Author: Johnny Mac

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Chicago Window Cleaning, Commercial Window Washing

Window Cleaning for Healthcare Buildings

At Innovative Window Cleaning we know that all buildings are not the same. Sure, our job might be a similar task each time, but there are things to consider depending on the type of building and what’s happening inside of the building. A  good example of this is buildings for healthcare, doctors offices, dentist offices, and hospitals. When we clean these healthcare-related buildings, we realize that people are being cared for inside. That is why we will talk to your facility manager to figure out the best time to do our work. We want to do everything we can to avoid being a distraction or a bother to your staff and patients.We also are very aware of the sanitary requirements when doing these jobs. Typically we are on the outside, so it may not be an issue. But we will definitely talk to your representatives to ensure we understand the entire situation.As far as process, healthcare buildings are usually very similar to any other office buildings today. Doctors offices and dentist offices can be in the strip mall or shared office space with other types of businesses. It’s no sweat at for us all to take care of their window cleaning needs.Hospitals, however, are a different story. Since Obamacare was passed a few years ago, many health systems and hospitals are now combining or merging. And there are many new hospital buildings being erected in the Chicago area. Many of these buildings have beautiful, hotel-like design that improves the quality of care and environment for its […]

Window Cleaning

Men at Lunch on a Hi-Rise

Remember this famous photo of the workmen having lunch? The one sitting on the beam in the New York City skyline? Of course you do! It’s a classic photo by Charles C. Ebbets and has a storied reputation. The workers were atop the RCA Building at Rockefeller Center during its construction, with no safety harnesses, obviously a dangerous job. It makes us wonder what other dangerous jobs are. So we did some digging and below are the top 10 most dangerous jobs according to Time Magazine (in descending order; bottom is most dangerous). Construction Laborers Farmers, Ranchers and Agricultural Managers Drivers, Sales Workers and Truck Drivers Electrical Power Line Installers and Repairers Refuse, Recyclable Material Collectors Structural Iron and Steel Workers Roofers Pilots, Flight Engineers Fishers, Fishing Workers Loggers We can’t believe hi-rise window cleaning isn’t  on the list. Obviously they haven’t seen this episode of Dirty Jobs. Or the list maker forgot about us. Or maybe we and our colleagues are doing well with workplace safety and it’s no longer considered dangerous. Maybe we should be on the scariest list, instead! Now back to the famous photo. Did you know there is an entire documentary on the men in the picture? It’s available on Netflix and here’s a link to the Internet Movie Database for more information. We think it’s something any history buff would love!

Chicago Window Cleaning, Commercial Window Washing, Hi-Rise Window Cleaning

Professional Window Cleaning for Property Managers

Commercial window cleaning and hi-rise window cleaning can also help extend the life and beauty of your building. Our team of professional window cleaners work with property managers to build maintenance schedules that meet your needs and budget. We can structure a window cleaning quote as a capital improvement or operating expense, because we believe it can serve both purposes. Our clients include recognizable names in the Chicago area, but also small businesses. No matter the way, shape, or form, we want to work with Chicago’s reputable property managers. Our clients’ privacy and confidentiality is also very important to us. We offer references upon request. Let us be your window cleaning company: office window cleaners, hi-rise window cleaners and multi-story window cleaning company. So no matter how tall or how short your building is, Innovative Window Cleaning is clearly the right choice. And don’t forget that we at Innovative Window Cleaning specialize in all different types of commercial buildings. We can clean windows for multi-story office buildings, historic churches, large buildings in the City of Chicago including skyscrapers, and more. No job is too big for our expert staff.

Commercial Window Washing

Inner-City Window Cleaning and Safety Tips

In a big city like Chicago there are some areas that are not so safe. Many buildings have become parking lots. Many other buildings were long ago vacated and are tumbling down as well. Fortunately, some businesses are still going strong but may be relegated to those rough parts of the city. This unfortunate location lends itself to many troubles including client and customer safety, employee safety, and building maintenance issues. We can’t help you much with the safety of those you work with, your choice of saving money in a less glamorous part of town has its pros and cons. We can recommend a few safety measures for your building, however. Get insured. You never know in this city of Chicago when gunshots may ring out, spray paint may decorate your door, or other mishaps may happen. It’s heartbreaking, but it’s a reality. Be sure you’re covered for incidents such as these. Use security. Security cameras are dirt cheap nowadays and we recommend you set one up immediately facing all of your entrances and windows. Even if you just record each loop for 24 hours you will know each morning when coming in to work that everything is okay. We also recommend you get a security system. These also are more cost-effective than ever. They can monitor door and window entries. There are different types but typically once you enter your building and enter the proper code the alarm will deactivate. If someone who is not wanted enters, the alarm will go off after a minute, prompting the police to head to […]

