Window Cleaning Methods for High-Rise Buildings

Window cleaning of high-rise buildings is done manually by window cleaners. They use a sponge with a squeegee. It is a challenge for window cleaners to reach the glass of high buildings.

100 years ago this was done with a so-called bosun’s chair. A bosun’s chair is nothing more than a board on a vertical cable. The window cleaner stands on the shelf and hangs on a cable that comes from the roof. This method is prohibited in the Netherlands because it is physically demanding and also dangerous.

Aerial Work Platform

Another tool for cleaning windows of high buildings is the use of an aerial work platform. An aerial work platform consists of a trolley with a telescopic or folding arm, on which there is a platform at the end on which the window cleaner can stand.

Nowadays there are even aerial work platforms that are up to 100 m high. However, these are not suitable for periodic window cleaning of high buildings. You can imagine that the platform at the end of the arm experiences considerable deflection during movement, which prevents very precise positioning.

Efficient Window Cleaning Solutions for High-Rise Buildings

Window cleaning of high-rise buildings is traditionally done manually using sponges and squeegees. This method has been in use for years, but reaching windows at great heights presents significant challenges for window cleaners.

Historically, window cleaning at great heights was done using a bosun’s chair, a simple platform suspended by a vertical cable. This method is now banned in many places due to its dangerous nature and physical demands on workers.

Aerial Work Platforms: An Alternative for Window Cleaning

Another solution for cleaning windows on tall buildings is the use of aerial work platforms. These platforms feature a telescopic or articulated arm with a platform at the end, allowing the window cleaner to access higher levels safely. Aerial work platforms can reach up to 100 meters, but they are not ideal for periodic window cleaning due to platform deflection during movement, preventing precise positioning.

When using an aerial work platform, it’s essential to ensure the subsurface is reinforced and stabilized, and that all parts of the facade are accessible. In many cities, permits are required for the temporary use of aerial work platforms for cleaning purposes.

Window Cleaning System for High-Rise Buildings

In many tall buildings, a window cleaning system (also known as a facade maintenance system or window cleaning lift) is installed to simplify cleaning. These systems typically consist of a platform that moves along the building’s facade. The window cleaner stands on the platform, which is either mounted on rails around the roof or positioned at the center of the roof with a telescopic arm for access.

Although a window cleaning system can be expensive to install, it often requires manual cleaning of windows. The system must be designed to withstand the forces exerted during the cleaning process, and the roof must have enough space to accommodate the necessary equipment.

Alpinists: High-Rise Cleaning Using Rope Access

For buildings that are too complex or high for traditional window cleaning systems, alpinists (industrial climbers or rope access technicians) may be used. This method, which involves climbers accessing the building’s facade using ropes, harks back to the traditional technique of using a bosun’s chair.

Although this method is still used in some places, it is officially banned in many countries due to safety concerns and the physical toll it takes on workers.

Window Cleaning Robots: The Future of High-Rise Maintenance

The latest advancement in window cleaning is the use of window cleaning robots. These robots provide a safer, more efficient solution for cleaning tall buildings. The robots are fully autonomous and can clean windows and facades with minimal human intervention.

In addition to safety advantages, robots are highly cost-effective, offering savings of up to 80% in maintenance costs and 85% in energy usage. They also contribute to sustainability by reducing water consumption and avoiding chemical-based cleaning agents.

Buildings don’t have to be made of glass or have smooth facades to be suitable for robotic cleaning. Robots from Kite Robotics are designed to clean a wide range of facade materials, including glass, composite, stone, and more. For more information on our projects, visit our project page.

When it comes to cleaning windows on high-rise buildings, it’s essential to position the robot close enough to the glass (<0.5m) to ensure thorough cleaning, while avoiding damage to the facade. Kite Robotics offers solutions for facades with depths of up to 45 cm, ensuring complete and safe cleaning coverage.

Advantages of Using a Window Cleaning Robot

Robotic cleaning offers several benefits:

Safe: Robots eliminate the need for workers to be at dangerous heights, reducing the risk of accidents.
Efficient: Robots can clean a large surface area (300-800 m² per hour) with consistent results.
Cost-Effective: Save on labor, water, and energy costs, with up to 80% savings on maintenance expenses.
Sustainable: Minimal environmental impact as robots use purified water and no chemicals.

Our robots are capable of working on facades up to 200 meters high and can be customized for taller buildings (up to 300 meters). They also handle a variety of facade types, from glass to composite materials, ensuring flexibility for different building designs.

For more information on how our window cleaning robots can help with your building’s maintenance, contact us.

Rope Access Window Cleaning: Alpinists in High-Rise Buildings

In modern construction, buildings are becoming increasingly tall, large, and complex, making traditional window cleaning systems less effective. For such buildings, developers and architects often opt for alpinists, also known as industrial climbers or rope access technicians, to maintain and clean high-rise facades.

This method takes us back over 100 years, to the time when bosun’s chairs were used for window cleaning. In this technique, the window cleaner abseils from the top of the building, cleaning as they descend. It is still a common practice in regions like the Middle East and Far East, where you can sometimes see multiple window cleaners hanging side by side on tall buildings.

Despite its common use in some regions, rope access for window cleaning remains officially banned in the Netherlands. While some companies argue that accidents are less frequent compared to traditional window cleaning methods, the ARBO (Dutch Occupational Safety and Health Administration) still prohibits this method due to the physically demanding nature of the work.

Window Cleaning Robots: The Future of High-Rise Maintenance

The latest innovation in high-rise building maintenance is the use of window cleaning robots. As industries worldwide move toward automation, dangerous and physically demanding repetitive tasks are being taken over by technology. It’s only a matter of time before robotic solutions like these become standard in maintaining tall buildings.

In addition to enhancing safety, robots offer significant financial and sustainability benefits: up to 80% savings in maintenance costs and 85% savings in energy consumption. Learn more about these advantages on our website.

What’s more, buildings don’t have to be entirely smooth or made of glass to be suitable for robotic cleaning. Kite Robotics’ robots are designed to handle a wide range of building geometries, including deep horizontal and vertical recesses, as well as facades made of glass, other cladding materials, and even glass roofs. Examples of successful projects can be found on our projects page.