Most people booking a window cleaning ask the same two questions: what exactly do you do, and how much will it be? This article answers both the way we would on the phone. It walks through a visit in the order we work, names the tools, and shows you how to count your windows so the quote matches the job when the crew arrives.
What a window cleaning visit includes
A window is more than the glass. Dust and pollen settle in the tracks, the sills collect dead bugs, and the screens hold a film of dirt that ends up back on clean glass the first time it rains. So on every visit we clean four things:
- The glass, inside, outside or both, whichever you booked.
- The frames and sills, wiped down.
- The tracks, brushed out so the window slides and the dirt does not wash back onto the glass.
- The screens, taken out, washed with the hose and put back.
On the outside we finish with a rinse of deionized pure water. Tap water carries dissolved minerals, and the U.S. Geological Survey lists hard water among the most common causes of the cloudy film you see on glassware. Our pure-water system takes those minerals out (it reads 0 parts per million), so nothing is left on the glass when it dries.
How we clean a window, step by step
- Tracks and sills first. We brush out the track and the sill before touching the glass, so loose dirt does not end up in the soapy water.
- Scrub. A strip washer (a sponge-covered applicator) puts soapy water on the glass and loosens what is stuck to it: pollen, water spots, the grime that builds up over the months.
- Squeegee. One pass pulls the water off the glass. Then we wipe the edges and corners by hand, where a squeegee leaves a line.
- Screens. Each screen comes out, gets washed with the hose and goes back in once the window is done.
- Inside. We put shoe covers on before we walk in, and repeat the same process on the inside glass, frames and sills.
Here is the difference on a window that had not been cleaned in a long time, a home in Safety Harbor:
Ladders and second floors
For second-floor windows we work from extension ladders, set up against the wall next to each window. That is why a two-story home costs a little more per window than a one-story home: every upstairs window means moving and setting the ladder again, and slower, more careful work at height.
Mario, who owns the company and works on the crew, completed the OSHA 30-Hour Outreach Training (General Industry). We go through the ladder rules OSHA publishes, and what they mean for a homeowner thinking of doing this alone, in our article on gutter cleaning and ladder safety.
How to count your windows for a quote
Our instant quote asks how many windows you want cleaned. A good count takes five minutes and saves a surprise on the day. This is how we suggest doing it:
- Walk around the outside with the notes app on your phone. Count every window you want cleaned once. If a window has several sashes or divided panes, still count it once and mention it in the notes; we confirm on site.
- Decide the sides. Outside only, inside only, or both.
- Mark the second floor. Write down how many of the windows are upstairs. The price adjusts for the number of stories.
- List skylights separately. Each one is $15 on top of the windows.
- Be honest about the dirt. If the windows have not been cleaned in years or the house is next to a dirt road or a construction site, say so. Heavy dust and a long time since the last cleaning add time, and the quote reflects it.
More than 60 windows? We come out for a free estimate and count them with you first, because a home that size almost always has details a form cannot capture.
What it costs: worked examples
These are the base rates our instant quote starts from, before the adjustments for stories, dust and time since the last cleaning:
| Home | Windows | Sides | Base price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small home, outside only | 12 | Outside | $125 (12 × $6 = $72, so the minimum applies) |
| Small home | 12 | Inside and outside | $144 |
| Mid-size home | 20 | Inside and outside | $240 |
| Larger home | 33 | Inside and outside | $396 |
| Any home with 2 skylights | — | — | +$30 |
The minimum for any visit is $125. If you book a second service for the same visit, such as gutter cleaning or a house wash, the whole visit gets 20% off (see our specials). Inside Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties there is no travel fee; farther out we may add about $30, shown in the quote before you approve it. Every price is confirmed before any work starts. Our full price list is on the pricing page.
Video: a window cleaning visit in Lutz
Glass, frames and tracks on a home in Lutz, in a minute and a half:
Window cleaning · Lutz
Window cleaning: glass, frames and tracks
Questions we get
Do you clean the screens and the tracks too?
Yes. Screens are taken out, washed with the hose and put back, and the tracks are brushed out. Both are part of every visit, not extras.
How often should windows be cleaned in Tampa Bay?
It depends on pollen, trees, sprinklers and how close you are to the water. Several of our customers book every six months; one home in Odessa is on a six-month schedule, and another in Safety Harbor already has its windows booked again for next spring.
What should I do before the crew arrives?
Clear the sills and move anything fragile away from the windows. Our short guide on getting your home ready for window cleaning has the full list.
Do you clean windows at businesses?
Yes, storefronts and offices up to four stories. See commercial window cleaning.
Ready for a number? Get an instant quote in about two minutes, or read more about our window cleaning service.
Sources
- U.S. Geological Survey, Water Science School: Hardness of Water.
- OSHA: Portable Ladder Safety QuickCard.