Window Cleaning

Beware of what others can see through the windows

Have you had one of these experiences before: While walking outside to the office entrance, you see through an exposed window a meeting take place in a first floor conference room. You’re innocently walking around town and notice a competitor’s strategy map – in embarrassingly exposed detail – that is visible through a second floor window. One of your favorite coworkers is resigning – and you know this because you see him hand over a resignation letter to the boss through a conference room window. These are clearly events that were never meant to be seen by your employees, your competitors or even the general public. Even if you haven’t experienced one of these embarrassing events before, many have. While windows are important to offer employees with views of the world outside the building, you must be cautious of where these windows are located, and be always conscious that the outside world can see in (unless you install blinds!) No matter what can be seen through your windows, at least ensure that they are clean and tidy. Contact us today for more information on our professional window cleaning services.

Window Cleaning

“Dirty Jobs” Look at Hi-Rise Window Cleaning

Ever wonder what it’s like to clean windows on a modern hi-rise building? Mike Rowe, star of the hit Discovery Channel show “Dirty Jobs” did, and tried his hand at it. In the episode, Mike traveled to Hawaii and joined the crew of Worldwide Window Cleaning where he harnessed up and hops into a bosun’s chair to clean windows 40 stories above downtown Honolulu. This building has outward curves that make it an even tougher job. I don’t think we’ve ever seen Mike so scared in his life! Just starting out, Mike says, “How the heck do I get down there?” “You crawl over the edge,” answers the expert window cleaner. “C’mon!” is all Rowe can answer. It’s a scary thing, indeed! Prayer is offered and happily accepted. Rowe then gets a lesson on some proper window washing techniques in the video here, including angling of the squeegee and careful handling of the tools. There’s no margin for error for dropping tools of a hi-rise building! Here’s a 2-minute preview of the episode. Want to watch the full episode? Try NetFlix or Amazon.

Window Cleaning

“Curb Appeal” and that First Impression

We talked about choices and how that may affect your business in the last post. We have the choice to make an impression, whether good or bad. When it comes to our homes and our business we definitely want to make a good impression. Some things we can do to make our home a better sell is the “curb appeal”.  Same thing when it comes to our business. We work so hard building clientele and retaining them, especially in this day and age. Some things that we can do to meet these issues it to impress. We can impress with our personality number one. But number one besides that is how clean and updated our place of business is. Fresh paint, clean carpet and a de-cluttered space is what helps, but also the “curb appeal” or what people see from the outside is what may be your first impression. Innovative Window Cleaning is here to help you achieve that goal of a great first impression! Clean windows are part of that “curb appeal”. And not just any clean window, but a sparkling window that will wash away the dirt and grime that comes with this crazy Chicago weather. We will work with you to create a first impression that will last. Contact us or call us at 1-888-535-1440 to get a window cleaning package started for your business, apartment complex, high rise, church or school today!

Window Cleaning

Choices

Sometimes in life we have choices. Anything from what to eat for breakfast to what car you should buy. Sometimes we have to wait on things because they’re out of budget or the timing is just not right. And sometimes you may do something yourself because you can’t afford to pay someone to do it for you. Sometimes that is an O.K. thing to do and other times it’s not. For example not paying a plumber for that leak…if you’ve never fixed that before that is probably something you should have a professional look at because it will cost you in the long run. If you own a commercial property, an apartment complex or manage a tall skyscraper in the city, you will want to make a wise choice when it comes to the cleaning of your windows. You may want to hold off because you are “stretching the bank” by paying someone to do that job. You may figure to buy a ladder and some bottles of window cleaner instead of hiring a professional window cleaning company to do the job. You will find that that will not work. You will find streaks and it will not last through this ever-changing Chicago weather. Hire Innovative Window Cleaning to do the job. We will work with your budget to assure 100% satisfaction of the cleanest windows in the city. Cleaner windows will impress your neighbors, clients and yourself. It may help boost your business as well. Invest in a cleaner environment this spring!

