Window Cleaning News

Job takes workers straight to the top.

A team of fearless window cleaners amazed tourists and city workers yesterday as they dangled from Perth's Bell Tower to give it a thorough clean. The technicians from All Areas Access climbed up the inside of the tallest spire, stepped out of a hatch at the top and abseiled down the outside of the building, scrubbing as they went. They are expected to work on the tower for most of the week. All Areas Access owner Jonnie Lee said the company would tidy up anything left from previous workers on the Bell Tower, wipe down all the sills, get rid of the cobwebs and do minor repairs. "Naturally, it gets quite dirty," he said. "I think closer to the water there is a lot of soot and the salty residue gets on the glass." Bell Tower chief executive Paul Grootveld said keeping the landmark clean was a challenge. "Obviously the building's got lots and lots of glass, so it's a constant job to get that glass clean and looking good for our visitors," he said. The Bell Tower is one of Perth's most photographed landmarks - but any picture that gives it a "unique perspective" could be up for a prize in a photo competition.

Jason O’Reilly “over the moon” after Dragons’ Den success: A down-on-his-luck Dubliner has said he is “over the moon” at his success on Dragon’s Den – after securing investment from two Dragons, and support from all five, for a spur-of-the-moment idea that struck him in Croke Park. Window-washer Jason O’Reilly did not have enough cash to pay for the petrol for his trip from Cavan, where he lives, to the Dragons’ Den set in Rathfarnham – but left with a €45,000 investment in his company AJ Team Products.

Blacktie owner Niall O’Farrell and computing magnate Sean O’Sullivan both took 15 per cent stakes in his company, which sells watches with silicone straps featuring the colours of prominent sports teams. The watches cost around €1 each to manufacture, are sold to stores for around €2.70, and are then recommended for retail sale at €7.49. They’re produced in the colours worn by the four Irish rugby provinces, the 32 GAA county teams, and teams in the top four English football leagues.

In a video for the All About Business website, O’Reilly said he had been particularly hopeful to seek investment from IT enterpreneur O’Sullivan – a new addition to the panel, replacing Sean Gallagher – “because one, he’s in America, and two, I’ve never been to America – but America, here I come!” He had also hoped for investment from Niall O’Farrell, the founder of clothing rental chain Blacktie, because he is “into sports” and could apply his experience to the market for sporting enthusiasts.

All five of the Dragons expressed interest in investing in O’Reilly’s watches, but Norah Casey, Gavin Duffy and Bobby Kerr opted out of investing as they did not want to compete against the joint offering from O’Sullivan and O’Farrell. Duffy, in particular, was reduced to tears after hearing how a previous investor had pulled out of a deal at the last minute, leaving O’Reilly with masses of stock but not enough cash to distribute it. “I’m over the moon. It’s been so, so hard,” O’Reilly said.

A couple have reflected on their 60 years of wedded bliss as they celebrate their diamond anniversary. Peter and Dorothy Hawkes, of Cold Overton Road, Oakham, married at Clipston Baptist Church near Market Harborough on March 15, 1952, and spent much of their married life in Leicestershire before retiring to Rutland in 1997. At the time they sacrificed their chance to take a honeymoon to allow Dorothy’s widowed mother to enjoy a holiday with one of her friends instead. The couple looked after her house and even did a spot of decorating for her along with enjoying a few day trips. After the wedding the couple lived with Dorothy’s mother for three years before starting a family and moving to their family home in Naseby. Peter worked for two agricultural contractors before setting up as a window cleaner and Dorothy worked in a village garden looking after horses, dogs and chickens.

Lord Norman Tebbit of Chingford is one of Britain's most outspoken conservative commentators and politicians. He was a senior cabinet minister in Margaret Thatcher's government and is a former Chairman of the Conservative Party. I took a fair beating on the matter of tax relief for older people. First I should emphasise that I am not a beneficiary. My case was that old age is expensive. Try insuring a car, heating a house, and paying for people to do the things that one used to do oneself – the garden, the window cleaning and the special diets, let alone home care. Freezing such allowances is cutting them in real terms and denying them to those who would otherwise have qualified for them at pensionable age is a loss of a benefit that could have been reasonably expected. 

Our Budget Jury explain what they would like to see from the Chancellor in his 2012 Budget: Andrew Mayze - founder, Amayze ‘n’ Glaze. Window cleaner Andrew Mayze bounced back from redundancy, 593 job rejections and bouts of depression to become self employed last year. Helped by community lender Foundation East, his business now supports one full time and one part-time employee. A former dental equipment sales manager, overseeing a £7.9m firm, he has big plans. "Some 23pc of my outgoings are fuel and I would like the tax on fuel lowered, " he says. Work incentives also need to be more generous and consistent, he adds. "I delayed taking on my young lad because they withdrew the Future Jobs Fund. It would have allowed me to take him on earlier and train him." The loss of child benefit is also a worry – married to Fiona, the Mayzes have two children, aged 14 and 10.

