"Cold As Ice"

Wow. This cold is serious. My crew has tried to convince me to move the business to a warmer climate, but that is a rather extreme way to respond to the cold.
So do we clean windows in the cold? The answer in short is, sure. We can clean into the low 20s. Well, we can do that if there is no wind. Warm water and gloves for our hands are a good start, then we add a little something to the water to keep it from freezing on the windows
So don't worry. We will bundle up with t-shirts, long sleeve shirts, and hoodies (with the Hardwick Window Cleaning logo on them). Of course, if you want to serve some coffee or hot chocolate to warm us up while we clean your windows . . . (smile).

2010 Athens Banner Herald Reader’s Awards

Congratulations to all of our business clients who were chosen for the 2010 Athens Banner Herald Reader’s Awards:

Trappeze – beer selection

Last Resort – atmosphere

Last Resort – Sunday brunch

Hugh Acheson, 5 & 10 – chef

5 & 10 – upscale dining

Earthfare – healthy eating

Earthfare – vegetarian food

Earthfare – Five Points shop

Earthfare – health food store

DePalma’s Italian Café – Italian food

Hodgson’s Pharmacy – ice cream shop

Taqueria La Parilla – Mexican food

Tires Plus Total Car Care – lube, oil and filter shop

Verizon Wireless – cellular phone service

George Gibson’s Men’s Wear – menswear store

Masada Leather and Outdoor – shoe store

 

I wonder how a child sees my business . . .

My kids tend to get very excited about my job. I guess they are feeding off of the energy I get from what I do. Sometimes I am intrigued by the ways they show this excitement.

My son has a bit of an artistic - or creative - or expressive - side. I came home one day last summer and was presented with this creation by my fourth grade son.

Allow me to explain the intricacies you see above. The roof is made of shingles from a dollhouse my wife had as a child - or maybe they were some of the new ones we got to replace a few of her busted shingles. The door is made of popsicle sticks. Now, in order to understand the picture as the artist intended it you have to view it one side at a time. Imagine the picture divided in half from the top to the bottom in the middle of the door. The right hand side, as described on the post-it note is "other co.s" or other companies. The left is Hardwick Window Cleaning (the H is made of yarn or a pipe cleaner taped to the post-it).

On the right we see that the "other co.s" have broken a window (symbolized by the jagged lines). The quote says "Sorry, we have to leave." The company broke a window and is now abandoning the job site. Yuo can see a very unhappy home owner in the top right window.

On the left side, the Hardwick Window Cleaning side, the quote says "Your windows will stand out." Notice the left top window. My son made this window "stand out" about half an inch from the surface of the paper. Not really sure whose legs those are dangling, but you have a 3D window, so why not some legs sticking out?
___

My first grade daughter in May or June of this year drew me this beauty.

This home or business has dirty windows, no; make that filthy, black windows. The little girl with pig tails and a squeegee in her hand is helping her daddy clean the windows. She informed me that this is a self-portrait. She is standing in the basket of a boom lift like the one she saw when we cleaned the windows of a couple very large office buildings off of Hwy 316 in Athens by using an 80 foot boom lift.

The little yellow bird reminds me of how happy my little girl is all of the time. She has lots of hugs and kisses for her daddy.

"I want to see myself"

Short blog post today.

Each month we clean the windows at a men's clothing store in Athens. One of the managers loves to see me come in and always says, "Hey. I want to see myself in those windows." I love that. I assure her that indeed she will be able to see herself in the windows is just a few minutes when I finish.

CJ&L reaction to my blog post

A few months ago I posted a story about a local realtor who found room "at the top", even in a crowded marketplace. The realtor is Ceci Churchwell with Chastain, Jenkins and Leathers. Read CJ&L's reaction to my post below.

"Ceci Churchwell is a top agent in our office, and we are so thrilled to have her as part of our team. Read the blog below written by one of her clients, Steve Hardwick with Hardwick Window Cleaning Services (who we also think does a great job and is at the top of his field as well!). You can contact Ceci at 706-247-2682 or 706-559-4520 or ceci@cjandl.com."

Here's the link to my original blog post. http://hardwickwindowcleaning.blogspot.com/2010/04/is-there-room-in-your-market-there-is.html

Check out http://cjandl.wordpress.com/ for CJ&L's blog and poke around a bit.

