Wagtail Giant Gets Two Interviews

The Wagtail giant pictured here slinging a squeegee on the side of the old Wagtail warehouse in Sydney, with Willie Wagtail on the right.

This interview was taken from Window Cleaning Business Owner Magazine Issue # 3 (December 2012). Remember, you can re-read older issues of window cleaning business owner online here for free.

 When I was asked to interview Willie Wagtail, owner of Wagtail Pivotal Tools, it was like asking a soccer fan if he’d like to interview Pele or a baseball fan if he’d like to meet Babe Ruth! I’ve owned every one of Willies squeegee’s since they’ve arrived on the scene & I’m besotted with them! It’s now my squeegee of choice – I always carry an 14” & 18” Wagtail on every job when I’m not using a WFP.  The time saving that window cleaners gain are tremendous & without the loss of quality to boot.  The French/Colonial windows I used to hate cleaning have now become enjoyable to clean using just one of his tools, the 6” “Flipper” & I’m finding a whole range more of possibilities when I normally reach for the WFP. Yes – they are that rapid! Being relatively easy to master, they are the must-have tool for any window cleaner worth his salt. The range of Wagtails are usually mastered within an hour even for the slowest window cleaner.

When Willie mentioned on one of the forums that he had signed up a booth for the ISSA show in Amsterdam earlier in 2010, it was my excuse to go over & meet him. You couldn’t meet a nicer guy, his excitement for the products & people he meets shows through. It was a hard task to get to talk to him because his booth at the trade show usually had around twenty people queuing up waiting to try out his Wagtails. He had some pretty impressive prototypes on display as well – some of which you can read about below. Many window cleaners don’t know that his tools are also famous for cleaning floors as well as cleaning windows. If you haven’t tried one yet, you can find Wagtail tools just waiting to be bought in the WCR shop. Don’t delay, these tools will UP your speed & give you increased earning power over the competition & embarrassingly so, as well.

When did you start window cleaning & when did you leave to become an inventor of squeegees?

I started window cleaning in 1979 after I returned from a two year working holiday in Europe.

Do you still keep your hand in & go out window cleaning in Sydney with your brother Peter now & again?

Once a year I go out window cleaning with my brother’s crew and once a year with my friend Eugene from “No Streaks Window Cleaning.” The sole purpose is to keep up with techniques and try out new inventions.

So the Wagtail squeegee was named after a famous Australian bird? Does it have a deeper meaning?

It definitely has a deeper meaning; the Wagtail bird constantly wags its tail similar to the action of my squeegees. Secondly, my nick-name since birth was Willie and the bird is properly named the Willy Wagtail.

What was your thought process behind designing the Wagtail squeegee?

Since I was primarily a shop window cleaner, the use of poles was essential. To get a perfect result, continual horizontal strokes were needed i.e. the S - stroke on a pole and also by hand. From this, the Wagtail Pivot was invented!

The switch to make Wagtails to a lighter plastic more than traditionally used metals was a touch of genius. Was that a Eureka moment?

I started window cleaning in my 20’s and by the time I was 30 I started getting arm and wrist strain due to the heavy tools, so I started buying really cheap lightweight squeegees and converting them to be strong and durable. My Eureka moment came when I was using one of these squeegees and my new invention “the multi lockable pivot“broke and resulted in this loose constant pivot.

How did you come up with the idea for a pivot handle?

I saw the advantages of a swivel handle but I was unimpressed with these as a hand held. They were either too loose or too tight, so I obsessed with the idea of a controllable pivot.

Was ergonomics a major process in your thinking when you designed the squeegee or was it solely for speed?

I had five guys working for me and we were all about 40 when we all developed different forms of arm strain. My carpal tunnel was so bad that I sold my business to these guys and opened up a retail store with Indonesian furniture and artefacts. This store was unsuccessful so I needed to return to window cleaning. I was 40 years old, broke, injured and aging so I needed an edge to regain my window cleaning business.

Within a week I developed the Wagtail Pivot; I gathered my brother Peter and a team of professionals and entered a business plan competition at a local university. We won the five thousand dollar first prize and my invention was selected to be exhibited at the new technology museum in Sydney (Powerhouse Museum).

I see the Wagtail is banned from speed window cleaning events – are you annoyed?

The Wagtail squeegee is undoubtedly faster than any other squeegee so yes, we are extremely upset. I was even prevented from entering a T.V. Show; “Guinness World Records” after the producer was informed by the Guinness Book that only fixed squeegees can be used. In one way it is proof that we are the unfair advantage by providing a pivot.

Thousands of window cleaners now have relief from wrist, shoulder & arm pain – is this something you would like to be remembered for?
My father was a doctor and so to develop a tool that prevented injuries was the pinnacle for me being “the black sheep of the family.” Unfortunately he died just before we won the business plan and International awards.
 
Where do you keep all your international trophies & awards for the Wagtail? Above the fireplace?
I keep my gold medal in an Antiquarian Leather Book Case but all the other awards are in a box ready for when we own a factory with a beautiful foyer.

Would you say a Wagtail is all a traditional window cleaner needs in his arsenal to clean windows?
Absolutely, they are more versatile, lighter and faster. Sometimes when there is pole work on narrow windows above thirty feet you need to tighten the pivot for the straight pull. For this reason we developed the adjustable tension in the pivot mechanism.

High-rise window cleaners cottoned on to the Wagtail long before the rest of us – why?
My brother Peter owns a large high-rise window cleaning company and he became very successful due to the fact that all his employees outperformed competition due to using the Wagtail. Peter will state that reach is all important when you are abseiling and the Wagtail has more reach than any other squeegee. 

The Burj Khalifa in Dubai (tallest building in the world) started using your squeegees – that was a coup! Did you send them Wagtails?
In Australia most high rise window cleaners use Wagtails and it was an Australian company that was commissioned to clean this building first. Luckily, they used their Wagtails for the television reporting of the cleaning of the building’s windows.

How many variations of the Wagtail squeegee do you have now?
Orbital, Blue Ribbon, Flipper, One Pass, Whirlwind, and Swoop makes six.