Newton firefighters tackle technical rescue: It’s not always about fire. From car accidents to medicals, firefighters deal with more than just burning flames. To prepare for those rescues that necessitate precision and experience, Newton firefighters last week kicked off specialized training with its newest apparatus. “Technical rescue is somewhere I’m heading in this department, and I want to train this department in technical and specialized rescue,” Fire Chief Bruce Proia told the Newton TAB. The recently renovated Fire Station 7 includes a training tower, which stands more than 75-feet tall, for simulations.
After a structural engineer signed off on it’s safety, firefighters from Engine 7 practiced several life-saving maneuvers on March 23. “We had a pick off where we had a firefighter on the second floor simulating a window washer. You see it on the news all the time, where the washer is dangling when the scaffolding lets go. We repel down to get them, so we hooked up a firefighter and brought [the victim] to the ground,” Proia said. “A lot of these things are not everyday occurrences, but we’re making sure we’re equipped and trained at the best level we can be,” Caddell said. “Friday was a first small step in a continuing path toward that.” The firefighters said training will happen as often as possible. 

Lawrence Mooney hasn’t had a day job since 1998, when he was a high-rise window cleaner. Believe it or not, the veteran comedian sees a lot of similarities between that job and his stand-up comedy career. ‘‘They’re both risky, the idea of them scares the hell out of most people and you can die in both jobs relatively easily,’’ he deadpans. ‘‘There are safety measures involved in the window cleaning, but as a comedian when you do a country football club gig where they’ve asked you to come and make people laugh before their strippers come on and there’s 200 blind-drunk men who want to see naked flesh… yeah, I’d much rather be high-rise window cleaning at that point.’’ Although he’s made a crust making people laugh for more than a decade – as well as racking up TV gigs on shows such as The Circle, The Einstein Factor and Agony Uncles.

Kelly Stokes of Window Genie cleans a window at Oak Hill Hospital in Brooksville. Jeff Burrows and his wife, Nicole, gave up working for others and opened the Hernando County franchise of the window cleaning company.

Be your own boss? Know your abilities, reinvent yourself — and get to work: For more than a dozen years, Jeff Burrows worked for someone else as a sales manager in the food service industry. "I got tired of the corporate thing,'' Burrows said. "I wanted to call my own shots.'' Realizing that the safety and security of a weekly paycheck is something of a fantasy for workers in almost every industry these days, Burrows and his wife, Nicole, decided to make the leap. Taking their future into their own hands, they opted to start a franchise business. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained,'' he said.
After significant research and weighing their own interests, the couple decided to open the Hernando County franchise of Window Genie, founded in 1994 in Cincinnati, Ohio, specializing in window cleaning and tinting, as well as other home cleaning chores. "It's been better than our expectations. We've exceeded our plan,'' Burrows said. He focuses on sales and developing the business. His wife, who had spent her working life in an office setting, runs the office for the family business. Burrows said he thinks they made the right choice. "Working for yourself,'' he said, "no matter what task you're doing, you're excited to do it.''

A New Way To Shine: Nassau Window Cleaners Launched.

Nassau, Bahamas - Nassau Window Cleaners launches as the first company in The Bahamas to offer a window cleaning service that uses 100% pure water and a ‘reach and wash system’ without the need for ladders or scaffolding. The water pole-fed cleaning system can wash windows up to 45ft high without the operator ever having to leave the ground. By using 100% pure water the best window cleaning results are achieved through the absence of detergent and chemicals, meaning no sticky residues are left behind only a streak free shine. Ken Gibson, owner of Nassau Window Cleaners, said “We are excited to bring such a new and innovative product to Nassau for the first time. As a company we embrace new technology and are looking forward to the high level of service we will be able to offer our customers using this system”.

The system works by passing the water through seven stages of treatment including reverse osmosis and de-ionizing the water through very fine resin that removes any impurities. The result is pure water without any sulfates, leaving the windows cleaner and for longer. The pure water is pumped through a pressurized system along a graphite pole reaching up to 45ft above ground, to a soft filament brush that removes the dirt from windows. The constant stream of water ensures that the finish left at the end is clear and clean. It can also be used on frames, glazing and louvers. In addition the method is completely environmentally friendly, as it doesn’t use any chemicals or detergents. Without the use of scaffolding or ladders it is also safer having less risk for falling or injuries.

Angell Curtis of Bahamas American Finance (BAF) said that he was “delighted with the windows and efficiency of service” from Nassau Window Cleaners who also have contracts with other branches of BAF, along with Templeton, Lyford House, Privy Bank, Town Centre Mall, The Central Bank of the Bahamas and a number of private residences. "Customer satisfaction is our priority for Nassau Window Cleaners ‘ added Gibson, “and because the system is so much quicker than conventional methods the savings will be passed onto our clients”.

Time to Tackle the 'Honey-Do' List: All of us have our pet peeves. One of mine is window cleaning. I’d rather have a root canal. About this time every spring, my wife used to announce that it was window-cleaning day. She always seemed to pick a Saturday. It was the very day I suddenly discovered that I had an important business meeting. When I returned home, the windows were spotless. Nathan and Deborah Meusel operate NGM Window Cleaning based in Califon. The company’s trucks fan out every day to clean windows all over New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. “We use pure water technology—purified water,” said Nathan. “And we supply our own water.” The water arrives on the trucks along with the equipment to be used. Pure water leaves no spots, he explained. And his experts do not use ladders. They can handle up to twelve stories using a boom. Inside, they use the traditional squeegee methods.