Beautiful building, beautiful couple, but . . .

This afternoon the love of my life and I attended a wedding in Athens, GA. The location was a chapel, rather than a church, and it was beautiful. Well, let me be a little more clear, the wedding ceremony was beautiful, and so was the bride, but if I may be so bold, I am referring to the building itself. The building was created from wood and stone native to Georgia. Top quality craftsmanship was evident and the emotion I felt simply from being inside the chapel made me feel close to heaven. The windows were not clean.

Sidebar

Oops, did I say that out loud? It seems that all of the air just got sucked out of the room. Guess I have some explaining to do.

End Sidebar

The windows were structurally appealing. Nonetheless cobwebs, smudges, and that almost foggy look that windows get when not maintained regularly were evident. I am a fan of wasp nests as much as the next guy but the largest wasp nest I have ever seen was outside of the window calling my name and distracting me during the service. The wedding service went off without a hitch. However, now I feel obliged to figure out with whom to speak and offer to help this chapel maintain the look and cleanliness of the windows.

Private Gallery - New women's store in Athens

A few months ago Athens got a new women's clothing store on Clayton Street. In the space previously occupied by a shop called Mary, Private Gallery opened. Fran Hughes is the manager. This link is the writeup from the Athens Banner Herald article.

http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/041110/bus_604493607.shtml

The cobbler's children have no shoes

Early on in my business I sat down with a VP at a chain of banks in this region. Scant minutes into our conversation she stopped me and said . . . "I'm sorry (to interrupt) but I have to ask you this." I replied, "Absolutely. What is it?" To which she voiced "Are your windows at home clean?"

Now, I know I need to work on my poker face, but this comment came out of left field somewhere and whapped me right in the middle of my chest. All I could do in this stunned moment was make the best of it. I just smiled, hung my head in shame and implored, "Oh, please don't look at the windows at my house. My wife would love it if I would do our windows, but right now they are pretty disgusting."

I used to hear my parents use the old adage "The cobbler's children have no shoes". Now I am living proof. In case you need extra convincing just look at the auto mechanic's personal cars. Do they run well? Probably not. What about the house painter? Bet you his home needs paint on the inside and out.

Yep, I should probably hire someone to clean my windows at home. Of course, the best window cleaner I know is enjoying a rather tight schedule these days and I'll just bet I can't get my house on his list . . . at least not yet.

Six truisms about tape on your windows

When hanging a sign or announcement on your business windows here are a six things to keep in mind.

1. Less is more. Use only as much tape as you need. I know it is fun to completely seal a piece of paper onto a window such that it will withstand an alien invasion, but perhaps using a couple of small pieces of tape will suffice.
2. If the tape is strong enough to rip off your skin . . . you might want to think twice using it on your windows. Duct tape, packing tape, and stranded tape have very strong adhesives. Try to keep them away from your windows. 
3. Masking tape is better than strong adhesive tape, but it still leaves a heavy residue. Actually it is not too hard to clean off, but it is messy enough that you may want to choose a different kind of tape.

This is the window of one of the Downtown Athens restaurants we clean . . . covered with event flyers and tape.
4. Never use tape on windows with an adhesive tint. The tape adheres too well, and you can't scrape it off the tint without damaging it. (See this blog posting from April, 2010 on "4 things to keep in mind when considering tinting your windows" for further explanation.)
5. Whenever possible use suction cups and/or a clear plastic sheath to hold your sign.
6. Use a clear and mildly adhesive tape, like Scotch tape, when needed. It is still not super easy to get off, but it seems to be an acceptable alternative.

If you have other ideas that work share them here with others.

The Royal Peasant

First of all let me say that I love the name, The Royal Peasant. The juxtaposition of those two words makes me laugh.

Secondly, it is the name of a pub in Five Points on Lumpkin St. in Athens. You may or may not know that I lived in London, England for a while in the early '90s. In this comfortable locale surrounded by British paraphernalia and football on the telly (sure you can call it soccer, but this is my memory) I felt transported back to a little part of London that I knew well.