I thought the “Blue Ribbon” squeegee was a major improvement over the previous. Why the change in design?
Although the first Wagtail was lighter than other squeegees, it was still a little heavy for older window cleaners like my self. Also the channel was wider and did not fit into the BOAB so I set out to design a strong ultra light squeegee that was capable of using other brands of channels.
 
The Wagtail “Whirlwind” came with a change of pad. Was that a design change to provide more scrubbing power?
The jury is out for this one, the Whirlwind is really good at scrubbing and water retention however it is slightly heavier than the Flipper. I think the Whirlwind is the ideal tool for the really dirty windows encountered on high-rise and residential windows.

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What brand of squeegee did you use before the Wagtail & why? Ettore squeegee were the only professional squeegees available in Australia when I started. They were robust good squeegees for that time, but heavy! 

You have a new “one pass” squeegee (the Swoop) about to be released, how does this differ from previous Wagtails? Apart from weight I think that glide is very important to prevent what I call cigars (little water lines at the end of a swirl). The new Swoop, provides more glide and hence more washing power in a single action. I believe this to be the Holy Grail of the Squeegee. Additionally there is always a need to pre-wash the very top edges and corners of a window and for this we provide the pad to flip in front of the squeegee blade similar to the Flipper. This new tool will wash and wipe simultaneously due to the one inch wide base extension. 

How long has the “one pass” Swoop Wagtail been tested for? How much quicker is it than the previous Wagtail design? Is this a “game changer” for window cleaners? Years of research have gone into this tool but we have only field tested this since the release of a very successful launch at ISSA Amsterdam of just the prototype!! It is faster and more versatile than all previous models. I think it is the pinnacle of all the tools designed by Wagtail. 

How long does a product you invent take to get from drawing board to release normally? The “Pivotool” (a dual purpose domestic window/floor tool) took three years of constant design (in house university trained designer) and prototype work. Prototypes were more than ten thousand dollars and tooling were tens of thousands of dollars. This tool failed in the television infomercial world and all that money was lost. Now it is my job to make prototypes and we only go to a designer when we are absolutely sure of its potential. It takes now about a year to get into production since our “Pivotool” misadventure. 

Who is your tester for Wagtail products? Does he work with your brother Peter in Sydney? New inventions are tested comprehensively by a professional window cleaner in Sydney for domestic homes and storefronts and the “Window Cleaning Company” of Sydney for high-rise. However most of my friends are window cleaners with very interesting backgrounds. One was invited to and rejected Mensa, another quit university after receiving distinctions and my brother Peter studied Engineering in Switzerland. When I give these guys my latest inventions I get amazing feedback. 

I’m a big fan of some of your other products, namely the “Angle Arm” & the “Bucket Clip.” Why do window cleaners not hear about these so much? The “Angle Arm” is a huge success for us, but we are not noted for our marketing and when a product is not received well by our distributors - like the “Bucket Clip,” we are unable to get it into the hands of a window cleaner.  The “Bucket Clip” is my most underestimated invention as it serves two huge problems; one keeping the bucket handles higher, thereby not having to bend down to far to pick up the bucket and the built in extractor holds the squeegee or applicator upright and extracts water when needed. 

I’ve actually tried the Wagtail “Whirlwind” on floors myself – it became huge in Australia – why not the rest of the World? Standards of floor cleaning around the world are appalling if you think about it compared to window cleaning. I believe hospital diseases such as MRSA are due to poor floor and bench cleaning hygiene. We have some really large organizations and hospitals interested but they take forever to change their habits, one day the world will clean floors with a squeegee. 

The Wagtail “Pivoting Wet Scraper” is another time saver, what sizes are they supplied in? The “Pivoting Wet Scraper” is being trialled and if successful we will introduce the final version and in different sizes. 

When I saw your new “bucket-on-a-belt” prototype at the ISSA show in Amsterdam you were thinking of calling it the “close to me bag,” because of its snug fitting. We laughed because it could get known as the Colostomy bag. Have you got a new name for it yet? Funny, we did not have the courage to call it the “Close to Me bag” but all the guys using them call it this! The official name is “Hip Dipper” and it will be released later this year with new stronger plastic. 

This will be the lightest “bucket-on-a-belt” ever seen – did you plan it this way? Weight is always important but the squeezing of solution to the middle of the mop is the best quality of this invention. Comfort of a flexible bag also was important. 

Who do you admire in the window cleaning world? Other manufactures are not my idols, they just copy, but guys like Karl Robinson, Lambrinides brothers and Mark Henderson are taking the profession of window cleaning to new levels. 

What’s the one window cleaning invention you wished you had thought of? I really struggle with this one but I suppose the whole water fed pole industry is moving at great new levels each year. I wish we were more involved. 

Are there any other tools that you are working on for the immediate future? I would really like to divulge this one but there are too many creative window cleaners out there. Being obsessive I am working night and day on something really simple but to engineer it is a nightmare. I have made working prototypes but manufacturing this concept is the sticking point. 

If you weren’t a window cleaner/inventor what do you think you would have ended up doing? Stockbroking or a real estate agent was my goals. 

Where do you see window cleaning in ten years time? The future of window cleaning is what I work on day and night so I can only see the Wagtail pivoting tools being the major window cleaning equipment for the professional. 

What do you find time for outside window cleaning? We live right on the Sydney harbour so most of my spare time is either on our kayaks, walking the dogs or I take my daughter Hannah to Equestrian competitions. I also own and deal in antiquarian books specializing in leather bound English authors. 

Do you clean your own windows? Or do your daughters get put to use? Believe it or not I do clean our windows at least twice a week but not for the view, just to test new concepts.

Willie Erken relaxing at home on the waterfront in Sydney, Australia.

Willie Erken of Wagtail speaks to Window Cleaning Magazine: Wagtail Cleaning Tools became established in 1998 by inventor and window cleaner Willie Erken, Australia. Since then, Wagtail has took the world by storm with the innovative idea of a patented ‘wag’ motion together with light materials that offers the user an ergonomic dream. Wagtail squeegees are regarded as the fastest window cleaning tools in the world! The Wagtail range continues to expand with the latest squeegee released, the Wagtail PC. We catch up with Willie to ask him about the PC, but first we dive a little into the history and thoughts of this great inventor. Lee Burbidge from Window Cleaning Magazine UK asks the questions..