After an almost snowless winter, signs of spring are sprouting forth in the Northland: Derek Smith of Derek’s Lawn Care in Kansas City, North, said he waited longer than he wanted to start cutting grass because the rain hampered him. “My own yard is already six to seven inches tall,” Smith said. Typically, his mowing season begins the first part of April. Besides making grass grow, rain makes ugly water spots on windows. That’s how Seth Brown knows spring is in the air: rain makes his phone ring. Brown owns Panes & Drains, a window- and gutter-cleaning business in Liberty. “It isn’t the rain that is making your windows dirty,” Brown said. “It’s the dirt.” Autumn leaf debris and winter grime build up on the outside of the glass, he said. Brown removes all the tree pollen, bird and bug gunk from the glass. Without anything to cling to, rain water will bead right off and fall to the ground, leaving no visible spots.

Condition improves for Ann Arbor woman who fell six stories from MSU dorm window - An 18-year-old Ann Arbor woman's condition has improved since falling six stories Sunday from a dormitory window at Michigan State University. Alexandra Pew is listed in serious condition, according to a Sparrow Hospital spokesperson. She had previously been critical. Pew fell from a lounge window on the sixth floor of North Case Hall at about 3 a.m. on Sunday, according to MSU police. Pew, who is not an MSU student, was visiting friends at the university. MSU police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor said Pew was playing a game of catch with several residents in the sixth-floor lounge when she fell backward, breaking through the window and falling to the ground.

Hurricane officials: Don't tape your windows - Center officials are joining with a consumer advocate group at the National Hurricane Conference in Orlando, Fla. this week to encourage residents to skip taping their windows when a hurricane is heading their way. The officials believe it leads to a false sense of security and actually increases danger. Instead, residents should use proven methods such as hurricane shutters or impact-resistant windows. "Our goal is to break this myth," Read said, referring to window taping. "It does not protect your windows. At best, it's an inconvenience. At worst, some people have the illusion that they're safe ... and people can get severely hurt."

Taping windows can create larger and deadlier shards of glass when winds blow through a home, said Leslie Chapman-Henderson, president and CEO of Federal Alliance for Safe Homes. "The shards can become bigger because they're being held together," Chapman-Henderson said. "You're wasting your time. You're wasting your money, and you're potentially increasing the danger to your home." Even some disaster management officials are guilty of advising residents to use tape on their windows. Read said that when he started working in the 1970s, taping windows was still advised in hurricane brochures. That advice was cut from brochures in the 1980s, "but it still persists today," he said.

No one injured after pane of glass falls 11 storeys in Calgary: The owner of a highrise apartment in downtown Calgary has been ordered to inspect all of the windows in the building, after a pane of glass fell 11 storeys to the pavement. “On Mar. 19, a slider type window in an aluminum frame fell from Mount Royal House and struck another window and cascaded to the sidewalk and street below,” said Lexie Bexson, communications advisor, with the City of Calgary. The Calgary Fire Department, with assistance of the Calgary Police Services, closed down the road. No injuries were reported. The remaining pieces of the broken pane were removed. Fire crews proceeded with a floor by floor assessment of the sliding window frames in the suites facing the avenue to assess the potential for additional falling glass.

Falling glass prompts Queen Street closure (Toronto): Queen Street West was closed between St. Patrick Street and Simcoe Street Monday after a piece of glass fell from the window on the sixteenth floor of an office tower at 180 Queen St. W. - No one was injured in the incident, police said, but they closed a section of the street to vehicles and pedestrian traffic. Police said they are still looking into what caused the glass to fall and they still do not know when the street will open. This isn't the first time glass has fallen from Toronto high rises. On Saturday morning, glass fell from the Trump International Hotel and Tower at the intersection of Bay and Adelaide Streets. No one was injured, and police blamed high winds for the incident. Falling glass also prompted a group of Toronto condo owners to launch a class-action lawsuit against contractors and developers earlier this month. In those cases, the owners and renters in the Murano Towers and Festival Tower condo developments were not permitted to use their balconies after glass fell from other balconies, shattering on the street below.

Faked goods risk lives: Thoudands of non-compliant, falsely branded building products are flooding into Australia every week, with industry officials deeply concerned about dangerous products that could ''chop you to bits''. Poor policing of the imports has been roundly blamed for the problem, but the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has said it was not its job to enforce standards that applied to building products. About 1000 windows are being pulled out of buildings around the country after failing to meet the grade, the executive director of the Australian Window Association, Tracey Gramlick, said. ''In the last few years it's been very bad,'' she said.

Pitch in and tackle do-it-together home improvement projects: Why do-it-yourself (DIY) when you can do-it-together? Now DIYers are teaming up with friends, families or companies to tackle home improvement and spring-cleaning projects. "Tackling home improvement or maintenance projects is a great way to work together with others in your community to accomplish more in less time," says Kathy Krafka Harkema, spokesperson for Pella Windows and Doors.  Get the kids involved in chores like planting trees, spreading mulch or washing decks, patio furniture or your windows. Join together to get all the windows in the neighborhood sparkly clean.

About 69 percent of men and 74 percent of women are likely to clean and wash their windows during spring cleaning, according to the 2011 National Spring Cleaning Survey by the American Cleaning Institute. But many are unsure of how to do it. "Make conducting a quick home check-up and cleaning your windows part of your spring home improvement checklist to create a better view and help enhance your home's potential energy efficiency," Krafka Harkema says. "Team up with your neighbors so everyone's windows look good. Use the right tools, cleaners and equipment to do the job safely and correctly."

Working out with yucky housework: "The worst thing is inactivity," said Ingo Froboese, a professor at the Health Centre of the German Sport University in Cologne. "Our billions of body cells don't care what kind of exercise we do. The main thing is getting exercise and that goes for doing housework too. It helps to stimulate metabolism and to stay healthy." Rainer Stamminger, a professor of home economics at Bonn University, takes a similar view. "Not regarding housework as a burden, but using it as a personal fitness program provides motivation for unloved chores," he said.

