The Cleaning Show to host first ‘Window Cleaning World Cup’

The official Guinness World Record Challenge will also be part of a new international window cleaning competition, The Window Cleaning World Cup.

The Window Cleaning World Cup, sponsored by Unger, will see window cleaners from across the globe taking part as official representatives of their countries as well as representing themselves and their respective companies.

Participants will be tasked with cleaning three 114.3 cm x 114.3 cm (45 x 45 inch) office windows set in a frame with a 300 mm (11.75 inch) long squeegee and 9 litres (2 gallon; US 2.37 gallon) of water in the fastest time.

They must also remember to wipe the window sill, and any smears will incur time penalties which are then added to their final time.

In addition to getting the chance to try and break Terry’s world record of just 9.14 seconds set in 2009 (breaking his own previous best times recorded first in 1995 and then again in 2005), the fastest window cleaner over the three days will win a cash prize of £1,000.

They will also be officially declared the winner of the Window Cleaning World Cup on behalf of their home nation.

Female window cleaners are also being encouraged to take part and will be able to battle it out for a separate World Cup title and another £1,000 in cash.

They will also get the chance to try and break the woman’s Guinness Window Cleaning World Record which stands at 16.28 seconds, set by Britain’s Deborah Morris at the 2011 UK Cleaning Show.

Both the Guinness World Record Challenges, and the Window Cleaning World Cup competition, will be adjudicated by the Federation of Window Cleaners (FWC), the UK’s official window cleaning trade body.

Andrew Lee, Chairman of the FWC, said: “Both Terry and Deborah’s records have stood for a very long time and we felt it was time we highlighted to our fellow window cleaners around the world that in March in London there’s a great opportunity for someone to break the Guinness World Record.

“But we also wanted to add an extra incentive to encourage the world’s very best window cleaners to come over to London and get involved, and so we have created the first ever Window Cleaning World Cup.

“We hope the combination of a potential Guinness World Record win, a £1,000 in cash, and the right to call yourself the world’s quickest window cleaner on behalf of your country, will tempt more international participants to make the trip.” 

London-born Terry ‘Turbo’ Burrows, the current men’s window cleaning Guinness World Record holder, said of the event: “As a former martial arts instructor and boxer I managed to perfect a rapid 16-move sequence which is very hard to copy if you don’t have the core strength, flexibility, fast hands and reflexes.

“However, unlike the early days when I first started competing, now you can study my technique via clips on YouTube, and each year a new generation of cleaners come along to try and beat me

“Maybe with an influx of international contenders in March we might see someone get closer to my best time. But let's not forget I have held The Guinness World Record since 1995, and it would take someone very special at the very top of their game to take that away from me.”

Anyone who is interested in taking part should visit www.cleaningshow.co.uk/london/window-cleaning-world-cup

You can watch a video of Terry in action here https://youtu.be/M0wCGifSAQc