ISSA Interclean Amsterdam - WaterKracht/Rubbermaid/Pulex/Cleantecs/Unger/Activeion

In the Netherlands, Waterkracht is the specialist within the pressure washing field of cleaning equipment and effective cleaning solutions. They mainly design, produce and supply for all types of cleaning at pressure washing environments. With the Hot Aqua Blaster from Waterkracht, a solution has been found which cleans solely using water power without any permanent damage. The secret of the Hot Aqua Blaster lies in the Boiling Hot-Water Technology® with thermoshock effect which has, in the meantime, been patented. A crucial factor is the temperature of the water droplets that are sprayed under pressure against the polluted surface. These water droplets, which quite literally are boiling, explode under pressure on the surface and free the pollution from the surface. The power of the water droplets can be regulated from 45-500 bar. The ingenuity lies in the fact that the pressure is built up independently from the thermoblock. At the moment that the water leaves the spray nozzle, or spray head, the water has exactly the correct temperature and the pressure can be adjusted continuously.
Although the pressure washing industry is not exactly window cleaning per say - I thought that the video inclusion was worth a special mention due to the fact the water used is not only heated & used, but also reclaimed due to its unique feature of using a vacuum bucket that slips under the work area on horizontal walls & held in place by a unique suction process. The used water is then led back through a series of filters before reheating the water & used in a permanent recycle process.

For more than 70 years, the Rubbermaid® brand represents innovative, high-quality products that help simplify life. From its original line of simple, durable housewares, Rubbermaid has developed a major presence in a wide array of categories ranging from home and garden to seasonal and commercial products. Recognized as a “Brand of the Century”, Rubbermaid is one of only 100 companies named as having an impact on the American way of life. In 1999, Newell Rubbermaid Inc. was created, a global marketer of consumer and commercial products with 2005 sales of $6.3 billion. The company is headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., and has approximately 30,000 employees worldwide. Check out the Rubbermaid Hygen microfiber cleaning system shown by Rob Sutherland in the video here.

Set up in 1963 at the dawn of the industrial cleaning sector in Europe, IPC Pulex (IPC Eagle USA) owes its outstanding success to the hight degree of specialisation and strong drive towards innovation characteristic of the company. Targed research has enabled IPC Pulex to create a complete range of products specifically designed for cleaning the vertical glass surfaces becoming ever more common in industrial, commercial and residential architecture throughout the world. Its complete range is aimed at a varied clientele with diverse problems: squeegees, telescopic handless, fleeces, scrapers, floor squeegee, buckets, prehensiole tong and all types of accessories. Controlled individually at the and of the production process, each item is designed and produced from the best materials to optimise use to even the most inaccessible glass surfaces.
The Ultra Pure Hydro Cart has the unique ability to produce a high volume of pure water on normal tap water pressure. The Hydro Cart is a 4 stage filtration system which includes reverse osmosis, and deionization process to produce mineral free water providing for incredible cleaning action and spot free windows. Available for use on just tap pressure, battery or electric.

Cleantecs GmbH produce spray nozzles & moving nozzles from 140 psi to 36000 psi, which can be employed in a wide range of uses. Furthermore Cleantecs produce a large number of high-pressure attachments, such as special floor cleaners, chewing-gum-cleaners, vacuum cleaners & sandblasting system as can provide lance and pistol technology to a full range of accessories. For more than 25 years - Cleantecs GmbH (formerly Jäger GmbH) have been developing and producing equipment for high pressure cleaning for 30 bar to 3000 bar. Apart from the range of products, Cleantecs can also offer individual problem solving & solutions to a wide array of cleaning problems in the workplace.

Solar cleaner Sola-Tecs B500: Cleans a large area with minimal effort - The belt cleaner is simply guided across the surface without any major effort required & the cleaning head just needs to be held in position and passed over the surface. A 24 volt + RO/DI water can be utilised. Weight 7,5 kg. & a maximum water consumption of 60 l/h. Click picture to enlarge.

Solar cleaner Sola-Tecs B1200: Cleans a large area with minimal effort - The belt cleaner is simply guided across the surface without any major effort required & the cleaning head just needs to be held in position and passed over the surface. A 24 volt + RO/DI water can be utilised. Pump with 87 psi system pressure potential. 11 kg & a maximum water consumption of 100 l/h. Click picture to enlarge.