Andreas Mueller, a sports scientist with the German Fitness Instructors' Association, disagrees. Light physical activity during housework did not promote fitness, he said. Instead, a person would have to climb up and down a ladder while washing windows, for example, which was similar to a workout on a step machine. "Washing windows and ironing are very unpopular. Cooking meals and garden work are much better liked. "A lot of people in our studies find ironing less onerous if they can watch television at the same time."

Stamminger said it was a good idea to do a chore from start to finish and not interrupt window washing to cook or wash laundry, for example. "This is also sensible from an environmental standpoint. Someone who washes only a few windows needs more water and produces more wastewater," he said. Hard work burns a lot of calories. Here is a list of the number of kilocalories that a person weighing 70kg will burn by doing various household chores for 15 minutes:

• Tidying up: 30
• Ironing: 35
• Cooking: 40
• Hanging laundry: 50
• Mopping: 60
• Making the bed: 62
• Vacuum cleaning: 70
• Washing windows: 83
• Gardening: 88
• Climbing stairs: 121

Jailed book keeper who stole £30k from hotel was treated 'like family' - At Grimsby Crown Court, former Stallingborough Grange hotel book keeper Sandra Elmes was sent to prison for 30 months. It was revealed the hotel made about £80,000 in the two- and-a-half years after she left. Prior to her sacking, the hotel was losing money, despite being a successful business. And tips for staff soared after Elmes was sacked in 2006. The court heard she took them to add to the money she stole and spent the money on luxury holidays and a lavish lifestyle. Sentencing Elmes, Judge David Tremberg said it was a breach of a high degree of trust and made her look "above suspicion."He said she had got away with multiple thefts over a period of years because she was trusted and the accountancy was "not so robust."

Judge Tremberg said: "For up to six years until February 24 this year you remained in denial. During the police investigation you sought to blame others, thereby causing additional distress." In 2000 she had sole responsibility for book keeping and petty cash. She audited receipts. If more petty cash was needed she would ask one of the managers to draw cash from the company bank account. She made up receipts for window cleaning, but staff cleaned the hotel windows.

Mary McCabe took her neighbour Andrew Todd to court after he erected a 6ft high garden fence without a gate between her back garden and his while she was away on holiday. The fence replaced a wire one with a wooden gate which had been there for years, Carlisle County Court heard. Mr Todd’s home is at the end of the terrace and all previous occupants had enjoyed a right of way across his back garden and through the gate. But the gate’s disappearance meant Mrs McCabe and any visitors could no longer get access to the rear of her mid-terraced home in Howard Road, Brampton. So Mrs McCabe, a 54-year-old former hospital chef, has had to drag 55lb bags of coal through her kitchen to the coal bunker at the rear, as having to take her bike and wheelie bin through her home.

But after a three-day court hearing, which heard evidence from Mrs McCabe's window cleaner, her coal delivery man, and former Howard Road residents, Judge John Park ruled that her back garden gate should be reinstated. He also awarded Mrs McCabe damages of £1,500. Mr Todd’s legal costs are expected to be around £30,000, making the new gate he now has to install probably the most expensive in Cumbria.  

'The city of Portland snow globe tried to burn my house down': -  Among fire hazards in the home, a snow globe is not exactly the most feared. So Ken Gambell from Milwaukie, Oregon was stunned when he got a call saying his home had caught alight - because of the Christmas decoration. The sun had caught one of the snow globes - still left out from the holiday season - on his window ledge and beamed light onto the back of his sofa. With such intense heat and light focused on one spot, the couch began smoking and set off a fire alarm, which was heard by neighbours. They alerted firefighters who arrived to a room full of smoke and the sofa alight in the living room on Saturday evening. 'Apparently when the sun came out - the 15 minutes it showed this year - it hit this globe and created a magnifying effect on the back of the couch,' he added. 'Who would have ever thought something so harmless could cause a fire?'

Amateur Window Cleaners Raise Their Game

Clean Windows: How to Reach, Wash and Leave Them Spotless (by Nikki Pepper): We've got products you can make at home, tools that won't break your budget and the right way to reach and cleaning those screens. Growing up, if window cleaning was on your chore list, it usually meant swiping at a few windows with some newspaper and glass cleaner. But when you're the grown-up, you see all the different steps involved: Getting to the second floor windows, tackling the screens and using eco-friendly (and wallet-friendly) cleaners. No worries, we'ev got you covered - these videos should answer all your window-cleaning questions.

To see a lambswool and squeegee method for cleaning glass, watch this video.

Having trouble reaching second floor windows and want an inexpensive option? Check out this short clip on how to create your own money-saving tool to reach any window.

If a squeegee is too large to get in between panes of smaller windows, learn how to resize the squeegee (genius!) in a few simple steps.

Now that you have the tools and methods intact, what solution do you use? While there are many products you can buy at the store, you may prefer a homemade option. Check out this clip and pay attention at the 40 second mark for a window-specific recipe.

Now that the glass is shining, it's time to get the window screens just as clean. Here's a video showing a method utilizing a baby pool - yes, a baby pool, in your backyard.

