Inside Ettore

 

The squeegee started in Oakland - And just so you know, Oakland is where the squeegee was invented in 1936 by the late Ettore Steccone, an Italian immigrant and window washer. Tired of using old tools and rags to wipe glass clean, he came up with the rubber-tip squeegee and changed window washing forever. Steccone could have carried himself as Thomas Edison or Alexander Graham Bell, two other important inventors, but he played down his place in history. "He was a pretty humble person," says daughter Diane Steccone Smahlik, chairman of the board of Ettore Products. "He had a thing on Friday where he'd sweep the back of the factory in a jump suit. If someone came looking for him, he'd say, 'What do you want him for?' He was just a guy sweeping the floor."

Steccone grew up in Mongiardino Ligure in northern Italy. One of 10 children, he served in the Italian Army during World War I as a machine-gunner before migrating to America in 1922 as a carpenter. Settling in Oakland, where his daughter and son-in-law live, he found more work as a window washer. He was a sight to behold going to his jobs. "He had an Indian motorcycle," said Michael Smahlik, "and he carried a ladder on one arm and a bucket on the other arm." And somehow managed to steer.

"He didn't wear a harness while standing on a ledge, washing windows three, four stories high," said Diane. And never fell. He started his own company in Oakland in 1936, the same year he conceived of the squeegee, and received a patent for his invention two years later. Then he lost the patent because of a scheming former employer. "I don't think most people would have gone through what he went through, a lot of ups and downs," said his daughter. "During World War II and Korea, he couldn't get brass for his product. But through a friend in the military, he was allocated enough brass to continue his business."

Ettore Steccone didn't finish grammar school, but he earned a pilot's license while becoming one of the world's wealthiest window washers. This past September, he was honored in his hometown of Mongiardino Ligure. The plaza of the church of Saint John the Baptist was named after him. A plaque was placed there in his name. His daughter, an only child, attended the event. And like father, like daughter. "When someone calls here, I'm just a customer service person," she said. "They don't know who they're talking to. I don't think anyone here is egotistical."

Deal Or No Deal?

Deal or no deal? Click to enlarge.

Ettore Window Washer Premium, Pro-grip 14 " -List Price:$194.12 (£128.36) Price: $169.99 + $12.15 shipping. You Save: $24.13 (12%) - Only 4 left in stock. Product Description: Progrip, 14", Window Washer, Tapered Ergonomic Handle, Rubberized Comfort Grip, Loosens Dirt, Readies Window For Squeegee, Velcro Fastener, Removable Cover For Machine Washing, For Use On Windows, Mirrors & Screens.

Deal or no deal? Bargain or 'barge pole?'

ESTABLISHED WINDOW CLEANING ROUND FOR SALE Classified Ad price: £4,500.00 ($6,805). LEEDS CENTRE + HALIFAX AREA. COMBINED MONTHLY INCOME £506.50

DONE BY 1 X PERSON - MAINLY PAID BY CASH ON DAY

APPROX 70% COMMERCIAL WORK INCOME + 30% DOMESTIC

ROUND CONSISTS OF :

4 X TOWNCENTRE SHOPS ONCE A WEEK (WEDS) = INCOME £310 PER MONTH

TAKES 1 PERSON 2 HOURS MAX - PAID CASH ON DAY -

INCOME WEEK1 = £70/ WEEK2 = £70 /WEEK3 = £70 /WEEK4 = £100 TOTAL 4 WKS = £310.00

49 X PROPERTIES HALIFAX AREA = £196.50 PER MONTH

ALL DONE MONTHLY BY WATER FED POLE - VERY COMPACT WORK WITHIN 2- 3 ROADS

Deal or no deal? Click to enlarge.

Ettore Window Squeegee Pro-grip 18 " Blade by Ettore - List Price: $124.16 - Price: $120.99 ($10.08 / Item) + $12.15 shipping. You Save: $3.17 (3%). Ships from and sold by Highway To Buy LLC.

Here's an onion..

Shock as window cleaner posts annual loss of nearly £700: George Kerr, a 68-year-old window cleaner from Birmingham, has stunned friends, family and City analysts by reporting a loss of £693 for the financial year ending 5th April 2015. Fears are growing that this may not be the only disappointing set of annual results in the self-employed trading sector.

The loss contrasts starkly with the £2,500 profit posted for the previous year, prompting suggestions of false accounting and a cover-up. Tax expert Vaz Singh from accountants Singh, Singh and Singh pointed the finger at ‘unrealistically low depreciation figures being applied to Kerr’s 5-year-old Vauxhall Combo during the previous profitable year’

The loss will mean that no dividend is payable to Kerr’s drinking partner and brother-in-law, John Wade. Kerr added in a statement: ‘And my bone-idle bitch wife who is probably shagging the delivery man while I’m out working my fingers to the bone can f*ck off and all.’

