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How to Choose the Right Window Cleaning Company

If you’re looking for a machine polisher to speed up waxing your car or removing scratches from your paint then I recommend you look the dual action polisher. When choosing a window cleaning company, make sure that you are taking enough time to consider the important factors that will offer you the best results for a reasonable price. There are a number of imitators out there that will make grand promises that they will not deliver on. Hiring a company like this can put you in situation where you will have windows that are not as clean as they should be, and in some cases, are actually worse off than before you began getting your windows cleaned! Having a poor experience with a window cleaner can be as frustrating as well as costly. This article will help you to avoid the pitfalls of paying more than you should for a quality window cleaner. Leather Cleaner and Leather Protector should be part of a regular schedule of cleaning and protection.

Documentation

The initial things that you should be sure of is if they are licensed, bonded and insured or not. This is one of the most overlooked items that a person or company will not think about. It will be of the utmost importance that you look to make sure that the company in question is actually insured. If you have doubts, then before you hire them, ask to see the proof that they are actually insured to do the work that they are being hired to do. If they fail to give this for your inspection, then you need to look elsewhere. Having these documents not only shows that they are a legitimate business, but it also shows that you will have some sort of recourse if something were to go wrong. Many people with broken windows or damaged gutters find out far too late that their contractor did not have insurance, or even a license to conduct business.

Affiliations

Look to see if they are associated with any professional associations. Most cleaners will have some sort of association that they will be happy to tell you about if it is not listed on their advertisements. This will be easy information that you should be able to get without any of trouble. Ask the window cleaner if this is not openly seen. Most companies will be happy to tell you that they are associated with these places. While it isn’t a huge deal to be a member of any organization that simply charges a fee, it lends to the credibility of the business in general and how seriously they take their craft. This will lead you to the next thing that you need to look at seriously, references.

References

It is important that the window cleaning company that you hire has a list of references that they will be able to provide to you. These should be provided without question to you when you ask. It is a good idea that you beware of any company that does not willingly offer this information to you or they simply just do not have them. References will be able to tell you if a company has a good history behind them or not.

Follow up on the references, ask a lot of questions, remember, your home is at stake. Is the company that you are looking to hire reliable? This is a question that you need to ask yourself. You need to make sure that when you are scheduled to have your windows cleaned, you are not left sitting around for hours or days waiting for the window cleaner to arrive. They need to have a high rate of being on time, and being where they are supposed to be. If this is in question at all, then you need to move on to the next company that is on your list. The next item you should look at is that of safety.

Safety

There needs to be a high safety rating listed for the company that you are looking to hire in your window cleaning company search. Safety should be a number one concern for the company you are looking to hire. Ask to see their safety rating and when the last time that they had an incident. Many companies will provide this information without being asked because they want to be as transparent as possible when dealing with the public. If they do not want to give it, the chances are, they have had a recent incident they might be trying to hide from potential customers.

Professionalism

Professionalism may not be a top thing to look for on your list, but it is something that should be looked at when making a decision about the company that will be in charge of your windows. You are paying a good amount for a professional job, the people that are in charge of your windows should be professional as well. This is one problem that many companies will have. They will have employees that are not as polite as they really should be.

Pricing

Pricing should be competitive with other companies in the same area. You need to do a little price comparison to see who will give you the best overall results. You don’t want to pay for a window cleaner and get taken to the cleaners for the bill. You also need to make sure that the cheapest cleaner is not the worst deal as well. There are a number of window cleaning companies that can give you a great job for a fraction of the price that you might expect to pay. Ask around and shop around before making a decision.

Equipment

The equipment that they use should be of quality as well. The better the equipment, then the better of a job that they will be able to do. Many companies will use equipment that is not the latest and greatest to save money. When this is done, the quality of the window cleaning that you will get will suffer. Be sure that you talk to the person you are looking to hire and make sure that they have equipment that will be able to handle the job you are putting in front of them.

All of these tips and tricks will be useful in helping you to get a window cleaner that you will be proud you chose. If you are not careful, you can get a deal that is far from good in the window cleaning experience. Follow these tips and you are likely to save money get clean windows that you can take pride in.

