cleaning the outside of difficult to reach windows?

[Rob]

Hi

I live in a 4 storey block of flats.

I'd like to clean the outside of my double glazed windows but find it difficult to reach some areas. They dont rotate 180 degrees. I'm on the top floor and although its low rise we're too high for convential ladders.

Is there a cleaning device I can use from the inside that will allow me to reach over the whole window area and clean effectively and safely?

Thanks for any info

Rob

[Rick]

The guys that clean the windows at work have very long poles, with a hose up the middle and a brush on the top to clean the high up windows.

Those magnetic things that clean the inside of a fish tank may work, but I would guess are going to struggle with doubble glazing.

Rick

[BigWallop]

You are dropping the sashes down to a height where you can reach them while standing on your floor, aren't you?

What types of sash are they? Do they swivel down from the top, or outward like a door?

[Rob]

Hi BigWallop

Sorry should have said they swivel down and out, the hinges on each side. When the safety catches are released they swivel out further and drop - which leaves a gap big enough to get my arm through but I cant reach to the bottom of the window.

Most of my windows are approx 1m from floor level so I have to stand on the window sill to reach through the gap at the top.

Thanks

Rob

[BigWallop]

Can you reach them better sitting outside on the sill? We used to have the same problem with our old sash windows, and the only way was to sit outside on the sill and pull the sashes down on to our lap and clean them like that.

Do your top sashes pull down far enough to allow this technique?

[BeeJay]

A company called Kleeneze used to afvertise a magnetic cleaning pad. One part of the pad went on the inside of the window and the other part went on the outside, held together by magnetism. As you cleaned the inside the outside got cleaned. Haven't seen their catalogue for a while so don't know if they still do it.

[Rob]

My windows are double glazed. Theyre not corded sash windows that go vertically up and down. They are fixed at the sides on arms. They look like they are hinged from the top but as the window is opened further out the top slides down leaving the gap at the top.

This design precludes sitting on the sill but I'm way too high up for that anyway! At least for me and most sane people apart from roof workers, pro window cleaners and mountain climbers!! 8^)

Ive seen two magnetic type cleaners but these dont work on doubled glazed windows - well only up to 6mm. Theres approx 25-30mm gap between the inner and outer glass on mine.

Rob

[David Lang]

Rick wrote

These are incredibly effective. They don't just use plain water. In the van will be a water softener and a filtration unit. so the water is simply just H2O.

This isn't a natural state for water to be in, so it absorbs dirt from the glass.

Dave

[BigWallop]

So they open like a door when the handle is rotated right the way up to point vertical, and then open for ventilation when the handle is pushed all the way down to the vertical position?

Am I missing something here? They aren't sash type windows, so they must be the door opening type with a dual swing locking system. The locking handle has a key in it, does it?

[Rick]

That explains why they bring their own water in tanks :-)

Rick

[nightjar]

Fit Pilkington self cleaning glass?

Colin Bignell