Water-Fed Pole (WFP) Exterior Cleaning: the full procedure

Clean exterior glass from the ground using a water-fed pole and pure (deionized) water for a spot-free, residue-free result.

• Applies to: Cleaners trained on WFP, crew leads
• Frequency: As scheduled for WFP-suitable jobs / per-visit
• Scope: Covers ground-based pure-water brushing and rinsing of exterior glass with a water-fed pole. Working a pole near power lines, on uneven ground, or at extended height defers to OSHA fall-protection/electrical safety, ANSI/IWCA I-14.1, and the business safety plan; high-rise/suspended access is out of scope.

What you need

• Water-fed pole with brush head
• Purification unit producing low-TDS/deionized water (near-zero ppm)
• Supply hose and tank
• TDS meter
• Jet/pencil rinse nozzles
• Lint-free detail cloth (for sills/edges as needed)

The procedure, step by step

1. Verify pure-water quality — Check the output with a TDS meter; water should read at or near zero ppm. High TDS leaves mineral spots and defeats the spot-free finish — correct the purification before starting.
2. Survey the elevation and surroundings — Identify pole reach, ground stability, overhead lines, and obstacles. Keep the pole clear of power lines and confirm at-height limits per the safety plan before extending.
3. Wet and agitate the glass — Flow pure water through the brush and scrub the full pane, frame edges, and corners to lift dirt and film. No detergent is used — the brushing plus pure water does the work.
4. Work top-down and frame-in — Brush from the top down and include the frame and rubber seals so contaminants there don't run onto clean glass during the rinse.
5. Rinse with pure water — Switch to a clean rinse, flooding the pane from top to bottom to flush all loosened dirt and brush residue off the glass.
6. Final clean-water rinse — Give a final rinse of pure water across the whole pane and frame edge so only spot-free water remains on the glass.
7. Leave to dry — do not wipe — Because the water is mineral-free, it dries without spots. Do not towel the glass; wiping reintroduces lint and marks.
8. Inspect after drying where possible — On return visits or once dry, check for spotting or missed areas; spots usually indicate TDS was too high or a section was missed — re-treat as needed.

Quality check before you finish

• Pure-water output reads at or near zero ppm on the TDS meter
• Full pane, frame edges, and corners agitated and rinsed
• Glass left to air-dry — not towel-wiped
• No mineral spotting or streaks after drying
• Frames and seals rinsed so no dirt runs back onto glass
• Pole kept clear of power lines and within safe-reach limits

This is a free, source-anchored standard operating procedure (SOP) you can print and hand to staff. It documents the work sequence for a Window Cleaning business — not safety or regulatory rulings, which defer to the cited authorities, the applicable code, and your own health-and-safety plan. Open the tool above to print it, toggle ink-saver, or (with a free ToolFluency Business account) edit it to match your own workflow.

Sources

• International Window Cleaning Association (IWCA) (iwca.org)
• Window Cleaning Resource (windowcleaner.com)
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (ladders/fall protection) (osha.gov)