Window Cleaning Magazine January Issue

• How social are you? Using social media 
• The Ettore story Lee speaks to Diane Smahilk 
• How hard are you working? By Steve Blyth 
• Myth busting with Perry Let’s talk water fed poles 
• Free online marketing guide Promoting your business on the internet 
• WCM talks to MWCoA Master Window Cleaners of America
   
• Plus much, much more.... Click here or the magazine cover. Members go here.

Window Cleaning Tool Talk

Check out all the window cleaning tools you can want with the FREE "Window Cleaning Business Owner" magazine, shipping to all professional window cleaners now.

Mark the window cleaner gives us the lowdown on his favorite scraper called the Ettore ScrapeMaster.

Need more slip with your soap? Mark showcases "Winsol Superslip" that might just be what you need.

Need a new soap? Mark discusses another option with a useful squirt explanation.

Mark shows an old favorite - the Unger Teleplus 30' pole with a nice little squirrel story to boot!

And finally, John Lee demonstrates an Apollo carbon fiber pole from Denmark.

Window Cleaning Squeegee History - Ettore Steccone

 

The squeegee started in Oakland - By Dave Newhouse: Among mankind's greatest inventions or discoveries: the automobile, airplane, baseball, light bulb, jazz, telephone, radio, penicillin, motion pictures, television, rock 'n' roll, computers and, of course, the squeegee. Hey, don't laugh. Where would we be without the squeegee? We need sparkling windows to look more clearly at the muddled outside world.

And just so you know, Oakland is where the squeegee was invented in 1936 by the late Ettore Steccone, an Italian immigrant and window washer. Tired of using old tools and rags to wipe glass clean, he came up with the rubber-tip squeegee and changed window washing forever. Steccone could have carried himself as Thomas Edison or Alexander Graham Bell, two other important inventors, but he played down his place in history. "He was a pretty humble person," said daughter Diane Steccone Smahlik, chairman of the board of Ettore Products. "He had a thing on Friday where he'd sweep the back of the factory in a jump suit. If someone came looking for him, he'd say, 'What do you want him for?' He was just a guy sweeping the floor."

Did Jonas Salk ever become a janitor and sweep out his science laboratory? Curing polio is epic, but there are all those broken test tubes on the floor. "My dad said if he ever made $50,000 a year, then he did his job," said his daughter. "He never borrowed money to build two factories, a house - anything! His best earning year? Ten to 12 million dollars." And a squeegee costs five dollars, tops. Ettore Products, which moved from Oakland to Alameda five years ago, produces 6 million miles of squeegees annually. They have one American competitor, Unger of Connecticut, but Ettore Products has branch offices in Amsterdam and China.

Diane and husband Michael Smahlik, both 66, run Ettore Products as a family business along with son Christopher, 39, and daughter Nicole, 34. But Ettore Steccone, who died in 1984 at age 87, still casts a shadow over the warehouse-sized building, where 50 employees work four-day weekly shifts to prevent cutbacks during a recession.

Steccone grew up in Mongiardino Ligure in northern Italy. One of 10 children, he served in the Italian Army during World War I as a machine-gunner before migrating to America in 1922 as a carpenter. Settling in Oakland, where his daughter and son-in-law live, he found more work as a window washer. He was a sight to behold going to his jobs. "He had an Indian motorcycle," said Michael Smahlik, "and he carried a ladder on one arm and a bucket on the other arm." And somehow managed to steer.

"He didn't wear a harness while standing on a ledge, washing windows three, four stories high," said Diane. And never fell. He started his own company in Oakland in 1936, the same year he conceived of the squeegee, and received a patent for his invention two years later. Then he lost the patent because of a scheming former employer. "I don't think most people would have gone through what he went through, a lot of ups and downs," said his daughter. "During World War II and Korea, he couldn't get brass for his product. But through a friend in the military, he was allocated enough brass to continue his business."

Ettore Steccone didn't finish grammar school, but he earned a pilot's license while becoming one of the world's wealthiest window washers. This past September, he was honored in his hometown of Mongiardino Ligure. The plaza of the church of Saint John the Baptist was named after him. A plaque was placed there in his name. His daughter, an only child, attended the event. And like father, like daughter. "When someone calls here, I'm just a customer service person," she said. "They don't know who they're talking to. I don't think anyone here is egotistical."

Window Cleaning Resource - The Newest Products

Window Cleaning Resource seem to me making all the moves on getting new products to their store. Just a selection here of some new & trending products that are appearing.  Also if you are interested - free shipping for US customers today only (Exceptions apply). It just means adding "blackfriday" to your coupon code & you receive the free shipping. All details can be found on the window cleaning resource forum, here.

