Orloff’s Window Cleaning Service – Vienna

Orloff’s Window Cleaning Service – Justin Orloff – Article for AWA Magazine

Justin’s road to becoming an internationally certified industrial climber and professional window cleaner started as a child. He was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia. It was there during his youth he fostered his love for climbing. He would scale 30-meter gum trees with no problems. Little did he know, his climbing skills would become an invaluable part of his life and career, taking him on an adventure around the world.

When Justin asked me to write this article, I wanted to experience what it was like cleaning windows. I wanted to get up early, head into someone’s home or apartment, strap on some gear, and clean windows high above the rooftops of Vienna. I thought to myself, what’s the big deal, this should be easy enough, right? During the time I spent cleaning windows with Justin, I learned just how good he is at his job and how much he enjoys it.

We might consider window cleaning as something anyone can do. Yes, this is true but to do it well takes serious attention to detail, a pinch of creativity, and a sprinkle of curiosity.

The first time I ‘turned the squeegee’, as they say in the business, I left an absolute mess behind me. Justin would kindly point out spots and streaks that I couldn’t see. I kept asking myself if he had some unique bionic superhuman eye. I was blown away by his attention to detail and his ability to see things that I simply couldn’t. On one job together, I worked on one panel of glass for a good 45 mins to an hour. In the same amount of time, Justin had cleaned 10x as many windows, if not more. He did it all with the same attentiveness, care, and consideration, leaving each piece of glass sparkling and spotless. I was in awe at how he’d refined his craft over the last 20 years, it was a form of artistry. This gift Justin has for cleaning windows allows him to combine it with the difficult task of climbing out high above Vienna on a ledge a few centimeters wide to access those hard to reach places. And when you see how he brings these two unique skills together, you quickly realize this is a service that is needed, and not anyone can do it.

I learned so much about how to clean and access windows safely and securely. He even showed me how damage is done during the process of installing windows and how it can all be prevented. I was blown away by his knowledge and curiosity. He takes pride in being up to date on the latest information to maintain and protect windows over their entire lifetime. He builds relationships with high-end window manufacturers to make sure he’s using the best technology, equipment, and products to maintain and protect the windows. He sees windows differently, he cares about windows more than anyone I’ve ever met.

We might consider blue-collar work or those who take on trade jobs lacking skills or abilities. They get a bad reputation from us ‘white-collar’ workers. As a lifelong white-collar professional, I can attest that Justin is one of the most caring and ingenious people I’ve met. My time working with Justin on the job site left me with a deep appreciation for his work, his commitment to doing a good job, and the pride he takes in working to provide for himself and his family here in a foreign country. After my days of cleaning windows with Justin, I went to be exhausted and rewarded for having done something that changed someone’s view of their world. We had left someone’s world different than how we found it.