13 Behind-the-Scenes Secrets of Professional Window Washers

Window washers are responsible for making the dirty glass windows of homes, offices, stores, and high-rise buildings clean and glistening. Because they often work in difficult, physically demanding conditions–outdoors and high up on ladders, scaffolding, or suspended platforms—window washers have a more dangerous job than most people, but one that’s not without its perks. Here are 13 secrets of their often-perilous trade.

1. THE PHRASE «WINDOW WASHER» MAKES THEM CRINGE.

According to Casey Hooper at Clear Summit Cleaning in Portland, the term “window washer” isn’t ideal. “Most often we call ourselves window cleaners … I’m not 100% sure why, but for some reason most of us cringe just a little when people say window washing,” Hooper tells mental_floss. “Window cleaning technician,” a term that may be more likely to confer respect and professionalism, is more frequently used in postings for window cleaner jobs.

2. WIND IS THEIR NUMBER-ONE ENEMY.

The most dangerous part about being a window washer is the wind. In a Q&A with The New York Times, window cleaner Andrew Horton reveals that scaffolding and wind are a bad combination. “We have to get down off the scaffolding if the wind is above 25 m.p.h., but even 15 m.p.h. is dangerous,” Horton says.

In an interview with HK Magazine, Tsang Hin-tong, a window cleaner in Hong Kong, recalled when a suspended platform broke down: “It just stopped moving. When that happens, if you’re lucky and it’s not a windy day, you can at least try to keep it stable in the air. If it’s windy, it’s very nerve-wracking. There is no way we can try to fight the wind with manpower.”

3. THEY LOVE THE FREEDOM OF WORKING OUTDOORS …

Window cleaners appreciate having the freedom to spend their days outside rather than in an office. They work independently and experience the solitude and peace that comes with being suspended high up in the air, away from the rest of the world. Nate Carr, the owner of Reflection Windows and A Premier Services, tells Westword: “After working in a corporate setting for many years I just couldn’t take it any longer. An acquaintance turned me on to window cleaning, and within a month I was sold.”

4. … BUT FEAR IS STILL A BIG PART OF THE JOB.

Despite the sense of peace that some window cleaners feel while they work, fear is still an inherent part of the job. In an interview with The Washington Post, high-rise window washer Hernando Melendez describes how dangerous his job is: “If you don’t feel scared doing this job, you can make a mistake … This is one of the most dangerous jobs, and you always have to be really awake.”

In November 2014, two window washers, Juan Lizama and Juan Lopez, were working on the World Trade Center 68 stories up when a cable got loose, flipping their scaffold from horizontal to nearly vertical. “It was definitely terrifying,” Lopez told CBS New York. Lopez and Lizama hit the emergency brakes and were rescued by firefighters after an hour and a half.

5. THEY’VE SEEN SOME UNUSUAL THINGS THROUGH WINDOWS.

Window cleaners are given unusual access to peer inside people’s private spaces (or work inside houses, when they clean the interiors of windows), so discretion is a job requirement. Mitch Jacobsen, co-owner of Better Window Cleaning Seattle, tells mental_floss that his company does residential cleaning, so he and his workers “see all kinds of stuff through windows.» The most unusual thing he says he’s seen, however, «was not through a window, but inside a house. The homeowner had an inflatable boat, fully inflated, standing on end in their master closet. They had absolutely no room for anything else!”

6. DESPITE THE POTENTIAL DANGERS, DEATHS ARE RARE.

Because they’re serious about safety, window cleaners start work each day by inspecting their equipment to make sure all the safety gear is in working order. And although accidents can terrify window cleaners, they’re usually not fatal. Data from The International Window Cleaning Association showed that between 2010 and 2014, only one high-rise window cleaner was killed each year. That’s a big improvement compared to 1932, when an average 1 out of every 200 window cleaners in New York was killed annually.

7. THE VIEWS ARE A BIG PERK OF THE JOB.

For high-rise window cleaners, a major perk of the job is witnessing the incredible views. “The observation deck of the old World Trade Center was amazing. I especially loved the view from up there in the mornings. It was absolutely beautiful. Being up there alone—before the tourists arrived—was something special,” Horton says.

8. THEY’RE MORE SKILLED THAN YOU MIGHT THINK.

“The biggest misconception is that the window cleaning industry is full of unskilled workers and it’s an easy job,” Carr says. According to Chris Trujillo, one of Carr’s employees, window cleaning is a mix between art and rock climbing. “The biggest misconception to me would be that people think cleaning a window is more of a simple task than an art. The high-rise chair work is more like rock climbing, not just dangling from a rope!”

In the US, several organizations oversee training and certification, including the International Window Cleaning Association, Industrial Rope Access Trade Association, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and International Powered Access Federation.

