What is dog earing?

Dog earing your channels is a term used within the trade to mean bending the ends of the channel slightly so that the upper side of the metal U shape is bent down toward the rubber blade. It works best on shorter blades 10 to 14 inches long.

How do you do it?

First, remove the rubber blade from the channel and detach the handle. Put the channel in a vice, near the end of the channel, or if you prefer you can just hold it. Don’t hold it or clamp it in the centre otherwise you are likely to bend and distort the channel.

Next, take a pair of pliers and grip the upper side of the metal channel bending it slightly towards where the rubber would normally be. Don’t bend it too much or you won’t be able to replace the rubber. Once you have replaced the rubber try it out on a window. If you feel that the blade is dragging then you have likely bent the metal inwards too much. In which case you will need to prize the gap open slightly.

How does it work?

Dog earing works because the extra pressure prevents the ends of the rubber from riding up and creating a gap when you run over the window seals.

Try it out and you will notice the difference. If your mopping techique is good you may even find that you don’t need to do any detailing at all. Time saved, Money in the bank.