Washing windows is simple, right? You just spray some window cleaner on, wipe it off with the nearest rag and you’re good to go. If you’ve painted and gotten some on the window, you just scrape it off with a razor blade, right? Not so fast. It’s more complicated than that, according to Cameron McGee, owner of Calypso Window Washing.
Calypso’s staff is highly trained, so much so that they don’t go out alone on a job until they have had a couple of months training and working under more experienced washers.
Training includes things such as how to safely move around on roofs, how to work without dripping water on the customers property and equipment, and how to place ladders. “We use ladders more in washing windows than in any of our other work,” says McGee. Staff is also trained to work quickly and efficiently. “No one would be happy if they had to wait around the house for four hours for their windows to be washed when they were told it’s a two-hour job,” says McGee.
A major part of training is how to clean windows properly, especially windows made of tempered glass. “We have some understanding of building codes so that we know what areas have tempered glass, such as doors,” he explains.
So why is it so important to know what type of glass you’re cleaning? You have to be very careful or you can easily scratch it. “You don’t want to use any abrasive gels or razors,” advises McGee. “Tempered glass is actually porous, it’s not smooth. If you’re running a razor blade across the glass and hearing a scratching sound, that’s actually little particles breaking off and being moved around. It’s little chunks of glass.”
McGee says you can see the damage that razor blades do to windows on many older windows. “You can particularly see it in old wooden garage doors. People painted the garage doors over and over, and used a razor blade to clean off the paint that got on the edges of the glass. That’s where you can really see the scratches.”
In addition, the “dirt” on the window can be more than dirt. “Rain is pure so it’s not the problem,” explains McGee. “If the glass is clean, there won’t be any water spots. Spots come from dirt being on the window.” Dirt comes up off the ground as dust blows around, bringing minerals with it. Hard water and run-off from roofs can stain windows, too.
“Windows with screens get particularly dirty,” says McGee. “The dirt gets trapped behind the screen, then gets wet and makes a mess. You can put two windows side by side and you’ll be able to tell which one was behind a screen.”
Regular window cleaning spray is fine to use, he says, but when wiping it, you want to be sure to use clean cloths. “If you drop a rag and just pick it up and just shake it off and continue to use it on your window, you will likely scratch the window. Whenever we drop a rag, we throw it in a bag to be washed and pull out a clean rag so that we aren’t spreading around any debris. Clean rags are very important.”
Windows can actually get dirty enough that they are a problem to clean. “When it gets really bad, you have to use a special cleaner and a buffer and then you are basically resurfacing the glass,” according to McGee. “And sometimes, it can be as expensive to clean a window as it is to replace it, if it gets that bad.” McGee says that cleaning windows actually helps preserve the life of the window.
So now that you know more about how complicated it can actually be to clean glass properly, you might be worried you could scratch the glass in your house. That’s where Calpyso can make sure to do the job right for you.
You can give them a call and schedule a time for them to come to your house and give you an estimate of the cost. Cleaning is then typically scheduled two to three weeks out, although as spring gets busier it can take just a little longer to get on the schedule. “Although we do have odd openings here and there than we can sometimes schedule people in, depending on the size of their property,” says McGee.
Homeowners can choose to be home for the cleaning, or be gone. “It’s all on their comfort level,” says McGee. “We are bonded, but not everyone feels comfortable letting someone in their home when they’re gone, and we certainly understand that.”
Home owners and business owners can set up a schedule for regular cleaning, and Calypso will call with a reminder when it comes time. You never have to stress about keeping your windows looking clean and sparkling again.
To protect the life of your windows, give Calpyso Window Washing a call at 360-269-4947 or visit their website for more information.
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