Magnetic window cleaners - any good?

ethansmum

I had originally posted this in quick questions, but got no response. I've also looked in the indexed collections but couldn't see anything relevant.

I've sacked the window cleaner- at £8 every 4 weeks (even in winter!) Its too expensive for little reward. I have a 3 storey house (no he didn't do all the windows either!) so I can't get to the top windows. So heres my question- do those magnetic window cleaners work? I saw some copies on ebay - are these any good? The Window wizards are £35! I guess if I used them for 4 months I'd get my moneys worth iyswim. Any ideas ? Thanks!

fudgem

double post, forum glitch

fudgem

I bought one of these, (unbranded though) from a market in Spain, and although it worked very well there, it wouldn't work on my double glazed windows at home, obviously the magnet wasn't strong enough to go through two layers of glass

tanith

:T When I walk down the road and see my neighbours with all their posh extensions and big cars it makes me smile when I see how filthy their windows are... I can immediately tell the people who use the local window cleaner as the houses looked cared for and clean... the windows sparkle... I think £7 for windows I can see out of is worth it... he does the whole house and porch patio doors the lot.. in fact once he is done (he just left) I feel obliged to go round and clean the insides as well.... and I can watch the birds at the bird table with ease......
I don't think those magnetic thingsy work very well at all my friend had one and it was rubbish.... looks like elbow grease.....:T

tim_n

£7! if only! our local charges £15 and my father tips him £5!

I thought £15 was tip enough! only takes him 30mins

Seakay

I got a magnetic window cleaner from a market in Tenerife - it needs a bit of practice (eg on the glass of a door, so that it is easy for you to get at both sides to check what is going on) but after that it works pretty well. Not as perfect in the corners as a really expert window cleaner, but a lot better that nothing. My upstairs windows only open at the top, and this gadget is a lot better than standing on the windowsill trying to squezze out of the top and then clean the window while hanging upsidesdown!

RacyRed

Seakay wrote:

I got a magnetic window cleaner from a market in Tenerife - it needs a bit of practice (eg on the glass of a door, so that it is easy for you to get at both sides to check what is going on) but after that it works pretty well. Not as perfect in the corners as a really expert window cleaner, but a lot better that nothing. My upstairs windows only open at the top, and this gadget is a lot better than standing on the windowsill trying to squezze out of the top and then clean the window while hanging upsidesdown!

Yeah, I've had that problem and magnetic window cleaners worked on my single glazing. They were last seen being whisked away by my elderly next door neighbour She loved them.

ethansmum

I couldn't justify the £8 for less than 5 minutes work especially seeing as he didn't do any of the top windows. It was also annoying when he cleaned the windows on rainy / windy days, 10 minutes after he cleaned them it looked like he hadn't been for weeks!

I've seen special magnetic cleaners for double glazing, so perhaps I'll try them.

tanith

ethansmum I'd of sacked him to if he cleaned my house windows in 5mins... no wonder he wasn't doing a good job... my window cleaner does the whole house which is 2 bays, porch, 4 other windows and the large patio doors , he even cleans the front door..and wipes the sills down.... it takes him 30 to 40 mins and he charges me £7 ......:T I guess I am getting a good deal....

MATH

I think I scare my window cleaners off. Two have abandoned me with no explanation in the 15 years we have lived here. I was paying £9 four years ago when the last one scarpered and he didn't doo all the windows for that, but we do have a heck of a lot of windows. One of our bedroom windows is over a large conservatory and you need to put up scaffold to clean it. Hence it hasn't been touched in 8 years.:eek:

I saw these magnetic cleaning pads being demo'd on Ingoldmells Market last summer. They came in two strengths, single glazed and double glazed. The double glazed one you needed to keep seperate becasue if they locked together you couldn't get them apart, the magnets were so strong. He was charging £15, I wish I had got a pair now.

pcg2001

Hi, sorry to bump up this thread but I am looking to buy one of those magnetic window cleaners and would like some advice on where to find them cheap. On ebay they delivery is almost as much as the good itself...
Any tips or advice from anyone who has used them? Which ones do you recomment?

ps: there is a recent thread about this (Magnetic Window cleaners - do they work), but it is on the local mse - northern ireland and I am in London, so I'd appreciate advice concerning england stores...