9. THEY DON’T LOOK DOWN … BUT NOT BECAUSE THEY’RE AFRAID OF HEIGHTS.

When they’re working at great heights, window cleaners don’t look down, but not because they’re afraid. Instead, they say they simply don’t have time to look down and watch pedestrians on the street. “The scaffolding is my office. As with any job, I get caught up in my daily work, so I don’t have time to look down. My job is to clean windows, not look at pedestrians,” Horton explains.

10. IT’S A MALE-DOMINATED INDUSTRY, BUT THAT’S CHANGING.

Most window cleaners are male, but female window cleaners are gaining traction and visibility. Sheila Smeltzer, the president of A+ Pro Window Cleaning, tells The American Window Cleaner Magazine that she likes her job’s flexibility—it allowed her the time to be a mom and run her own business. But the job isn’t without its challenges. “Ladder work, roof work, pressure washing … I do it all, but these aspects of the job are challenging for even the most physically capable of women,” Smeltzer says.

11. THEY LISTEN TO PODCASTS WHILE THEY WORK.

Because high-rise window cleaners need to keep distractions away, using radios and cellphones on the job is generally forbidden. “For safety reasons, music and cellphones are not allowed up in the scaffolding, but some of us listen to our own music in our heads,” Horton writes.

Other window cleaners who work on smaller buildings, though, may use cell phones on the job. “I pop in ear buds and go to work. I listen to podcasts mostly,” Hooper says. Small radios, though, are a no-go because they can easily become a nuisance, especially when working at people’s homes. “They don’t want to hear your music,” Hooper states.

12. THE MONEY ISN’T GREAT, BUT OWNERS OF WINDOW CLEANING COMPANIES CAN MAKE A LOT.

Many window cleaners only make $12 to $16 per hour, but high-rise window cleaners with years of experience can make $35 per hour. And owners of window cleaning companies can earn more money than you might think. Alexander Tzamburakis, a window cleaner in Chicago, says he makes $125,000 per year as a contractor who bids on window washing jobs at grocery stores.

“The summer is the busiest time, and I work around 16 hours a day. It’s tiring, but I’m happy with the salary. It lets me support my family,” Tzamburakis tells CNN Money.

13. THEY COMPETE FOR THE TITLE OF FASTEST WINDOW CLEANER.

Each year, the International Window Cleaning Association (IWCA) hosts a speed window cleaning contest for the group’s convention. Professional members of the IWCA (and their employees) who are registered for the convention can enter, and they must use the equipment—squeegee, detergent, and cotton towel—given to them (in other words, they can’t use their own special gear). Judges and a referee oversee the competition, and competitors are penalized for any streaks, smears, and water residue that they leave on their windows.

How dangerous is high rise window cleaning?

Published by Kiril Topalov on September 17, 2019

It’s always a pleasant experience to look at properly cleaned windows. Regular window cleaning is important for both home and business buildings. Having uncleaned windows spoils the whole look of our property. Cleaning the windows of a high-rise building is definitely a dangerous business.

For this reason most owners of modern high-rise buildings and glass-fronted offices use the services of window cleaning companies as they save considerable amount of time and effort. That is why being a window washer is a responsible job.

Although it may not seem a really a hazardous one, high-rise window cleaning is a job that hides some risk as it involves scaling a building that sometimes reaches more than 15 meters. The job of window cleaning requires a specific set of skills and training in order to be performed properly.

Cleaning high-rise windows is something like rock climbing. It demands mobility and following work safety measures. As some buildings tower at impressive heights, the use of secure professional harness and climbing equipment is obligatory.

You provide many office workers in high or mid-rise buildings with great views. Window washers are responsible for cleaning the dirty glass windows of homes, offices, stores, and high-rise buildings.

But window cleaning of high rise buildings is on the list of most dangerous jobs in the world. Working as a window washer definitely brings a certain amount of danger. And for this reason window cleaners should follow strictly the necessary safety measures during their work.

This type of job is definitely not for everyone as it requires you to be industry-trained and have zero fear of heights. Being a high-rise window cleaning definitely requires bravery. The job of a window cleaner is a challenging one and it requires from the worker to be physically capable and have some preparation in advance.

We should make sure that we are equipped with the needed cleaning tools to complete the cleaning task in a correct and safe way. High-rise widow cleaning is a risky job and it should be done with the right equipment tools.

As is the case with every job being a window cleaner has its advantages and disadvantages. The level of danger this job brings really depends on our work experience, a level of protection and safety gear condition and also the window cleaner’s individual manner of work.

Pros and cons of being a window cleaner

Great views

This advantage depends on the building’s location of course, but in general window cleaners see more often beautiful air views than office workers.

