How to clean a high window?

[Timothy Murphy]

I wonder if anyone has advice on how to clean a sash window which is very hard to access from the outside? Are there tools that would help with this?

Any suggestions gratefully received.

[stuart noble]

If both sashes move freely to their maximum, it can be done from the inside with a chair and fairly long arms.

[mogga]

You mean other than (a) ladder (b) one of those window cleaning kits with poles (c) get the windowcleaner to do it (d) strictly for the more adventurous - abseil from the roof

[Dave Plowman (News)]

If both sashes open correctly, you can do the 'bottom' outsides of both sashes by sitting on the sill, and the tops off a step ladder from the inside. It's a bit fiddly, but possible.

[Stuart]

Oh for the days when sash windows opened inwards for that very purpose ..... Stuart

[Lobster]

In addition to the other suggestions, you can also get a gizmo consisting of two matching flat mops, which stick together courtesy of magnets within... you put one mop flat against the glass outside, and the other mates up with from the inside - then off you go, cleaning both sides of the window at once. We've got a mini-sized one of these for the goldfish tank which works pretty well.

David

[Timothy Murphy]

Thanks. I've heard of this device, but never actually seen one. I'll look around for it.

[Timothy Murphy]

That's more or less what I do at present. The sashes don't in fact open completely - the bottom doesn't go completely to the top, and the top doesn't go completely to the bottom. I guess I could take them out and plane them.

Also there is a rather frightening sheer drop onto a roadway, which is really why I am looking for a simpler method.

[BigWallop]

Does the bottom sash swing on hinges, Tim?

[robert]

Try the Kleeneze catalogue, or Betterwear.

[Chris Doran]

Read the funny story here on this subject some years ago:

make sure you get the Mk II model which has a piece of string connecting the two halves in case the outside one drops off onto something/someone expensive.

Also, no doubt someone will be along shortly to expound the delights of pressure washers.

Chris

[John Rumm]

The string helping to ensure that only the wet sponge bit of the outside cleaner falls all the way to the ground ;-)

[Christian McArdle]

How high is it? I can reach upstairs windows with my foaming hot brush on a pole, but I've only got a 2 storey property.

Christian.

[Timothy Murphy]

It's on the top floor of a 4-storey building (an old orphanage), so I think anything on a pole is out of the question.

[robert]

What exactly is this please and wher do you get it? I have 2 storey so could be useful to me.

[StealthUK]

Go to the floor below, tie your legs to something heavy and hang out the window.Oh...and keep a mobile phone handy.

Good Luck. ;-)

P.S. Don't actually try this.

[N. Thornton]

The standard old method is to sit on the sill, legs inside, torso outside - but I should use a safety harness if you try that one. Even then you can only reach some bits.

One can remove the inner beading and replace it using a removalble fixing, then you can remove the inner bead and lift the inner sash out, making life relatively easy. Any suggestions for the best way to refix the bead?

The magnetic cleaners are standard aquarium kit, but you need to add more water than they will hold so the loosened dirt actually washes off. Only requires a jug to rinse.

NT

[Timothy Murphy]

I used to do that in my youth, but I have decided I am now too valuable to the world to lose.

Actually, this is what I do; I've screwed on the wooden slat holding the window, and just unscrew it to allow the window to come into the room, But I was wondering if there was a simpler solution.

I'm still trying to locate a magnetic sponge; that is the best solution I have read.