On a recent date with the Hardwick Window Cleaning scheduler, accountant, and mother of my children we visited the Royal Peasant. The food was great. I had fish and chips (how did you guess?). The fish tasted authentic and I can't recall eating chips that were tastier. My wife had the special, a burger with bleu cheese and bacon that was simply amazing.

On the wall is a map of the London Underground - the subway system commonly referred to as the Tube. On the map I showed Michael White, the proprietor, where I used to live between Earlsfield and Wandsworth proper. To get around the city I often walked to the Wimbledon Tube station at the end of the District Line.

I could go on and tell other memories . . . but a better idea is for you to head over to the Royal Peasant and try it out. Take a friend - or three - soak in the snugness - tell Michael I said "awright".

Want to make more on your home sale?

Realtors and home owners. Check out this blog post from last September. Talk about return on investment!

http://hardwickwindowcleaning.blogspot.com/2009/09/want-to-make-more-on-your-home-sale.html

"Wow. I wasn't expecting that!"

I love the excitement my clients show when their windows are newly cleaned.

"I was coming back from the mailbox and my windows were so shiny." This was uttered by a local doctor, and her inside windows had yet to be cleaned.

Truth be told, there is something special about newly cleaned windows. For example, you can see the difference between the windows at Trappeze Pub on Washington St. in Athens, GA and other restaurants on the same street. Check it out any time.

We clean Trappeze every week. Some of the other restaurants downtown are cleaned less often or simply 'not regularly'. ("Not regularly" is my attempt to be kind. My Mom said "If you can't say something nice . . . ")

Another time the owners of Appointments at Five in Athens said they were surprised when they turned into the driveway and looked at their newly cleaned windows for the first time. One of the owners told me later that as they pulled into the driveway she exclaimed "Wow! They look great."

(I took the pic of Trappeze (above). The Appointments at Five pic came from their Facebook page.)

Hardwick Window Cleaning's clients are the best. Comments like these are not unusual. We'll keep wowing you. Thanks for the smiles.

The Two Bucket Method (Pollen Post 2)

Normally windows are cleaned using a single bucket of water. "So", you ask, "What is the two bucket method and why should I care". It is a window cleaning technique used when the windows are very dirty - like a few weeks ago when the pollen was thick, or on a home or business with windows that haven't been cleaned in over a year.

The tools involved are the two buckets and a wetter. A wetter is a long scrubber used to wipe the window to remove dirt and debris.

1. The first bucket is the rinse. The wetter goes to the window then back into this bucket where it is wrung out a few times by hand. Then the wetter is placed in the second bucket.
2. Bucket number two is the "clean" bucket. It is this water that is washed onto the windows and squeegeed off. So the whole process looks like this:
• Wipe off the windows
• Rinse the wetter
• Put the wetter in clean water
• Wash the window again.

We don't need to use the two bucket method very often. Regularly cleaned windows shouldn't get dirty enough to require it. A couple of weeks ago the pollen was so heavy that we not only used the two bucket method, but we used a three step process where bucket #1 (the rinse) was used to give an initial scrubbing to wash the bulk of the pollen off the first, #2 was the rinse to get the rest of the gunk off, #3 was the clean bucket after which window was squeegeed. Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.

Pollen, Pollen, Everywhere (Pollen Post 1)

I was talking with a new business owner last week. He told me about the restaurant he is opening soon in Athens. It seems that while getting their space ready to house the restaurant they were painting the exterior of the building. It just happened that the painting was done a few weeks ago . . . . during the worst of the pollen this year. The business owner said that they are now the ultimate green business; how much more natural can you get than mixing pollen with your paint?

"Rainy Night In Georgia"

It is raining again in Georgia and I am reminded of all the great songs that mention the state of Georgia.

• Rainy Night in Georgia (Ray Charles) 
• Georgia On My Mind (Ray Charles solo or Ray Charles with Willie Nelson)
• Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight and the Pips)
• Devil Went Down To Georgia (Charlie Daniels Band)
• Sweet Georgia Brown (A jazz standard with no lyrics. Used by the Harlem Globetrotters.)
• Why Georgia (John Mayer)
• Georgia Bound (Blind Blake)
• Georgia On A Fast Train (Billy Joe Shaver)

Got any other ideas?