Window Cleaning

Window Washing Tools of the Trade

A lot of people like to try to do their own window washing, even commercial businesses. While we believe there’s some opportunity to do this successfully, we previously blogged about things to think about before venturing out on your own. Today we are going to talk about a few tools of the trade for those just starting out. If these tools don’t intimidate you and you can afford the up-front cost, we wish you the best and hope our tips here might help you out! First, there’s the washing solution. While we can’t give away our own formula and methods of application, we will say that there are industrial-strength solutions available that you should invest in. Not only will these materials keep up with harsh weather conditions but they will get your windows sparkling clean the first time and reduce the number of coatings you have to do. Further, the right solution combined with the right amounts of rinses will help clean off that multi-layered dirt and grime that you were trying to clean off in the first place. The second vital tool of the trade is of course the famous squeegee. These like any maintenance tools range from quick, cheap versions you can get at your local hardware store to industrial-strength versions with the wider applicator. Some of the models have replaceable applicators, while others do not. So if this is a long-term commitment for you, make sure to get the right squeegee. Next you have to consider those hard-to-reach windows. This might include multiple […]

Chicago Window Cleaning, Commercial Window Washing, Window Cleaning

Commercial Window Cleaning for Chicago

Every so often we want to make a clear statement about who we are what we do. We know with frequent blogging, companies can lose sight of the main purpose in their message. We like to have fun and write about related topics, but thought it would be a good time to re-introduce Innovative Window Cleaning and our services: Innovative Window Cleaning is a commercial window cleaning company covering all of Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. We handle all types of commercial window cleaning for business and industry, including the following types of buildings: Office buildings Malls Strip malls Restaurants Large multi-family housing units Multi-story commercial buildings Industrial buildings Churches Schools Libraries Skyscrapers and hi-rise buildings Government and municipal buildings Sports venues and stadiums and many more We are insured, and offer a staff of experience window washers. We respect your time and property and always put the customer first. We offer one-time window cleanings or long-term maintenance plans for businesses. Fill out our contact form or call us today so we can set up a free, no obligation quote. We hope you decide to make Innovative Window Cleaning your source for Commercial Window Cleaning in Chicago. About Us Innovative Window Cleaning, located in Chicago, Illinois, has been a strong leader in the commercial window cleaning industry and provides excellent service to corporate clients in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. Our experienced includes hi-rise buildings, tall skyscrapers, sporting venues, such as race tracks, event centers, venues, and arenas. Contact us for a free quote at 1-888-535-1440

Office Window Cleaning, Window Cleaning

How often should I clean my office windows?

We are often asked how often our commercial clients should clean their windows. There are a few rules of thumb, however, it really depends on your location, type of building and type of business.We’ve covered on our blog in the past that if you have a storefront window that customers are influenced by, it is a very high priority that your windows be clean. Likewise if you are a restaurant, you know that even one fingerprint or run-in with food can ruin someone’s appetite and drive them away – and they may not return. So those are cases where you definitely want to be cleaning your windows even up to several times per day. At least taking a look very often, and cleaning them as needed.If you have a more traditional office building, however, your schedule can depend more on the weather and routine maintenance. We offer plans to come out each month for many of our clients, though some preferred once per quarter.No matter what situation you are in always keep your eye open for windows that need cleaning. If it is something simple you might be able to do the job yourself, but for weathered windows it will take a more industrial product that only a professional window cleaning company can provide. Lastly, consider the type of building you have. If you are boxed in by other buildings, your windows may face less weather-related issues and look pretty good for a longer time. Conversely, if you are in an open field or have no “wind blocking” buildings or […]

Window Cleaning

What the outside sees in

We always hear about “location, location, location.” While it’s true that having an excellent location is crucial to a successful business, there’s another factor that can make or break your establishment: The image your business portrays to outsider viewers. Even if you have the most prime real estate out of all the businesses like yours in your city or town, you may as well begin throwing in the towel if a customer can witness one of the following from your windows. Wilting plants. If the plants you placed at your windows to make the inside of your business more aesthetically pleasing are wilting and dying, you should expect your customer flow to do pretty much the same. Since it shows that you don’t care about the up-keep at your business, customers may not expect you to take care of them as well. Scattered, messy papers, everywhere. Nothing says “disorganized” than a desk full of loose sheets of paper. Memos, quarterly reports and thank-you cards everywhere, and in no particular order: Sure, the mess shows you’re busy, but it also demonstrates that you can’t handle an even the simplest of paper filing systems. Bored or forgotten customers. If you are a service-providing business and your customers sit at the windows, make sure they don’t sit there too long to get apathetic or discontent – for all the world to see. At the very least, provide a stack of magazines or newspapers at the sitting areas. Just make sure things don’t get too messy.   Least of all, […]

