Monday 7 January 2013

Window Cleaning T-Shirts & The 2 Dudes

Dude Jeff & dude Chris.
Window Washing by Chris Wilson - Chris T Wilson says "When I’ve washed a window well, I feel good within myself." "I spend a fair amount of time thinking while I’m washing windows and I often listen to audio books and podcasts while I’m slinging squeegees." "And as window cleaning technology and business moves toward advances in efficiency like the water fed pole, the more I feel strongly connected to the old-fashioned craft of using simple hand tools to clean a window and clean it well." "I feel somehow compelled to turn the window cleaning process into an act of Will, an alchemical undertaking and a mystical devotion."

"In part I do this to keep the process as completely removed from the idea of “work” or “routine” as divinely possible." "From a metaphysical standpoint, I’m sure a lot of guru wisdom shits could be devised around the benefits of saying a prayer for/to/with each window you wash."  "Seeing a customer’s reaction to her clean windows certainly suggests to me that some blessing has taken place." "So I’m going to continue working on my window cleaning mantras and see how they affect the lives and realities of my fortunate clients. Basically, that’s a distraction to keep me awake at the wheel of my fancy janitor life."



The Squeegeelution design - Chris Wilson of Ojai Valley, California creates custom T-shirts for Window Cleaners like you & me. Chris says, "I screen print t-shirts, what can I say?" "I have an affinity for squeegees." "Here’s a video that shows the process from start to finish." "Design to completion." "I came up with this design as a response to the revolutionary sentiments of our times." "If you’re going to raise your fist in the air, be sure you’re ready to get to work, Enjoy!"

A little about Chris: "I washed my first window in 1979 at age 9 in an office building where my step-grandparents were cleaning for their son, my mother’s ex-husband, whose flashy, decadent ways captured my imagination as a child." "At 16 I took a job cleaning a 40,000 square foot office in suburban Oregon." "And then when school started back up, I cleaned floors in the local Kmart early in the morning before class." "Then late in my 17th year I started C&N Janitorial Service in Vancouver WA." "The N stood for nobody, because I did it all myself pretty much." "At 19 I got the contract to clean the windows for a small real estate office, so I bought some squeegees and a mop and attempted to do the work." "Frustration ensued, but a friendly window cleaner happened by and taught me a few techniques that got the ball rolling." "Then I washed my parents windows, my grandmas windows and picked up house clients and commercial jobs here and there."

Decal's as well!
"When I quit the janitorial racket in the mid 90s and went back to college to get my journalism BA and English minor from Washington State University, I kept my squeegees and would beat the mid-range to nicer residential neighborhoods in Pullman, Washington knocking door to door seeking travel bucks for clean windows." "I’ve been in California now for 12 years and over time I’ve picked up a client here and there from friends and talking with people, 99% residential with second story reach capacity." "I’m doing a little advertising and I invest regularly in new equipment and better supplies." "While I’m focused on cleaning the beautiful homes of the Ojai Valley, I’ve washed windows in Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, New Mexico and a few places in Europe."

Super limited edition T-Shirts.
Chris Lambrinides of Window Cleaning Resource has a few of the Super limited edition shirts courtesy of Chris Wilson to give away. Chris from WCR says, "I got one of Chris' first shirts years ago and its still kicking today." Be sure to check out Chris' Website here.

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