WCM: Hi Willie, thanks for taking time out to speak with us. Wow, what a journey you have had. Did you think your tools would have the high worldwide recognition as they do today? Are you surprised at the success of the Wagtail range?

WE: The Wagtail Squeegee has taken a long time to be recognized but in the last year it has become almost impossible to keep up with supply. The action of a Wagtail Squeegee is very different to all other squeegees and so it takes the cleaner a while to get used to the faster motion and free moving pivot until they have mastered it.

WCM: The Wagtail is an excellent tool, however, it comes into its own fixed to the end of a pole for storefronts. This is no accident since you window cleaned storefronts for many years, right?

WE: I cleaned storefronts for twenty years before I had the courage to take on abseiling work. I guess most of my experience and what I relate to is the larger panes of glass. That said, it was a huge surprise to me that my pivoting squeegee designed for a pole was equally as good as a hand held tool.

WCM: The reaches of these tools are amazing.

WE: This is one of the most under rated benefits and it is difficult to demonstrate how much extra reach you get. Especially for tall window cleaners because when they bend down it is fatiguing but for us shorties it is nice to reach further.

WCM: There must have been a time when you made your first ‘crude’ test squeegee to use on your storefronts or did you go straight into properly manufacturing test samples for refining?

WE: I made literally hundreds of prototypes (still do) and once I was happy, I engaged a product designer. When I first started this it was really expensive because prototyping and designers were a rare commodity.

WCM: Briefly, give us the benefits of your tools.

WE: The benefits of Wagtail squeegees are several; They take the effort out of the “S” Stroke by

assisting the turn with a well-positioned pivot. Pole work becomes precise and easy. Overwhelmingly they are a faster action squeegee. The weight of a squeegee is very important if you think that a window cleaner cleans at least two hundred panes of glass each day so we keep our squeegees as light as possible.

WCM: Where did the pivot idea come from?

WE: When I started window cleaning I came up with a very crude universal joint for a washer and others quickly copied this. Then 3M produced the Doodle Bug and that was my lesson learnt. I fixated about different types of universal fixtures and realised that changing the angles created huge benefits. However my first squeegee invention was actually an angled pivot with a series of locks, these broke within ten minutes and I was left to clean with this broken squeegee until I realised it was

actually better “this was my pivotal moment”.

WCM: “Pivotal moment”, we love that. What did you think when you got the idea to work? I mean, it is hard to improve things sometimes. Thinking out of the box must come with some satisfaction?

WE: Unbelievable satisfaction and being a dreamer I thought I would be a billionaire (wish now I stuck to my day job) Seriously, I knew it was a great idea so I entered a post graduate business plan course with a team of five and we won the state prize worth five thousand dollars. From there we made some huge business mistakes but the squeegee was still the best squeegee around and so I just stubbornly stuck to my guns and kept producing window cleaning equipment.

WCM: Tell us why Dr Austin S Adams of The University of New South Wales carried out an independent ergonomic report of Wagtail tools?

WE: We applied for a government grant to produce professional window cleaning equipment and part of that criteria in order to be accepted was to convince the judges of the ergonomic benefits. Dr Austin Adams, Senior Ergonomics Lecturer was engaged to write a report just so that we could get a grant. The really exciting thing that happened here is that this academic actually saw the benefits and requested to take this report to a world ergonomic symposium. He said that if he could take this report there would be no charge, eureka!

WCM: The great thing about the Wagtail range and the design is, not only does it assist in preventing injury but it is also designed to make you more money used in your window cleaning business. Tell me about that - was that an accident?

WE: Window cleaning, when I started, was all about money per hour (productivity) and when the average wage earner was getting eight dollars per hour we were getting thirty. It then became sixty with the faster equipment. From the very first day I started window cleaning my only obsession was to improve tools and their functions.

WCM: The report is very interesting and very detailed, may we put this in our document resource file for WCM readers to access and read from our WCM website?

WE: Dr Austin Adams has become a great friend and I am sure that he would be honoured to see his work become recognized in a non-academic arena. He is now retired with a huge amount of prestigious work behind him. It would be our honour if this report he did for us would become world

recognized.

WCM: What was the process that you undertook with getting your first Wagtail to market and how well received was it initially? Window cleaners sometimes have a resistance to change or new ideas…. If it ‘aint broke why fix it, attitude?

WE: Actually, we had an amazing start. We took the tools to Amsterdam (Interclean 1998) where ALL the big guns of window cleaning wanted to buy the rights. Henry Unger, Michael Schmalik (Ettore), Julio Guizo (Pulex) and several others came to our stand. I am a stubborn bloke who thought he could do it all with the help of brother Peter and others. Unfortunately soon after our launch we needed too much capital to access the huge European and American markets. I spent the next ten years trying to regain that momentum.

WCM: How did the design and materials change over time? What were the stages?

WE: We changed the designs over the years to use lighter weight materials. The original nuts and bolts we used were made of brass and were too difficult to assemble and so I changed these to stainless steel. The extra benefit was that window cleaners could tighten (or loosen) the pivot on the job. Lighter weight slimline squeegees were introduced for extra ergonomic gain. Materials for washers changed as the micro fibres improved and we concentrated on weight reduction.

WCM: Had you ever sustained injury from fixed squeegee use?

WE: I certainly did, it almost ruined my career. I think that is what will affect most of your readers eventually. Using inferior muscles to do fine motor skills will always damage muscles and fixed squeegees all use these muscle groups.

WCM: So what is in the current range of tools?

WE: We now have an extensive range of tools, all relating to the pivot. Bucket clips, extractors, Pole Tips, Clips, Hip Dippers etc all assist the pivot action and ergonomic advantages.

WCM: Why so many variations of the tool?

WE: Every tool we make starts from a real need. My biggest aim is to deliver glide and ease. The squeegees are either Slimline for lightweight appeal and Orbital for rugged and floor work. Both squeegees have attachments to assist in glide and simultaneous wiping.

