Tool test - Kingfisher Window Cleaner by Alastair Brett:
I knew it was dangerous to offer to be a “Have-a-go hero” for Bricks&Mortar. They suggested I test a telescopic window cleaner as we have a narrow alleyway up the side of our house, which makes it difficult to get to the first-floor windows. So I ventured out with my priapic Kingfisher telescopic mop only to find that it would not fit into any normal bucket because the cleaning head, with its “removable soft cleaning pad”, is more than 12in wide. Luckily I had a square window-cleaning bucket, which it fitted into nicely. The cleaning head then fell off - there was no proper thread for it to attach to the pole. But at only £11.73 inc VAT I was hardly in a position to complain. I then climbed a step ladder to do the wide glass panes at the back of the house, and rather liked being able to dip the cleaning head into the bucket on the ground without have to go down the ladder. The head then fell off a second time, and I had to secure it with string and elastic bands.
Disaster then struck. I tried the side passage windows, but as soon as I put the cleaning head up to try to do the first-floor windows I got a cold shower of dirty water. This taught me a number of lessons: i) I was mad; ii) the pole does not actually extend to 3.5m but only to 3.3m; iii) if you have small Georgian window panes only 6in wide the mop is no good as it is too wide, although it can be reduced in size (but not the soft cleaning pad); iv) that if you have a really wide window ledge you have to be able to stand well back from the window to see what you are doing (I couldn't see a thing); and v) to get the squeegee head to work properly, you have to work it crosswise and then down, like a professional window cleaner.
So while it was good fun (if you can keep the head on), you MUST have a big bucket, big window panes (not 6in-wide ones) and be able to stand well back for the pole to work.
Heros' verdict: three stars
Kingfisher telescopic window cleaner: £11.73 at Machine Mart
I knew it was dangerous to offer to be a “Have-a-go hero” for Bricks&Mortar. They suggested I test a telescopic window cleaner as we have a narrow alleyway up the side of our house, which makes it difficult to get to the first-floor windows. So I ventured out with my priapic Kingfisher telescopic mop only to find that it would not fit into any normal bucket because the cleaning head, with its “removable soft cleaning pad”, is more than 12in wide. Luckily I had a square window-cleaning bucket, which it fitted into nicely. The cleaning head then fell off - there was no proper thread for it to attach to the pole. But at only £11.73 inc VAT I was hardly in a position to complain. I then climbed a step ladder to do the wide glass panes at the back of the house, and rather liked being able to dip the cleaning head into the bucket on the ground without have to go down the ladder. The head then fell off a second time, and I had to secure it with string and elastic bands.
Disaster then struck. I tried the side passage windows, but as soon as I put the cleaning head up to try to do the first-floor windows I got a cold shower of dirty water. This taught me a number of lessons: i) I was mad; ii) the pole does not actually extend to 3.5m but only to 3.3m; iii) if you have small Georgian window panes only 6in wide the mop is no good as it is too wide, although it can be reduced in size (but not the soft cleaning pad); iv) that if you have a really wide window ledge you have to be able to stand well back from the window to see what you are doing (I couldn't see a thing); and v) to get the squeegee head to work properly, you have to work it crosswise and then down, like a professional window cleaner.
So while it was good fun (if you can keep the head on), you MUST have a big bucket, big window panes (not 6in-wide ones) and be able to stand well back for the pole to work.
Heros' verdict: three stars
Kingfisher telescopic window cleaner: £11.73 at Machine Mart
No comments:
Post a Comment