Water Tank Backpack Window Cleaning for Anchor Hanover Group

Client: Anchor Hanover Group: England’s largest provider of specialist housing and care for people later in life, managing over 54,000 properties nationwide. Anchor offers a wide range of housing and care options tailored to meet the needs of their residents.

Location: Silk Court Care Home, Bethnal Green, London: A multi-storey residential care home situated in a busy, built-up London area with restricted vehicle access.

Sector: Specialist Housing & Care: Supporting elderly residents with safe, well-maintained living environments.

Service: External Window Clean: Full external wash of all windows on site, including elevations with limited access.

Project Overview

Silk Court Care Home required a complete external window clean across the building. However, several areas of the site were extremely difficult to reach using traditional van-mounted or trolley pole-feed systems due to tight pathways, restricted courtyards, and areas inaccessible to vehicles.

Instead of compromising on quality or leaving hard-to-reach windows untouched, our team explored alternative solutions to ensure the full building received the same high standard of cleaning.

To overcome these access challenges, we introduced innovative water tank backpacks, allowing our cleaners to move safely on foot with full access to restricted areas. This ensured that no window was missed and maintained the professional standard Anchor expects for its properties.

Scope of Works

The programme involved delivering a full external clean across Silk Court, including areas inaccessible to vehicle-based equipment. By using water tank backpacks, we achieved:

Consistent water-fed cleaning across all elevations
Safe access through narrow pathways, courtyards, and enclosed outdoor spaces
High-quality cleans without vehicle or trolley access
A uniform finish across the building’s full exterior

These new portable systems carry up to 16 litres of purified water—enough to clean an entire three-bedroom house—making them ideal for multi-storey buildings, inner-city sites, and properties with restricted parking.

Challenges & Solutions

Restricted access in busy London location – Narrow streets and pedestrian-only areas prevented the use of vans and trolley systems. Backpacks provided safe, flexible mobility.
Hard-to-reach windows – Portable tanks allowed operatives to move freely on foot and reach previously inaccessible elevations.
Need for consistent quality – The new system ensured all windows received the same high-quality finish, not just the accessible ones.
Large multi-storey building – The 16L capacity allowed efficient cleaning without constant refilling.

Resident-Focused Delivery

The team at Silk Court Care Home benefited from a careful and considerate approach throughout the project. Working within an active care environment meant prioritising resident comfort, minimising noise, and ensuring safe movement around the building at all times.

Our operatives worked respectfully around staff schedules, outdoor activities, and communal areas, ensuring that the cleaning process did not disrupt daily routines. This resident-first approach allowed the work to be completed efficiently without compromising the calm, supportive atmosphere that Anchor aims to maintain.

Outcome

Every external window at Silk Court Care Home was cleaned to a professional standard, regardless of location or access restrictions. Our investment in backpack systems has transformed how we service properties in dense urban areas and continues to benefit flats, offices, schools, retirement homes, residential buildings, and golf clubs where access is limited.

This case demonstrates Abacus Window Cleaning’s commitment to innovation, adaptability, and delivering exceptional results for every client.