Lynn Edwards in Southern Distinction Magazine

I just read a great article about Lynn Edwards in Southern Distinction Magazine. Ok, I was a little late reading the March, 2010 publication. Lynn owns Southern Comforts, an upscale consignment shop in Five Points in Athens, GA.

I could not get the article to show up online at Southern Distinction.com, but find the March edition (pink dogwood flower on front) and look at page 90 and following.

Her shop is a great decorating and collecting resource for antiques and difficult to find items. Lynn is a lot of fun and loves her job. Her windows look pretty good too.

A Down and Dirty Definition Of Leadership

The answer to whether or not one is a leader is not a statement, the answer is a rhetorical question.

Are you a leader if no one follows?

This question is not original to me, but a friend asks me this on occasion. Sometimes, as I examine my own life, I don't like the answer I have to give. Other times I can see how I am being a leader in my industry and community. Think about it . . . Are you a leader if no one follows? What do you think? Leave your comments here.

Not funny, but I laughed anyway.

I couldn't make up a better recommendation than this. The employees at Tires Plus and at The Dawg House told me what happened. (Kinda wish I had seen it happen, but it is probably best that I didn't).

Apparently a man walked straight into the window on the left thinking it was an open doorway.

A large dog at this dog grooming salon was placed in the open space on the left and proceeded to try to walk "outside" only to bump his nose on the glass.

Disclaimer: No people or animals were injured in these incidents, but the man probably uttered some things you would not want your kids to hear, and the dog probably did the same.

Considering tinting your windows? Here are 4 things to keep in mind

Many business in sunny areas of the country have a tinted film on the inside of their windows to help block the sun. However, once the tint gets scratched it simply starts to look bad.

This picture shows scratched and peeled tint on a door in Athens

Here are four suggestions for the care of the tinted film on your windows:

1. Do not put tape on the tint. The tape adhesive sticks so well to the tinted material that it may be difficult to remove both the tape and its adhesive without leaving permanent marks behind.
2. Never use a sharp object to scrape things off of the tinted film. The tinted material is basically a thin adhesive piece of plastic not too unlike a transparent piece of tape. A razor blade will quickly cut through it. To clean, gently rub the place with a wet towel. Rubbing too hard may leave scratches. (On occasion you may have to leave a spot or two on the window rather than risk damaging the tint.)
3. Be careful not to let things touch your windows, especially sharp things. It won't take much to scratch or even remove a portion of the tinted film. 
4. Lastly, consider not using tinted material on the door. Even if you have a tint applied to the rest of your windows leaving it off the door may keep the door looking better. Rings, fingernails, deliveries, strollers, merchandise, I could go on and on, all pose a scratching threat to the tint. A constant rubbing from a bell or wreath on the door may leave marks as well.

So, why all the talk about this window tinting thing? Am I trying to convince you to shy away from it? No, I believe an informed decision is the best decision. Window tinting is often a good thing. It can be an effective method to block the sun and reduce cooling bills. Just recognize its drawbacks as well. Weigh both the pros and the cons when you make your decision.

Do you have a "My Former Window Cleaner" story?

I had a conversation with an Athens entrepreneur last week and here is how he described a former window cleaner, "He wasn't predictable. He didn't come back every two weeks like I kept asking him to."

I hear the "my former window cleaner" refrain frequently. Sadly, many of my residential and commercial clients have an unfavorable impression of the job done, or the professionalism witnessed in other window cleaning companies.

Now, in all fairness, we are fortunate here in Athens, GA to have a few good window cleaning companies from which to choose. And the entrepreneur mentioned above admitted that he had just hired a guy who cleaned windows for cash. I call these guys 'off the grid' workers.

We hope that your story will become a positive "my current window cleaner" story and that you will tell people about Hardwick Window Cleaning. We are not perfect, but we have a long list of clients who love our work and our professionalism.

(Sidebar)
After writing this post I had a not-so-great situation come up. Yesterday I went to clean a local restaurant that we clean every other week. I received a funny look from the assistant manager when I came in and he commented that they had not seen me in a while. This disturbed me so I cleaned the windows then hustled to my truck and checked my books. In fact, he was correct. I had missed a cleaning. It came down to a scheduling issue with my software that had been corrected that morning.

