Window Washing Tips
Over the years I've held several interesting jobs. One
of those was working in window cleaning. I was a
bartender while I attended college and I tended bar during my
summer breaks as well. The bartending job left my days free,
which I liked, but I wanted to make a little extra money fast
without getting a traditional job that would interfere with my
bartending schedule. I chose window cleaning.
I visited some of the shops in the small town I was living
in at the time and I was surprised that three businesses took
to the idea of my washing windows for them right away. I
set a loose schedule that worked around my bartending hours but
still left a lot of free time for me as well.
The beautiful thing about window washing is that it
is quick; it is easy and window washing supplies are
very cheap. I quickly discovered that the most valuable of the
window washing supplies is the squeegee. This tool is wonderful
for window cleaning because it leaves virtually no streaks and
it leaves no dust or residue. I did use a paper towel, but only
for touch-ups.
The other window cleaning supplies included water,
soap and a very cheap glass cleaner. I found that I rarely
needed to use the glass cleaner if I was doing the window
washing properly. The window cleaning supplies cost about ten
dollars and the investment paid off in about ten minutes.
Most of the stores that I did window washing for had only
two or three relatively large windows and a door. The glass on
the doors was a little more challenging because people
frequently touched the glass. When I started my window washing
adventure, I started with washing the door first, but I quickly
learned that this was simply a bad idea. By the time I was
finished with my window washing, the door had prints and some
marks. I made sure to complete each window washing job by
shining the glass on the door.
Back when I was in college, fifteen dollars went much
further than it does today and each window washing job averaged
about fifteen dollars. I charged five dollars per window and
five dollars for each door as well. I also shined the hardware
on the doors and windows too when I washed windows. The store
owners liked the little extra touch and it was almost
effortless for me to do.
Sometimes I actually miss window washing. There is a great
feeling of accomplishment in seeing the perfectly clear glass.
One of the store owners said that I made the glass disappear
after one of my window washing treatments. Now all of my window
washing is done in my home. Occasionally, I step back and
admire my efforts and think back on the distant window washing
days.
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