Hey what’s up everybody. I’ve been reading and watching videos for the past couple weeks every day and I feel like at this point its just time to get some hands on experience. Going to start on my own house, neighbors, friends & family, and store fronts. I am scared of running into a window that I don’t know how to clean though.
Supplies:
blue huck towels,
moerman mop sleeve,
pullex bucket with draining insert
various size ettore master brass channels,
ettore master rubber,
1 super ettore super channel for store front,
white abrasive scrubber pad (magic eraser),
0000 steel wool,
track cleaner brush,
6 or 8 ft ettore pole,
Small hack saw to cut channels if needed for small windows
any recommendations on squeegee handles or t bar handles?
What do you need the draining insert for? I had one and made it work and tossed it.
Brass channels are okay, but I like stainless because they don’t warp as easily. There are people who have used brass for years and never had a problem so I guess I’m a gorilla. For residential, get an 18, 14, and 12 and that should do 90% of the houses. Get a couple of 18’s to cut down if you have a lot of cutups. I personally don’t recommend starting with a wide body channel, but that’s just me.
Get a couple of microfiber towels. They soak up a ton of water but when they’re damp, they’ll do just as much work as the scrubby pads and I’d even put it up against steel wool.
You might want a tool belt, boab, and towel bag.
Oh, go to walmart and buy the $0.99 can openers. There’s hundreds of uses for those including pulling out screens.
1 big container of dawn dish soap
2 different size chip brushes
1 pack of 0000 steel wool
1 scrub brush for window screens
1 unger pro 6 gallon bucket
1 flexible putty knife for removing screens
1 wood cone
1 ettore standard angle adapter
5 lb of surgical towels
1 ettore web/dust cleaner
1 ettore 16x16 microswipe towels (10 pack)
1 moerman 10 ft 3 section pole
1 Ettore Pro+ Super System Super Channel Handle
1 Ettore Super Channel 18 inch
1 Pulex Tubex Holster Detachable Clip
1 Ettore Stainless Steel Handle
1 Ettore Ledge-Eze Handle
1 Track Cleaner
3 Ettore Master Brass Channel with Rubber 18 in.
1 Ettore Master Brass Channel with Rubber 12 in
1 Ettore Master Brass Channel with Rubber 6 in.
1 Ettore Master Rubber 12 Pack 18 in.
1 Moerman Microfiber Sleeve 18 in & 1 Moerman Microfiber Sleeve 10 in sleeve
1 Moerman Ergonomic T-Bar 18 in
1 Moerman Ergonomic T-Bar 10in
I think that’ll get me started at least. I probably could’ve bought the luke the window cleaner basic kit for only $60 more lol. No way you can start with only $50 like a lot of the youtube videos claim.
you can, i bought the squeegee mop pack from lowes, a 5 gal bucket, some dish soap, pack of towels for like $40 and cleaned my mother in laws windows and she gave me $100, i used that to buy more gear. Wash, rinse, repeat.
One tip on poles I’ll offer… A 2 section pole seems to be stiffer to me, then a 3 section. Some times you have to buy a 3 section either for the compact size (storage) or the length of the pole doesn’t offer a 2 section. On a 10’ pole, I would have bought a 2 section.
You’ll also want a paint can key or three. These are handy little things.
Some kind of squirt bottle is nice too, to carry extra water with. It’s better than dragging a bucket with you all the time, and much safer if anyone is walking near it.
Didn’t see a razor in there either. Those small 1.5" blades will work starting out. You can get them at the local lumber mart stores.
You should get a water key too. If you are doing commercial/storefront, most of the ones I have been around require a water key to turn on the spigot.
I agree, about the 50-100 to start a business. You aren’t going to start a legit business for that. We’ve had the discussion here many times, and I’m not bringing it up again.
At this point, I have a LOT of money in my business. Many times your initial investment.
I want to start off the right way with all the tools necessary to compete a job. I don’t want to start off & do bad a bad job from the get go. That & if I come to a job & I can’t do it because I’m unprepared I don’t want people to think I’m just some joe shmoe with a squeegee.
The four way key is a water key, as mentioned above. The paint can opener is real handy for screens as mentioned. I rarely put a razor on glass, I usually get good results keeping the hard plastic cover on the scraper. The spray bottle minimizes splatter for interior and doesn’t create the tripping hazard of bringing a bucket indoors.
good stiff butter knife comes with me every where I go. best screen removing tool I have found.
whenever I invest in a new facet of my business I tend to over buy the tools and supplies I ‘might’ need then realize later after I know more I could have saved half my money. but its a good thing this biz generates cash flow fairly readily. One thing I like to have is a roll of the thick blue shop ‘paper’ towels. only a few bucks and they serve as an excellent back up in case your clean towel supply runs out. alleviate the stress of your work flow one piece at a time and this job gets smoother and smoother.
I am 11 years in and still finding little things to make my day go more smoothly. and once I geared up and gained skill with wfp there is no longer any window out of reach. and if it is, I can easily complain about the builder for being ignorant haha.
Looks like you’ve been through a typical WC season (Spring-Early Fall). How did you do? Are you charging strong or decided to fold? Let us know:) -AllStarWCM
