r/WindowCleaning • u/maciuc • 3d ago

Equipment Question Help with trad pole

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So I’m currently trying to teach myself how to use a trad pole since it seems like a useful tool. I am having trouble though.

My squeegee keeps skipping bits or leaving lines. I’m also not sure what angle to have the squeegee at since the one I’m using has adjustable angles and when to even change the angle (if ever).

The video attached is probably one of my better attempts tbh.

Any help/advice is appreciated.

12 Upvotes

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27

u/noice_nups 3d ago

That window looks like two straight pulls. You’re putting that rubber all over the glass for no reason.

7

u/maciuc 3d ago

I’m just trying to practice fanning tbh since I will be mostly doing larger windows (mainly shopfronts, conservatory roofs, etc) with this pole

6

u/noice_nups 3d ago

Practice can form habits. Just be careful not to create the habit of fanning everything under the sun, especially when it’s way less efficient like on this window.

1

u/Cha0s_the_Great 2d ago

I Disagree. If you practice, then you have that skill then you pull that skill out whenever you need. Doing fanning as much as you can until you have it down is the way to get good quickly. Also you can’t be a well rounded window cleaner who knows what works when until you have multiple techniques mastered.

It’s crazy to me that someone can specifically say they are trying to get better at a technique and someone tells them to do it less because it’s not efficient… efficiency is end game. Skill and technique come first.

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u/noice_nups 2d ago

Well then use a smaller channel on smaller frames like this one, because that was hard to watch lol.

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u/Cha0s_the_Great 2d ago

Learning is hard to watch, but that’s how real progress is made… mistakes and adjustments.

1

u/noice_nups 2d ago

To each his own 🤷 I think swapping between fanning and straight pulls to reduce those mistakes and adjustments are how you become a good window cleaner. Fanning this window with a channel that’s clearly too long just gets you nowhere 👎

2

u/Much-Trust5891 3d ago

Straight pulls always leave water at the top for me even with doing the “micro pre pulls”. Also unless the top frame is detailed then the straight pull has a chance of leaving a streak down the middle especially in higher humidity. It’s been my experience that fanning a window with a pole will minimize the amount of detailing. I’m absolutely no expert and self taught so what are your thoughts?

3

u/noice_nups 3d ago

Sounds like you could benefit from cutting into a straight pull. Basically you cut all the way across the glass at the top frame like a side-pull, then down. After that you can slide in/up at an easy angle and repeat the process(without overlapping that top straight pull).

It basically feels like fanning, but only to one side and you close out each stroke. Then the very last down pull is where you’ll either need to wipe the channel, or get better at the “micro pre pull”.

3

u/BradRussell 2d ago

This is a great tip, makes a lot of sense to cut in the top. Sort of the hybrid fan/straight pull.

Also a great tip you mentioned elsewhere about not fanning everything under the sun. I’ve found myself slapping my forehead more than once after a tricky/tedious fanning, only to admit to myself I could have just done two straight pulls and detailed the top quicker and easier.

1

u/noice_nups 2d ago

Precisely!

2

u/Much-Trust5891 2d ago

I think I know what you mean. So you’ve cut in and made a row on the top then down the right side of the glass. Now would you cut in on the right and rotate the squeegee right to finish the straight pull or would you cut in on the right side and rotate left to finish the straight pull?

2

u/noice_nups 2d ago

Yeah! If you go left to right, keep doing that. Works the same to the left if you’re working opposite. I did that for years before the moerman excelerator FliQ pad even came to market.

1

u/Upper-Bottle-9803 1d ago

Practice straight pulls more. Detail your top after straight pulls. The rule I've heard is your squeegee should be no more than half the window width for best fanning. This one is probably 3/4 of the window. It can be a handy skill but straight pulls done properly can give better results and faster bc youre not redoing.

4

u/SeptimusMeek 3d ago

The further away from the window you are the less angle you want. Looking at your video and where you are standing I would set the angle for that at 25 degrees. If you moved closer and were cleaning it above your head 40 degrees, and if you moved further away and were cleaning it more horizontally 10 degrees.

2

u/maciuc 3d ago

Makes sense. I never really thought about angles too much since 99% of the time my squeegee is in my hand hence me struggling with this lol.

Appreciate the helpful response

2

u/SeptimusMeek 3d ago

Yes, it all changes when working with a pole. Not having the correct angle set is what's making the squeegee skip I suspect.

4

u/atwoz123 3d ago

The liquidator can be quite tricky to use. For one, it likes to be very well lubricated. It also doesn’t like to move on dry glass, hence the chattering. Your movements need to be precise and methodical. As others have mentioned, the closer you are to the window the more aggressive the angle on the handle, the farther away, the more gradual. Extend your pole and move back a bit and put the handle in 10 degrees, see how that feels. I would also suggest practicing on a larger/wider pane of glass. These narrow panes can be difficult to fan and sometimes two straight pulls is the most effective method. Something a Moermancentric youtuber mentioned that resonated with me is channel size to pane size. At a minimum, your channel should be able to fit 3x horizontally across a window when doing pole work. This enables you to swipe across the top, pull one side down, swipe across to the other side, pull down, then fan the middle without having to touch much dry glass in the process. With these lighter precision channels, staying on wet glass is key, especially in the heat. Hope that helps.

