, and soil, and it leaves no ammonia odor. This cleaning detergent has quickly become the most popular and dependable option for window cleaning. It successfully cleans filth, oil, and a variety of filth areas without leaving streaks behind. It works well on a variety of glass surfaces, including windows and mirrors. This product also comes in a foam version and Windex wipes.
Aerosol Glass Cleaner by Sprayway
This product is a little more expensive than the mass market, but the extra cost is well worth it. It’s an ammonia-free aerosol spray that foams up when sprayed and adheres effectively to vertical window surfaces. Despite the fact that it does not contain ammonia, it has a tremendously potent impact on a variety of surfaces. It dries in a matter of minutes.
It may be used on windows, automobile windshields, mirrors, enamel and plastic surfaces, tiles, and other surfaces. This solution avoids the usual problem of most window cleaning chemicals pouring down the window surface and leaving a thin coating of streaks. Most people enjoy the fresh, soft scent of this cleaning product.
Glass cleaner with a cinch
Another useful window option for anyone who owns a house or commercial property. It cleans stubborn oil and debris off glossy surfaces outdoors and inside your house or workplace. It dries fast and doesn’t leave any obnoxious stains. Its formula is free of ammonia.
Premium Glass Cleaner Invisible Glass
This multi-purpose aerosol may be used to clean glass windows, mirrors, automobile windows, chrome, automobile windshields, and even microwaves.
Natural Glass as a Method
This product is a wonderful choice if you or someone in your household suffers from allergies. It has no toxins and is made entirely of natural, biodegradable components. This tool allows us to easily remove all forms of window grime, including smudges, dust, and fingerprints, with little effort. It may also be used on mirrors and other glass surfaces.
This product is manufactured using green technology and contains plant-based components that are free of ammonia. It has a nice mint scent that is both refreshing and energizing. After a single clean-up, it assures no stains and an excellent shine. It is also environmentally beneficial. The fact that it has little impact on oily surfaces is possibly its only drawback.
Trigger for Glass Plus Glass Cleaner
This window cleaner is also on the list of the most popular window cleaning products, and it comes at a reasonable price. On both exterior and interior glass surfaces, it has a functional impact.
It cleans all debris off glass and granite surfaces, stainless steel, and even the surfaces of kitchen stoves. It eliminates a wide range of filth, filth, and grease, leaving our windows practically streak-free and clear of foggy patches.
Zep Glass Cleaner is a streak-free glass cleaner.
This product is a good choice if you want professional results when cleaning your windows. It features an ammonia-based solution that effectively removes smudges, grime, dirt, fingerprints, and other sorts of window filth. It dries rapidly and leaves a flawless finish.