Window Cleaning in Russian Hill, San Francisco

Macondray Lane runs from Leavenworth to Taylor as a footpath, and cars are not allowed on it. Havens Place, Marion Place and the Greenwich and Vallejo stairways work the same way. For a house on one of these lanes, poles, hoses and tools all have to be carried in on foot.

The Vallejo Street crest holds the oldest shingle-style houses still standing in the Bay Area, built in the late 1880s. The style was a rustic, brown-shingled reaction to Victorian ornament. Wood windows set in weathered shingles call for hand work and a gentle rinse, since soaked sills do old wood no favors.

From the upper blocks the view takes in the Bay Bridge, Alcatraz, Marin County and the Golden Gate Bridge. Glass that sees that much sky is exposed on more than one side. The faces turned toward the Golden Gate usually show salt and mineral haze first, and corner units collect it on two sides.

Towers like the Summit, a 32 story building at 999 Green Street, went up in the 1960s before residents won strict height limits in the early 1970s. Buildings that tall are outside our scope. We clean up to four stories, which takes in the hill's houses, flats and small apartment buildings.

On a call we ask what is in front of the building: a street, a stairway or a lane. We also ask whether the rear can be reached through a garage, a side gate or a lower unit. A few photos of the front and back help us quote accurately.

The crooked block of Lombard draws about two million visitors a year, and tourists ride the cable car line along Hyde Street. Near those blocks, an early start keeps hoses and poles clear of foot traffic. Our hours begin at 7 AM Monday through Saturday, with Sunday by appointment.

Exposure changes block by block. A sheltered garden lane collects pollen and leaf dust. An open corner near the top collects salt and wind-driven grit. Fog is heaviest in summer, so many buildings do well with one cleaning after fog season and another in spring.