Sunblind-cleaner LR-180: The cleaning brushes are rotated by a water turbine. The cleaning brush rotation ca be turned from clockwise to counter-clockwise
The water inflow can be regulated directly. Features a quick-change system for changing the cleaning brushes. Easy maintenance and care. Cleaning brush distance can be axially adjusted. Metal parts made of stainless steel, anodized or coated aluminium. Device support can be folded to become a handle & for gently setting down the machine. Low weight (1,8 kg). Integrated filter prevents soiling & features adjustable spray nozzles. Click picture to enlarge.

Solar cleaner Sola-Tecs W500: Cleans a large area with minimal effort - the Cleaning head does not require any additional power supply and purely operates through the power of the cleaning water provided to the head. The 6 kg cleaning head just needs to be held in position and passed over the surface. High pressure pump with maximum of 1740 psi potential & a 150 l/h usuage. Click picture to enlarge.

Ivan & Marianne Bengtsson of speed window cleaning fame were at the ISSA/Interclean show in Amsterdam working for Unger. They made lots of new friends at the IWCA show recently in the USA & send out a special hello to Jeremiah Hickey of "On the Spot Cleaning Services Inc." - another speed window cleaner! See Ivan in action in the main video & below..

Jackie Bromley of Activeion was on hand to tell me of the merits of the rechargeable spray bottle & also to announce its new European subsidiary, Activeion (Europe) GmbH. Activeion (Europe) GmbH will distribute and market the ionator EXP™ throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Activeion’s ionator EXP™ is a handheld, on-demand, completely chemical-free cleaning tool that activates and converts tap water into ionised water, a powerful dirt-removing and bacteria-killing product.
The ionator EXP™, slightly larger than a spray bottle, can be used on most surfaces including glass, stainless steel, wood, carpet, natural stone, marble and clothing. In fact, it can replace many general-purpose chemical cleaners commonly used for these types of surfaces. Independent third-party lab results certify that when used as directed, the ionator EXP™ kills 99.9% of harmful common bacteria such as E.Coli, E.Coli 0157:H7, VRE, Pseudomonas, Salmonella, Staph, MRSA, Listeria and the 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus, in six seconds. With the ionator EXP™, cleaning professionals everywhere can save time, reduce costs, and protect the environment and people. “The unit will retail for 269 Euros, excluding VAT and shipping, and is available immediately in Europe, Middle East and Africa. Initial target markets for the ionator EXP™ are education, retail, hospitality and healthcare.”
The spray bottles certainly looked up to the job of dealing with those "french"/"colonial"/"cut-ups" that we all despise. It was a pity I couldn't get back to interview Jackie & the staff - she always had a queue of people waiting to talk to her! Activeion also had the most original give-away going for people who visited their stall - tulip bulbs from Amsterdam! See here for previous blog.

An Email from Active Ion - Mobile Electrolysis

Just received this email below from those activeion makers. The "Ionator" now comes in 2 models, the "Hom" & I presume the old model was the "exp." Knowing no one in the professional window cleaning community that actually stumped up the cash to try one out, maybe someone over in the USA may be tempted with this offer below? You may remember the first post on this piece of equipment here: The Active Ion Cleaning Solution - Mobile Electrolysis. Remember to check out the comments from that blog. Now the email...

Introducing the ionator HOM™, a new family-friendly appliance that uses ionizing technology to convert tap water into a safe, effective cleaner and sanitizer. When used as directed, the ionator HOM has been tested and proven to kill harmful bacteria, as well as the 2009 Pandemic H1N1
Influenza A virus. We’ve taken the same advanced, expensive technology that’s been used for years to clean hospitals and restaurants and miniaturized it for affordable, everyday use. As the ionator HOM organizes and simplifies cleaning — eliminating all the messy, dangerous bottles of chemicals under your sink — some call it “the smartphone of cleaners.” Best of all, with just the ionator HOM and a faucet, you have a virtually endless supply of safe, sustainable cleaner. So safe, in fact, even kids can use it — learning good cleaning habits along the way. Stop the repeat purchases of harmful cleaners and make the next generation wonder why we ever used chemicals to clean!
As a thank-you for your previous interest, Activeion friends and families can own one at the pre-sale price of just $149 + shipping and handling. Order online and be sure to enter "family" in the promotional code field to receive your discount. Or call toll free, 866.950.4667, and mention the "family" offer. Offer valid through December 31, 2009. Order today to arrive by the holidays—quantities limited. Share this special offer with all your friends and family. Forward it today! Let's make the next generation wonder why we ever used chemicals to clean.

