Window Cleaning Water Fed Pole Brushes

Window cleaning brushes & which water fed pole brush to use has often received lively debate on window cleaning forums the world over. Peter Fogwill of "Window Tools" & the forum of the same name published this paper a couple of year a go & is still well worth a read even in today's market. Reproduced here in it's entirety, courtesy of Peter Fogwill. If you are also interested, Peter has designed & built the first water fed pole "Hot Wash" mobile trolley system, click here to see. And also the very popular "auto-brush."

What window cleaning brush? There has been a lot of talk lately about window cleaning brushes, and what ones are best. Let me start by clarifying one thing, the most popularly used is not necessarily the best. Awhile ago there was a certain brush manufacturer that caught on to the fact that the reach and wash system and water fed poles in general were gaining popularity among window cleaners, and quite rightly got in on the act. They realised their was big business in window cleaning brushes and started promoting their car washing brushes at trade shows etc, and offering good deals to water fed pole suppliers. They even made some changes to the brush to make them more window cleaning friendly, trouble is they forgot about two main factors that overwhelmingly effected the cleaning power of the brush. Firstly the density of the bristles, their brush is far too dense and this restricts the flow of dirty water passing through the bristles, and working its way down and off the glass. Secondly the bristles were splayed at the ends to make them softer for car paintwork, as glass is a hard surface this was not necessary for a window cleaning brush, it had a negative effect and trapped dirt particles, again restricting the easy passage of dirty water through the brush and down to the bottom of the glass. These two factors although not the only disadvantages makes the most widely used window cleaning brush a nightmare to use.

How did the average window cleaner not notice this? They were supplied with the brush from their supplier, they didn't know any better, after all if you pay good money for a window cleaning system you would expect to be supplied with the best equipment to do the job it was designed to do. Trouble is most of the window cleaning suppliers have never cleaned a window in their life, they picked up on a brush that was being heavily promoted, got a good deal and the rest is history. The window cleaner got round the defects on the brush by brushing the window and then lifting the brush off the glass to give it a final rinse, which is both time consuming and a much higher water consumption over the course of the day.

There are another couple of disadvantages with the brush I am talking about. The weight of the brush, and the shape of the bristles. Again the clever window cleaner has compensated for the weight by using a much smaller brush, the size of the brush brings the weight down considerably, only problem with that is again more time wasted covering the glass with the smaller brush, and again more water wasted as you are on the glass longer. Next there is the shape of the bristles, they are straight. If they were slightly crinkled it would serve as a more aggressive cleaner, as there is a more abrasive contact on any dirt sticking to the glass. Slightly elongated bristles servers the same purpose allowing the bristles to splay more and would allow the non splayed tips of the bristles to come in contact with the dirt. This would also allow for faster cleaning, which in turn reduces water usage.

The funny thing about all this is I have had customers of mine changing from the brush I supply which has none of the disadvantages of the above brush, to one of the disadvantaged brushes. Why? Simply because they have been told by other window cleaners that the brush they use is not a window cleaning brush, and that they have to change over to the disadvantage brush that they use. Its not all bad though, these helpful chaps sometimes show them some new exciting ways to get a spot free finish on the glass, they show them how to take the brush off the glass and give it a final rinse, and how to waste time and water into the bargain.

Also as a bonus, one of the members of Peters forum also added this video on his guide to reduce spotting using various water fed pole techniques.

The Unger "HIFLO™ Multi-Link Pure Water Cleaning System"

As previously mentioned on this blog: The "HIFLO™ MULTI-LINK PURE WATER CLEANING SYSTEM" website is now live. Click the image above to take yourself there.

The Professional System for many cleaning applications:

• Solar Panel Cleaning
• Glass and Exterior Cleaning
• Vehicle Cleaning

With the HiFlo™ MultiLink Gooseneck System, HiFlo™ Brushes can be attached to any HiFlo™ Pole at the perfect working angle and distance you require for total flexibility. HiFlo™ Pure Water Cleaning Systems. One System - Total Flexibility:

Choose from the range of 13 HiFlo™ Brushes featuring natural, flagged or monofilament bristles, designed to make your cleaning tasks quicker and easier.