WCM: When it came to the rubber for the tools, what did you come up with and was there any unique challenges you had to over come?

WE: Rubber is so important because this is what a company is judged on and we set out to deliver a long lasting and gliding rubber. We had to overcome the marketing of all other brands that promised softer rubber when we in fact delivered harder rubber that lasted longer and had more glide. It stands to reason that the harder the rubber the better the glide but the message out there was the reverse. The final formula for our rubber is a closely held secret.

WCM: How do you test your products and how long do you test them for? I bet you have the cleanest windows at your home in Australia, don’t you? (Laughs)

WE: We live on the harbour and so our windows at home constantly get dirty but unfortunately we have an old federation house with the crappiest windows. I do clean them but our neighbour benefits most because I always clean their windows for our videos. I usually get a friend and obsessive window cleaner (with a very delicate touch) to test products before we make a decision. Peter Erken

my brother is the final hurdle; seriously, if he accepts an invention then it is celebration time.

WCM: What does it take to come up with an invention?

WE: Asking the question is the biggest inspiration. If there is a problem then I obsess and I mean obsess until I have a solution. I used to play chess with my sisters partner and we played for a whole day one match and this sort of direction is needed for invention or at least it is for me. Helen Erken sitting next to me now mentions also waking most nights with a new concept.

WCM: Your tools are used for floor cleaning as well. Can you tell us about that and what that range consists of?

WE: The Wagtail Orbital Squeegee is just the best floor squeegee ever and if you combine this with a mop then you have a tool that is as good on a floor as on a window. I invented the Pivotool that went on TV in England and America but because it was made in China it really did not have the industrial quality to interest industry and this is where you get credibility. We tried other manufacturing but we do not have the resources to compete with the multi-nationals.

WCM: Does Joe public by your tools or is it all professionals?

WE: Joe public were our main focus after a poor business decision to allow Australia’s largest cleaning supplier to be exclusive distributors. We went to all the Home shows in Australia but eventually I realized that it was the professional who will demand a tool that delivers. We quickly changed our components to the best we could find and now we are truly focused on professionals.

WCM: How many staff do you have as part of your team and where is your office based?

WE: Difficult to answer because we use outsourcing for most components. Assembly is in house until we make the necessary jigs to deliver a perfect outcome with Supported Employment factories. Plastic moulders are all over Sydney and we have a huge investment in tooling at various moulders. Aluminium is extruded and cut in Sydney. Our factory has a secret location due to the amount of intellectual property we are always working on. We have a very small and select team but the need to employ at least five more specialist are urgently required.

WCM: Tell us about the structure of the company. Is it still very much a family business?

WE: Wagtail is a proprietary limited company that is registered but really it is very much a family business.

WCM: You were trialling a pivotal wet scraper last time Karl Robinson interviewed you for WCBO (US), how did that go?

WE: Great, but we only sell these to the Japanese in large quantities. I think I have nailed the perfect scraper but we need one more month to re-launch this tool.

WCM: Tell us about other window cleaning products you guys sell.

• The Hip Dipper is a squeezable BOAB Bucket clip and extractor is essential if you
• have a rectangular bucket.
• Pole Cap is the only one that is fast to release and secure in work.
• Erkenomic Pole Tip probably the biggest breakthrough but in combination with the Curved Pivot Scrubber.

The working combination of these tools creates the world’s first 3D cleaning system.

WCM: Would you ever consider getting into the water fed pole business?

WE: Short answer? Yes.

WCM: Cool, we smell another exclusive for WCM on that. What other stuff are you working on?

WE: The most exciting thing ever - a 3 dimensional cleaning system and the most effective ever floor management tool.

WCM: Wagtail is a winner of many awards. It has won six International Product and Design Awards. What other awards have you guys won?

WE: Years ago, I was told by a business guru to get awards. So we did. They were easy because we had the courage to invent. International awards, Government Awards and business awards that were supported by ethical standards. That said, we just entered into a National Cleaning Association Award for Australia (with the PC) and we were overwhelming favourites with votes of five times our nearest rival until we were told that voting had no bearing at all in the judges decision. We withdrew our entry and we will never enter for awards again.

WCM: Speaking of the PC. We have been waiting to get to this point. You have just released a new tool called the Wagtail PC Pivot Tool. Can you talk us through this product?

WE: The PC is the most advanced squeegee ever; it delivers a better performance with an overhead nylon pivot and a selection of pivot ranges. The pivot range locator is also about to be included into the existing Wagtail Squeegees.

WCM: This squeegee has ‘gears’, why?

WE: The brass squeegee is still (unbelievably) the biggest selling squeegee in the world and we want to educate these users by introducing training wheels. The first locators are to give just a small advantage and by opening up the pivot range increases your speed. Limiting the pivot range can be a benefit for the user in many applications such as cleaning windows higher than six meters or cleaning the opposite side of a glass fence from above.

WCM: Tell us about the new Erkenomic poles?

WE: These poles have a compound angle (in fact three angles) to assist in turning, ledges, working lower than usual and giving a cranking advantage to the user.

WCM: We cannot wait to see the PC and Erkenomic pole up close for our readers. Again, many thanks for this interview and we look forward to speaking with you again.

Thanks to Lee Burbidge & Window Cleaning Magazine for supplying the interview.

The New Wagtail Pivot Control Squeegee (PC)

The New Wagtail Pivot Control Squeegee (PC). Click to enlarge.

Presenting the new Wagtail Pivot Control (PC). The PC is a new Wagtail squeegee invention that improves productivity, accuracy and ergonomics. A brand new patent pending squeegee. Willie Erken, owner of Wagtail Tools is claiming a 15% speed gain over his already lightning fast squeegees and a dramatic improvement in performance and detailing. Click here to go to the official Wagtail blog.

The new Wagtail PC (Pivot Control) with overhead collet gives more pressure on the window at extreme edges. This smoother nylon collet delivers a faster, frictionless and better force vectors where it counts. The best analogy would be to describe aeroplane wings, when the pilot turns he activates the opposite wings flaps to the desired direction. This is how our traditional Wagtail squeegee works however with the overhead collet there is direct pressure on the side in which you turn i.e. the left side channel will exert more pressure when you twist the handle to the left. 

