Transcription
So, I'm going to show you a range of different accessories that you can use when you're coming across tough jobs or stains that need removing and they need something a little bit extra rather than your standard method. Okay.
So, first of all, I'll show you this range of scrapers. These are just a selection of some that are available. I've bought this one just to tell you not to get it. This uh was one of the first scrapers I ever got. And it comes with blades. Um just a a little pack of five razor blades which go in there. There we go. They're nicely packaged up with the cardboard. And they just slip in there really nice and easily. Push that in like that. And then great for scraping anything that is stubborn. A lot of beginners go out and buy one of these. The reason being they see this bucket on a belt, which is very common, and there's a little slot made specifically for that scraper to go in there.
Now, that is absolutely the worst thing you can possibly do because your soapy wet applicator will go in and out of there. The blade will get very damp and wet. And because this entire blade is all made of metal, before long that is rusted, stiff. You can't get the blade out to change the blade. You've probably struggled to open and close it because it's all rusted solid. So, do yourself a favor and don't get one of those. It's the worst idea. Certainly, to keep it in there is the worst idea that anyone's ever thought of anyway.
Probably much better will be to get one of these other options. Now, this is a trim 10. The great thing about this, you got a nice long blade there, so you can obviously scrape more dirt at once. You have to be really careful with it, though. And it just stores away nice and neatly like that. So, really easy to keep in the pouch. Something like that.
The other really nice option with this is not many window cleaners I think realize this, but you you detach it from the cover and you take your squeegee. This is a zero degree squeegee, so it's nice and straight. This comes out of here. This blade goes fits into there. Those two holes are purposely put in that position so that you then can use your squeegee handle as a scraper. So that is a really brilliant option to be able to have that nice handle. Then that handle will also then go on an opt cone if you wanted to use it on a pole at height. If something's out of reach on a pole, this zero degree handle, you're able to change the angle like that or fix it in place. So, that is really, really useful.
Now, if you wanted a plastic option, this is my favorite. I've had one of these for years and years in the pocket of my pouch. The Pro Trim 10 scraper is just a retractable plastic cover that just retracts like that. And if you want to change the blade, you simply push it open at that point there and the blade is easily accessible in there. And then it just snaps shut. Again, comes with spare blades in a little packet like this. with all the spare blades in it. So, that's my favorite. The replaceable blades come like that. You need to change them often. The blade will have a slightly greasy residue on it to help preserve it. You can add a little oil to there every so often uh as necessary to keep it from rusting, but they rust quite quickly. Obviously, you need to apply soap to the window before using a scraper. Um that's really important.
Now, if you wanted a slight even more heavyduty option, there is an ninja scraper here. Again, you can adjust the angle of this if you need wanted to. And it's on already on uh an ergotech handle, so it can go on a pole, the opt pole, and you can use it on a pole as well. You can get a holster for this, so you can wear it on your belt and the blade is protected. Or it comes with a cover as well. I'm not sure where the cover's gone. Um, but these are a bigger blade and there are spare blades and they're double-sided as well. Really easy to change. Obviously, take great care when handling scraper blades and changing the blades as they're really razor sharp. And it's really important to change them often and lubricate the glass so that you don't cause any scratches or issues on the glass. So scrapers are really good.
What I also wanted to show you another great option is of course scrub pads. So I have a range of scrub pads here uh that I wanted to show you. Now these are walnut pads or sometimes you can get coconut pads. You can get these from DA components. So you can use these in hand or you can use them together with a maker handy sleeve. These also are available from DA components. They rotate like this and they've got a Velcro sleeve. So any of these scrub pads simply attach to the sleeve and then again this will go on a pole if you wanted to use it at length or at height or you can use it in hand you just with the handle that way. Um but there's some coconut pads there. These are bronze wool pads. Um, so a bit like steel wool, only it's much finer, so you're less likely to scratch the glass. A lot of caution when using these. Be really careful, but in the same way, they'll stick to the handy sleeve. These ones here are a slightly more coarse bronze wool. Again, they're just a nice little towing backing on them. They'll stick to the handy sleeve as well. So, that's so useful to be able to use those and they're great for more stubborn cleaning that you might need to do.