Window Cleaning News & Video

Angie Hicks, of consumer group Angie’s List, says “What many people don't realize is getting streak-free window is sometimes harder than it looks. Also, window cleaning can be rather dangerous. It's similar to gutter cleaning - if you don't have the right equipment, if you don't have a high enough ladder. We hear way too often of people falling off of ladders and having to head to the ER. So, if you don't have the equipment, hiring someone to have it done may be the best option.” Angie’s List provides these window Cleaning Tips:

· Most homes should get a thorough window cleaning twice a year – ideally in the spring and fall.
· A thorough cleaning can help remove caked on dirt, dried paint, adhesives and calcified water spots, as well as muck from the frames, which can cause windows to stick if allowed to build up.
· The type of cleaning solution and equipment you need varies according to the type of windows you have. With dozens of types of glass, windows often require special cleaning agents and using the wrong one could be ineffective or cause damage. For example, double glass windows are held together with a vacuum that could be compromised if the rubber trim that seals it is damaged by the wrong type of cleaner. If the seal breaks, moisture and dusts can get in the window, making it impossible to get clean.
· Most glass can be cleaned with soap, water and a squeegee. However, some situations will call for specialized cleaning solutions.
· Large panes are best cleaned with a squeegee and a window cleaning detergent solution and finished with detailing cloth to eliminate streaks. Small panes and leaded or stained glass are best cleaned with plain water and specialized window cleaning cloths.
· Minimize the need for extra cleaning by not taping or sticking anything to your windows you don't want to leave there permanently. If you're painting, protect your windows from drips or splatters.
· Window cleaners have the right equipment to take off glue, paint, and other debris that can settle on glass. If you have tinted windows, it takes extra care to clean them. The cleaning of windows also includes the screens and wiping clean the sills.
· If you hire a pro, make sure the company is insured. Because a lot of window washing involves ladders, safety harnesses and scaffolding, precautions are essential to ensure everyone's protection. A lot of damage can be done to glass by someone is who not qualified. You need someone who not only knows how to clean glass, but knows glass and how to maintain in properly.
· Window cleaning prices vary and are often based on the number and size of windows, the time estimated to do the job and the complexity of the job. You could save a few bucks by cleaning the first floor windows yourself, and leaving the second floor, more difficult to reach windows, to a pro. If you clean the windows yourself, do it during a cool, cloudier time of day. The hot sun dries windows faster, which can lead to streaking.

Window Genie® Comes Out of the Bottle to Help Grant Wishes: Window Genie® will raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation by donating $5.00 for every new customer from June 1, 2010 through May 31, 2011. Existing customers will also have the opportunity to support the charity by making donations through their local Window Genie® franchise.
Richard Nonelle, President of Window Genie®, commented on the company's decision to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation, saying, "As a system, we felt strongly about giving back to our local communities and we wanted to do this with an organization that we were passionate about, as well as one that operated with the highest level of integrity." The Foundation's mission reflects the life-changing impact that a Make-A-Wish® experience has on children, families, referral sources, donors, sponsors and entire communities. Window Genie® is proud to play a role in bringing joy to children when they need it most.
David Williams, president and chief executive officer of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, is also enthusiastic about the new sponsorship. "Our relationship with Window Genie® does even more than raise resources to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions," he said. "It also shows that our mission resonates with people, and that Window Genie® trusts our ability to turn its generosity into meaningful Make-A-Wish experiences for the children we serve."
Franchise owners throughout the country are geared up to promote the new sponsorship and raise money with each new customer during the upcoming year. Master Franchise owner for the State of Florida, Magnus Sublett commented, "Window Genie® has always been about delivering the best in service, so to be aligned with one of the very best charities and to give back to children in our local community is a great opportunity and privilege."

A Scarborough window cleaner has been cleared of attacking his former lover's neighbour with an axe. At the end of his trial at York Crown Court, Shaun Chapman, 41, was also cleared of causing an affray in the street. Mr Chapman, a recovering heroin addict of Westway, Eastfield, had had a two-month affair with Mary Ireland and, following a series of texts between her and his long-time partner, drove to her home to try and "sort things out". He was then said to have caused a scene, made threatening gestures towards Miss Ireland with an axe and then attacked her neighbour, Richard Gilliam, with the weapon as he wheeled a child along Hertford Close, Eastfield, in a pushchair.
However, a jury cleared Mr Chapman of charges of affray and assault by beating - a further charge of possessing an offensive weapon (the axe) was abandoned on the direction of Judge Shaun Spencer QC before the jury retired to consider their verdicts. Miss Ireland claimed that on August 19 last year, she spotted her former lover in his van outside her house and that, as her made gestures of drawing an axe across his throat and pointing at her, she dialled 999.
David Garnett, prosecuting, then alleged that Mr Chapman had driven his van towards Mr Gwilliam, and attacked him with the axe, causing a minor cut to his leg. Mr Chapman said that the stress of his partner's heart problems and post-natal depression had led to him starting his affair with Miss Ireland, claiming that his mistress had been pestering him to marry her. He added that, after he finished the relationship, Miss Ireland had concocted the assault claims with her neighbour to get back at him.
The window cleaner told the jury that he did not own an axe, and no such weapon was found by the police. He said that, apart from getting out his van to knock at Miss Ireland's door, pulling up two sunflower plants from her garden in anger when she did not answer and shouting from his van, he had left without seeing Mr Gwilliam or anyone else in the street.
Following the verdict, Mr Chapman said that he had been put through "hell" because of the allegations, losing his window cleaning round and having his driving licence taken away because of the claims that he had driven his van towards Mr Gwilliam. He said: "I know I made some mistakes, but I ended the affair after talking matters over with my partner and returning home to her and my two kids." He added: "I just wanted to forget about the whole thing and for people not to believe what was being said about me".