The Ninja 21' Composite Water Fed Pole by Assassin WFP's. The newest addition to the stable. Unbelievably light & rapid to use. Available from the store here. Interesting stuff..

Brushes are making a come back! These two videos are an absolute must to watch if you are interested in using them. Just click Marks name below to take you to the video. Follow the discussion at window cleaning resource here & here.

Window Cleaning Brush Review from Mark Strange on Vimeo.

Jaret talks about the pros and cons of the Unger Sprayer on a Belt. A great video & a great field test from one so young. Available here from the store.

The Ettore pure water caddy by Ettore/Reach Higher Ground. Hey! When did they join together? Available from the store here.

Mark the Window Cleaner talks about the Track Cleaner found here in the store.

Latest Window Cleaning Videos Part 3

Josh does a great job explaining about tracking, in this exclusive video, a series from Window Cleaning Resource.

The Wagtail orbital tools are handy for those awkward angles. Though Mark used a fixed Unger squeegee at the bottom. Clip used in the DVD, 'Advanced Window Cleaning Skills' available at Window Cleaning Resources.

Taken from the DVD, 'Window Cleaning Essentials.' The difference between using both hands or just one when window cleaning is put to the test in this clip. More time saving tricks are explained on the DVD which is available at Window Cleaning Resources.

Avoiding drips when window cleaning inside - A clip used in the DVD, 'Advanced Window Cleaning Skills' available from Window Cleaning Resources. A demonstration of how to avoid drips when working indoors.

Joe of "Brighterclean" in Dundee, Scotlans & Window Cleaning Training Academy shows you how to get in between those obstacles.

Jaret the mini Window Cleaner, reviews the Ettore Micro Fiber strip washer sleeve. Available here.

John Lee shows the merits of the Simpole for cleaning a difficult access window.

Matt Perry shows us the differences with working with the Ettore "backflip" & the Wagtail.

Dry Pros speed Window cleaning...

Adders rinse and clean shows you his solution for troublesome seals, vents that cause spotting & oxidising frames.

In this second video, Adders rinse and clean show you how easy the Water fed pole is at cleaning windows though metal railings.

Salvatore Marino from Elite Window Washing in San Diego was on the news. Just in case you missed it..

Using the Unger 0 degree squeegee..

To celebrate its 10th birthday, the Rose Center for Earth and Space is getting all cleaned up. For the first time ever, New York City's window to the universe is getting its windows washed - reminding visitors that space isn't as far as they might think.

Water Fed Poles for Window Cleaning from Walkers Window Cleaning in Reno, Nevada.

Marc Bolan aka Stevie Riks shows us his window cleaning skills & how to ask for the moola - great out-takes at the end.

Window Cleaners Adapt to Architecture

The most recent edition of the European Cleaning Journal (ECJ) contained an article of the challenges of window cleaning today. Michelle Marshall, Editor of the European Cleaning Journal was kind enough to provide the full print copy to read below.

Cleanable windows - What are the most difficult cleaning challenges that a professional window cleaner has to face? And what equipment has been developed to cope with such tough challenges? Ann Laffeaty looks at aspects of the industry such as high-rise cleaning, large areas of glass and difficult-to-reach areas and discovers how window cleaning is being adapted to make all windows cleanable.

Photo courtesy of Unger

Window cleaning used to be a relatively simple process. One window was much the same as another, after all, and window cleaners required very few tools to carry out their trade successfully. In most cases a ladder, a bucket, a squeegee and a chamois would be sufficient. Where the building was particularly tall, a rail-like structure would be fitted around the top of the building and a cradle would operate from this. But various factors have conspired to complicate the window-cleaning task. On the one side, stringent new health and safety laws have outlawed the practice of cleaning from a ladder above a certain height. Cradles are no longer always a viable alternative either, mainly due to the escalating cost of insurance but also because the shape of modern buildings sometimes makes a rail impossible to fit.

Meanwhile, the fact that architects are becoming increasingly ambitious in their quest for that unique, award-winning design means they are building highly creative structures whose windows are often difficult to clean. Vice-president of Ettore Products Europe Niels Ysbrandy confirms this. “We find that about 10-20 per cent of buildings these days have freaky architecture that looks fantastic and the architects are applauded for it – then six months later the building manager finds it is impossible to clean, or the cleaning cost is 10 times what it should be,” he said. “For example there are buildings that are very difficult to access because they are in a car park or surrounded by hedges or trees. Sometimes it is practically impossible to get to the glass area because it is curved or set at an angle. This can occur in any type of building whether it is an office block, a school or an airport.”

Leaded light windows in historic buildings, pubs and churches also present a problem since these have to be cleaned by hand with a sponge and then a chamois, he said. “Large areas of glass are also a challenge,” added Ysbrandy. “If you have a smooth surface you can clean it very fast and efficiently, but any obstacle will slow down the process.”
According to Ysbrandy water-fed poles have greatly improved the situation. “These can be used from the ground and will clean the windows using pure water, which means there are no mineral deposits on the glass,” he said. “It is not rocket science, but water-fed poles have been the biggest breakthrough in the industry for some years.”