More videos here.

Window Cleaning Pictures & News

Show us your squeegee, Luigi! Mainly it means you should shoot a lot of photos through glass. Window washers are a demographic we’re going after in a big way. Is there really an audience for this stuff? Sure. It must be huge, judging from the number of window-cleaning-through-glass shots on our photo file. I hate to get pushy this early in my career, but I don’t think I want to shoot this sort of material. What’s a polite way to tell my editor? Just say, “I don’t do windows.” Top combo: A worker cleans the glass roof of a tunnel linking a building to a subway station in Chongqing municipality, China, October 28, 2009. A worker cleans the window of an office building in Taiyuan, Shanxi province, China, October 25, 2009. Lower combo: Assorted window-washing shots. Click to enlarge.

Tradie tumbles off Rudd's roof, Australia: A tradesman has been taken to hospital after tumbling from the roof of the prime minister's Brisbane home. The worker was cleaning gutters on the Kevin Rudd's Norman Park home on Monday when he fell. WorkCover Queensland is investigating the workplace accident and the tradesman is being treated at a Brisbane hospital. A spokesman for the prime minister told AAP the Rudd family are concerned for the injured worker. "This morning there was a terrible accident involving a tradesman cleaning the gutters at the Rudd family house in Brisbane," he said. "Following the accident an ambulance was called and the tradesman involved is now receiving medical treatment in a Brisbane hospital. "This was a serious accident and as is appropriate both the Queensland Police and WorkCover Queensland were immediately notified." WorkCover Queensland is now undertaking a full investigation into the accident.

Willis Tower looks to go green, from the rooftops on down: The building was completed as Sears Tower in 1973, the heyday of energy ignorance, which means the skyscraper has single-pane windows that leak around the edges and let in hot air in summer and cold in winter, lights everywhere and inefficient electric heating throughout. "Each old window is like a car driving around," Beardsley said. "And people don't think of it that way - it's just a window. But I think maybe we need to start thinking about it that way." When Beardsley visits Willis Tower, she sees structure, piping, interacting climates, the competition of forces. When she strolls onto the roof of the 90th floor, she doesn't talk about the view -- she talks about the elevator decking, the pressure of the wind, the movement of the joints, the grooves that allow the window-washing equipment to move up and down the facade. They expect to shore up Willis Tower's "skin" with new energy-efficient windows as soon as the last half of 2010.

Sanitation Strategies is pleased to announce it has been named an authorized distributor of the new Activeion Pro, the award-winning technology from Activeion Cleaning Solutions that transforms tap water into a powerful cleaner. Sanitation Strategies’ decision to distribute the Activeion Pro reflects its leadership position in the cleaning industry and its goal to help cleaning professionals ensure that their companies, their employees, and their customers have a safe, healthy option for cleaning—one that is free of harmful chemicals. A genuine breakthrough, the Activeion Pro is a versatile cleaner ideal for use on glass, stainless steel, wood, stone and marble as well as carpet and clothing. In fact, it can replace many general-purpose chemical cleaners commonly used for these types of surfaces. The unit, which retails for $299, can help professional cleaning companies save considerable money each year by eliminating the need to purchase a variety of general-purpose, window, glass and stainless steel cleaners. Also see here.

Austin News - Hormel Home new addition opens: Endres, who owns Endres Window Cleaning in Austin, said the expansion is "absolutely beautiful." He checked it out last week when he had a crew cleaning windows there, which his business has done for about the past five years. The addition dignifies the rest of the home, Endres said, and it gives another choice for hosting events.

FRIDAY 8:53 a.m., Jamestown — A man allegedly threw a rock through an elderly woman's window after his offer to sell gutter cleaning services was denied on Highway 108 at Golf Links Road.

Santa Rosa soccer coaches share Viking pedigree: Montgomery graduate Jon Schwan knows the feeling as the new Santa Rosa boys' soccer coach after two years leading the Vikings' junior varsity. The only blemish on his Panthers' league record is a tie with Montgomery. “It was a little weird being on the other sideline in the game at Montgomery. But I want to beat them bad when I go against them,” he said. “It gets to a point where you know you're ready for the challenge.” Santa Rosa's boys have been the biggest surprise, going undefeated in league and playing perhaps the best soccer in the North Coast Section. “It's all on the players,” Schwan said. “I was lucky enough to take this program over at the same time that a lot of players matured and developed.” But it was Schwan who sensed the need to challenge his players after the first practice to win the league championship and get back to the NCS playoffs — and they did convincingly. Schwan, owner of a window cleaning business, is a more low key coach who has a fiery side when needed.