Window cleaner dodges prison after knocking out wife's tooth in fight: A 41 year old man who knocked out his wife's tooth during a fight has avoided jail. Kevin Woolridge struck out at his wife Clare at their home in Queen Street, Cheadle, on the evening of December 17 last year, Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard yesterday. His hand struck a bottle she was holding and it knocked out a tooth. Woolridge told police he thought his wife was going to hit him with the bottle and struck out to defend himself. The defendant, now of Glebe Road, Kingsley, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Paul Cliff, mitigating, said it was a reckless assault rather than intentional. He said there was no history of domestic abuse and added that Woolridge, a window cleaner, has now separated from his wife. Judge Paul Glenn sentenced Woolridge to four months in prison, suspended for 18 months, with 12 months' supervision and he must attend a domestic abuse programme. He also has to complete 180 hours' unpaid work, pay his victim £1,500 compensation and £1,000 prosecution costs. "Domestic violence is despicable," said Judge Glenn. "It was, however, a single blow and your victim does not suggest you were violent on other occasions."

Charles Edwards considers himself lucky. "Most people I know have been laid off," he said. But Edwards has, somehow, made it through mostly unscathed. The 46-year-old Venice resident's business, Fish Window Cleaning, is still getting calls, which means Edwards rises early and works until 6 p.m. seven days a week. It's a good life, he said, but Edwards knows his is a rare story in his neighborhood. The way he sees it, the area needs more businesses, more warehouses, more people working good jobs. Someone needs to speak up, Edwards said. "I believe the government needs to step in," he said.

Pensioner angry as council binmen only remove bins twice in 9 months: Disabled pensioner John Wootton says he is "disgusted" that a council emptied his bin just twice in nine months. The 67-year-old had a brown bin for garden waste delivered to his Penkhull bungalow in November. Stoke-on-Trent City Council bin men are supposed to collect it from his property and empty it for him. But Mr Wootton says, despite repeated calls to the authority, his bin has only been collected twice since. The retired self-employed window cleaner, below, of Lion Court, said: "It's ridiculous. They are supposed to fetch the bins because we are on an assisted list as we are disabled but they just don't bother. "I'm sick of ringing the council about it. They make promises every time I call them but nothing gets done. I'm disgusted with them." Mr Wootton, who has Alzheimer's and dementia as well as other health problems, has assisted collections for his other two bins. But he says these are emptied without any problems. All three bins are kept at the back of his home. Mr Wootton added: "They come up the path to fetch our other bins, empty them and bring them back. I can't see why they can't do it with the brown one.

Skyscraper forced to replace faulty glass: The developer of the Mantra Pandanas building in Darwin's CBD says every glass panel on the building's balconies will be replaced because of a manufacturing fault. It is believed three glass panels have shattered since they were installed in 2008, including one last week that sent glass showering onto a car parked below. The building's developer, Gwelo, says investigations have revealed that the glass may have been weakened due to a fault in the manufacturing process. The glass panels are manufactured interstate and overseas. Gwelo's Bernie O'Connell says awnings will be installed by Monday to protect pedestrians and cars on the Litchfield Street side of the building. He says the replacement of all glass panels should start in a month and the cost will by covered by the manufacturer. The new panels will include an extra strengthening treatment known as "heat soaking".

Part of Lambton Quay - one of Wellington's busiest streets - has been cordoned off after glass began falling from the 20th storey of a high-rise building. Emergency services were called to 280 Lambton Quay about 2pm after reports of falling glass. The glass was believed to have come from a window dislodged in the wind, central fire communications spokesman David Meikle said. Police cordoned off the area near Panama St and firefighters were working with contractors to secure the window, he said. There were no reported injuries.

ASK THE EXPERTS: Clear rules on accounts - J.M. writes: I work as a window cleaner and I was thinking about hiring an accountant to help with my tax returns. Can I reclaim the cost of the accountant's services as a business expense too?
P.H. replies: For tax purposes, you can claim all costs that you have spent wholly and exclusively earning your business profit. So fees paid for someone to prepare your business accounts qualify as a business expense but any element that relates to your tax return should not. However, for simplicity, Revenue & Customs will usually allow the whole amount you pay to an accountant, provided that excessive personal costs - for example advice on inheritance tax - are excluded.

Benjamin Jose Sanchez, age (51), beloved son, father, brother, and uncle, was called home to be with his Savior Jesus on, July 6, 2010. Ben enlisted in the U.S. Navy in February 1979 and served on the USS Truxton CGN-35 in Engineering Maintenance. He received an honorable discharge in June 1983. Mr. Sanchez received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Kennedy-Western University while working at Los Alamos National Laboratory and Oakridge National Laboratory. Ben and Bernadette owned and operated the Sierra Vista Window Cleaning.