Hiring the right contractor or company for window cleaning can be tricky, there are a few bad apples out there that can really hurt the reputable operators. If you are in the Spokane area be sure to check out http://www.spokanewindowcleaning.com for all of your window cleaning and gutter cleaning needs. They have professional full time employees that do a great job on your home or business.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Robert_A_Jenkins/720993

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The Grit Guard 2×4 Wash Method

Many enthusiasts are familiar with car cleaning products the Two-Bucket Method of car washing utilizing Grit Guards in each bucket. It has been the standard for swirl-free washing for some time now, but it is now ready to be taken to a new level.

Before we move forward however, let’s take a closer look at the Grit Guard, the Two-Bucket Method, and what makes them work.

The Grit Guard insert’s radial surface extracts contaminants from wash mitts, brushes, and other cleaning tools, and then safely deposits them to the bottom of the bucket. The 4-quadrant design of the Grit Guard then calms the dirty water below. With this system, the abrasive contaminants that cause scratches and swirls remain trapped at the bottom of the bucket while the clean water stays at the top.

The reason why 2 buckets are used instead of just one is so that you can have separate wash and rinse buckets. Each bucket has a Grit Guard, and one bucket is used to rinse out your dirty wash mitt and the other contains the clean soapy wash water. The key to safely washing your vehicle (and maintaining a swirl-free finish) is to make sure that you’re not re-introducing abrasive dirt and contaminants to the delicate painted surface. If you simply use one bucket, you’re continuously re-introducing contaminants to your wash water, and then subsequently washing your car with dirty, abrasive water. When you use the Two-Bucket Method however, your rinse buckets traps the dirt, and your wash bucket is as clean when you finish as when you started.

For more detailed information on the proper washing and drying methods for maintaining a swirl-free finish, please refer to my Washing and Drying Tutorial.

Now that we’re all on the same page for the popular Two-Bucket Method, let’s take the next evolutionary step in the washing process…the 2×4 Wash Method!

The 2×4 Wash Method is identical to the traditional Two-Bucket Method, however it adds 2 more Grit Guards. Now we are utilizing 2 buckets, and 4 Grit Guards (hence the 2×4).

When using a 5-gallon bucket you’re typically filling it with about 4 gallons of water. Each Grit Guard insert will have about 1 gallon of water underneath it, so with 2 of them in each bucket, 50% of the water is safely underneath the Grit Guards.

2 buckets, 4 Grit Guards!

In this photo, you can see where stacking 2 Grit Guards provides a total of 8 different safety chambers (4 per Grit Guard) to separate the contaminated water underneath from the clean water at the top.

The further away your wash mitt is from the bottom of the bucket, the less chance you have at stirring up the abrasive debris at the bottom.

Basically we’re dealing with 3 different kind of dirt and debris that can potentially damage the finish of a car:

1.) The kind that floats (leaves, twigs, bugs, etc. I recommend buying a small fine mesh aquarium net and skimming the surface water if you suspect any floating debris…a handy tool for the perfectionist or those like me with serious OCD issues!).

2.) The kind that is in suspension (water that is dirty looking even after it has settled out). This type of debris isn’t capable of heavier scratches, but can potentially cause micro-scratches that degrade the overall finish over time.

3.) The kind that sinks (grit, sand, mud, small stones, asphalt). This type causes the most damage to a vehicle’s finish.

Now that we have a better understanding of the 3 different types of dirt and debris, we can see how and why the 2×4 Wash Method makes so much sense. By stacking 2 Grit Guards per bucket, we’re increasing our odds that the type 2 and 3 debris stay safely underneath!

The 2×4 Wash Method:

First place 2 Grit Guards each in 2 different 5-gallon buckets.

Then fill your rinse bucket with water, and your wash bucket with your favorite automotive wash solution.

Now when washing your vehicle, gently rub both sides of your wash mitt against the Grit Guards…first in the rinse bucket, and then in the wash bucket. For best results, only wash one small section at a time (i.e. a fender, or a door panel). Wash the small section, rinse out your mitt in the rinse bucket, then re-load your wash mitt in the wash bucket, and then move onto the next section.

If you want the confidence of knowing that you’re taking every cautionary measure to ensure a swirl-free finish, then add 2 more Grit Guards to your arsenal and use the 2×4 Wash Method!

