Ask Downtown: How Do You Deal with Dirty Windows?

I live on Spring St and my windows are generally dirty except when it rains.

I am curious about this issue myself.

I am curious if Jon lives in what usta be the Valuta on 6th & Spring. (If so, the address is 548 S. Spring.) If so, the windows should open on a horizontal axis and in your case, should be easy to clean. Then again, as the building appears to have been radically refurbished it could be that that feature is no longer available. (I have noticed that the rear of the lobby has been been closed off; is that grand winding stairwell still there? How about the secret steps leading down from the second storey just before the north-side toilets?) And if those windows have been replaced—like the ones in the Santa Fe on 6th and Los Angeles, which usta turn on a vertical axis—I can only state I am sad.

The Continental building’s double-hung windows can be rotated on the horizontal axis for cleaning the other side. Just open the window part-way and push the bottom out to spin the window in. It’s tough (and a little scary) the first time you do it, but once you break the paint covering the seams it’s easy to do.

Click on my name above for a photo.

This is oddly coincidental, because just last weekend I leaned out my 8th story apartment to clean my windows with a Swiffer mop and Windex. I was able to reach most of the corners and although it wasn’t perfect, it came out far better than before, as the “before” was about two years’ worth of dirt and water spots.

You have the right to have a decent place to live if you rent but the guiding language in the law for forcing a landlord to take action is that the condition is no fault of the tenant AND creates an “untenantable” and/or an “unlivable” circumstance:

http://www.calbar.ca.gov/state/calbar/calbargeneric.jsp?cid=10581&id=2185#rent9

In other words, it is in your landlord’s best interests to keep the building clean but forcing a landlaord to do something to your unit under the law requires passing the untenantable burden. To be blunt, I don’t think a court would agree three months of dirt on an exterior window in a multi-story building requiring window washers is unreasonable enough to force a landlord to take action.

An example of an exception might be if the dirt on the windows was so thick it blocked daylight, that would probably be what it would take to force a landlord to take action if s/he did not want to do it voluntarily.

In short, it’s best to ask these questions when deciding whether or not to lease from a landlord. If you are unsure or suspect, ask the landlord for tenant references. If they can’t give any, decide how important the issue is to you before signing a lease and moving into a rental unit.

I’ve lived in Metro 417 for two years, and the outsides of the windows have never been washed. We were supposed to have them done late last year, but it got removed from the budget and hasn’t been rescheduled. The head of maintenance said we’d have to talk to the building manager. If enough people complained, it might get done.

I used to work in the Petroleum Building, built in the same year, 1925. The outsides of the windows were still being cleaned by men who would hang from each window on straps attached to little hooks on the window frames. Scary! These old buildings weren’t built to have window washers dropped down from the roof on platforms, so it’s probably very expensive to try to do it.

I’m at the Gas Company Lofts and they wash them once a year. Guess we’re pretty lucky.

Our windows have been officially washed once.

Now - I’ve washed ours a couple of times a year. I throw warm water out each side of the window, and use my dustmop to wipe them down. Yea, they are streaky, but it works.

In closing, I’m sorry if people below me get splashes on their windows or doused at the Metro Rapid stop at 6th and Main.

Well, Ginny, I am sure that as you reside on the edge of Skid Row, you should not mind a reciprocal splash for the sake of someone else’s convenience.

Oh. I live in the same building and I doubt you’ll get the Shyberrys to clean the windows anytime soon. I just hang halfway out my window and love it!!! Be careful and use a loved one to hold onto you!! I’m the lead concierge for the Downtown Standard. Read my blog everyone.

Dirtyhothotel.blogspot.com

luvies, Stevie

I live at the eastern and window washing isn’t covered by the HOA here. However, instructions are provided on how to wash windows saftely. Many who tried these instructions weren’t happy with the results. Recently, a couple of residents got together and hired a company to wash our windows for us. I guess because we did it as a group we got a better price. The window washing company (I believe it was Dave’s windows Washers) did a great job, very quickly, and for a good price (~$50 for 3 windows approximately 6’x4.5’). Prices varied by window size and type.