Ettore also offers various tools for hard-to-access cleaning. These include Reach poles that have an angle adaptor claimed to be particularly effective for use on solarium glass. The company also offers telescopic squeegees that combine an absorbent sponge head with a metal handle that extends up to seven feet.
According to Unger’s marketing co-ordinator Alex Droste, one of the major challenges facing today’s window cleaners are the large, high buildings whose entire roof is made of glass. These are often encountered in new train stations and big industrial buildings, for example. “It means you have to walk over the glass in order to access and clean the central areas, which is very hard to do.”

Unger’s answer to high-level cleaning is the HiFlo CarbonTec water-fed pole. This uses aluminium and lightweight carbon tubing to allow the user to customise the length up to 50 feet. “But in terms of height it is limited,” said Droste. “If you have a very complicated job you may need a crane, but then it becomes expensive. Sometimes buildings are cleaned by teams of abseilers but this is not very common in Europe. There is always a high cost and safety factor when dealing with high-rise, complicated buildings.”
He said the growing problem was a by-product of modern building design. “Architects are creating buildings that look very nice, but they don’t ask the window cleaners for their suggestions on how to clean them. Sometimes they are consulted but often they are not – and many window cleaning companies would like to be involved.”

This is exactly what a UK organisation is trying to achieve through the Building Cleanability Awards (BCA). This annual event encourages architects to consider how new buildings are to be cleaned by presenting an award to those designers who create the most 'cleanable' buildings.
The importance of building cleanability is greater now than ever according to BCA chairman Paul Taylor, who is also director of cleaning and facilities management contractor Incentive QAS.
“About 25-30 years ago everything was cleaned by ladder or cradle, but today’s designers have gone mad with their pencils and between them and EU legislation it is very rare that a building these days can be cleaned by ladder,” he said. “Cradles are not always viable because insurance is so expensive and if you look at modern buildings such as the Gherkin in London, where do you fit a cradle?

Another British building that must be a challenge for window cleaners is the Spinnaker Tower that overlooks Portsmouth harbour. It is a 170 metre high structure but the glass doesn’t start until 20 floors up - and then it is in the shape of a sail. You wonder how they clean buildings such as this - as well as other modern structures such as the newest hotel buildings in Dubai. It must be a nightmare.” He says the problem arises from the fact that building owners are increasingly demanding that their buildings should stand out, and architects are keen to deliver on this. “In the US and Australia, building designers consult with the cleaning bodies when designing a building. But in Europe we tend to build to be pretty rather than functional.”

However, this year the BCA has achieved a breakthrough in terms of dialogue with building designers. “For the first time in 16 years, the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists have come on board and are helping to promote the Building Cleanability Awards to their architect and design members,” said Taylor. “This will hopefully lead to a new period of co-operation between designers and cleaners.” Director of the Building Cleanability Awards Richard Chisnell added: “We don’t want to cramp the designers’ creativity and make every building a square box, but we would like to encourage them to think how their creations are going to be maintained after the construction team has moved off the site. “Sometimes it is only once that has happened that the penny drops and they think: 'How are we going to clean this?’”
He said factors that should be considered in the design stage were that no trees, hedges or grass were planted too close to the building and that space for parking cherry-pickers was provided. Sometimes windows should be capable of being cleaned from the inside to make life easier for the window cleaners.

According to Chisnell, incorporating cleanable design features into new buildings would go a long way to facilitating the cleaning task while also ensuring the safety of the workforce. “In recent years a whole generation of abseilers have come on to the scene whose task is to clean the highest-rise windows,” he said. “That is fine as long as they comply with health and safety regulations – in fact, it shows that the cleaning industry has done its bit to move with the times.
“But we want to raise the profile of cleaning within the building industry and we are very encouraged by the fact that the designers have said yes, you have a point, we would like to support it.
“In the meantime the window cleaning industry has been sufficiently flexible and adaptable to rise to any challenge. In fact, that’s why we are the thriving industry we are today.”

Photo courtesy of Mr Longarm

Final Federation of Window Cleaner Videos

The final two videos from the Federation of Window Cleaners Show..

Pure Freedom® has quickly grown to become one of the most recognised and trusted names for quality water fed pole window cleaning equipment. Pure Freedom® are the manufacturers of the Freedom Trolley and Pure Freedom Systems and carry out all their work in-house without the need to use outside contractors, which gives them the ability to provide a very high quality of customer care. If your requirements differ from the stocked units they can alter/add equipment to suit your needs from the very start of the manufacturing process. Pure Freedom are proud to now offer their new Isothermal 1 & 2 Hot Water Fed Pole Systems for 1 and 2 operators respectively.

