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.

Latest Window Cleaning Videos

Another installment from Mark Strange of "Beautiful View" from Toronto, Canada gives us a few more unbiased reviews of products in the window cleaners workplace, this week the swivel version of the "Stutzy" handle from Pulex. The fixed "Stutzy" handle is reviewed here.

Previously featured in another blog entitled "extreme window cleaning," the "Karcher WV 50" is a cross between a rubber bladed squeegee and a dustbuster handheld vacuum. Only time will tell if this machine will catch on, in my experience most home owners would rather spend their time doing something else.

How safe are glass cleaners around children and pets? Poison control centers get thousands of calls a year regarding glass cleaners. ABC7 Los Angeles teamed up with Consumer Reports, and found out that only a few glass cleaners provide warnings on their products. Certain concentrated cleaning products are required to have warning labels on the outside of the container. However, glass cleaners are not. Some companies do include safety information on their bottles. However, it's on the back of the front label. So you might have to peer around a bar-code sticker, through the plastic bottle and through colored liquid in order to read it. Another reason to hire a professional window cleaner!

Mr. Sanchez (aka Matt), gives you tips, tricks & tool techniques in the latest edition of his video showing you how to modify that Pulex bucket that just keeps banging you your leg. See Marks review of the Pulex "bucket-on-a-belt" here from this previous roll of videos.

Chris Lambrinides from Window Cleaning Resource shows the systems & monitoring he has in place for optimum performance of "All County Window Cleaning."

The "Stutzy" Pulex Squeegee Handle

When Giulio Guizzi (founder and CEO of Pulex - pictured left) gave me my first Stutzy handle he managed to snap the channel right in to the handle from the top - I've never been able to repeat that action, but not for want of trying. However I have made it work hard over the last few years & is still one of my favourites even though it's on the heavy side! Alex Lambrinides of Window Cleaning Resources gives us a run through of the squeegee handle below. Another installment (last video) from Mark Strange of "Beautiful View" from Toronto, Canada gives us a few more unbiased reviews of products in the window cleaners workplace. This time his opinion on the Stutzy squeegee, in this weeks edition of "Tool Talk." Ssshhh - they make them in swivels!!



Stutzy: the window washer that combines unrivalled mechanical quality with total safety in use. The result of an in-depth study of professional window cleaners’ safety, practicality and quality requirements, Stutzy is the top of the IPC Pulex range. Stutzy is designed to satisfy the most demanding European and American standards for safety and performance in high-rise work. Mechanically simple but precise, Stutzy incorporates all the traditional qualities of IPC Pulex window washers plus a patented safety mechanism that makes it the only washer able to guarantee the active and passive safety of high-rise operators. Stutzy’s clever design can be summarised in three main points. Stutzy is universal: because it is able to use all common squeegee holders, irrespective of type and length. This allows cleaning professionals using Stutzy to choose the squeegee holders that best suit their needs or the operating situations they have to work in. Stutzy is guaranteed safe: A safety spring prevents the channel from detaching from the handle even if the mechanism is accidentally opened during the course of high-rise operations. This simple but safe mechanism, patented by IPC Pulex, lets you work in total safety and change channels quickly and easily even during precarious operations, in the knowledge that they cannot accidentally fall, causing major inconvenience and possibly even injuring passers by. Stutzy is fast to use: Squeegees can be slid in even with the channel in place, making assembly easier than ever. With other tools, squeegee changes waste a great deal of valuable working time; with Stutzy changing the squeegee is amazingly quick and easy. Technical characteristics: The Stutzy handle is made from co-moulded steel and plastic in two sections, one of which incorporates a non-slip rubber section. A slot in the base allows Stutzy to be attached to a safety cord. Stutzy can be used on telescopic poles. The clamp locks in place without screws, using a nylon locking and release lever. The internal fixing system incorporates a spring to lock the channel in place. Stutzy can use all common professional window cleaning squeegee channels.