Connects any HiFlo™ Pole with any HiFlo™ Brush so nearly every working angle or distance can be achieved. Various combinations perfectly adjust your HiFlo™ Pole to your individual work requirements. Brushes can be turned and fixed in any position through 360º.

Three Pole Systems to choose from offering up to 65ft / 20 metres reach. Glass or Carbon Fibre, Telescopic or Modular, the wide range offers the perfect pole to suit your requirements.

HiFlo™ MultiLink CarbonTec Adapter: This connects the HiFlo™ CarbonTec pole to the MultiLink Goosenecks.

• HiFlo™ CarbonTec
• HiFlo™ CarbonTec Telescopic
• HiFlo™ Advanced

Choose your Pole, MultiLink Gooseneck and Brush in any combination.

HiFlo™ MultiLink Cone Adapter:
When combined with ErgoTec Locking Cone all classic window tools can be used.

Cleaning with pure water avoids the use of chemicals which are harmful to the environment as well as the surface being cleaned. This leads to a safer and chemical-free work surroundings for (building) cleaners. For most applications no ladders are necessary. Work safe, fast and effective,
without ladders, directly from the ground. Renting a lift or cherry picker is a complicated and expensive exercise. HiFlo™ Pure Water Cleaning Systems require minimum investment and can
be used repeatedly on jobs without incurring major additional or recurring costs.

Products are manufactured using the highest quality materials including Glass Fibre, Carbon Fibre & Hard Anodised Aluminium to ensure long life. HiFlo Pure Water Systems produces excellent results to fully meet modern day needs and requirements. The HiFlo™ cleaning system can even be used in quite difficult environments. The cleaning process in such cases is much quicker and easier than the installation of conventional equipment high off the ground.

The HiFlo™ cleaning system is a quick and easy solution even for large vehicles. Difficult angles or heights can easily be reached from the ground, achieving a constant and good cleaning result.
Quality Tools for Smart Cleaning One System – Numerous Applications.

Lone Worker Safety - Window Cleaners Saviour?

The latest lone-worker security pendant is more than just an alarm: it's a phone, too. The Cobs EXC, available from Call-Systems Technology, has all the features of a lone-worker alarm pendant, including a compact, lightweight, robust design and instant alarm activation. But it also lets staff communicate by voice, just like a DECT phone, which enhances safety and adds a whole new level of versatility to the pendant.

The EXC also features 'Easy Clean', an antimicrobial screen built into the unit's body. It kills or inhibits the growth of microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, as well as destroying viruses. Easy Clean makes the pendant ideal for healthcare and other hygiene-sensitive sites that require protection from cross-contamination.



CST has developed a portfolio of lone-worker security alarms designed to deliver the best solution for every application. "No question, the new Cobs EXC is the most versatile alarm pendant on the market," says Bruce McNair, CST's sales director. "Together with a system such as the Cobs Alert package it delivers a flexible, wireless communications system that enhances alarm and message handling. "It's also the first pendant to offer protection from cross contamination, which will be a real benefit in, for example, hospitals and institutions."

The EXC comes with a variety of alarm types, including pull-cord, assault and non-movement, and offers exact position location, so lone-workers can instantly call for help, and support can quickly be at hand. It features two alarm buttons, offering a choice of alarm levels and functions.

As a two-way phone, the EXC offers high quality, full duplex sound. When called, it rings and flashes to alert the wearer. Weighing just 51g and measuring 73x59x25mm, the unit is waterproof and offers dust-protection under IP56. Supplied with a recharging base, the batteries will work in standby for up to 4 days and deliver up to 3 hours operation time.

The EXC is simple to use, easily administered and managed and can be integrated into a site's existing communications. CST offers a choice of complete communications packages including the Cobs Alert System and Cobs Messenger Server.