Marc Saunders is relishing the prospect of taking on arguably the toughest job in local football - a little earlier than he expected. Saunders has been confirmed as the new manager of troubled ChromaSport & Trophies Peterborough League Premier Division club Oundle Town after the departure of previous boss Dan Dobson. Oundle are anchored at the bottom of the top-flight table after losing all nine league games to date and there is also a big divide between a struggling first team and a successful reserve side that have won every game this season in the Combination League. But Saunders is confident both things will change for the better. Saunders is something of a local legend have spent 14 years with the club. Saunders spent four years with Bristol City as a teenager and also played international football for Wales Under 15s. He moved to the Oundle area after buying a pub and now runs a window-cleaning business.

Entrepreneur Ben Giles, who turned a weekend window cleaning round into a successful business employing nearly sixty people, is now targeting police forces around the UK offering a unique crime scene cleaning service. But crime scene cleaning is providing Ben with a niche market opportunity enabling him to expand the business considerably after winning contracts from police authorities around the UK. This service can range from clearing up after road traffic accidents or murder scenes, to extensive cleaning and sanitising operations following natural deaths when the body may have decomposed.
The demand for this service, which requires extensive expertise in a range of areas, has been so considerable that Ben has established The National Academy of Crime Scene Cleaners to develop UK wide standards and accreditation. He explained: “The Academy provides training for cleaning companies throughout the UK to ensure their staff have the necessary expertise and ability to undertake this highly specialised work. To date 140 companies in the UK have been trained and Ben is tendering for contracts from forces around the country including Northern Ireland. News about the Academy has reached as far as South Africa and Ben now has his eye on extending it to Europe. “There’s nothing like this training available in Europe and if I don’t take advantage of this opportunity then someone else will.
Ben set up Ultima Cleaning after leaving school at sixteen when he decided to turn what was a Saturday window-cleaning round into a thriving business and attributed the success of his company to his `fantastic staff – from the humblest cleaner to my dynamic managers’ whom he thanks. He still maintains his domestic window cleaning contracts with more than 2000 homes in the area using his services.

As Kenny Campbell works at First Christian Church in Joplin, he is on familiar ground. Or rather, high above it on 30-foot scaffolding, restoring the luster of a large rose window on the church's south side. Thirty-two years ago, Campbell worked on these same windows. He has a deep respect for the historic stained glass, with its vivid daffodils and roses, flowing vines and the flying dove in the center. Campbell proudly notes that the original glass in the church came from the Wissmach factory in West Virginia, where Louis Tiffany bought much of his glass. "It was the first church I had ever done," remembers Campbell. "You build a little stained glass window, it's no problem. A 10-foot or a 29-foot-across window, now that's a little different animal."
Campbell started repairing and releading the large stained glass on his own. The storm had blown out and broken several of the panels. Plus, there was a lot of restoration to be done on the historic windows, which had been around since the church was built in 1901. It was a lot for one man to do, and at one point Campbell enlisted his wife to help him refire and paint the glass. She even traveled to Kansas City to take classes in the art of stained glass restoration. "I wouldn't have had any career in church restoration if it hadn't been for that job," Campbell said. "It gave me the experience to continue." The work launched Campbell's career in church restoration.
However, around 1994 Campbell was forced to retire. He had contracted ocular histoplasmosis, which robbed him of most his center-field vision and depth perception. Campbell was told he got the disease from pigeon droppings, which were plentiful in the eaves and bell towers of churches. He settled into a new career selling linens to nursing homes and assumed he wouldn't take a restoration job again. Read more..

‘Babe Ruth of bank robbers’ Willie Sutton dies at age 79: On this day, Nov. 2, in 1980, Willie Sutton, the “Babe Ruth of bank robbers,” died at age 79. Sutton is best known for saying he robbed banks “because that’s where the money is.” But in his memoir, Sutton dismissed the story, claiming that the reporter ginned up the quote to make better copy. Sutton said he robbed banks because he loved it. “I was more alive when I was inside a bank, robbing it, than at any other time in my life,” he said. During bank heists, Sutton donned disguises, playing a window washer, police officer or postman. He had a flair for the dramatic, and the banks were his stage. Some gangsters claimed that Sutton made Jesse James and John Dillinger look like amateurs.