Water-fed pole window cleaning explained

What a water-fed pole is

A water-fed pole is the main tool for cleaning upper-floor windows from the ground. It has three parts:

• a telescopic pole, usually light carbon fibre or aluminium, that extends to reach several storeys,
• a soft brush at the top, with small jets that spray water onto the glass,
• a hose running up the pole, fed with purified water from a filter system on the cleaner’s van or trolley.

The cleaner stands on the ground, a balcony, a terrace or the roof, and works the brush over the glass and frame.

How it cleans

1. Wet. Purified water flows from the jets onto the glass.
2. Scrub. The soft brush loosens dust, salt, bird droppings and grime, on the glass and the frame.
3. Rinse. The cleaner lifts the brush slightly off the glass and rinses top to bottom, washing the dirt away.
4. Dry. The glass is left to dry on its own.

There is no squeegee, no detergent and no ladder.

Why purified water matters in Malta

Malta’s tap water is hard. When it dries on glass, the minerals stay behind as white spots and haze. That is why a quick hose-down of the windows often leaves them looking worse. See removing hard water stains from glass.

Water-fed systems filter the water to remove almost all dissolved minerals, using reverse osmosis, deionising resin or both. Cleaners check the water with a small meter to make sure it is pure enough. With nothing left in it, the water evaporates without leaving a mark, so the glass dries clear.

Purified water also picks up dirt well, which helps it lift salt and dust off the glass.

What it reaches

Water-fed poles are ideal for:

• upper-floor windows on townhouses, villas and smaller apartment blocks,
• balcony doors and windows above street level,
• glass balustrades seen from outside,
• conservatories, skylights and canopies, where safe to reach,
• shopfronts and signs, including the upper parts.

On many Maltese buildings, flat roofs mean the cleaner can also work down from the top. See how high windows are cleaned in Malta.

Its limits

A water-fed pole is not always the answer:

• Inside glass is cleaned by hand.
• Very tall buildings may be beyond pole reach and need a lift platform or rope access.
• Windows behind closed persjani, deep recesses or enclosed gallariji may need cleaning from inside or by hand. See cleaning Maltese balconies and gallariji.
• Paint, cement or silicone on new windows needs hand work with the right tools. See removing paint, cement and silicone from windows.
• Strong wind makes long poles hard to control.
• Damaged frames with flaking paint or failed seals should be mentioned before cleaning.

Malta’s buildings

Stone sills, rendered walls and timber frames all get wet during a water-fed clean, but only with the same purified water and at low pressure. Cleaners rinse sills and frames as they go, so dirt does not run down the facade. On limestone, the water runs off as it would in a light shower.

How often

The same intervals apply as for any window cleaning in Malta: every two to three months for most homes, every four to six weeks on the seafront and monthly when directly sea-facing, plus an extra clean after red rain. See how often to clean windows in Malta.

On the day

• Let the cleaner know how to reach the back of the house, the roof or a shared yard.
• Move cars, plants and washing away from the walls if you can.
• Close windows and persjani you want left shut.
• Expect the glass to look wet for a while afterwards. It dries clear.

Can it clean solar panels?

Yes. The same kind of soft brush and purified water is used to clean solar panels on raised frames from the roof surface. See cleaning solar panels on flat roofs and raised frames.

Booking

We arrange window cleaning across Malta and Gozo, using water-fed poles for most upper-floor glass and hand cleaning inside. Get a quote.