I had two choices. Clean the windows, smile, and pretend that nothing happened, or fess up. I chose the latter and apologized verbally and in a written apology note.

Listen, mistakes happen, but is there anything more frustrating than being treated poorly by a company and the company refusing to admit that a mistake was made? I never want to personally or professionally be accused of glossing over a glaring mistake.
(End Sidebar)

Got a "My Former Window Cleaner" story you want to share? Post your comments here.

Dirty Windows or Just Double-Paned Glass?

On occasion a window still looks murky even after it has been cleaned. But hold on a minute. The problem may be in the glass itself . . . Well, maybe not "in" the glass . . . Rather, the problem may lie between the panes of glass.

You see, the energy efficient windows in many homes are two panes of glass separated by a little space. Manufacturers remove some of the air between the panes or put an inert gas like argon or krypton between them and the energy efficiency of the window goes way up.

The problem arises if the seal on the panes in compromised. This lets in a bit of moisture. At first the window is still clear, but after a while it may get increasingly cloudy. The wetter conditions are the more moisture can collect between the panes. On occasion I've even seen a small amount of mold between the panes.

This sounds like a horror story, but most of the time a home or business will have very few affected windows, if any at all. So there is no reason to panic. If you do have an affected window and it becomes a big deal to you, simply have the window replaced.

Creepy Or Not? Hmmmm.

Quick diversion from the normal post here for a true story.

A new client last month got our name by asking a business neighbor to suggest a window cleaner. She received this response from her neighbor; "Ok, I have two window cleaner suggestions. One is creepy and the other is not."

(Sidebar)
Now hold on a minute. I had to ask myself why my new client was telling me this. It turns out that she is delightful with a quick sense of humor. She enjoyed telling me the story and watching my reaction.

I really need to work on my poker face.
(End Sidebar)

Recommendations are how I find the majority of products and services I use personally and professionally. Let me know if you need recommendations for good service professionals in the area and I'll give you some great names of people and businesses whom I trust. Of course you never know, I may give you two suggestions . . . a good one and a creepy one.

Is there room in your market? There is at the top!

A few years ago a friend decided to venture into selling real estate. She expressed concern at her prospects because there were already thousands of realtors in the area. (Remember the housing boom when it seemed like everyone either was a realtor or was thinking about becoming one?) I had to agree with her, yet I was sure that she was thinking about things wrong. My response to her was, "You're right. There are tons of realtors around here, but there will always be room for a 'good' realtor."

Perhaps I can boil the concept down like this: There is always room at the top.

Let's take this concept out for a little test ride. Is "There is always room at the top" an accurate way to think about your industry? (Hey, I think this would be a great learning experience if we collaborated. Give your input to this idea by commenting on this blog post.) Here are a few examples to get the ideas flowing. What do you think?

• No matter how packed the marketplace is . . . There is always room at the top.
• Your competition is undercutting you, but . . . There is always room at the top.
• You need to decide whether to bring your low-priced services into the marketplace or your high-priced services . . . There is always room at the top.

Those are a few to start the conversation.

As it happens, despite the number of other realtors around, my friend still chose to jump into real estate. She has worked hard, studied hard, and now she is recognized as one of the best around. My wife and I have used her, and so have hundreds of others. Interestingly, in the last several years "tons of realtors around here" have disappeared. But our friend is constantly expanding her busines. She is living proof that There is always room at the top.

How is (or isn't) There is always room at the top applicable to your industry, market, business, or situation? Post your comments here.

A Green Time Was Had By All!

Last week Hardwick Window Cleaning cleaned Earth Fare in Athens, GA. You may know that Earth Fare is a natural grocery store, so chemicals are not allowed. We cleaned the windows using green methods.

Here are some links to other green posts on this blog.

- When to green clean
- It's not easy being green
Swing by Earth Fare and see their shiny, clean windows.

Why do we love Spring Cleaning?

So many emotions are conjured up by the phrase "Spring Cleaning". I can still see my mom's Spring Cleaning face with a little dust on it and a "glow"; women in Hahira (that's in South Georgia for the uninitiated) do not sweat.

I recall her beauty, and her religious fervor against uncleanliness and sloth; this fervor rose to a fever pitch in Spring. So, I became an expert cleaner at an early age.