Bayersan Ltd. specializes in manufacturing window cleaning equipment and accessories for the sanitary supply industry. Squeegees and Telescopic Poles are their primary business, not just a sideline. The company offers floor and window squeegees (swivel and stainless steel squeegees ), scrapers, blades, telescopic (extension) poles & handles, floor pads, mop & mop holders, T-holders (plastic and aluminium) and sleeves. Bayersan Ltd. offers top quality products, service, return policy, distribution and wholesaling programs. Shown in the video - their new line of water fed poles.

Contico Manufacturing: Whatever your cleaning, janitorial, spraying or hygiene requirements, Contico has the answer. From mopping systems to dust control, trigger sprayers to pump dispensers, washroom to window cleaning, Contico supply high quality products, utilising the very latest designs, innovations and technology to ensure that when you order from Contico, you will receive the very best products that money can buy. Contico provide a wide range of products that are designed and manufactured to withstand the rigours of everyday intensive commercial cleaning and are supported by their quality management system which complies with the requirements of BS EN ISO 9001:2000. All their products are approved under BS5750.

Polished Insurance can offer quotes for all types of contract cleaning companies who need public liability insurance or public & employers liability insurance cover including;

• Loss of Customers' Keys
• Damage to property being worked upon
• Treatment Risks
• Temporary removal of customers' goods
• Misuse of customers' telephones
• Failure to secure customers' premises

Offering liability insurance quotes to all types of contract cleaners, from self employed cleaners to contract cleaners with employees or sub contractors. Allied Insurance understand the cleaning industry and can offer advice and expertise to make sure you get the insurance cover you need. They provide an online guide to the different types of liability insurance for cleaning contractors, you may not realise but most policies covering liability insurance for cleaners don't provide the covers mentioned.

CTE - a towering presence for over 25 years: Founded in 1981, CTE immediately sets up its vocation in the production and sale of material removal lifts and ladders in particular. Efficient services, innovative technical solutions, prompt after-sales service, professional consulting and training: all that sums their motto up, "Work Becomes Easy." Theirs is an approach, a business ethos that revolves around customers, their safety and quality. Meaning our customers’ quality of life. That’s why CTE, a group united by ideas, motivation and passion, strives to make work easier for companies operating in the field of lifting materials and people. CTE sells Truck-mounted articulated platforms, Truck-mounted telescopic platforms, Track mounted access platforms, Fire fighting platforms, Material removal lifts, Stair climbers, UNI-TEC scaffolds, Modular material lifts & also a range of Second-hand machines.

Ettore UK: Such a simple invention yet, the great ones invariably are. A blade of rubber, a handle perfectly angled for it's purpose, a patent followed and professional window cleaning was changed forever. The Year was 1936, the man Ettore Steccone. Often imitated, never duplicated, his original squeegee design has remained essentially unchanged since its inception. His secret was, and is, in the rubber for this is the essential heart of the system. A razor sharp square edge, supple, smooth, consistent which leaves glass perfectly clean and streak free. Indeed, every Ettore product is 100% guaranteed to deliver nothing less than flawless performance. Ettore Steccone's pioneering spirit has assured Ettore's position as the undisputed industry leader. Today the company provides every conceivable tool and convenience to make window cleaning more fun, efficient and effective.

The HSE - "Our job is to prevent death, injury and ill-health to those at work and those affected by work activities." HSE is working in close partnership with industry to ensure that anyone who needs to use a ladder , uses the right equipment for the job and uses it safely. To further promote HSE’s award winning Shattered Lives Campaign it launched the Ladder Exchange Initiative on 1st September 2009 intended to help reduce the number of deaths and injuries resulting from falls from height.
Despite a sustained long term reduction, falls from height remains the most common type of fatal injury. In 2007/08, a total of 58 workers died and over 3600 employees suffered major injury as a result of a fall from height in the workplace. Many of these incidents could be avoided by using the right equipment and taking simple precautions. The focus of this four month initiative gives people the opportunity to get rid of old, damaged and broken ladders by trading them in for a new one. Over 5’500 ladders have already been exchanged under this initiative since it first launched in 2007 and they intend to build on this success.



Window Cleaner Pro: Ian & Brad help you run Your Window Cleaning Business With Ease! If you own a window cleaning business and are tired of the day to day administration, trying to figure out what work is due, which customers have not paid or preparing your accounts then this software is for you. Designed by window cleaners for window cleaners, WCP offers you a state of the art software package that is easy to use and doesn't require a degree in computing to use. Let the software do all the admin work so you can concentrate on growing your business and spend more time doing the things you want. Once you start using it you'll wonder how you ever did without it. Keep your work up to date in real time on your Windows Mobile PDA.

