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.

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.

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.

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.

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.)

Tools of the trade

Hmmm. Tools of a window cleaner: squeegee, wetter or scrubber, pole, ladder . . . oh, water, cleaning solutions, and don't forget towels.

Recently my Dad told me, "The cheapest tool you can buy is the most expensive one." I think he meant two things:

1. The better quality tools cost more. The quality of the tools used have an impact on how quickly and effectively a job gets done. Each of us have used poor quality tools around our own homes with results that were, let's say, 'less than optimal'. 
2. A tool may be expensive on the front end, but if it lasts longer and does a better job, that tool has saved you money. (The counter-point is that cheap tools will not last as long so replacement costs will get you in the end.)

This morning I was cleaning the windows at a Tires Plus store in Athens, GA when a man with a bucket and squeegee approached me from behind and offered, "You didn't really buy those tools at Wal Mart did you?" My Dad would have been proud.

We at Hardwick Window Cleaning are particular about the tools we use. Some of the squeegees, rubber squeegee blades, wetters, and other tools may be a bit more pricey that those that can be found in many home improvement stores, but their quality is considerably higher. We have scores of people who can attest to the quality of our work. When you need your windows cleaned, and cleaned well, give us a call.

"How often should I clean my windows?"

This question is sort of like "How often should I see a doctor?" Well . . . as often as needed to remain healthy. Here are a few guidelines to think through.

Basic Guidelines:
- Some commercial clients clean their windows every week. This makes sense for:
      *Restaurants
      *Boutiques and retail spaces
      *Spas and hair salons
      *Locations with high traffic
- However, other commercial clients choose to clean their windows every other week or every month.
- Residential clients typically have their homes cleaned once or twice a year.
- Special occasions increase the frequency.

The point is that your windows are a vital part of the look-and-feel of your company, its products, its people, and its services. (Does this sound like a post on branding?) Let me encourage you to look at your windows the way your clients look at your windows - from the inside and from the street. Do what it takes to keep your place looking and feeling the way you want your clients to view you.

Haircut?

I once read that a man should get a haircut often enough that no one can tell he has received one. I understand that former President Ronald Reagan used to have his hair trimmed every week to ten days. Think about it: have you ever seen President Obama when his hair looked too long one day and cut short the next?

Windows are like that too. You can wait to clean your windows until people say, "Wow! This place looks so much better now that you cleaned your windows." Or you can keep the windows and doors clean and send a constant positive message to your guests and customers.

Clean your windows often enough that people won't be surprised.