E: sales@call-systems.com
W: www.call-systems.com

Window Cleaning News, Antifreeze & the Superbrush

City sword killer jailed for life: A man who murdered a father-of-one with a sword after a row at a party in Glasgow has been jailed for life. Scott Nesbitt, 23, almost sliced Morgan Proctor's head in two during the attack at a flat in Townhead in May. The 38-year-old window cleaner had only gone to the party because his young niece felt threatened. At the High Court in Glasgow, judge John Morris QC ordered Nesbitt to serve at least 13-and-a-half years in jail before he can apply for parole. The judge said he was reducing the term from 15 years to take into account Nesbitt's guilty plea. During the trial, the court heard that Nesbitt attacked Mr Proctor in the street with a 2ft-long blade after an earlier row involving a number of men and youths at a party in a flat in Taylor Place. The blow caused "almost complete detachment" of the jaw from his upper face. Mr Proctor suffered a 27cm (11in) wound and died almost instantly. Nesbitt later turned up at a friend's house having changed his clothes and said he had "chopped" a man in the street with a sword. James Nesbitt, 24, George McKay, 23, and Christopher Milligan, 23, also faced a murder charge but their not guilty pleas were accepted. Simone Nesbitt, 20, was accused of assaulting Mr Proctor. Her not guilty plea was also accepted.


Pane equals gain for former Woolies pair: It is a case of Woolworths to windows for these two former store managers. Lee James, 38 (pictured right), and Stuart Ford, 35, are among the 27,000 people being made redundant after the collapse of the high street chain. But now the fathers-of-three from Scarning, near Dereham, are busy developing their own business, Stulee Window Cleaners. They started the enterprise to earn some extra pocket money about 18 months ago and now have more than 600 domestic and commercial customers. Since Mr James was general manager of the King's Lynn Woolies and Mr Ford was general manager of the Norwich store, they decided to employ four staff to do most of the cleaning and concentrated on the marketing and management side of their business in their spare time. Now they are going to put all their energies into expanding Stulee and getting involved in more of the cleaning themselves. Mr James said: “We are now looking forward to the next chapter in our lives. It is just sad that it has happened in this way with Woolworths closing.” Mr Ford said: “Everything we learned at Woolworths we can use in our business. It is just on a smaller scale. Woolworths has taught us how to look after our customers and staff and to lead by example.”

A Flintshire man who was badly hurt when a massive gas explosion ripped through his house says he and his family may not be able to return home this year.David Roberts and his parents, Derek and Margaret, are still not allowed to set foot inside their home on Stanley Street, Mold, Flintshire, and spent Christmas and New Year with relatives. David suffered serious burns to his hands and face in the blast, which happened early on December 1 when he lit a cigarette. The force of the explosion blew out the windows, roof and doors, and reduced the house to a shell. David, 41, and his parents have been told it could take up to 18 months to repair their home, and in the meantime they are looking to rent a property elsewhere in Mold. David said: "It's not ideal but I can't complain too much because we're lucky to be alive." More than 30 residents were evacuated following the explosion, and the road was closed. In an exclusive interview last month David, a window cleaner, said he was lucky to be alive and added that he owed his life to God. He said: "The fire inspector said afterwards that I was lucky to be here. "If it was a new house we would have been dead, and if I had stepped backwards instead of forwards just as it happened the blast could have ripped me in two."

Some more great window cleaning hints & tips from Tony (Mr. Squeegee) & Mark...

The first water fed pole

I know everyone seems to think that Tucker were the first to produce wfp's in the world, or Tucker UK (now called Aquafactors) if you live on this side of the pond. But its just not true! Thanks again to Shawn from "Reach Higher Ground" for providing the evidence. Robin Tucker in his rather sparse blog & claiming to have "the original water fed pole system" could be up against Albert & Herman from Detroit on this one! Only it was 14th May, 1895 they filed saying, and I quote "this window cleaning brush having a water supply pipe for delivering a supply of water to the brush in cleaning the window". Click on the image to study the detail.

Robin Tucker with his "New Product".