Act now to gain tax credit - it may be the last time: Time is running out for thousands of families who have yet to renew their annual claim for tax credits. The end of the month is the deadline for claiming child tax credit and working tax credit for this tax year. It will be the last chance for some claimants to obtain the benefits, as changes announced in last month's Budget mean many middle-earners will no longer qualify for help from next April. Currently, 6.3million families qualify for tax credits. The average payment was worth £78 per week in the last tax year.
Kirsty Webb renewed her tax credits over the phone last week. The 35-year-old nurse and her husband James, 32, who is a window cleaner, receive almost £240 a week. This includes money towards childcare costs. The couple have a son Braydon, 2, and care for three children from Kirsty's previous marriage - Chantise, Keely and Keanan Phillips, aged 16, 13 and 10. Kirsty, from Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, says: 'Even with both of us working, it would be a huge struggle to cope without the tax credits. Three days of childcare a week for Braydon costs £390 a month alone, almost as much as the mortgage.'

Two window cleaners in Auckland, New Zealand...



A spate of burglaries in Sutton is being attributed to the warmer weather as residents leave windows open to cool down. At least four separate burglaries occurred over the weekend with thieves climbing in through open and unlocked windows. Overnight on Friday July 9, £5,500 cash and jewellery was stolen from a property in Constance Road after a bedroom window was left open. The householder believes the suspect may have posed as a window cleaner.

Police in Fife are warning residents to be alert to bogus callers in the area, following a string of suspicious house calls in recent weeks. PC Paul Buttercase, community safety officer for North East Fife, said elderly householders are the most vulnerable targets for the criminals who have been encouraging unnecessary gardening work. The ‘workmen’ have been turning up at doors and charging excessive amounts of cash for materials requested ahead of the work, but then it is never carried out. PC Buttercase said: “Bogus caller crime occurs all year round but can be more prevelant during the spring, summer and autumn months.
“The persons involved in this type of crime are callous criminals who often target elderly and vulnerable members of our community. “This type of incident does not just involve gardening work but can include persons claiming to be collecting window-cleaning money, distraction type thefts involving persons pretending to be working for utility companies and persons offering to do or suggesting building work.” PC Buttercase advised residents to use spy holes and chains on doors, and to check people’s identities before opening the door properly.

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Beach lifeguards and county pools survived the budget cutting axe on Monday, but firefighters and the Sheriff's Office could face more cutbacks to head off Palm Beach County's $100 million shortfall. County commissioners decided to avoid some unpopular budget cuts to the Parks and Recreation Department and instead identified more than $4 million in other potential spending cuts that ranged from window washing to new street lights.

Budget-cutters tread water: Finally on Monday, commissioners hit on a couple of cuts that had no obvious constituency. Eliminating a street lighting program would save $150,000 a year. And there also was $51,000 for window washing, even though it would result "in 'dirty' windows for a longer period of time." Just $11.8 million to go - to trim a dime off the tax rate. The only protests commissioners won't respond to are the ones from people who won't settle for budget cuts that amount to nothing more than nickel-and -diming. These taxpayers want $50 million in cuts to keep the tax rate where it is today, dirty windows or not. What happens when they show up? They make no headway. The decisions already have been made.

BROOKSVILLE — The Hernando County Commission got a balanced budget on Tuesday as required by law, but few of the critical questions — including what will be cut and where new revenue will come from — were answered. In order to balance the $311 million proposed budget, county staff included a 6 percent increase in the property tax rate, an idea two commissioners immediately indicated they didn't want to support. Two others said any increase would be a last resort. Stabins had sent a general e-mail to county employees late last month seeking their ideas and he got an overwhelming response. The suggestions ranged from having county employees mix their own window-washing solution using ammonia to firing County Administrator David Hamilton.

Remember the tiger in your tank? Tiremaker BFGoodrich wants to put a tree frog on your wheels, not to mention a cheetah and probably a few other animals. The company's first national advertising campaign since 2008 uses animal attributes as metaphors for how its tires grip the bitumen, accelerate and resist the slings and arrows of outrageous throughways. The launch spot, breaking the evening of July 14, starts with a professional window cleaner trying desperately to reach bird poop some feet away from his aerie on the outside of a glass-sided office tower. Two dweebs look up from discussing paperwork to watch in amazement as we hear the sound of an air wrench. The window cleaner has bolted on an immense tree frog's foot, which he slaps to the glass, and easily pulls himself over to squeegee the poop. Cut to the same air-wrench sound as a mechanic tightens the bolts on a wheel with new BFGoodrich tires.

Window Cleaning On The Go

Kevin James with his quad bike & water fed pole set-up: Kevin of "Life on a Ledge window cleaning" operates on the Somerset/Wiltshire border servicing the main towns: Bath, Bradford on Avon, Frome, Westbury and Trowbridge. As you can imagine, he gets a little peckish whilst working & has made his hot wfp unit not only have the capacity to heat his water, but also to cook his breakfast. As always, click the pictures to enlarge. More info' on Kevin's wfp set-up can be seen here.

James Sun, a finalist of Donald Trump's reality show "The Apprentice," follows in the footsteps of his former mentor with his new program "War on Business." The Korean-American entrepreneur was one of four finalists to compete for an opportunity to run one of Trump's many companies during Season 6 of the NBC reality program. Though Sun did not win, he did go on to become the host of his own business-savvy show. Set to air in Singapore tomorrow, "War on Business" draws from the principles of Chinese general Sun Tzu's famed "The Art of War." Sun morphs into a business expert who traverses the world to instill the wisdom of Sun Tzu's strategies and tips upon participating entrepreneurs. The show bears some striking similarities to "The Apprentice." Project challenges and "The War Room," in lieu of Trump's fierce boardroom, are featured in the upcoming program. No one, however, will be "fired" in the show.
Instead, Sun provides guidance to a series of entrepreneurs, honing their skills and helping them develop their businesses. According to his official website, Sun first stepped into the realm of business at the tender age of 11, where he persuaded window cleaning companies to let him handle their publicity, advertising their services door-to-door. According to a press release, BBC Worldwide is producing and distributing "War on Business" and plans to distribute the show in Hong Kong, Malaysia, China, Thailand, the Philippines, India and other markets.