Facelift Cleaning: Water Fed Poles For All Types Of Work. Whether you are a domestic window cleaner looking to reduce your round time or a commercial cleaner who needs to reach several floors above ground level, our complete range of poles covers every eventuality. Pole choice is split into 4 sections:

• Glass Fibre Poles – Low cost, reach up to 33ft, ideal for domestic cleaning.
• Fusion Poles – Retain low cost but rigid at greater heights due to majority carbon mix, up to 38ft reach, ideal for domestic cleaning or smaller commercial work.
• Carbon Fibre Poles – The mainstay of the commercial window cleaner, carbon poles are rigid and light, our poles will withstand the day to day wear and tear of commercial work. Available up to 58ft reach.
• FaceliftONE Poles – These are high modulus carbon fibre poles, 30% more rigid than standard carbon fibre, and as a result able to reach higher whilst still maintaining the same rigidity. These are designed for commercial cleaners who want to avoid the cost of cherry pickers or rope access. Available up to 72ft reach.

IPAF: The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) promotes the safe and effective use of powered access worldwide. Set up in 1983, IPAF is a not-for-profit members’ organisation that represents the interests of manufacturers, distributors, users, rental and training companies. It serves as a forum for all active in the world of powered access. IPAF has played a key role in promoting many of the design, safety and testing procedures that are now established in the powered access industry.
The IPAF training programme for platform operators is certified by TÜV as conforming to ISO 18878. More than 70,000 operators are trained each year through a worldwide network of over 300 training centres. Training in the US is managed by IPAF’s North American subsidiary, AWPT Inc. Training generally lasts one to two days and is a mixture of theory and practice.
Those who successfully complete IPAF training are awarded the PAL Card (Powered Access Licence), the most widely held and recognised proof of training for platform operators. The PAL Card is valid for five years and shows the machine categories that the operator has been trained in. It also features the holder’s photo and signature, and can be verified by calling IPAF.

SYR (Scot Young Research Ltd): Provide manual equipment for the cleaning industry. Always looking for improvement & innovation, SYR have won several awards for their equipment including the queens award for innovation. Whatever your cleaning, janitorial, spraying or hygiene requirements, Scot Young Research are the answer.

Although Simpole weren't on show at the federation of window cleaners event - Jeff Brimble decided to bring one along for the main purpose of running over it in the car park with his van. Thanks Jeff. Simpole claim the strongest water fed carbon fiber pole on the market! Don't try this at home!

The FWC was formed in 1947 to establish an authoritative organization specifically concerned with the Window Cleaning Industry and its subsidiary services. In almost any business or industry, a collective body of professionals will virtually always be more powerful than an individual person or company. This is especially true when the body is recognised by the government as an authority on the industry. Such organisations can do many things such as influencing regulations, advancing the interests of members, creating new operating methods to enhance profit and safety and other activities. An industry body provides credibility, expertise, influence and access. The window cleaning industry is no exception. FWC has been the professional Employers Trade Association for window cleaners for over 60 years! The Federation of Window Cleaners supports these aspects:

• To Provide information on all aspects of the Trade.
• Increase public awareness of the need for high standards of safety.
• Represent the Industry with government and municipal bodies.
• To support Members with FREE 24 hour legal advice
• To encourage members in attaining Health & Safety Training & Education
• To Promote the protection of the customer against Fraud & Misrepresentation.

Mixed Bag of Window Cleaning News & Videos + Dog Poo

First up - Mark Strange of "Beautiful View" from Toronto, Canada gives us another installment with a few more unbiased reviews of products in the window cleaners workplace, this week - applicator/scrubber/wand sleeves. Mark talks about my two favourite cover - the Ettore Porcupine.

Sun shades that can be walked on: - Visitors to Twickenham Stadium's South Stand will be kept cool thanks to solar shading from Levolux. Shading solutions will provide up to 90 per cent for corporate entertainment areas and a hotel at the rear of the new stand. By combing Aerofoil Fins, Matrix XL and Walk-on Brise Soleil systems, Levolux has created a stylish and efficient way to prevent solar gain and manage internal temperatures, while creating a bespoke rugby-ball shaped nosing. On the ground and first floor levels, 280 mm horizontal aluminium Aerofoil Fins have been fitted. Surrounding the main corporate areas above is Levolux's Walk-on and Matrix XL Brise Soleil systems, providing efficient shading. The Walk-on Brise Soleil system also provides a rigid platform to allow maintenance work and window cleaning to be carried out safely. Finally, Levolux Ventilation Louvres have been installed to screen plant areas. They feature a contoured, aerodynamic shape, with inherent strength, for an attractive appearance and maximum ventilation.