Pulex Rubber

FOR A QUALITY SQUEEGEE THE KEY IS THE RUBBER (Pulex): The rubber blade is the main component of every squeegee because it is the element that comes into direct contact with the glass and dirt. It is so important that the material with which the squeegee is made - steel, brass or plastic - and the mechanics play a minor role. This is because the vast majority of squeegees on the market - economical ones sold in the household item department and often imported from the Far East - do not work as they should. Without mentioning molded plastic blades, which are definitely inferior, standard rubber cleaning blades are made of ordinary extruded rubber, which is obtained continuously from rolls dozens of meters in length and cut into sections ready to be fitted into the tool. This type of rubber does not have the features of a real mix of vulcanized rubber as it is extruded ready for use and not cut to size, the result being a blade with a rough, rounded edge. This means it becomes deformed when it comes into contact with dirt which is abrasive and washing solutions which are aggressive, or is exposed to atmospheric agents, or subjected to friction on glass and rubbing against window frames or under the eaves. As these blades are made using a very quick and easy process without any finishing touches or inspections, they are relatively inexpensive and obviously they wear out very quickly. Also, they virtually always leave unsightly marks all over the glass. And the wider the squeegee, the more evident the marks.The basic condition for a top quality squeegee is a perfect combination of three specific features of the blade - a) the type and nature of the rubber, b) the quality of the mix, c) the edge of the blade. As regards the first feature, Pulex rubber is real vulcanized natural rubber (NR), which is compression molded, item by item, from a meter-long (approx. 36”) strip. As natural rubber is of vegetable origin it is important that its organic chemical features are as constant and homogeneous as possible, so it must always be obtained from the same country, in this case Malaysia, and also from the same sites in that country. Despite this, there is always the risk of the mix containing particles and foreign bodies, some minute, due to the fact that it comes from a tree in a plantation and is collected, handled and packed using traditional manual methods that are still very rudimentary. As regards the second feature, it is important for the raw material to provide a mix that can be processed carefully and is free from impurities as far as possible, having all the necessary properties concerning molecular dispersion, cross-linking, elasticity, snap, resilience, hardness, resistance to chemical and atmospheric agents, coloring and surface smoothness. Thanks to the addition of various special additives formulated in over two decades of research and development, the grade of the mix of Pulex rubber is specifically calibrated for cleaning glass. The third aspect is also very important. There is no point in using expensive first-rate ingredients and developing a perfect mix for a specific use if the rubber is not cut precisely to get a perfectly linear cleaning edge to the blade. So in this final stage the rubber strip is molded using a high-power press, and cut in half by sophisticated machinery using a special process. This gives a blade that is about a meter long (36”) and has a very sharp edge. After careful inspection, the blade is cut into different sizes. And it is precisely on the perfection of the edge that the Pulex quality control system focuses. In order to detect defects, Pulex has been researching special equipment for years, the only manufacturer to devote considerable resources to this particular problem. And now Pulex has come up with a machine for optical, electronic and computerized control with respect to the edge of the blade. Exploratory laser rays “read” the degree of perfection of the cut and the two sharp edges and assess whether there are any defects in the less critical surrounding areas. This is why Pulex rubber blades, which are the result of a lengthy multi-stage process, are no comparison with the blades used in ordinary squeegees. They are universally known as TQR, Total Quality Rubber, i.e. the only rubber blades to be used in a total quality squeegee. In addition, as Pulex rubber blades come in two different degrees of shore hardness - standard and soft - they meet the needs of all window cleaners, worldwide and irrespective of their skills.

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

The History & Manufacture of Squeegee Rubber

Unger: About Rubber - History and Manufacture: Unger Enterprises partnered with some of the world's most renowned rubber experts to develop the best formula for window cleaning. After months of research and testing, our team developed a rubber that holds up to the strictest product specifications in professional window cleaning.
In its natural form, rubber was used for centuries before it was re-discovered by Christopher Columbus. Rubber was called 'Caoutchouc' by the Indians of Central and South America from the Indian word 'cahuchu' meaning weeping wood from its origins as a sap in tree bark. Its modern name, "rubber," is derived from its use to "rub out" pencil marks.
After rubber was introduced to western culture and it became a more popular material, the products for which it was used could not stand up to extreme cold. In 1843, Charles Goodyear patented the process of vulcanization, removing sulphur from rubber to waterproof and winterize it, creating a healthy market for rubber goods.
According to the Rubber Manufacturers Association, the use of and demand for rubber products is pervasive in today's consumer and industrial economies. Sixty percent of rubber production is used in tire manufacture, but the balance is used to make rubber components supplied to a range of other industries. This includes squeegee rubber. According to the International Rubber Study Group, of the 8,682 million tons of natural rubber produced in 2005, North America alone consumed 1,316 million tons of it. But the Asia Pacific region is perhaps the world's largest rubber user with 5,202 million tons consumed in 2005.
Available in two forms, natural or synthetic, the rubber used for window squeegees is called pure gum rubber, is tan in color, soft, pliable and elastic. As a non-marking elastomer, it is resistant to organic salts, ammonia, acids and alkalis which makes it ideal for window cleaning.
Unger's new, long-lasting rubber formula contains a higher rubber content with less fillers compared to current window cleaning rubbers. The new rubber formulation is softer and glides more smoothly across wet and dry windows without sticking to the dry part of the glass. Also, when it hits dirt objects on glass, the softer rubber is more malleable and will not nick or tear when passing over this debris. Available in a re-closable blister pack, the rubber is protected and stored flat.
There are many considerations to attend to when selecting rubber. Not only does Unger have the right formula, but we are confident that when window cleaning professionals use Unger's ErgoTec Soft Rubber they will experience the ease of use and efficiency for which it is designed. Our new formula, size ranges and storage options provide everything necessary for a high-quality window cleaning job every time.
Rubber was named by Joseph Priestly in 1770 who found that dried latex could rub out pencil marks. In its natural state, rubber is an elastic hydrocarbon polymer found in the form of a milky emulsion known as latex in the sap of plants and trees such as fig trees and dandelions. The main source of latex for creating rubber is the Para rubber tree, discovered in South America where rubber was first processed in the 19th Century.
Natural rubber is manufactured primarily in the countries of Latin America, Africa and Asia by combining latex with formic acid, which coagulates the rubber into sheets. The sheets are then wrung out in a press and shipped to factories for further processing and vulcanization, whereby rubber is heated and combined with sulfur to improve its resilience and elasticity.
The rise of synthetic rubber occurred just before World War I for development of rubber tires with the growth of the automobile industry.

