trastu Posted March 12, 2010 Share Posted March 12, 2010 Hi everyoneI really wasn't sure which section to post this in so if it's the wrong one would a moderator kindly put it in a more appropriate one for me?This is probably a bit of a daft question but here goes:I have been working as a cleaner in the home of a french couple for the past few months and the lady has told me (by email) that since they will be on holiday next week she wants me to clean the inside and the OUTSIDE of the windows.Before moving to France I worked as a cleaner in the homes of individuals for over 20 years and never once was I asked to do the outside of the windows.Is it normal practice in France to ask your cleaning lady to do this? I wouldn't mind if it was a bungalow and all the windows were on one level but it is a house and I would need a ladder to reach the top windows!!Would the lady think I was being totally unreasonable if I refused to do it? I can't afford to lose the job but I really don't fancy going up a ladder to clean windows either.Any thoughts anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted March 12, 2010 Share Posted March 12, 2010 [quote user="trastu"] I wouldn't mind if it was a bungalow and all the windows were on one level but it is a house and I would need a ladder to reach the top windows!! [/quote]But don't all first-floor windows in French houses open inwards? Ours do, which makes for easy cleaning of both inside and out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trastu Posted March 12, 2010 Author Share Posted March 12, 2010 Oh thank you for that Sue. Do you know - I didn't even think of them opening inwards.DUH!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted March 12, 2010 Share Posted March 12, 2010 [quote user="suein56"]... which makes for easy cleaning of both inside and out. [/quote]Well what I meant to say was easier cleaning rather than easy, as cleaning windows is not my favourite occupation.It is still a mammoth task you will have there, hope you are being paid by the hour! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trastu Posted March 12, 2010 Author Share Posted March 12, 2010 Yes, fortunately I do get paid by the hour.Phew!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted March 12, 2010 Share Posted March 12, 2010 Excellent news. Bon courage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted March 12, 2010 Share Posted March 12, 2010 It brings a warm glow to the heart to see a problem solved so simply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swissie Posted March 12, 2010 Share Posted March 12, 2010 All together now - aaaaaarrgggghhhhh. When you've finished, ours badly need doing and they do open inwards! Swissie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted March 13, 2010 Share Posted March 13, 2010 Anyone looking to start an AE business with the sole aim of gaining healthcare should register as a window cleaner.You will have no problems regarding chambre de metiers, qualifications etc and no local artisans getting bent out of shape.Other than declaring a few bob for allegedly cleaning windows at a mates house you wont be worked off your feet and Les impôts will believe your almost non existant turnover, they probably have a separate file for nutters that is locked away and never looked at unless to punish a member of staff.That said I gave a lift once to someone who told me his job was an escaladeur, I knew it meant a climber but my French was not good at the time, from what he said and his gestes I gathered that he abseiled down office blocks to clean the windows Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pachapapa Posted March 13, 2010 Share Posted March 13, 2010 [quote user="Swissie"]All together now - aaaaaarrgggghhhhh. When you've finished, ours badly need doing and they do open inwards! Swissie[/quote]Awkward with the congères falling in when you open the windows![:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nectarine Posted March 13, 2010 Share Posted March 13, 2010 while we're on this subject, please could someone tell me what is the best stuff to clean windows with. Our windows get full sun most of the time and are a nightmare to clean as anything you put on dries too quickly before you can wipe it off. I have bottles of window cleaner - it smears and if you clean the windows while it is sunny then it dries too quickly and smears. The windows get smeared with cats' noses (I mean, our cats like to look out at the garden, and then sit on the windowsill and look in ... hence nose prints everywhere). Fly splats from successful 'whacks' with the whackystick .... goodness knows what else, but if someone can tell me a miracle cure for easy and effective cleaning I shall be forever grateful ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemonimo Posted March 13, 2010 Share Posted March 13, 2010 Nectarine, it's my most unfavourite job and I've tried just about every method - commercial products, diluted amonia[+o(] vinegar and soapy water - and have settled on the soapy water method which is what my window cleaner in London always used. His bucket was full of murky water but my