I know I've told you this before, Mom, but thanks for teaching me how to clean. Next time we visit I'll bring my squeegees and you can make the sweet tea.

Ladders

Ok, this blog entry is only for the men. No offense to the women, but today I have a message just for the men.

Gentlemen, I know you can handle that ladder. You have the skills and experience to place it safely against the side of the house, level it out, and climb is like it like a flight of stairs. In fact, your wives, girlfriends, neighbors, significant others, and children already know that you are manly enough to suspend off of the highest reaches of your ladder and clean the furthermost windows on your own. They also know that the cleaning job you do will be superior to any service you could purchase.

Heights? You ain't afraid of heights. Safety? Pshaw, you've never had an accident before. Besides, all those safety rules are for stupid people.

(Sidebar)

Ladies, I know you are still reading . . . Let him know you don't question his manliness. Tell him that the neighbors don't question it either, and in fact the kids admire his machismo. He is strong enough, has great ladder and squeegee skills, etc. Just tell him how you think that his precious time is of greater value doing other things. (You know, things that don't involve ladders and cleaning.) Relay to your man that if you happen to call schedule Hardwick Window Cleaning to tackle the windows at your home, well it is not an insult to his male ego or his testosterone-laden thought process.

(End Sidebar)

Anyway, men, you don't need it, but if you are too bored or otherwise preoccupied to clean the windows, you can call. 706 - oh heck, nevermind. . . Well, wait. Dad always said I should finish what I started, so here's the number, 706.248.7051.

Your Friend,
Steve

Look at your windows at night (I'm serious.)

I ate dinner tonight at one of the restaurants that has me clean its windows once a week. This downtown Athens, GA restaurant has very large windows. Some of the largest windows in Athens.

I tried to hide my glances, but I peered up periodically to see if I could locate any areas that required a touch-up. I couldn't find any, but I digress. How can you test to:

A) see if your window is already really clean, or
B) determine if your windows need a good cleaning.

The test of a really clean window is to look through it at night. Look from both sides of the window (the inside and the outside . . . but you knew that). When it is dark outside, the inside lighting will often reveal any marks or dirt on the windows. Simply move window treatments out of the way and look at your windows. You may see plenty of things that don't belong there. Then walk outside when it is still dark and look into the lighted windows. Any smudges or dirty build-up on either side of the glass should be easily seen.

Homemade Cleaning Wipes

Here is an article about how to make your own cleaning wipes that we are going to try out over the next week or so and see how it works.

I want to make both a general cleaning wipe and a window cleaning wipe (since my job is cleaning windows I am a bit skeptical about this last one). Hmmm. Wonder if I can make one to clean our little girl still in diapers - or am I being crazy?

Stay tuned to see how these wipes turn out.

Try it and let me know how it works for you, then post your thoughts here.

Got a make-your-own recipe to share? (It doesn't even need to be original to you.) Post it here.

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Soon after starting my window cleaning business my wife decided we should make our own clothes washing detergent. I wash a heap of very dirty towels every evening, and often they are heavily soiled or even worse . . . greasy. These towels require a little something extra to get really clean, and the store-bought detergent was only doing an mediocre job removing the stains.

My wife found a homemade laundry detergent recipe on a blog (click here) and whipped up a 5 gallon batch super cheap. Result? Towels cleaner than I had gotten them in months, and after a few washes even some of the old stains started to fade. It was inexpensive and easy to make. The cost savings is a bonus, but the job this detergent does on all our clothes is what gets me excited.

Try it and let me know how it works for you, then post your thoughts here.

Got a homemade cleaning 'recipe' to share? (It doesn't even need to be original to you.) Post it here.

Spring Cleaning and Green Cleaning

Ahhhh. Spring Cleaning!

What could be better than moving all that junk around and cleaning behind it? (Well, if you are like me getting rid of that junk could be better. Of course then I still have to clean the empty area.)

As you remove dust and allergens from your home don't forget the allergens on your windows. Just because you can see around the dust and dirt on your windows doesn't mean it is not there. (It's sort of like that stain on your shirt. You forgot about it hours ago, but others can't miss it.)

