Boost your home's curb appeal and prolong the life of your window glass with regular window cleaning services. Window cleaning is available for all types of windows and situations. Professional window washers can tackle your indoor and outdoor windows with the right equipment, the proper safety precautions, and the appropriate type of cleaner to prevent damage to your glass. Common requests include exterior window cleaning, interior window washing, window screen cleaning, window track cleaning, and cleaning of blinds or shutters. Window pros can wash all types of windows, including those with and without grids, sliding glass doors, jalousie or louvered windows, high-rise windows, skylights, and storefront windows. Window washing is available for private homes, multiunit buildings, commercial spaces, businesses and offices, including windows on upper floors.
The cost to wash windows will depend on number of windows and type of windows you have. Generally, if your windows have more panes, or are double-hung or have other features that make them harder to clean, the higher the cost will be. Often you can get reduced rates per window for a bigger window-washing job, such as a large home or office. Your geographic location will also impact the cost of your window washing, because regional labor rates will influence what the companies pay their employees. Confirm that the pro has liability insurance and coverage in case of accidents during the job. For more, check out our tips for smart hiring.
Here are the factors that affect professional window cleaning costs.
Some window cleaning services charge flat prices per window, regardless of the type or location. The cost per window accounts for variations in the time, effort and risk involved in cleaning each individual window. Most per-window costs include cleaning both the inside and outside of the window and will typically provide a free estimate before they start the work. Here are two average pricing examples:
Windows with multiple panes usually require more time, energy and attention to detail than single-paned windows. The cost to clean windows with multiple panes will likely be higher than standard windows, but a window washing company may reduce fees for multi-paned windows on larger jobs. For example, a company may charge a flat rate of $4 per pane. However if you have a large home with many windows and the company is able to provide a discount, a 12-pane window might cost $24, meaning they only charge for half the panes in the total window frame.
There are many types of windows, all with unique washing needs. Some, such as double-hung windows with two sashes, require more expertise and effort. Some companies break out pricing by type of window, with larger windows costing more and smaller windows costing less. Companies that charge flat rates may vary them to account for the increased labor that some windows require. Here are some examples of average pricing for different types of windows:
After a home remodel, there is likely to be dust in every nook and cranny of the house, including in your window sills and on your windowpanes. Hiring a pro to clean your windows will help ensure that your home is in perfect condition so you can show off your new kitchen or room add-on at an open house. Window washing companies may charge more for cleaning windows after construction or a remodel because the extra dust and dirt creates more labor for them. A window cleaning company that typically charges $4 per window ($1 for the interior and $3 for the exterior of each window) might charge $5 per window for post-construction cleaning.
Sometimes bigger is better. Many window washing companies charge reduced rates for washing more windows because they can streamline their labor costs by already being on-site. For example, the average Salt Lake City home is 2,200 square feet. The cost for a local company to wash all the windows in a home that size averages $220. Windows Cleaning offers a promotion of $90-$100 for cleaning the outside of 25 windows at one location in a single visit.
Removing screens and wiping them down is usually standard practice for window cleaners, but confirm that it is included when contracting a service. Cleaning services may charge extra to remove hard water stains or deep-clean the window tracks. You may expect to pay $1 or more per window to have the window tracks cleaned. Cleaning window tracks is important because dead bugs, spiderwebs, pollen and dust can collect in there, which can grow mold or make your windows stick when you try to open or close them.
When you're hiring, be wary of gimmicky tricks and upsells. For example, products such as Rain-X do nothing for your windows.
Dangerous heights and difficult access can make washing your top-story windows too daunting to do yourself. But just because you can't easily reach those high windows doesn't mean you can't see them. Dirt, dust and cobwebs that collect in high windows can create a dingy, unkempt look inside and out for an otherwise clean home. Hiring a pro window washer to reach your skylights, ceiling height accent windows and attic windows will add polish to your entire home. Using a ladder is standard business for pro window washers, but some will charge extra to deal with hilly or uneven terrain that makes it difficult to safely place a ladder. Be sure to check with your window washing company to make sure you understand costs.
Windows are an investment and it pays to take good care of them. Here are the perks of hiring a professional window washing company:
If you only have your windows professionally cleaned once or twice a year and prefer to do the maintenance in between, here are a few tips. To make sure you don't damage your windows, use the type of cleaner recommended by the manufacturer. For interior windows, a safe bet is a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and warm tap water. Vinegar is proven to leave your windows free of streaks, while alcohol- and ammonia-based solutions are prone to streaking windows. You may have grown up using old newspaper to clean your windows, but the chemicals used in the printing process can actually damage your window glass over time. Use a lint-free cloth to avoid leaving paper residue on the glass. You'll get the best results if you clean your windows on a cloudy day; on sunny days the cleaning mixture dries more quickly and can leave residue. If you have low-E coated glass, pros recommend that you do not use a squeegee, as it could damage the coating. For a streak-free window, don't scrub the windows completely dry with your lint-free cloth, but leave a thin layer of moisture.