Recent developments in the field of nanotechnology have led to major breakthroughs which are to revolutionize the way window cleaning is performed in future. The technical named for this new nanotechnology is “Si02 ultra thin layering” but most people know it as liquid glass. The diversity of possible applications for this Liquid Glass is simply astonishing. It can be used to coat floors, doors, windows, settees, trains, the list goes on, in fact it is nearly impossible to conceive of a surface that it cannot be used upon.

The benefits of the Liquid Glass are numerous. Alongside being food safe and environmentally friendly it is also scratch resistant and corrosion resistant. The coatings are around 500 times thinner than a human hair and so are not visible to the naked eye. One benefit of this is that they can be used to coat domestic products such as settees in order to protect the surface and also make cleaning an easier process. The stain resistant coating even allows protected surfaces to be cleaned with water alone, this reduces the need for cleaning chemicals and so benefits the environment. The green credentials of Liquid Glass contributed to it winning the Green Apple Award and its anti-bacterial properties also earned it the NHS Smart Solutions Award.

It is the versatility of Liquid Glass that is truly remarkable. It can be used in almost any environment to reduce cleaning costs by both reducing the frequency of cleans and the duration of the cleaning process. These properties make it an invaluable tool when tackling jobs such as large scale window cleaning where one coating on the outer layer of glass would drastically reduce the costs involved in such a large scale operation. Perhaps the owners of the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa, should bare in mind the benefits of nanotechnology and especially liquid glass as it could well be the most versatile coating in the world.

Guano removal isn’t exactly the most glamorous job out there, however the public health risk posed by guano means that its safe removal is extremely important. The term ‘guano’ was coined in Peru where for hundreds of years farmers had collected the white piles of guano from the shoreline and caves where it had been deposited by seals and bats respectively. They realised the nutrient rich compound was ideal to support their agriculture. This is primarily due to the large amounts of phosphorus and nitrogen contained within the guano. Even today the export of guano provides a key resource to the organic farming industry throughout the world. Alongside this it is also a key ingredient in the manufacture of gunpowder, again due to the large presence of phosphorus and nitrogen.

Despite its numerous positive uses guano is almost universally detested within the UK, and rightly so. The main sources of guano in Britain are bats and pigeons. Guano from these animals carries an assortment of diseases which present a danger to humans. Pigeon droppings alone can lead to psittacosis, a flu like condition that can lead to comas and even death in vulnerable individuals. Pigeons are also associated with bacterial infections such as salmonella, E.coli, meningitis and toxoplasmosis. In addition to these illnesses guano poses a danger on walkways where the slippery droppings can lead to accidents. If that wasn’t enough the faecal matter of the birds can cause acidic damage to the buildings that they occupy. All of these health risks make guano removal an important task.

Guano removal has the potential to be highly dangerous if it is not carried out by professionals. The guano must be dampened before it is removed otherwise toxic particles will be released into the air and could be inhaled during the guano removal process. Even when the guano has been dampened operatives are still required to wear face masks while removing the guano in order to prevent the dangers outlined above. This is especially important when operating in confined spaces without good ventilation. After the guano removal process has been completed precautions should be taken in order to try and prevent the return of the birds so that the problem does not simply repeat itself.