Window cleaning: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What window cleaning is

Window cleaning washes glass, frames and sills inside or outside with squeegees and cleaning solution, and often includes screens and tracks. Upper floors need poles, ladders or lifts, so the work also depends on how the windows are reached.

Signs you need it

  • Hard water spots and streaks remain on the glass after you wipe it
  • Dust, pollen and bird droppings have built up on the outside of the windows
  • Window tracks are full of grit and the sliding panels stick or squeak
  • Screens are dull or dirty and block light and airflow
  • The windows on the upper floors have not been cleaned in a long time and you cannot reach them safely

What the pro does

  • Check the glass, frames and tracks for cracks, failed seals and loose screens before cleaning
  • Remove screens and clean them separately with a soft brush and water
  • Vacuum or wipe the tracks and sills to remove grit before the glass is washed
  • Wash the glass with a squeegee and a cleaning solution, wiping the blade after each pass
  • Clean the frames and sills, especially the corners where dirt and water collect
  • Reinstall screens and check the operation of sliding panels and locks

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Number of windows and the total glass area, including inside and outside surfaces
  • Story height of the windows, since upper floors need poles, ladders or lifts
  • Whether screens, tracks and sills are included or only glass
  • Level of hard water stains, paint specks or sap that needs extra work
  • Access to the outside, such as a steep roof, a fence or a planted bed
  • Whether the job includes skylights, storm windows or glass doors

What a written quote should spell out

  • Which windows are included, inside, outside or both, and the number of panes
  • Whether screens, tracks and sills are cleaned, and whether screens are removed for cleaning
  • The method used for the glass, such as squeegee, pole system or lift
  • Whether hard water or paint specks are removed, and whether that is extra
  • What is not included, such as window repair, glass replacement or caulking

Questions to ask before you hire

  • Do you clean the outside of upper floor windows, and what equipment do you use
  • Will you clean the screens and the tracks, or only the glass
  • What do you use on hard water spots, and will it damage the coating on the glass
  • Will you tell me if a seal has failed or a pane is cracked
  • Do you use a water-fed pole system or a squeegee and ladder
  • Can you work around my landscaping and keep the bed clear

Red flags

  • A crew that cleans upper floor windows on a ladder without safe footing or a second person
  • A pressure washer used on window glass or on the window frame seals
  • Scraping paint or hard water with a razor on tinted, coated or film glass
  • No mention of screens or tracks when they were part of the quote

What you can do yourself

You can wash ground-floor windows inside with a microfiber cloth and a mild cleaner, and rinse the outside with a hose on a low setting. Call a professional for upper-floor exterior glass, steep access, tinted or coated glass, and any window with a failed seal or cracked pane.

Licenses and permits

Window cleaning is not commonly licensed. Check with your state or local licensing agency for business registration that applies to a cleaning company. Ladder and lift work at height has safety rules that the company should follow.

Window cleaning questions

Can you clean the outside of second-floor windows?

Yes, with poles or a ladder if the company is trained and insured for that work. Ask how the crew reaches the windows and whether they use fall protection.

Why do my windows streak after cleaning?

Usually from the cleaning solution drying on the glass, a dirty squeegee blade or hard water. A proper squeegee pass and a clean blade fix most streaks.

Should screens be included?

Ask. Screens take extra time to remove, clean and reinstall. If you want them done, make sure the quote lists them separately.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

Edit history

How it works

  1. 1. Describe the job

    Pick the service, add your ZIP and a sentence about what is going on.

  2. 2. Pick the pros you want

    See screened pros who serve your ZIP and choose who you want to hear from.

  3. 3. They reach out

    They contact you the way you chose: phone, email or in-app messages.

More cleaning and organizing guides

Find a pro near you

Find a pro

About this guide

Request window cleaning