An apparatus for cleaning a surface includes a guide track including a threaded rod mounted on a side of a window frame; a cleaning head operably attached to the guide track; and a motor for moving the cleaning head along the guide track. Wherein upon activation of the motor, the threaded rod is rotated in a first direction causing the cleaning head to move toward a first end of the threaded rod and upon reactuation of the motor, the rod is rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction causing the cleaning head to move along the threaded rod toward a second end of the threaded rod, the second end being opposite to the first end.

An apparatus adapted for the removal of foreign matter from the exterior of windows of a building can include a cleaning unit and a positioning unit. The cleaning unit can extend a depth between a front side confronting the work surface and a back side opposite the front side. The cleaning unit can include a cleaning agency. The positioning unit can be engaged with the cleaning unit to move the cleaning unit among a plurality of different positions relative to the building.

A specialized cleaning system for cleaning hard flat vertical surfaces. The specialized cleaning system includes a cleaning brush with an integrated water dispenser, a wiper with an integrated water collector, a separator which separates water from a mixture of water and air that was sucked in, multiple pumps, an optional filter and a water storage tank. As the novel cleaning system and process uses a combination of a water reservoir and a suction pump, the spilling or running of water is prevented. Further, this also allows the system to work in both the direction e.g., from top to bottom of a high-rise building or from bottom to top of the building. Also, the process is a cyclic process i.e. the water from the reservoir is reused in every cycle of the operation.