Hardwick Window Cleaning can clean the conventional way, with water and a small amount of chemicals, or we can give your home or business a green clean. Email or call and Steve can fill you in on the details.

Wow! . . . Clean windows, Spring cleaning, removing allergens, and doing it all in an environmentally sound way. You gotta love that.

Cheers

To tweet or not to tweet? (New and awkward)

OK, I did it. I signed up for Twitter. Until @Lori_Randall explained it to me, I knew next to nothing about Twitter. Less than a week later @Steve_Hardwick is my Twitter tag. I'm so new to Twitter that I'm hardly sure what to call things or how to Tweet. Is it called a tag or a name or what? Gotta learn the proper etiquette too.

I'm great at F2F intractions and group settings, but now I need to master social media.

Funny sign I saw today

Steve Hardwick, Hardwick Window Cleaning, 706.248.7051

Beautiful Weather

It is 65 outside (I should be out there) so I am thinking about spring cleaning. More sunshine as the days get longer and more beautiful weather makes me think of windows.

In addition to cleaning the glass, HWC will focus on getting rid of cobwebs around your windows and porches, as well as cleaning exterior window ledges. I could go on, but you get the idea.

Recommendations

We love it when our clients and friends recommend us to others. Here are a few who have recommended us recently. Please keep these names and contact info nearby in case you or someone you know may need these services.

• Charmaine and Cedric Broughton - C and C Janitorial Services are excellent home and commercial cleaners.
• Ceci Churchwell - Chastain Jenkins and Leathers LLC. Ceci is a realtor in and around Athens, GA with experience in residential sales, investment properties, and commercial locations.
• Pitaya - a clothing store on Clayton Street in Athens, GA. Mallory, the manager, is studying fashion merchandising. She knows what she is talking about and loves helping her customers look great.
• John Morecraft - Nothwestern Mutual Financial Services. You need to know John. Email him and let him know I said to contact him.

French Windows

French windows are multi-pane windows like you see in the picture below of Five and Ten, a local Athens restaurant.

Hardwick Window Cleaning keeps the windows at Five and Ten restaurant looking great.

This small section of the restaurant is 72 different windows which are individually cleaned. Smaller wetters and smaller squeeges are required to clean the smaller panes, and the result is beautiful to see. Check it out the next time you are in Five Points.

Construction Clean-Up

Recently, Hardwick Window Cleaning cleaned a new building on the campus of Athens Regional Medical Center in Athens, Georgia. A 60ft lift, and later an 80ft lift were required to reach the top floors. Since this was a construction clean-up job we had to remove mortar and putty off of the windows prior to the building being occupied.

This picture shows Steve Hardwick on the 60ft lift.

Since this job was completed we have been contracted to clean the windows of a similarly sized, older building that is already occupied. We are delighted to add the cleaning of windows on large and tall buildings to the services we provide to our clients.

I'm covered - and so is your stuff

Rule to live by: only let insured workers perform jobs on your property.

In a networking meeting about a year ago a lady who owns an independent insurance company explained the necessity of making sure you hire only insured workers to perform jobs on your property. For example, if a heating and air-conditioning professional is working on your unit and falls off a ladder, if he is not insured you may be responsible for his medical bills. If any material damage is done you may also be required to foot the bill for replacement or repairs.

The best way to make sure the person or company working in your home or business is covered by insurance is to ask them to provide a Certificate Of Insurance. Getting a copy of the COI is as simple as a phone call from the worker to the insurance company requesting the COI be emailed to you or faxed to your machine. If a worker balks at providing a COI, you may want to look elsewhere to get that need of yours tended to.

Too Cold to Clean Windows?

I hear this often, "It's too cold to clean windows." With temps below freezing many mornings I appreciate people's concern for our wellbeing, but other than issues of our personal comfort, we can clean windows even when the outside temps are very low. Warm water is good for cleaning and for keeping the window cleaner's hands from turning numb. Denatured alcohol or other "anti-freeze" methods are very helpful to keep ice from forming on the window.

I admit that sometimes the weather is just too bad to clean windows. Gusty wind and really cold weather do tend to prohibit window cleaning, but in general we can be out there and keep cleaning your windows even in the freezing weather. (If we come in for a minute or two to warm up our hands - let me thank you in advance for your kind words and your heat.)