Chicago Window Cleaning, Window Cleaning

Crowded window displays

Recently we discussed storefront windows and how to best utilize them. We again emphasize we are not interior designers or storefront window display experts. But we’ve seen so many windows, we can’t help but feel like we are starting to learn the trade.One thing we run into from time to time is the overcrowding of window space. It’s found at many gas stations, liquor stores, and convenience stores. Some of these storeowners think that they must jam as many promotions as possible into their window space. For a short time, you can grab some attention, but over the long haul it creates an atmosphere that we believe is detrimental to sales.When a window is so crowded that it actually blocks the view into the store, it actually makes it a non-inviting atmosphere. We feel like we’ve gone back to the 1980s and the clerk behind the counter will be smoking a cigar and selling expired food. Sure, we are being over-the-top and joking a little, but there is some truth to this. The perception is that your store is tight, crowded and stuffed. And we believe you should do everything possible to make your store open and airy and should be set up to be an inviting atmosphere.So instead of overcrowding your windows, consider putting a few select nicely designed posters up to promote your latest offerings and products. Change them often, so they get noticed when they change.And keep those windows nice and clear. Let the sunshine in and soon patrons will follow.

Window Cleaning

Taking care of the home front

If you’re a business manager or facility manager,  we understand all the tasks that you must juggle each day. We are a small business as well and we feel your pain. We know it’s easy to think about business, sales, the bottom line, expansion, new employees and day-to-day tasks. It’s a full slate. The one thing we see slip through the cracks is taking care of the home front. Maintaining your building so that it continues to invite customers and valued employees. Sometimes the focus on successful business leaves external image to be desired. You may be doing very well, but to the new prospect you don’t look professional. There’s more to your image then external maintenance, but Innovative Window Cleaning can take care of one repetitive task: making a window look great. Why not let us take care of your window cleaning instead of filling your schedule with a repetitive task that won’t go away? In fact, the only way to make it go away is to call today. So take care of that home front and make that front window and door look great. Give your prospects and employees impression of professional energy from the moment they walk in your door. In that way, your successful business will have a matching image to go along with it. Innovative Window Cleaning, located in Chicago, Illinois, has been a strong leader in the commercial window cleaning industry and provides excellent service to corporate clients in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. Our experienced includes hi-rise buildings, tall skyscrapers, sporting venues, such […]

Office Window Cleaning, Window Cleaning

Glass House owners should not throw stones

You’ve all heard the old saying “those who live in glass houses should not throw stones “. In our experience as a window cleaning company in Chicago, we’ve seen our share of this in action. You see, all of our clients are commercial, meaning they either have office workers coming in every day, or customers to walk in off the street each day. Before these people even get inside the building they can see the way that you maintain your “house”, that is your business environment. What kind of impression are you giving off? We hope it’s a great one. But often we see people not maintaining their buildings in the way that they should. Like all of us, these business owners or facility managers understand the value of appearance. They wouldn’t buy a car that looked bad, a house that didn’t have a great curb appeal or even clothes secondhand that are obviously worn. So why give that impression to your employees and customers? If you call us at Innovative Window Cleaning, we can come up with a routine maintenance plan for your building that will leave your windows looking great all year round. We can set up a schedule so that you won’t even have to think about calling us the next time time passes by or seasons change. So think about it. Image is everything in today’s society. When you can plan ahead for something as routine as window cleaning, why not go for it? Check one more item off of the “to-do” list […]

Window Cleaning

Industrial window cleaning

Sometimes window cleaning is tough. When you’re talking about a city like Chicago there are so many variables leading to dirty windows. At some point, doing it yourself is not an option, as every business owner knows. Sometimes – in fact most of the time – a spray bottle and rent won’t get the job done. That’s when you definitely need to call in the professionals like Innovative Window Cleaning. We have the team, the equipment and the chemicals and we are in know on how to get your windows sparkling clean even after years of procrastination. Furthermore, we know there are so many elements that can lead to dirty windows in the first place, especially in downtown Chicago. There’s pollution precipitation, lake effect and even traffic emissions that build up on the surface of your windows. It’s simply not worth your time to scrubbing hard to remove those stains from your windows. Call us today for a free quote. We can handle anything from one story commercial buildings, storefronts and restaurants, two multi story downtown Chicago buildings, including skyscrapers. When your buildings have this extreme buildup on the windows, we know price is your number one concern. But we can assure you Innovative Window Cleaning has excellent rates, you might be surprised at how much this will save you financially as well as in time and other costs. Innovative Window Cleaning, located in Chicago, Illinois, has been a strong leader in the commercial window cleaning industry and provides excellent service to corporate clients in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. Our experienced […]

