Your shop windows are the gateway to your business. You will do well to keep them spic and span, welcoming potential customers to do business with you. Thus, more than ever before, businesses are using glass facades to present a more open and welcoming environment.
Glass facades let light in and allow onlookers to look into your commercial space; it also looks sleek and modern, making it a top choice for most business establishments. Read the below checklist to learn more about how to safely clean glass facades in your commercial property!
1. Check the Weather Beforehand
Though not within your control, the weather is a huge factor when it comes to cleaning windows. When it’s rainy, windy, or extremely hot, you’re better off cleaning your glass facade another time. Wet ground and strong winds can lead to slips and accidents.
Moreover, if your commercial property is in an extremely hot or cool place, you should also wait for the weather to become milder to clean windows. Too hot and the water will evaporate on the glass prematurely, leaving unsightly streaks. Too cold and you risk having the water freeze on the glass.
2. Assess the Hazards
When cleaning glass facades, one has to reach high areas using lifting equipment or a ladder. Even if your lift or ladder is stable, accidents can still happen. Cleaning glass requires the use of tools and cleaning agents, both of which can cause accidents when used improperly.
Examine your commercial space. Also consider the exposed electrical outlets and fixtures, which may interfere with the cleaning. And don’t neglect the time when the cleaning takes place. If it’s during the day, there are likely other people around, workers, who may affect the cleaning and whose work may be negatively impacted by the cleaning.
3. Put Safety Measures in Place
Knowing the safety hazards that come with cleaning your glass facade, put the necessary measures in place to protect the cleaners as well as the people in your commercial property.
Provide protective equipment to your window cleaners to avoid injuries. They should have gloves, goggles, or respirators, when needed. If they use ladders, provide them with work boots. If your commercial property is undergoing construction at the time, make sure your window cleaners are equipped with hardhats and hearing protection, and are wearing high visibility clothing.
And if your window cleaner has to go beyond 4 feet high to clean your glass facade, equip them with a full-body harness, lanyard and rope, or any self-retracting lanyard for their protection.
Last but not least, make sure that your window cleaners have a means of contacting people should any emergency arise. Ensure they have their phones on them that they can reach for should they fall, slip, or encounter any issues.
4. Prepare your Tools
To ensure safety, window cleaners should be equipped with the appropriate glass cleaning tools. Improvising might result in an unclean or streaky window, or worse, their improvisation may endanger their safety.
The basic window cleaning tools needed are a sturdy bucket, a squeegee with a sharp rubber blade, an extra squeegee blade in case replacement is needed, sponges or a rag, and a ladder or a lift.
5. Choose the Right Cleaning Agents
Aside from the right tools, window cleaning requires cleaning agents, a detergent or formula to make sure you get the cleanest, streak-free windows. This can be bought from the store or be made by mixing vinegar, water, and a bit of dishwashing liquid.
When purchasing cleaning formula, avoid alcohol based ones as these can lead the liquid to dry on the glass before you can scrape it off, leaving behind hard to remove streaks on your glass.
6. Dust BEFORE You Clean
Before you begin cleaning your windows, always make sure to dust it first. Window sills in your office gather dust. Use a microfiber cloth or rug to remove the dust before you clean the windows. The last thing you want is having dust muddying up your windows while you clean them.
7. Call a Professional
Having a clean glass facade is important in keeping your commercial property presentable. But businesses don’t always have staff to spare to do the window cleaning. Moreover, onsite staff may not be trained to clean the windows, which may result in streaky windows and possible accidents. The latter may incur hefty hospital bills and negatively disrupt business operations.
To ensure your glass cleaning goes smoothly, you can hire professional window cleaners to do the job. There are many companies offering this type of property maintenance service. More than just using a cleaning solution and a squeegee, they have specialized equipment that allows them to provide the most thorough cleansing ever.
Professional Commercial Cleaning Services You Can Trust
Hire professional window washers who offer commercial pressure washing. Our technicians at West Coast Property Maintenance will use highly pressurized water to remove all stains and streaks from your glass facade, all in a much shorter time frame than you or your staff can.
Call West Coast Property Maintenance today and request a quote!