This is a really good kind of old school option as well. This applicator has got a scrubby strip all the way down there which is nonabbrasive. So, that's one not to forget if you're using traditional method or waterfed pole because of course on the tea bar here, this can be added onto the pole like that. And um you can use that on a pole or in hand. So that's a really good scrub pad to have that as an option as well.
Now this is what's called a water through pad holder from Gardener. So it has brush jets in the center there. Now these come with their own pads with holes already in them. I've got some white pads here that haven't got the holes. So, you'd either need to cut them out yourself or get a supply from gardener. Um, but they just stick on like that. I would say generally these white pads are slightly more gentle than the bronze wool and the walnut pads. These will be my first port of call in most cases uh to use these.
There's an alternative version I have here again from DA components, but it's actually manufactured by Tucker with um a pivoting gooseeneck on it and an over the top rinse bar. So, this rinse bar brings the water over the top. So, there's always water rinsing it away. Just connects to your waterfed pole hose there. If you have a gardener system like this one with a quick release, you can remove your brush and use the pad instead, which will just connect like that. or if you're using a different system. And this goes for most waterfed pole systems if you're wanting to swap them over between manufacturers. Sometimes the pole itself will be a different diameter or they'll put a notch in it, something like that. So, you can't use a different brand. But in most cases, you can remove or detach the gooseeneck at this section here. And that is and that will be compatible with all brands. They all have the same size goose neck at this point. And that allows you to use that pad there from a different brand. These are really good if you're doing a lot of vigorous scrubbing. They can deteriorate quite quickly. So, they come with a supply of um I think they come with 10 spare ones and they just remove on like a Velcro pad like that.
Now, also from DA components, you can purchase uh a range of these pads with a pad holder like this. Now, this is really handy. Um, this you simply attach whatever brand of pole connector that you're using. So, I've got an Ovate one on here and it just unscrews. They're all in the same position. So, I could replace that with a gardener one if I wanted to. And this just has like a Velcro texture on there. The different pads can go on and then you can use them on your waterfed pole.
that some of these pads use an accessory like this, which has the quick lock connector there, allowing you to add a different accessory with uh an adapter that will go on your waterfed pole here. And it just comes with a slightly longer bolt so that you can add it into your setup. Now what that does then it allows you to have two accessories at one time. So let's say for example you could have your waterfed pole brush on that side and you could have a scrub pad on the back like this. So in certain situations you might want to do that. The problem is with that there's a slight downsides that adds quite a bit of weight to the top of the pole. So the higher you're working the more strain that will add. But there might be certain situations, certain jobs where you think that's fine. I will take the extra weight because it's more convenient being able to swap over uh from brush to scrubbing with a pad. But the other thing, if you're cleaning regular windows, that sticks up quite high. So that can actually get in the way quite a bit when you doing upstairs windows and you're getting to sophets and guttering, that can actually hit the set, which prevents you from quite getting the brush to the top of the window. So it can make it a little bit awkward to use in those kinds of situations.
So Gardener have actually got a slightly different system, a different option for everyday cleaning. So if we remove this. So gardener has made this option here to fit their waterfed poles. The way you fit it is simply it just goes on the bottom of the gooseeneck like so. And there's a little notch there which you have to position in between the clamp like so. So that sits much lower down. And you get these little pads like this which just stick on there really nicely like that. Then as you're scrubbing the window, you can flip it over to scrub anything stubborn that you might come across. So that's a really nice option to be able to do that and have that on there. These can come loose. Sometimes you see window cleaners who have tied it on with maybe an elastic band, a cable tie around it, some to try and just keep it securely in place, but they're really useful to have as well.
It really is worth getting familiar with what's on the gardener website. There's so many different accessories, so many different options to be able to hold different tools at the end of your waterfed pole. This one's got a euro thread attachment at the top, so that can come in really useful. There are also lots of other accessories which are useful for this optilock cone as well. This is the accessory that comes from the gardener website that just takes the opt cone and allows you to fit that inside the waterfed pole. So that would give you the option to put any of the traditional tools on there as you wish. And also you can get with a pivot in there as well. So there's tons of great options to be able to use any accessories uh when you come across some of those tough situations.