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Window Cleaning: A Work of Art
Veteran window cleaners Jason Alderman and Richie Brown have done it all: from cleaning high-rises to hanging Christmas lights.

By Megan Berberich

 
At first glance, Richie Brown and Jason Alderman are intimidating. Even scary. Maybe it’s the numerous tattoos. Alderman has a set of red lips on his neck; Brown has a prominent one near his thumb and index finger. But it could also be their beards; the duo could compete with the “Duck Dynasty” crew. Or maybe it’s their general “I’ve been known to throttle people” vibe.

But despite their tough exteriors, Brown and Alderman create carefully planned masterpieces every day. “These guys consider themselves artists,” said Leonard Fazio, owner of Squeegee Squad in Des Moines. “They take window cleaning very seriously and are cranky if they don’t get the job right.”

Alderman, 37, and Brown, 36, both grew up in Des Moines and entered the window cleaning business as teenagers 20 years ago.

Like an Artist

There is a rhyme and rhythm to every single window they clean, whether it’s a residential home or a 40-story high-rise.

Brown wets the window down and wipes the frame with a towel. In smooth, paintbrush-like strokes he squeegees off the extra liquid and scrubs the glass with ammonia. Using the ammonia is the key to keeping the window shiny and clear.

Brown is an artist; the window is his canvas.

But window cleaning is physically demanding, too.

“Everyone thinks they can do the job but many can’t,” Brown said. “We can usually tell after the first few weeks if a person is cut out for the job.”

Brown and Alderman carry 40-foot ladders, each weighing 100 pounds, to reach the windows they clean every day. For buildings over five stories, they have to rappel while balancing a 50-pound bucket of water at their side. Window washing is a daily workout.

“There is a joke we always tell people that, ‘Window washers don’t stand up straight,’” Alderman said.

Risky Business

However, sore muscles and achy joints are the least of their concerns. Brown, Alderman and the rest of Fazio’s crew rappel or dangle in the air on swing scaffolds at dizzying heights.

“The most dangerous part of the job is climbing up the ladder,” Alderman said. “There is no harness, and you can slip and fall off the rungs.”

In all their years of working, Alderman and Brown haven’t had a major accident, but it’s not all luck. Window cleaners are trained in safety and rescue to avoid falls and injuries. They also know what to do in the rare event something goes terribly awry, like getting trapped in the safety ropes while rappelling, which could cut off the washer’s circulation. Because of the risk involved, they tackle high-rise buildings in pairs.

“Like, if you were to rescue someone in the water, the other guy can grab a hold of and overpower you,” Fazio said. “You need to know how to keep calm in that situation.”

For Alderman and Brown, window cleaning is like any other job, despite the major safety concerns and extreme conditions.

“But there is always that sense of fear when you’re up there,” Brown said. “If you aren’t being scared enough, then you may do something that’s unsafe.”

Heights don’t bother Alderman anymore. He keeps his eyes directly on the window and never looks down, concentrating on his work.

“You can tell when a guy is new because he is constantly looking down,” Alderman said. “That’s a big mistake, you definitely don’t want to look down.”

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Photos courtesy of Squeegee Squad and by Megan Berberich.

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