Click to enlarge.

 The amazing result is that we can now use 30" slimlines without streaks, there is an incredible improvement at the turning point and far better rubber life. Pivot control is really important so we have introduced a pivot range from very small (first time users and high work) to gradually wider pivots. 

The Wagtail Squeegee Network excited members were given the first glimpse of the new squeegee & will get the first chance at using these amazing squeegees, just follow the instructions on the Wagtail facebook page to receive 50% off your order. And remember... it’s not clean till its Wagtail clean!

The new "Erkonomic" pole tip.

Introducing the Erkenomic pole tip. This latest tool from the ever growing Wagtail factory delivers advantages no other pole tip can give. The Erkenomic pole tip is a compound angle that gives a mechanical advantage when turning a squeegee reducing stress on the body when cleaning at a height. Opening up a world of possibilities, the pole tip can reach further, deeper ledges than not ever though reachable.

Window Cleaners In The News

Spot the Wagtail squeegee! Terry Koukoulis professional window cleaner with Greg Johnson

The good oil on window cleaning (Australia): Greg Johnson is the CEO of Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Catch up each week with his take on what's happening in and around the Toowoomba and Darling Downs business communities.

More admissions - I simply love cleaning windows! As usual I don't listen to advice, make up my own approach on most things. I simply spray on window cleaner, agitate it in with the reverse sponge side of the squeegee, squeegee off in many less-than- satisfactory strokes, use a wet cloth to get moisture out of the corners of the window and a dry cloth to go over the entire surface. Looks good, but when the sun hits the window the tell tale trails of the squeegee show up. Nevertheless, if the sun isn't on the window it still looks pretty good. Another approach I've heard of is to use methylated spirits and newspaper, now that doesn't make sense.

So imagine my joy when I encountered professional window cleaner Terry Koukoulis as he went about his craft on the Oxygen Café windows in Ruthven Street. Here was an expert - cool, calm, confident and calculating. I realized this was my chance to finally take professional advice on this important matter and say goodbye to blotchy windows. Terry is from Wollongong and has lived here for four years and two weeks, a fairly precise response I thought. He services the CBD, Toowoomba, Crows Nest, Oakey and Gatton and has thirty clients who use either a weekly or monthly service.

He knows a thing or two about glass and plies is craft under the very clever name, "TerryFic Solar and Window Cleaning." He charges around $20 for a small shop and around $100 for a house. Always the diversifier he's gone into solar panels too and reckons they should be cleaned annually and that dirty panels can reduce solar efficiency by around 25%. Are here are his secret ingredients - add "Morning Fresh" (now there's a plug) washing up detergent to a bucket of water, agitate the sponge side of the applicator on the window surface scrubbing off the "uglies", squeegee off in one operatic action never leaving the surface, and use a dry cloth to do the corners.

Ex-Marine stops in Fayetteville as part of cross-country walk to promote veterans issues: No stranger to Fayetteville, former Marine Mac McQuown made an unusual return to the city he once called home on Saturday. McQuown, dressed head to toe in Marine Corps camouflage, walked into the city while pulling a hand cart. The veteran is walking across the nation -- to each of the 50 state capitals -- in an effort to raise funds and awareness for veterans. On Saturday, McQuown reached mile number 864 at the Airborne & Special Operations Museum and began a six-day stay in the city, which will include at least one public appearance.

McQuown, who lived in Fayetteville as recently as three years ago and once owned Top Gun Window Cleaning, was greeted by a small crowd of onlookers, mostly museum guests attracted by McQuown and his escort -- a Fayetteville fire engine. Looking like a man with unlimited energy, McQuown declined rest and instead engaged the crowd -- shaking hands, posing for pictures and talking about his cause. McQuown said he plans to walk about 15,000 miles on his trek. He's raising money for the nonprofit Project Foot, which serves homeless veterans and military families. "Our veterans were not getting the recognition they deserve," McQuown said when asked why he was making his journey. "There's more attention on celebrities and their drug problems. This is my way of politely getting in people's faces and saying, 'You have to remember.' "

So far, McQuown has visited four state capitals, including Raleigh. He's now headed to Columbia, S.C., and has been on the road for almost five months. McQuown said he expects to walk between five or six years, covering about 10 miles a day. Harvey E. Stewart Sr., president of the Cumberland County Veterans Council, was among those at the museum to greet McQuown on Saturday. "If he's going to walk 15,000 miles, believe me, I can come over here and meet him," Stewart said. "It takes a man with a big heart to do what he's doing for the veterans that passed and the veterans still fighting."

Window cleaner, Caleb Morley (centre) with training buddies L-R Stefan Northfield and James Farmer.

'Tough guy' window cleaner raising funds for disabled childrens charity: A window cleaner is taking part in a gruelling physical challenge to raise money for a charity that works with disabled children. Caleb Morley, 26, of Lions of London, is taking part in the Tough Guy competition to raise funds for Yadapa (Young and Disabled and Positively Artistic). He will crawl through barbed wire, dart through fire and splash through freezing water, along with thousands of other competitors.

Mr Morley, who lives in New Malden but trains at a small gym in Epsom, searched online for children’s disability charities in Kingston and found Yadapa, which runs after-school events and weekend activities. He said: “I’m very hot on local issues. I was just searching the net trying to find somebody in Kingston do so something with disabled children. “I love football and rugby and it breaks my heart when people are unable to do something. “I’m excited. There’s no question of not completing the race. I’ve got to do it.”

The charity has been looking for a home, with space and a disabled loo, since the council closed the Crescent and Causeway centres in New Malden last September. The Nettle Warrior Tough Guy competition takes place on July 15 in Wolverhampton. To support Caleb go here.

Toledo Fire Department Lt. Doug Palicki hangs upside down about 40 feet in the air before landing with both feet firmly on the ground.

Firefighters turn aerialists to keep sharp in saving lives: Toledo fire Lt. Doug Palicki flipped upside down, hanging from a sturdy orange rope, about 40 feet above the ground. He slid down the rope before righting himself and landing with both feet firmly on the floor of Huntington Center. "Basic techniques," he said as he stood. The lieutenant was one of 12 firefighters from the Toledo Fire and Rescue Department who spent several hours Monday morning doing technical rope and high-angle training -- rappelling from rafters nearly 100 feet from the ground.