The search for the son of a Bountiful newspaper man has been given new life as his picture begins to circulate on half-gallon cartons of milk sold in Utah and southern Nevada. "We're totally struggling where to go. We're hoping with the milk cartons we will get more people looking," said Rolf Koecher, father of 30-year-old St. George resident Steven Koecher, who went missing Dec. 13 in an upscale Henderson, Nev., neighborhood. Steven Koecher, formerly employed with the Salt Lake Tribune, moved to St. George last spring to find a job. "He was frustrated that he was unable to find a full-time job," said Rolf Koecher, adding his son had found a part-time marketing job for a window-washing and home service business. Rolf Koecher said his son has a degree in communication from the University of Utah.

New campaign to combat rogue window washers in Linlithgow: Trusting home-owners could be unwittingly inviting convicted burglars to peer into their homes. Now a major awareness campaign is being launched in Linlithgow to ensure your window cleaner's shammy isn't hiding a shady character. Ian Geddes, a licensed local window cleaner who raised the issue with community councillors, claims there are about six licensed workmen in the town – but about 16 operating illegally. And without licence checks, you have no idea who you are letting on to your property. He said: "Someone could come straight out of Saughton Prison, spend £200 buying a ladder and sponges and set themselves up in business." By law all window cleaning firms and their staff must be licensed. All should carry photographic ID, showing they've had their records checked and have full public liability insurance.

Lucky escape as pane of glass falls from Southend tower block: A man narrowly avoided falling out of a Southend tower block window after a pane of glass fell through. He had been washing the window of his flat, in Quantock, Chichester Road, when it fell 13 floors and smashed on the ground. Luckily the stool the man was standing on fell backwards and he avoided injury.

Wantage man missing: Police are asking the public to help them trace a self-employed window cleaner who has been missing from his home for the past five days. Alexander Wileman, 33, was last seen leaving his home on Albermarle Drive, Wantage, on Wednesday to go to work. He was driving a white Citroen van at the time, with 'Red Star Window Cleaning' written on the sides. Mr Wileman is described as white, 6ft tall, of a medium build and he has cropped black hair. Police have described Mr Wileman as a vulnerable person. Anyone with information on his whereabouts should contact police on 08458 505505 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Mayoral candidate Don Marsh plans to revise discrimination law: This is the first segment of the Face in the Race series, which will feature the five candidates for Gainesville’s mayor seat. When Don Marsh moved to Gainesville, he baled hay for $25 a day and donated plasma twice a week for extra cash. That was nearly 30 years ago. Now Marsh, owner of a window-cleaning business, has a new challenge—running for Gainesville mayor. Marsh runs against Craig Lowe, Richard Selwach, Monica Leadon Cooper and Ozzy Angulo for the office in City Hall. “We all are underdogs to apathy,” said Marsh, who believes he will win if 20 to 25 percent of voters head to the polls on March 16. He also plans to revise the city’s anti-discrimination ordinance, which amends Chapter 8 of the city Code of Ordinances to include protection from gender discrimination. The ordinance allows citizens to use bathrooms that suit their gender identity, defined as “an inner sense of being a specific gender” as opposed to biological sex. Marsh believes the ordinance is too broad and could open the door to sexual predators taking advantage of the provision.

Pajaro Valley schools scrape by with fewer workers: Lead custodian Bobby Salazar remembers when Aptos High School classrooms were mopped every day, when dusting and window washing and raking around buildings were part of the regular routine. But the campus custodial staff has dwindled over the years. Layoffs last year claimed two from the crew and there's a possibility of more job losses at the end of the year after the Pajaro Valley Unified School District board of trustees cut maintenance $450,000 as part of a $5.5 million budget reduction package.

BOSTON - Nine million dollars was given to Harvard University to research and assemble robotic bees. No jobs were created with the stimulus money. "If that's going to put people back to work, I need to know how," said state Sen. Richard Tisei. "That's a perfect example of wasted money. People are catching on to what this was all about." One billion dollars has gone to schools across the state to make sure teachers aren't laid off and services aren't cut. But some of the expenditures are unusual. They include $12,000 for pest control in the Bridgewater schools, $25,000 for vertical blinds in Agawam schools and in Edgartown schools, $13,000 was spent on window cleaning.

Bedford, Mass. — The School Committee appeared last Thursday night at a meeting of the Finance Committee (FinComm) to present the fiscal year 2011 (FY11) budget it plans to recommend to the town in March at the Annual Town Meeting. To achieve the 3.2 percent increase, the schools cut funding for library books, exterior window washing at the high school, summer custodian jobs, special education tutoring, supplies, teaching and office staff, planned replacements of computer equipment, and more, achieving many reductions through creative reorganization and rethinking of programs. At the same time, the recommended budget included some additions, notably a behaviorist at Davis and Lane Schools and an instructional coach for math at Lane School.

Tony Evans of "A New View window cleaning" gives us a brand new episode in the new series entitled "Window Cleaning & Restoration." Tony can be followed on Facebook, Twitter & don't forget to check out his blog.

Craig Aldrich shows some glass protection products.

And finally.....