Blind Cleaners! - ACM Research Shanghai Launches Single-Wafer Megasonic Cleaning Tool: SHANGHAI - Semiconductor Equipment startup ACM Research Shanghai, Ltd., today unveiled at SEMICON China the Ultra C™ 12-inch, single-wafer megasonic cleaning tool for advanced cleans at the 65 nm and below technology nodes. ACM’s proprietary technology allows it to tightly and uniformly control the megasonic energy distribution across the wafer (2% at 1σ), enabling particle removal efficiency (PRE) up to 99.2 percent without damaging the patterned wafer. “Although megasonic cleaning is touted by the industry as the long-term solution for many of the most critical cleaning challenges, no company to date has been able to control the mechanical process window,” stated David Wang, Founder and CEO, ACM Research. “Our Ultra C cleaner is the industry’s first to control the megasonic power and uniformity well enough to deliver damage-free cleaning with PRE over 99.2 percent using a diluted SC1 cleaning chemical, and 98.3 percent using de-ionized water only.”

Appeal: Bogus Caller Robs Elderly Woman, Headingley, Leeds: North West Leeds police are appealing for witnesses to a burglary in Headingley on Friday 13 March. At around 11:15am a man believed to have been acting as a window cleaner called at the flat of an 84-year old woman living at the Turnways in Headingley. The man contacted the woman through her intercom system, stating that he was a new window cleaner in the area and needed to see the inside of the windows in the woman's flat. The victim agreed to let the man in, but as she showed him round, the suspect stole the 84-year old's purse, which was on the dining table, and ran from the flat, leaving the area in a silver or grey coloured saloon car. He was described as a white man, around 5'7" tall and in his early to mid-twenties. He was of slim build, pale, with a thin face and short dark brown hair. He was wearing a blue anorak with grey sleeves. As a result of the incident, the victim was left shaken but otherwise uninjured.
Any witnesses or anyone with any information are asked to contact PC 5907 Joanne Cromer at North West Leeds police via 0845 6060606 or Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111.
Police are also reminding people, particularly the elderly to take care when answering the door to unexpected callers. Always use a door chain if you are answering the door to someone you are not expecting or do not recognise. If the caller says they are from a company, ask to see their ID card or for a company contact number where you can check their credentials. If you have any concerns whatsoever, do not let anyone into your home and call the police on 0845 6060606 or 999 if it is an emergency.
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Enoc expands 'Eco-wash' solutions to lube stations: Dubai -Enoc has expanded its agreement with Clearwater, an innovative cleaning solutions provider, to offer eco-friendly cleaning solutions to over 100 Enoc lube service stations. As per the earlier agreement, Clearwater has been providing its innovative cleaning services to over 195 Enoc/Eppco petrol service stations.
Commenting on the partnership, Saeed Khoory, Enoc Group Chief Executive said, 'As an environmentally-responsible organisation, Enoc is committed to spearheading initiatives that will help protect the planet and promote sustainable living. Clearwater's eco-friendly cleaning service in our petrol service stations has been very effective and the results are there for everyone to see. By expanding these services to our lube service stations as well, we endeavour to safeguard natural resources and help maintain balance in the eco-system.' Clearwater uses 100% chemical-free products and techniques that contain no fragrances, dyes or any other additives thereby rendering the cleaning process completely safe and eco-friendly. Clearwater's cleaning formula essentially consists of processed water, which is an effective cleaner for all surfaces from glass to stainless steel.
The cleaning formula also contains an invisible shield that helps windows stay cleaner longer than standard window washing. The pure laboratory graded water used is safe enough to drink and therefore poses minimal risk around children or people with sensitivities. The cleaning techniques adopted by Clearwater like 'Reach and Wash' have been extremely safe and effective, posing no risk to the staff in any way. Here, the water is pumped through lightweight telescopic poles with soft bristles reaching heights up to 60 feet, eliminating the need for ladders and cradles, making the process safe, fast and highly cost-effective. Previous blog here.

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Window Cleaning Resource are rounding up testimonials for people that use their website store & forum. Just like the window cleaning business coach says - get referrals by asking for them!




You may remember "Freddie Mercury as a Window Cleaner" from one of my earliest blogs. Here's the updated version, a lot the same, but still good viewing. Stevie Riks, the English singer/comedian who publishes on YouTube is quite famous now.

Not quite window cleaning - but a few happy campers have this as a window cleaning add-on in Florida. Wouldn’t touch that with a 10-foot pole? Leave it to the brother of the guy who plays “Monk” to come up with a way to keep dog poop from ever tainting the ground. Yes, Tony Shalhoub, the Emmy-winning actor who plays TV’s “Monk,” the germ-fearing, obsessive-compulsive detective, has a brother. And that brother, Dan Shalhoub, is an inventor. And Dan is the father of the “Shapoopie” — a telescoping rod with a disposable receptacle on the end that allows one to snag poop, from a distance, before it lands. When his wife brought home a West Highland terrier, named Pippin, Dan — never a big dog fan — found cleaning up after the dog particularly distasteful, and, due to a bad back, a little painful. So he took a golf-ball retriever with a telescoping handle and rigged a plastic bag to the end, which he then carried with him and positioned directly under the dog at the appropriate time — i.e. when Pippin was poopin’. After some design improvements, the device now features a basket that holds removable plastic liners with snap-shut lids. Shalhoub said he’s sold about 300 units ($19.95 each) on his Shapoopie website.