Corporate Building Services, Window Cleaning

Glass doors for businesses

A wide percentage of businesses today have glass entry doors. Many of these include restaurants but also include commercial buildings like grocery stores and department stores. Stores allow people to see in your establishment making it an inviting atmosphere. There’s no question it’s a warmer feeling to know what you’re walking into. With that said, there is one big concern: cleanliness. These stores can be graced by thousands of fingers every day leaving germs, fingerprints, dirt – even food – that can turn off the next patron. Just like a public restroom we strongly recommend you take care of this task on a set schedule every day. That is, very often! Be sure to have an employee earmarked to do this task each hour. And train your staff to have their eyes peeled for things like food or other major issues. Innovative window cleaning can tackle the tougher stains and cleaning issues. But we are not able to attend to immediate cleaning needs. So let this just be a reminder to treat your beautiful door entryway with respect. It’s the first thing your customers come in contact with and the last thing before they leave. Innovative Window Cleaning, located in Chicago, Illinois, has been a strong leader in the commercial window cleaning industry and provides excellent service to corporate clients in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. Our experienced includes hi-rise buildings, tall skyscrapers, sporting venues, such as race tracks, event centers, venues, and arenas. Contact us for a free quote at 1-888-535-1440

Window Cleaning

The hidden costs of an ugly building

We talked in a blog about the benefits of your building and storefront displays. Conversely have you considered what your building may be costing you in sales alone? The fact is, if you have an ugly building,  you are losing customers and even valued potential employees. No one wants to walk into a building that is not inviting. The money you have saved by buying a building or renting one on the “seedy” side of town is going to come back to haunt you. And the money you saved by allowing your signage, display and street sign by falling to pieces is going to bite you.  We can’t tell you how many stores we see of signs that are peeling, damaged or falling apart from years of neglect. Signage alone, we believe, may be your number one advertising piece. If your building looks neglected, customers will assume they will be neglected as well. The world today has changed and people have more choices than ever. If they don’t choose McDonald’s they will go to Burger King next door. There are 50 dentists and  50 cleaners on every block in the city of Chicago. Don’t think people realize how much business they lose every day to competitors within walking distance. There are somethings you cannot control within your business. But somethings you can. We strongly suggest you put full effort into your curbside image. Make sure your signs are clean and have a modern design to them. Also, if possible. try to rent your building on the good side of town. And of course make […]

Window Cleaning

Thank you to all our customers!

We want to make a public thank you to all of our customers. It’s not every day we get to interact with our customers because we are always moving fast serving so many of you. Our ownership does not go to every job and sometimes we miss that customer interaction. We miss seeing happy customers at each wash site. So, as informal as it may be, we want to use our blog to thank all of our customers for their business. We thank all of the schools, office buildings, churches, and retail outlets. We sincerely hope you’ve enjoyed our service and that you will give us a call again in the future. The Chicago area weather never quits. So we know that our business is one of repeat customers. We are thrilled to get a new call, but we know we need to do the job right in order to get a call back. We are happy to know that a very strong majority of our customers return to us, Innovative Window Cleaning, for their window washing means each time. We hope that speaks to our quality as well as our affordable prices. So again, thank you for your business. We hope to continue the relationship for years to come!

Commercial Window Washing

Isn’t window cleaning easy?

As a follow-up to our previous blog, we wanted to address the do-it-yourself mentality for window cleaning. Many companies out there try to do window cleaning with in-house maintenance employees because they perceive it to be easy. For a one-story building, in most cases, we can understand that thinking. Just get some cleaner and a squeegee and go to work. Of course, there’s still knowing the best tools to use and the best cleaning solution, which we may discuss in the future blog. But there are some more obvious problems with thinking that window cleaning is easy. First, consider hard-to-reach places. This of course includes anything from the second floor and above. But it also includes things you may not think about: heavy brush or trees around  windows may prevent the maintenance man from properly reaching the window. There also may be ground issues, too, from window wells to puddles and even landscaping ponds. Lastly, there’s the issue of convenience, especially when doing the inside of the windows. When inside your building your maintenance person has even more obstacles to get around including valuable computers and files, and even desks and people. Our team faces this issue too, of course, but we work ahead with you on a schedule to best avoid such conflicts. So while it’s definitely not rocket science, window cleaning does take forethought and planning. It also takes knowing the right tools and methods to do the job right and quickly. Doing these simple few things will help you get the results you […]