Enjoy your swirl-free finish!

Proper Car Washing, Polishing and Waxing from the Experts

It is amazing the number of people that don’t know how to properly clean or polish and wax their cars. Many people use products that were never intended for their car and others use products and equipment that should only be used by properly trained professionals. Some never even wax or clean their cars. Then they wonder why their car is given a very low trade in figure at the dealer, or why their paint is dull and flaking. If you’ve ever considered waxing your car, I guess you have heard about the car product carnauba wax? Car polisher adds protection & provides deep, wet look shine to automotive paintwork. Only the foam cannon can delivers a thick, frothy foam that clings to your vehicle.

For the purpose of this article we interviewed numerous professional automotive detailers and similar professionals. We asked them what products they used and for tips that consumers could use. They pretty much came back with the same advice:

Properly clean the car: This is very important as the use of harsh, non-automotive products can actually harm your cars finish and make it wear quicker. Spray the car first and get it wet. Use the water to spray off dirt and other contaminates that will scratch your car if you immediately start using a sponge and water first. Also do not clean your car in the sun on a hot day. Do make sure you use warm water as it works best to loosen contaminates. After getting your car wet, use an automotive car wash solution and add to water in a bucket. Follow the directions on the bottle. Then wash the car. You will find it easier if you use a long handled wash brush (most auto parts stores have these). Be sure to wash and rinse in sections so the car wash soap doesn’t dry before being washed off. Then using terry cloth towels or chamois, dry the car off. Expert tip: use a squeegee. It is much faster and easier.

Remove stubborn contaminants: There will be dirt, bugs, tar, etc… that will be left after washing. There are many products that are made specifically for removing these items you’re your paint and car. The resounding answer from the experts was Meguiar’s bug and tar cleaner. Remove all the contaminants and follow the directions (some products can remove paint if not used correctly). Expert tip: 3M and other manufacturers make a plastic shield that can be applied over areas of your car’s paint like bumpers and behind the tires to protect from contaminants and rock chips.

Use a cleaner polish: This will remove any left over stubborn contaminates like ground in bug splatter on your painted bumper, acid rain etching, bird drop spots, and minor scratches. Use a circular motion, just like for wax. Follow the directions for that particular cleaner polish (some require a wet or damp applicator pad others don’t). Do the car one section at a time and use a clean section of cloth to buff once dry. Most cleaner polishes will dry to a whitish haze. Be sure to buff off all the haze and residue from the cleaner polish. When done the car finish will be really smooth. Expert tip: for deeper scratches, contaminants, etc… you can use an orbital buffer or polisher to apply the cleaner polish. Be careful and use low rpm’s (under 2000) anything above this and you risk burning the paint.

Apply several coats of polish or wax: There is a big difference between car wax and car polish. Car wax is usually a blend of carnauba and other waxes which will give a deep, wet look and new car shine. It comes in both a liquid and a paste, and it will not last as long as a car polish. Car wax is also less effective in high temperatures and can actually melt on hot areas like the hood. Car polish is a polymer blend usually with no wax. Car polishes can last 1 year between coats and is very durable protection for your paint. The experts recommend a car polish with Teflon in it for maximum protection and durability. The experts love the extra, deeper shine from car wax, but all agreed it was better suited for car shows. Whichever you choose, they are both applied the same way. Apply in a circular motion and let it dry to a haze. Then buff dry with a clean terry cloth or microfiber towel.

Expert tip: Don’t use regular towels or diaper cloths as they can trap dirt particles and similar and leave scratch patterns in your finish. A microfiber cloth works best for removing dried car polish or car wax haze. 2 to 3 coats are recommended for maximum protection and shine. A good rule is to reapply the car polish or car wax at least 2 times per year. Expert tip: Apply car wax, not car polish (as car polish will leave streaks and smudges on glass), to your windows. Do one light coat and completely buff it off. The car wax will work better than the leading brand glass treatment for rain (it will also quite your windshield wipers).

David Maillie is an alumni of Cornell University and specializes in automotive safety products and information. He holds numerous patents and awards for his patented headlight cleaner and restorer. For more information, tips, and money saving products for your car please visit http://www.mdwholesale.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/David_Maillie/19149

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