Window Cleaning News & Videos

Window dressing: Harvey Nichols unveils new collection in Dundrum - Window cleaner Maros Baulims goes about his work as model Klaudia Molenda poses for photographs at the unveiling of the Harvey Nichols spring-summer collection at Dundrum Town Centre yesterday. Such was the demand for invites to the Harvey Nichols spring show in Dundrum yesterday evening that two presentations had to be organised to accommodate some 600 people. Prices ranged from €185 for a grey cardigan to €l,770 for a Balenciaga bag.


MICHAEL Shields has returned to his Liverpool home for the first time in three and a half years under new relaxed prison terms. The 22-year-old was allowed to spend three days back with his family in Edge Hill, on temporary licence release from jail in Warrington. Today his father Michael Snr (pictured) described the emotional moment his son finally walked through the front door again since he left to watch Liverpool play in the Champion’s League final in 2005. And he told how the engineering student spent his first night back in his old bedroom after a poignant family meal. But he insisted their ordeal is far from over, emphasising the agony of having to drive his son back to prison after the visit. The 46-year-old window cleaner said: “It was incredibly emotional for us all but particularly his mum.


How the oligarchs lost billions: They’re the filthy-rich tycoons who bought their way into the Kremlin. First they lost their power — now their cash. The high-powered gathering took place in the woods outside Moscow at a tsarist hunting lodge built, bizarrely, to look like a German medieval castle, now property of the Kremlin. Guarded by posses of armed bodyguards, Russia’s richest men arrived in chauffeur-driven Bentleys, armoured BMWs and the odd Maybach, a £300,000 custom-made limo. The chairman of TNK-BP, the Anglo-Russian oil giant, Fridman, 44, is one of the most successful pioneers of post-Soviet capitalism, a veteran of the wildest times in the history of Russian business. “The term ‘oligarch’ as understood in the 1990s no longer applies in Russia. Big business has not had real political influence for a long time — not since Putin came to power. It was clear from the beginning that Putin is a decisive person who won’t tolerate political manipulation on the part of big business.” A native of Ukraine who grew up listening to Radio Liberty, Fridman was 17 when he moved to Moscow as an impoverished student. He started out in business under communism by bartering theatre tickets for goods on the black market. He later founded one of the Soviet Union’s early private businesses, trying everything — even breeding white laboratory mice — until he started a window-cleaning company. That was the first stepping stone to his Alfa Group, an oil, retail, telecoms and banking conglomerate.


Broadwater pensioners fight price hike: Broadwater pensioners claim they are being unfairly treated over plans to hike their living costs by 30 per cent. Tom Wye believes the planned increases on maintenance payments, from £104 a month to £130, will make the lives of around 60 elderly residents at Penrith Court, in Broadwater Street East, very difficult. "I honestly believe these pensioners are getting a raw deal," said Mr Wye. "And given the current financial climate they are being exposed to unnecessary financial hardship." Residents were outraged when they received a letter from management company Guardian Facilities outlining the increases and plans to stop using a local window cleaner and replace him with a national contractor.

Another installment from Mark Strange of "Beautiful View" from Toronto, Canada gives us a few more unbiased reviews of products in the window cleaners workplace. This time his opinion on the Unger Vice-Versa & the Backflip from Ettore in this weeks edition of "Tool Talk."




A short clip of high rise window cleaning of "Servico building maintenance, window cleaning division..

Dan of Professional Window Cleaning Services from Worcestershire shows us how he does it..

Pimp Your Ettore Contour-Pro Squeegee to Clip-less

Ettore Contour-Pro lovers may find this a useful modification to their beloved squeegee handle. Why Ettore didn't make it so it could hold clip-less channels the first time round makes me wonder? Ettore never got back to me as promised either! You may remember a previous blog where Mark Strange from Toronto, Canada talked about the benefits of this unique tool.

First of all to DIY or pimp your "Contour-Pro" you will need a Ettore Master Stainless steel squeegee, usually one of the cheapest on the market (4 quid/$6) - & it comes complete with handle & channel. What you are going to do is swap the holding plate over with the Contour-Pro one.

Just remember to take the nuts off slowly & don't loose the springs & note the pins that go in to the nuts as shown in the first picture. Click the pictures to enlarge the photo & read the writing.