windows were always impeccable. He told me that in order to know where that resistant smudge is you should buff horizontally on one side and vertically on the other. Simple, really but I still hate the job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WJT Posted March 13, 2010 Share Posted March 13, 2010 Paying close attention to this thread because I too hate this job. Gemonimo, are you saying that vinegar and soapy water is the best or just soapy water alone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemonimo Posted March 13, 2010 Share Posted March 13, 2010 Just soapy (palmolive) water and a plastic scotch sponge pad WJT and lots of clean rags. Those rubber scraper things take off the excess but leave marks as well.... one way or another, windows are never perfectly clean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardengirl Posted March 13, 2010 Share Posted March 13, 2010 I gave up on cleaning products in our home years ago, and did damp dusting with a J cloth and water, as I had rhinitis all year round (used to, it's much better these days). Then I discovered ecloths. I was told in John Lewis not to use anything else on a stainless steel oven, especially baby oil, which had been recommended in newspapers, magazines, TV etc for ages. We didn't buy a new oven, but I used ecloths on my old one and they did a very good job. I use them for almost everything, and have different colours according to the job in hand. I don't have any antiques etc, so I'm happy to use them on all the furniture, apart from a leather sofa.I can't claim the cleanest windows (or the cleanest anything really, I'm not a keen member of the cleaning brigade), but I find ecloths do a really good job, I don't have lots of bottles of stuff in my cupboards, and I'm not using umpteen chemicals. The cloths are expensive to start with, but sometimes they're on special offer at JLP or Lakeland, last for ages and just go in the washing machine with the towels.Interestingly, our window cleaner in UK changed over to the water pole method a few years ago. As we have some fairly high windows, which don't open inwards, it's been a good buy (£12 for 14 windows and doors of assorted shapes and sizes once every 6 weeks). He used to use soapy water, now it's just water. It leaves them looking slightly spotty as they dry, but they look good afterwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WJT Posted March 13, 2010 Share Posted March 13, 2010 Thank you very much Gemonimo, I will try it.Gardengirl, that is very interesting as well. In regards to the baby oil I use it on the stainless steel splash back behind the hob in the UK and it has always worked a treat for me. Until I was told to try it I always struggled to clean it without leaving streaks. Do you know why John Lewis said not to use it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardengirl Posted March 13, 2010 Share Posted March 13, 2010 This was at the High Wycombe branch, and they reckoned they used to use baby oil, but found they were constantly struggling to remove fingerprints from oven doors etc in their stores, and also found it tended to attract dust. Also, if someone decided to try something else, they always had a film of oil left, despite using the minimum they could. I'd read about baby oil, but had never used it. Now I never will. If it works for you, that's good. [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WJT Posted March 13, 2010 Share Posted March 13, 2010 I have only used it on the back splash not the oven. Prior to using baby oil, I once used linseed oil because it was recommended and it left a horrible yellow sticky film. So I can personally vouch for not using linseed oil. [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardengirl Posted March 13, 2010 Share Posted March 13, 2010 I promise I won't try it! [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted March 13, 2010 Share Posted March 13, 2010 The local window cleaner on my sites uses the pole and water too, but the water is de-stilled or de-ionised as he has the equipment in his garage to produce it to prevent spotting apparenty as buffing windows with a pole is very tiring Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trastu Posted March 15, 2010 Author Share Posted March 15, 2010 Well, for anyone who is interested, I carried out the dreaded task this morning. Only it wasn't as bad as I was imagining. All the windows opened inwards and I used just plain, warm water with a dash of white vinegar and lots of old cloths for buffing - thanks for the tips guys. I was certainly happy with the results - just hope the lady of the house is as well!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 [quote user="trastu"] I carried out the dreaded task this morning. Only it wasn't as bad as I was imagining. [/quote]Excellent news, job well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyA Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 I am an E-cloth fan too. Just done all the gite windows ready for the new season... phew Emily Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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