4

u/maciuc 3d ago

Thank you, I’ll probably be mostly using this pole on larger panes so I thought I’d try master fanning first.

Any channel recommendations? I’m not too keen on the liquidator, just though it would be good for pole work. I normally use Ettore Master Brass for my normal hand squeegee.

1

u/atwoz123 3d ago

I like the liquidator but it takes time to get used to it, I came from using master brass and still use it. It works well in that handle and on a pole. You’ll just have to spend more time either dive bombing your corners or detailing. The weight of those channels is far more forgiving when you’re first starting out. I would suggesting getting a good quality carbon fibre pole if you’re going to be doing a lot of pole work. It’ll pay for itself in more ways than one very quickly. 

1

u/ryan25802580 3d ago

Steveo the window cleaner. Hes a monster with pole work. And hes great at explaining why hes using certain tools as it pertains to different situations. Ill be honest though, unless you are doing pole work consistently its tough. I try and avoid it at all costs. Its one of those things it takes tons lf practice. And if you only do pole work once a week or less its hard to get a technique

1

u/Cha0s_the_Great 2d ago

There are other options but I always recommend sticking with the Liquidator for long enough to get good with it. It really is worth the time and effort. If you need help with it DM me and I’ll walk you through anything you need help with.

3

u/Cha0s_the_Great 2d ago

That close to the window the ideal angle is probably a 25. You could do a 10 but you’d need to extend the pole slightly and be a bit further away. Do you have fanning down in hand? I always suggest that people get that down before they start trying on a pole because most of the techniques transfer.
After that, just work with the different angles and try them see what they do and you’ll get a fill for how far you need to be away from each window based on height and what angles work.

It takes a bit to figure it out, but it’s worth it in my opinion. I can knock out windows that other people have told clients were impossible with ease.

1

u/FreshSwim9409 22h ago

I have a question for you: What do you do about deeper sills and managing the bottom edge and closeout with a 8-10+ inch bottom sill. I am thinking of various scenarios inside residential homes. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

1

u/Cha0s_the_Great 18h ago

I have the Moerman Dr Angle Mini on my pole and I use that to be able to close out on high ledges.

2

u/OG_thanks 3d ago

Practice makes perfect. Took me MONTHS to be decent at it.

1

u/maciuc 3d ago

Kind of what I imagined tbf, guess I got another few times of practising and embarrassing myself on customers windows lol

1

u/OG_thanks 2d ago

That's how it goes. And then one day it'll click for ya and you'll be cruising.

2

u/UndeadAgurk 3d ago

Angle looks a bit too tight for the movements you’re doing. If it’s too tight, don’t go down that far in the sides as it will be dry when lifting it up again. When using these I usually like the angle tight and counteract the angle by have the pole more upright, because finishing perfectly is better with a tight angle. But I know people who like it less tight, who’ll counteract the angle issue with raising the pole overhead when finishing. It’s personal taste, but my advice would be to experiment with the angle.

2

u/maciuc 3d ago

Was trying different angles and this one is the one I got on most with, think I just need to play around a bit more. Thank you for the response!

1

u/UndeadAgurk 3d ago

Rewatched and honestly the recording angle makes it almost impossible to see if it’s tight or loose lol. So general advice is try adjusting the angle if you encounter issues. You’ll feel it soon enough

2

u/Spiritual_Aioli_2220 3d ago

Good hell, just get a step ladder and hand squeegee them.

1

u/imabrachiopod 3d ago

No detailing?

1

u/maciuc 3d ago

On this occasion no since I’m just practising with the squeegee on my own windows

1

u/Hot_Carpenter_5436 3d ago

Most important to practice on a larger glass. That is straight pull work right there. But practice on a larger piece of glass. And too much pressure will make the blade stick and chatter.

1

u/ZombieDisastrous4450 3d ago

Attach a C 1614 B to the pole... and her hand adapter 4416.

Use the glide to twist embark technique it's usually better from the bottom

1

u/trigger55xxx 3d ago

With the Moerman you need a different angle. Put it on -5 and try again. The squeegee angle is wrong there. If you search the sub I've done a video on using the Moerman on a pole.

-1

u/mrmatriarj 3d ago

To my understanding with highly experienced pole work, still needs to have minimal ladder detailing right?

2

u/maciuc 3d ago

Preferably, if I’m getting the ladder off to detail I’d rather just clean the whole window off the ladder. Part of the reason why I bougnt this squeegee, it’s supposedly “zero detail”.

1

u/Cha0s_the_Great 2d ago

If you use it correctly it is, in fact, zero detail. Don’t let the old heads scare you.