The members of the department's regional Technical Rope Rescue Team, from Stations 18 and 5, were out of service during the training, which allowed them to focus on technique instead of having to break for fire or medical runs, said fire Lt. Matthew Hertzfeld. The team does formal trainings about four times a year, Lieutenant Hertzfeld said, but does in-station training -- such as practicing knot tying -- every month. Although it's been about three years since the team was dispatched -- they responded to a fatal crash at an embankment off Brim Drive in North Toledo -- the team can be used in situations such as rescuing window washers or pulling a crash victim over an embankment.

James McGraw, right,owner of Fish Window Cleaning Service and his son Todd cleaned the windows at Anna's Linens in Harbison Tuesday morning.

Benedict center nurtures minority firms: When 65-year-old James McGraw lost his job at the Winnsboro Mack Truck plant nearly 10 years ago, he knew he still needed to work. So he turned to Benedict College Business Development Center — then just a startup itself — to help him start his own business. And two months ago, after years of renting low-cost space in the business incubator, McGraw was able to buy his own 15,000-square-foot building on Two Notch Road to house his Fish Window Cleaning franchise and Do Right Cleaning janitorial service. None of it would have been possible, McGraw said, had it not been for the Business Development Center, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

Set in the heart of a Columbia revitalization zone, it aims to help small and minority-owned businesses from its vantage point at the corner of Read Street and Two Notch Road — across from the college’s marquee Charlie W. Johnson Stadium. “One of the great benefits of starting that (window cleaning) business was that I was able to occupy rental space at the Business Development Center,” McGraw said. Without that, the Fairfield County entrepreneur said, he doubts he would have survived. “We not only became renters no more — we actually became owners,” McGraw said. “I stayed there long enough to actually acquire my own property. After almost 10 years, I felt comfortable moving out, creating my own (free-standing) business.”

Established in 2002, the center is described as the brainchild of Benedict College’s Harvard-educated president, David H. Swinton. It's goal is to promote and encourage development among new and expanding businesses, particularly among disadvantaged businesses, school officials say. The ultimate vision is for more jobs and a stronger minority business base in the Columbia area. “I think this is more than just the sum of its parts,” said Darlene Booth-Bell, executive director of the Business Development Center. She said the center brings a certain synergy to the neighborhood, helping to spur business along the corridor. McGraw himself moved just three blocks away.

The center provides such key, but costly business services as secretarial and accounting support, computers and conference rooms, as well as marketing assistance and financial planning. It was financed by a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and primarily is supported by the college, officials said. The center sometimes sees up to 30 budding entrepreneurs a quarter, Booth-Bell said. “The number of people who come here, I think at least tells me that people feel like they are helped here,” said Booth-Bell, also a Benedict College School of Business professor. “They may not know a lot about business, but if I can just establish and continue to establish the reputation that this is a place you can go to get started, and to really sort of figure out the lay of the land, then I’m happy with that.”

Some business incubators’ success is measured in terms of how many businesses “go public,” Booth-Bell said, referring to companies that sell ownership shares to the public to raise capital and become publicly traded. “We don’t look at that. We’re looking at micro-enterprises. That’s our specialty,” she said. Nearly 78 percent of all small businesses, defined as those employing 500 or fewer workers, actually have no employees in South Carolina, according to the Small Business Administration, and most have fewer than 20 employees.

Morgan, a window cleaner from the Mounts in Northampton, admits to eating cake more regularly than most.

Muffin man Morgan Punter explains his love of cakes: Morgan Punter loves cakes. Ever since he took a Saturday job in Oliver Adams when he was at school he has had a more than average enthusiasm for them and now he has written a whimsical book on the subject.  “Cakes need to be given a voice and this book intends in its own small way to do just that,” he writes in the introduction. Much Ado About Muffin is a self-published book available through Lulu.com, but it is not just about muffins and it is not a recipe book. It is a series of small essays and stories taking a fanciful and quirky look at all aspects of cake.

It includes Morgan’s assessment of the various varieties of cake, from jam tarts. “I always feel sorry for jam tarts. They’re the kind of cake people only buy if they wander into a bakery without realising they’ve only got 40p and just feel to embarrassed to walk out empty handed.” – to the vanilla slice. “The vanilla slice has always had me befuddled. How do you eat a vanilla slice without the cream spurting out everywhere and causing general distress to your trousers?... My personal favourite is to take a deep breath and try and eat it in one gargantuan mouthful.”

Morgan, a window cleaner from the Mounts in Northampton, admits to eating cake more regularly than most. He enjoys baking and has even made wedding cakes for family members. He thinks interest in cakes and baking is growing. The slim paperback is something to dip into now and then, Morgan said: “People may like it because it’s quite short and sweet, a little refreshment for five minutes.”

Free Wagtail Swoop Picks Up Momentum For Window Cleaners

The new Wagtail Swoop is taking the window cleaning world by storm. You won't believe it until you try it! The benefits:

• Fastest Squeegee out there: Quicker by half yet again
• Can be used as a true one-pass squeegee, just wet the sleeve & squeegee normally
• Can be flipped independently in one action as applicator/scrubber & then squeegee
• Less detailing due to construction
• Pad clips off for easy washing
• Superior rubber
• Great for inside work and solar panel cleaning
• Clean with less weight than a normal applicator/scrubber
• Ergonomic design to reduce wrist, elbow & shoulder strain
• Faster accurate cleaning with an extension pole
• Wagtail Swoop is now regarded as the fastest window cleaning tool in the world

John the Brit who lives & works in Germany shows off the Swoop in all it's glory in the video above. Only owning a Swoop for a few days, John manages to show how versatile the Swoop can be & reckons every professional window cleaner should have one in his arsenal.

I'm giving away Wagtail Swoops for professional window cleaners that are serious about window cleaning every week while stocks last. Just leave a comment on the Robinson-Solutions facebook page. Choose either 14" or 18" & I'll message you if you're a winner. N.B; The Swoops I give away are with the yellow pad for finer detailing.