High demand for workers

High-rise window cleaner is truly an in-demand job. Owners of high rise buildings are always searching for good window cleaners and especially such with longstanding experience. So if you are planning to get a career in high-rise window cleaning, you won’t wait too long to be called back after the interview.

It’s important to mention that each state and city have its own regulations when it comes to high-rise window cleaning safety and these safety measures vary. Sometimes future window washers are required to have passed some safety courses in order to get the job’s position.

Freedom

Professional window cleaners spend a considerable part of their time outside. Being suspended high in the air offers beautiful scenes. This type of job provides a sense of peace, solitude and independence unlike office desk jobs for example.

Flexibility

This type of job offers flexibility and a person is able to run a business of their own besides working as a high-rise window cleaner. In this job sphere we cannot start our own business right away.

We may need to work as an apprentice first for some time period under another before starting to work for ourselves. We may also need to complete some safety courses for window washers that are required by our state.

Risk of falling or other injury

There is no doubt that the job of window cleaning brings many risks. Risk is an inevitable part of this job. This may sound surprising but deaths are rare in the high-rise window cleaning business. This is thanks to the fact that the workers are very serious about their personal safety and it’s on their top priorities list.

At the start of every work day window cleaners first make sure that all the climbing equipment and safety gear is checked and it’s not damaged. They inspect all the harnesses, cables and scaffolding to make sure they are in good working order. And properly installed safety equipment guarantees successful completion of the cleaning tasks, less cases of injuries and the result is more satisfied clients.

Accidents do happen but fortunately they don’t have a fatal end. Data from researches show that between 2010 and 2014, only one window cleaner of high-rise buildings was killed each year. In comparison to 1932 this is a great improvement and speaks a lot about the safety measures companies take. In 1932 one out of every 200 window cleaners in New York was killed each year on average.

Weather

Working outdoors has its plus and minus sides. The whims of the weather are an enemy to the window washers. Weather is something we cannot control and it can affect the duration and completion of a window cleaning project.

Cleaning the windows of a high-rise building during a windy weather may be a real challenge. Rains make the platforms slippery. Strong wind can not only slow down a cleaning project but it’s also bad for the stability of the scaffolding and the suspended platforms which increases the risk of incidents.

No phones and music rule

Window cleaning may seem easy at first sight but this type of work requires focus and distractions of different nature aren’t recommended for safety reasons. That is why window cleaners are not allowed to use smartphones or listen to music while working at the scaffolding.

This rule may vary from one cleaning to another and it depends on the size of the building the cleaners are working on. Holding a smartphone or wearing headphones while trying to clean a window at heights isn’t a very good idea. But window cleaners who work at smaller buildings can use phones or listen to music and radio podcasts.

Low-paid job

One of the disadvantages of this kind of job is that the salary isn’t high. In general window cleaners who fall in the apprentices category make 12$ to 16$ per hour. The daily wage of window cleaners can reach up to 35$. Some window cleaners with rich experience can make 50$to 100$ per hour.

On the other hand being an owner of window cleaning company is profitable. It’s said that owner of high rise cleaning companies make up to 125,000$ per year.

Male-dominated industry

Currently mostly men are working in the sphere of high-rise window cleaning services but this situation is gradually changing. The number of female window cleaners is increasing.

For high-rise building owners

Contracting a professional window cleaning company is undoubtedly the best way to achieve good appearance for our building no matter if it’s commercial or residential property.

Cleaning services of high quality aren’t very cheap but they are definitely worth their money. If you are an owner of a high-rise building make sure to make a research before choosing a cleaning company.

Our window cleaning service provider should have experience in the sphere of high rise window cleaning and also with positive company references. The use of specialized cleaning equipment, products and safety gear is a must.

Reasons why contacting an expert window cleaner is good for our business

Curb appeal is probably one of the top reasons why it’s good to get the windows of our high-rise building properly cleaned. Not only clean interior but also shiny windows always make a great impression on the customers. No matter how well-cleaned the building is on the inside, when the exterior is unkempt and especially the windows, this is a useless in trying to make a building look good. Regular window cleaning is essential if we care about our business and want to be successful.

Since window cleaning companies are required to provide their clients with perfectly cleaned windows, their workers should be experienced enough to be able to tackle all types of dirty windows. Renting an office space with windows that aren’t very well-cleaned may affect negatively our business.

A well-cleaned window offers a nice view. Imagine a high rise building with a large number of windows that should be cleaned. Well-cleaned windows add a curb appeal to a property we are trying to sell and also help us attract new clients by giving our business building an aesthetic look.

It doesn’t matter if we have a commercial or residential building, regular window cleaning is a key to making our property a beautiful and safe place for either working or living. It’s also a good way to catch the eye of new clients or make the property saleable.