Any ex (or still) window cleaners here? What funny things have you seen?

[Mad Doug Biker]

I bet he uses the traditional method of ladder (preferably a wooden one) and a bucket on a belt with blade and squeegee. That's what I used. Nowadays it's all that 'too lazy to climb a ladder' water fed poles that leave water bead marks on the glass.

I don't know, I live in a Bungallow 😆

He does use a bucket and squeegee though, yes.

 

[Dave7]

Ours is reasonably ok, he's an older guy who usually comes on a Monday, although the frequency is not regular, so he may come every week for a while and then he might not be back for a month. I don't mind, he only charges £3 a wash.
I have no way of contacting him, so if anything happens to him, I am not sure how I'll ever know!

I think ours is part of a franchise but is good and very reliable. He texts us in advance so I unlock the side gate for him. No complaints.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I live in a Bungallow 😆

No wonder it's only 3 quid for a clean!!

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

No wonder it's only 3 quid for a clean!!

You know, that hadn't even occurred to me. ☺️

 

[Accy cyclist]

You know, that hadn't even occurred to me. ☺️

No climbing, risk taking involved, hence the lower price!

 

[Accy cyclist]

I bet he uses the traditional method of ladder (preferably a wooden one) and a bucket on a belt with blade and squeegee. That's what I used. Nowadays it's all that 'too lazy to climb a ladder' water fed poles that leave water bead marks on the glass. I remember an old window cleaner who operated near to my round. The bottom 4 rungs of his wooden ladder were missing and he was always smoking weed! I saw him many times when climbing back down, reach for those non existent rungs and end up flat on the floor!

Thinking about him now, he looked like a cross between Paul Whitehouse and Jerry Lee Lewis...with a red weather beaten face. 🤔

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

No climbing, risk taking involved, hence the lower price!

I knew there was an advantage of not having any stairs.

It's also a mid terrace, so only the front and back to do, no 'sides' 😆

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Thinking about him now, he looked like a cross between Paul Whitehouse and Jerry Lee Lewis...with a red weather beaten face. 🤔


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This guy is late '50s' or '60s', quite large (muscular, not fat) and not to far away in looks either.

Maybe a relation? 😆

 

[Accy cyclist]

Look at this fellow outside the local Tesco the other week, scrounging money off unsuspecting customers. He's not homeless and has a car. This is known because he was filmed around Christmas getting into his car after leaving his housing association flat and the pics were posted on a local facebook page. He's hassled me once or twice for money. I didn't give him money but i did give him some advice. I said that maybe he should get a ladder, a bucket etc and start his own window cleaning round as there are far more customers than available cleaners out there, meaning he'll make decent money, keep fit and have a bit of self respect instead of squatting there begging. He replied "I'm not working in all weathers for peanuts"! Ah well, you can lead a horse.....

 

[Gwylan]

Used to travel from job to job with a mate. He had a Vespa and we'd go through Cardiff just after dawn. He had a bucket between his feet. I was the passenger with a pointy over my shoulder. The pointy ladder that window cleaners used.
We did get pulled by the police a few times, especially early morning, in the City.
Knocked off about nine o'clock and went for breakfast.

 

[Drago]

Come on Accy have a heart. The poor fellow has a flat and a car to run, so he probably has nothing left over for his drugs, hence the begging.

 

[Accy cyclist]

The pointy ladder that window cleaners used.

Which is called an A frame.

 

[Gwylan]

Which is called an A frame.

Nah! It was a "pointy", brawd

 

[Accy cyclist]

Come on Accy have a heart. The poor fellow has a flat and a car to run, so he probably has nothing left over for his drugs, hence the begging.

I believe the hourly rate for window cleaners now is about £20. 30 hours of work a week and you'll make £600, of which 20 quid will be declared to the Inland Revenue! But seriously, it's not bad pay for a physical job that's not too taxing on the brain and it'd be far better than sponging off folk who maybe aren't that well off themselves!

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I believe the hourly rate for window cleaners now is about £20. 30 hours of work a week and you'll make £600, of which 20 quid will be declared to the Inland Revenue! But seriously, it's not bad pay for a physical job that's not too taxing on the brain and it'd be far better than sponging off folk who maybe aren't that well off themselves!

'Sponging off folk'

Was that a deliberate pun? 🤔😆