Also available to buy from these outlets - click to go.

5 Minutes With A Free Wagtail Whirlwind (Mexico Edition)

Just to cheese everyone off as the weather gets slightly worse, I thought I'd add this video showing a sunny climate! So I was in Cancun, Mexico earlier this year for a little down time from window cleaning. On my previous trips to the Caribbean including Mexico & the Dominican Republic, I'd always seen the workers clean the windows at frightening slow speeds & with barely a rubber left in their squeegee that it was ruining my holiday. I even took the squeegee off them a few times & showed them how it was done - & also wished I'd taken the workers a decent squeegee to play with. 

Or was it a ruse? The worse equipment they had, the slower the workers would get the job done & so the time it would take them would also keep them in a job? So it was with a spring in my step that I ventured over this time with a Wagtail Whirlwind in my hand & collared the nearest window cleaner hoping to add a smile to his day. The results are shown below with Max, who took to the Wagtail like a fish to water. Only after a few minutes, he was sticking the Wagtail on a pole (if you can call it that) & off he went! Nearing the end of my holiday I caught up with Max down by the beach bar. He said that he had cut his time in half by using the Wagtail & now had time to cool off with a drink in the shade!

I'm giving away a pair of 14" & 18" Wagtail Whirlwinds today on this blog. Just send an email to Robinson-Solutions@telefonica.net with the subject tile of "free wagtail" & I'll pick at random one lucky winner from the auto number generator to see who wins. Please rate the above video on You Tube here if you liked it. Thanks, Karl.

Wagtail at the ISSA Conference Amsterdam

The ISSA/INTERCLEAN conference 2010 is starting this Monday (Monday 26th to Thursday 29th) in Amsterdam, Netherlands at the RAI in cooperation with ISSA (The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association). This is the largest international trade show for the cleaning industry with the ISSA running a series of educational seminars tackling the most contemporary themes in the cleaning sector. Entirely in line with current developments, sustainability is a recurring subject. Other subjects include the impact of the global economic crisis, legislation and regulation, global measuring and quality systems, and how hygiene can combat health problems. The full list of 657 Exhibitors can be seen here. With an expected 80,000 visitors & roughly 20,000 people a day - this is promising to be the biggest cleaning event this year.

"Willie Wagtail" (pictured) & his line of well known cleaning tools aka THE WAGTAILS will also be attendance all the way from Sydney, Australia. Willie also has three new products coming on to the market! Watch this blog for more news - Willie is hoping they will be on show for the event. Mum's the word for now - hopefully I can get some footage over the next week live from the show. If you haven't already signed up for the newsletter, do so now & have a chance to win some 14" & 18" Wagtail Whirlwinds!

Wagtail Winner & Other Window Cleaning News

This weeks winner of the Wagtail Whirlwind 14" & 18" channels goes to Ian Wilson of "Ian Wilson Window Cleaning" from Portsmouth who says "I am really looking forward to adding to my squeegee collection." Ian adds "I started window cleaning part time in 2007 using traditional methods, then went full time in 2008." "I also added water fed pole cleaning at this time." "I work on my own so safety is important." "I like doing traditional pole work, so wagtails will be great to use." Ian was lucky enough to win through the "Window-Tools Forum" on spotting the offer & was the first one to answer posting a picture of himself in his gear (pictured). Wagtail Squeegees are regarded as the fastest window tools in the world - using either extension pole or arm. Sign up now to the newsletter to be included in the coming months giveaway.

A guide to volcanic car care: With meteorologists predicting that the volcanic ash that has disrupted travel for the past week will now fall to earth, it could now present a further problem - for our cars. The ash spewed into the atmosphere by Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano is composed of microscopic particles of rock, which is an irregular shape and particularly hard. If rubbed against the surface of paintwork or glass, it is known to be abrasive, and the acidity could cause corrosion to exposed metals. Motorists who encounter ash on their cars are likely to use the wipers, which could scratch the windshield and require costly repairs. First reported here, specifically for window cleaners.

Make sure you have your scratch waivers or this could happen...

Window washer caused $85k in damages, insurer says: An insurance company has filed suit against a window washer that it claims caused more than $80,000 worth of damages to one of its insured's buildings. Selective Insurance Company of America claims Shell Community Federal Credit Union located at 101 Lakin Boulevard in Wood River hired defendant Bruce Hill doing business as Clearview Window Cleaning to clean its windows on June 14, 2007. According to the complaint filed April 14 in Madison County Circuit Court, Hill somehow damaged Shell Community Federal Credit Union, although the suit does not specify how he damaged the building. Because of Hill's damage, Selective Insurance was forced to pay $85,262, the suit states. In addition to the money it says it paid to Shell Community Federal Credit Union, Selective Insurance Company seeks costs. Elaine LeChien of The Law Offices of LeChien and LeChien in Belleville will be representing it. Madison County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-419.

Tips for handling broken window glass: As part of National Window Safety Week, which ends today, experts offer these tips for handling broken window glass:
Do not pick up broken pieces of glass with bare hands. Put on heavy leather or safety gloves before handling glass pieces, and try to sweep or vacuum up as much of the broken glass as possible without touching it.
To clean up small particles of glass, use several thicknesses of wet paper towels and then discard them safely. Cloth napkins, cloth towels, sponges or ordinary mops should not be used for cleanup because they can harbor tiny glass particles.
If the glass in a window gets broken, check several factors before trying to replace the glass yourself. Some windows have insulating glass units that contain harmless argon gas that helps in the window's energy efficiency. A replacement unit that perfectly matches the original window should be ordered and possibly installed by a professional.

