Keeping the windows sparkling clean at one of Wellington’s most popular tourist attractions is a real labour of love for CrestClean’s Roger Walker.
Roger says seeing the glass sparkle after he and his team have finished their work at Wellington Cable Car brings immense job satisfaction.
“To walk away knowing you’ve done a nice job makes you feel really good.”
But the city’s unpredictable weather means cleaning the cable car building’s large expanses of glass needs to be done on a settled day, says CrestClean’s Wellington and Hutt Valley Regional Manager Zainab Ali.
“The windows can get very dirty very quickly. Often we’ll get super windy days with four seasons in one day.
“When the winds whips up it brings in masses of dirt and dust, which leaves a film of dirt on the external windows and the outside of buildings.”
Employing CrestClean’s Pure Water Window Cleaning system, Roger and his team tackle the job using just pressurised water that’s free of impurities. It leaves a dazzling clean and streak-free finish and, as harsh detergents and chemicals are not necessary, the outcome is better for the environment.
Zainab says window cleaning is a job that needs to be in expert hands and she praised Roger for his professional approach and patience.
“Roger has a lot of knowledge and expertise about the work. To get a streak free surface first time, every time, you need someone who is very experienced.
“Roger is not only a top operator, he’s very customer focused and nothing is ever a problem for him. He’s extremely good at problem solving. He’s often cleaning sites and places where the external parts of a building are very complicated. His can-do attitude is amazing.”
It’s not just Wellington’s windy weather that Roger has to work around. Clear and settled conditions also bring a different challenge for cleaning windows, he says.
“If the weather is too sunny you can’t clean the outside of the windows because the glass gets too hot. Also it makes the inside go streaky.”
Achieving a perfect finish takes practice, says Roger. “You need a pretty good eye for detail. Inside the building there are a lot of different angles and the light on the glass changes throughout the day.
“From straight on, a window can appear clean but from the side you might spot something that’s been missed.”
When he’s cleaning, Roger is often stopped by visitors to the funicular railway who are curious about the Pure Water Window system – not that he minds. “I’m happy to stop for a chat and explain what we do,” he says. “We get a lot of tourists asking about our job and the equipment we use.”
The 61-year-old, who worked long hours managing a security company before he joined CrestClean, loves having his own cleaning business and the freedom of working outside. “The view of Wellington is fantastic and it’s a really nice outside job,” he says.