Ettore: Often imitated, never duplicated, his original squeegee design has remained essentially unchanged since its inception. His secret was, and is, in the rubber for this is the essential heart of the system. A razor sharp square edge, supple, smooth, consistent which leaves glass perfectly clean and streak free. Indeed, every Ettore product is 100% guaranteed to deliver nothing less than flawless performance. Ettore Steccone's pioneering spirit has assured Ettore's position as the undisputed industry leader. Today the company provides every conceivable tool and convenience to make window cleaning more fun, efficient and effective.


Mark gives us his point of view on rubber on this weeks tool talk - taking into account the top market selling window cleaning rubber in the world of Ettore, Unger & Pulex.

FOR A QUALITY SQUEEGEE THE KEY IS THE RUBBER (Pulex): The rubber blade is the main component of every squeegee because it is the element that comes into direct contact with the glass and dirt. It is so important that the material with which the squeegee is made - steel, brass or plastic - and the mechanics play a minor role. This is because the vast majority of squeegees on the market - economical ones sold in the household item department and often imported from the Far East - do not work as they should. Without mentioning molded plastic blades, which are definitely inferior, standard rubber cleaning blades are made of ordinary extruded rubber, which is obtained continuously from rolls dozens of meters in length and cut into sections ready to be fitted into the tool. This type of rubber does not have the features of a real mix of vulcanized rubber as it is extruded ready for use and not cut to size, the result being a blade with a rough, rounded edge. This means it becomes deformed when it comes into contact with dirt which is abrasive and washing solutions which are aggressive, or is exposed to atmospheric agents, or subjected to friction on glass and rubbing against window frames or under the eaves. As these blades are made using a very quick and easy process without any finishing touches or inspections, they are relatively inexpensive and obviously they wear out very quickly. Also, they virtually always leave unsightly marks all over the glass. And the wider the squeegee, the more evident the marks.The basic condition for a top quality squeegee is a perfect combination of three specific features of the blade - a) the type and nature of the rubber, b) the quality of the mix, c) the edge of the blade. As regards the first feature, Pulex rubber is real vulcanized natural rubber (NR), which is compression molded, item by item, from a meter-long (approx. 36”) strip. As natural rubber is of vegetable origin it is important that its organic chemical features are as constant and homogeneous as possible, so it must always be obtained from the same country, in this case Malaysia, and also from the same sites in that country. Despite this, there is always the risk of the mix containing particles and foreign bodies, some minute, due to the fact that it comes from a tree in a plantation and is collected, handled and packed using traditional manual methods that are still very rudimentary. As regards the second feature, it is important for the raw material to provide a mix that can be processed carefully and is free from impurities as far as possible, having all the necessary properties concerning molecular dispersion, cross-linking, elasticity, snap, resilience, hardness, resistance to chemical and atmospheric agents, coloring and surface smoothness. Thanks to the addition of various special additives formulated in over two decades of research and development, the grade of the mix of Pulex rubber is specifically calibrated for cleaning glass. The third aspect is also very important. There is no point in using expensive first-rate ingredients and developing a perfect mix for a specific use if the rubber is not cut precisely to get a perfectly linear cleaning edge to the blade. So in this final stage the rubber strip is molded using a high-power press, and cut in half by sophisticated machinery using a special process. This gives a blade that is about a meter long (36”) and has a very sharp edge. After careful inspection, the blade is cut into different sizes. And it is precisely on the perfection of the edge that the Pulex quality control system focuses. In order to detect defects, Pulex has been researching special equipment for years, the only manufacturer to devote considerable resources to this particular problem. And now Pulex has come up with a machine for optical, electronic and computerized control with respect to the edge of the blade. Exploratory laser rays “read” the degree of perfection of the cut and the two sharp edges and assess whether there are any defects in the less critical surrounding areas. This is why Pulex rubber blades, which are the result of a lengthy multi-stage process, are no comparison with the blades used in ordinary squeegees. They are universally known as TQR, Total Quality Rubber, i.e. the only rubber blades to be used in a total quality squeegee. In addition, as Pulex rubber blades come in two different degrees of shore hardness - standard and soft - they meet the needs of all window cleaners, worldwide and irrespective of their skills.

The Pulex MicroTiger

New from Pulex, the MicroTiger sleeve incorporates soft abrasive stripes within the microfibre for extra scrubbing action that are ideal for removing food debris & has a abrasive end pad and velcro fixing. This scrubber manages to hold more than your average for water retention & less drips. Mark Strange of "Beautiful View window cleaning" Toronto, Canada gives his unbiased view on this remarkable sleeve. Available to buy in the here in the UK & here in USA.