It is one of the best-known views in Lancashire. But one parking warden got mixed up between a busy Preston retail park overlooked by Deepdale's iconic floodlights and a quiet terraced street in Wigan. Window cleaner Gary McPartland, 34, of Ashton, admits he was in the wrong when he parked his van in a disabled bay at the Deepdale Shopping Park, but is disputing the ticket which claims he was parked 21 miles away on Manor Street, Wigan. Now, he is being threatened with a court date and a fine of nearly £400 by debt collectors appointed by Central Ticketing Ltd, which handed him the ticket on Christmas Eve last year, if he does not pay up.
The father-of-two said: "I even got them to send me a picture they had taken of my van outside the Argos on the retail park and you can see the floodlights at Deepdale and all the shops in the background. "When I rang up about it, I told them that and said that football stadiums do not move about at all, so how could it be a street in Wigan? "They just said that I was parked where I should not have been, which I have never disputed - but I am not parked where they say I am." He is appealing for "a bit of common sense" arguing that he was only parked in the bay for a matter of minutes while he nipped into a store to pick up a last-minute present for his mother.
Gary said: "The car park was thick with ice and there were plenty of other bays available, so it was not like I was taking up the only disabled bay there or anything. "You do not have to be a genius to realise that I am not parked in Wigan, I think it just needs a bit of common sense." A spokesman for Central Ticketing said that it had an appeals process which any motorist which wishes to dispute a ticket is able to use. It has since passed the debt on to debt collection agency Roxburghe, in Surrey, which has increased the fine to £183 and threatened to double it if Mr McPartland fails to pay up. A spokesman for the agency told the Evening Post they were unable to discuss details of his claim with anyone other than Mr McPartland.

The Water Fed Pole Training Academy came across a nice little combo lately. This Pole Sprayer can be fitted to any standard aerosol spray can. Apply sealants or paints 20 feet high or more without your feet leaving the ground. You could even fill a refillable aerosol spray can with your own window cleaner or "traffic film remover for those difficult windows at high altitude, found here. You may remember a blog about a similar pole sprayer a while back here.

The likely effects on London if all window cleaners went on strike is a matter worth your consideration. Window cleaning is a service that is necessary to the livelihood and the health of the city of London. It is true that not many people would think of window cleaning in the same way that they may think about rubbish collection or street cleaners; however, they should. One may think that it would be easy to replace a window cleaning crew with those that hold general maintenance positions. Modern Commercial window cleaning is far more involved than most people consider it to be.
The people that professionally clean windows understand that they will most likely be required to deal with heights. They also understand that streaking and spots are unacceptable. It’s more than just clean windows you’re worrying about. Without their service, imagine sitting in a restaurant with filth, slime, or crud crusted onto the window. Imagine how the consumers would feel about their experience. Bird droppings on mass are a health hazard and a violation of city ordinance.
Or if you were trying to rent office space in a building, it is doubtful that anyone would be impressed by the dirtiness of the windows. Many people rent office space or apartments for the view that can be seen from the windows. If the windows are dirty there is a high likeliness that people may reject the property due to the dirtiness of the windows alone. It gives the impression there is more than just window cleaning issues. Clean windows and clean properties just look more professional and attractive. Window cleaning is a service that many industries and commercial properties rely on. Although it is something that is easily taken for granted, it is a profession that no city can do without.

Bogus window cleaners target elderly in Norwich: Bogus window cleaners targeted elderly people in two linked incidents in nearby streets just south of Norwich city centre, police said. A purse containing cash was stolen from an 87-year-old woman at the Norwich City Council-run sheltered housing scheme in Rowland Court, off Queens Road. The woman had found a man in her lounge asking for a glass of water, and later discovered her handbag had been moved and her purse was missing. She said the same man had asked to clean her windows a few days before. The second incident happened at Corton Road, off Bracondale, where a woman was woken by an unknown man who came out of her bedroom. When challenged, he said he was a window cleaner touting for business, but the 78-year-old later found her purse was also missing from her handbag which had been in the kitchen. Both incidents happened between 3pm and 4pm on Sunday, April 18.
Detective Constable Steve Matthews said: “We are investigating these incidents and believe they are linked. I would like to take this opportunity to urge householders, especially the elderly, to remain vigilant. “This is a despicable type of crime that preys on the elderly and vulnerable and I would appeal to people to look out for vulnerable householders living nearby and to be vigilant about anyone acting suspiciously in their area and contact police with any concerns. “We are urging householders to be especially wary of anyone turning up on their doorstep unannounced, who cannot provide credible identity documents.”
The news comes after an elderly man was duped out of more than £2,000 at his home in St Mary's Road by two men pretending to be letting agents, who said they wanted to fix drains. They asked the victim to hand over £150 in cash, which he did, and when they left £2,000 had also gone from his wallet. The first man was in his 30s, 6' tall and of stocky build wearing a dark coloured baseball cap and dark fleece top. The second was in his 20s, 5'7'' tall of medium build with short blond hair. Anyone with information about either incident should contact DC Steve Matthews at Norfolk Constabulary's Operation Radar on 0845 456 4567 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Marisol Nichols, 36, who currently stars on ABC's The Gates (and previously appeared on 24), swears by the book Clean House Clean Planet, which she refers to to keep her home safe for 18-month-old daughter Rain India Lexton (dad is director Taron Lexton). "[It's] this brilliant book on how to make your own household cleaning detergents from all-natural ingredients," she says. Tips include: use club soda as a window cleaner and olive oil to shine your furniture. "Considering my daughter puts absolutely everything she finds in her mouth, it helps me sleep easier knowing she has fewer chemicals around," she says.

Man identified in fatal Westmont Midas explosion: Police said William R. Zuponeck, 28, of Glendale Heights, an employee at Midas Auto Service, 401 W. Ogden Ave., was killed in the explosion. The accident happened in the back of the property when the man was working, police said. Mulhearn said Zuponeck was welding two barrels together, when the welding torch ignited chemical residue that was in one of the barrels. The chemical may have been methanol, which is commonly used in automotive window washer fluid to prevent it from freezing in cold weather, Mulhearn said.

Former Homeowners' Assoc. Treasurer Accused Of Fraud; LYNNWOOD, Wash. -- Members of a homeowner's association in Lynwood said they discovered thousands of dollars were missing from the group's account and they want to know why a former treasurer was writing checks to himself, reported KIRO 7 Eyewitness News. Debra Davenport is one of 20 homeowners in the neighborhood who have been paying $200 a month to the association for maintenance. "It's for everything from window washing to landscaping to any kind of safety issues, roads and insurance," said Davenport.