As long as glass is used in window systems, it is necessary to clean it. The first modern development in cleaning windows was a squeegee. The very first scraper was used by the fisherman, it was a wooden tool with a shovel, called squilgee, used to clean fish intestines, etc. From their boats. It was probably the inspiration for the first blade of window cleaners called Chicago squeegee.
The Chicago scraper was used in the early 1900s by cleaning professionals. It was a bulky tool with 12 screws that everyone wanted to lose in order to change two pink blades. In the US, an Italian immigrant named Ettore Stekkone patented a modern scraper in 1936. Initially he had to give them away in order to sell the concept. People quickly realized that this tool was superior to the Chicago scraper, and Ettore was born. Ettore is still considered the leading manufacturer of window cleaning equipment today with an annual turnover of millions of dollars.
Until the early 1990s, window cleaners still used the scraper as their preferred choice, before the arrival of clean water supply systems for clean water. These systems use deionized, purified water supplied through long poles, which clean and wash away dirt, naturally drying it out, leaving no streaks, stains or stains. The poles are usually made of fiberglass or carbon fiber, which can reach heights of 70 feet, which allows operators to clean tall buildings from ground safety. These systems are not only much safer, but also provide cleaner windows and are now considered the best choice for many different applications in the industry. Most commercial cleaning companies prefer to use this system, especially after the introduction of more stringent safety and health laws governing the ladder.
Some companies are currently developing robotic window cleaning systems, but now they are not widespread, and I think it will be some time until we see that they are widely used in industry. Self-cleaning glass was developed by Pilkington and other glass makers. A thin layer of titanium oxide is applied to the surface of the glass, which has a photocatalytic reaction with the ultraviolet rays of the sun, causing the gap of dirt. This reaction also makes the glass hydrophilic, which means that rain does not form water droplets on the glass, it creates a curtain effect, and helps to more effectively remove broken dirt particles. This technology certainly ensures that the windows remain much cleaner, but it does not replace the proper window cleaning service, which will leave the glass crystal clear and shiny.
