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Behind the scenes: Taking pride in the impact of the work

By Heather Graves
Editor


BROWN COUNTY – It’s a job of routine – spray, scrub, wipe away and repeat.

“Cleaning windows is not rocket science,” Katelyn Schoenleber said. “You scrub the window, then squeegee it off.”

However, the precise planning that goes into the “how a job is done” is what Schoenleber said keeps the job interesting.

“The satisfaction of seeing the before and after of a clean window is what really keeps me excited about this job,” she said. “Plus, the shock of people when they see this small girl hauling a 24-foot ladder to clean gutters is hilarious to me. For some reason, people assume I should have some secretary job wearing heels, not standing on a ladder wiping down spider webs.”

Schoenleber, 25, is the window cleaning manager at Westein Property Maintenance.

“We specialize in residential with some commercial work window washing,” she said. “Since we are a property maintenance company, I also help out with lawn mowing, weeding, gutter cleaning, pressure washing and painting.”

Schoenleber said as manager, which she was promoted to last August, her duties also include meeting with potential clients to provide quotes and schedule jobs.

“I also keep track and stock whatever chemicals we need for jobs, as well as keeping all the ladders clean and functional,” she said. “It will be my fourth year as a window cleaner this August.”

Live beautifully

Growing up in Green Bay all her life, Schoenleber said her childhood was like that of many who call Northeast Wisconsin home.

She attended Red Smith for elementary and middle school before going onto Preble High School.

“I participated in track and cross country in high school,” she said. “I am a perky girl that tries to find the good in life, even when it seems there is no good.”

Which Schoenleber said fits well with her heritage.

“My German last name, pronounced shane–labor, means beautiful liver in German, not the organ, but to live beautifully,” she said.

Schoenleber credits her patience and empathy to her parents, Dave and Barb, and the relationship with her sister, Alyssa.

“My mother had me when she was 40, so I grew up with more mature parents,” she said. “I have always been quite mature for my age, because of their wisdom and understanding towards life. I always tried to save my money as a child, because they taught me the importance of fiscal responsibility. This, paired with growing up with a sister who has Down syndrome, has made me a kind, patient person who is willing to give respect to anyone and everyone I meet. I wish for nothing more than peace on earth and equality for all people and animals.”

Her passion for nature and animals led her to the University of Wisconsin-Rivers Falls with plans of becoming an equestrian veterinarian.

“I attended one semester at UW-River Falls, but quickly realized that college was not right for me,” she said. “I was never good at chemistry, so I cut my losses and went straight to work.”

Good fit

This led her to Petco, where she worked as a dog groomer for three years.

“I left because the stress of grooming was not what I was looking for in a career,” she said. “After Petco, I wanted a job that would let me work at my own pace in a less stressful environment. I also love being outside, so this seemed like a good fit for me. Whether it’s shaving down a matted dog, or scrubbing a bird-poop-covered window, the impact I make on a job brings me great pride in life.”

Beginning as a member of the weeding crew, Schoenleber said she transitioned into an open window-washer position within two months.

“I get to travel somewhere new everyday,” she said. “We clean windows from the Fox Valley, all the way up to beautiful Door County. I also like being on the high ladders. You can look out at the tops of trees, and it just gives you this surreal feeling of being on top.”

Westein Property Maintenance provides interior and exterior window cleaning for residential and commercial properties.

Schoenleber said her team is in charge of cleaning most of the Bellin Health and Hospital buildings.

“On bigger buildings, we use what’s called a super pole,” Schoenleber said. “It is a long fiberglass pole that compresses down, but can reach as high as four stories up. The super pole uses carbon filters to send highly purified water up the window. There is a brush on the end that is made with boar hair for scrubbing dirt. You scrub the window, then you use the water that comes out two small holes to rinse the window. The water is so clean that no squeegee or chemicals are required, they come out pretty clean.”

Schoenleber said her company doesn’t specialize in rapelling so any windows more than four stories high are referred to other local companies.

“For residentials, we have a 32-foot ladder that reaches most high windows,” she said. “But again, if it is too high, we refer them to other companies.”

Schoenleber said the most challenging part of her job is nature.

“You might have to cancel an entire week due to rain, or winds over 20 mph,” she said. “Sometimes it may take 10 minutes just to place the ladder safely, due to a stubborn bush right in front of the window. Trees don’t move, so we have to adapt our technique to get every window clean to our standards.”

Schoenleber said COVID-19 has also had an impact.

“Our procedures stayed the same, besides mask wearing, but many of our customers did not call us the first year, because they did not want us in their homes,” she said. “We service a fair amount of elderly customers, so the danger of COVID made them hesitant to call. We still worked, but some weeks we just had to go home early because no one was calling. But things have pretty much gone back to the way they were. We still practice social distance and wear masks, if asked by clients. We are all vaccinated as well.”

Lifetime of support

Schoenleber said the support she’s always received from her parents has allowed her to be herself.

“My parents have been married over 40 years, and have always supported me in whatever I set my mind to,” she said. “We, as a family, enjoy being outside in nature and staying active through hiking, swimming. I personally enjoy mushroom hunting and horseback riding.”

Though content to be where she is at in this point in her life, Schoenleber said “if I could be anything, I would want to be a horseback riding tour guide in the mountains.”

“I love horses, being in the mountains and teaching people about native plants and animals in the area,” she said. “As I said before, I love nature, but my love of animals is the very thing that defines me. My hope is to one day retire in the mountains with a herd of horses and every other kind of animal I can get.”

It’s often said it’s the work of the people behind the scenes that make things happen. The Press Times looks to highlight those very contributions in a series called Behind the Scenes.

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