Professional vs. DIY Window Cleaning: What You Are Really Paying For
Updated: 5 hours ago
It would be odd for a window cleaner to tell you not to clean your own windows, so we will not. Plenty of people do a good job on their ground floor with a bucket and a squeegee. The question is which windows are worth your time and which ones are worth a phone call.
Where DIY works well
Ground-floor windows you can reach with both feet on the ground.
Interior glass in rooms without high or awkward windows.
Tilt-in replacement windows, which were designed to be cleaned from inside.
Screens, with mild soap, a soft brush and a gentle rinse.
If you want to do it properly, use a squeegee, not paper towels. The glass industry's own guidance, published by the Glass Association of North America and shared by the International Window Cleaning Association, recommends mild soap and water, a soft cloth or sponge, and a squeegee to dry. It also warns that scrapers and razor blades can scratch glass, which is the most common DIY mistake.
Where DIY gets difficult
Height
Second-story windows are where a weekend job turns risky. The CDC reports that 43% of fatal falls over a ten-year period involved a ladder. Uneven ground, a bucket in one hand and a reach to the far corner of a window is exactly the situation ladder safety advice warns against.
Streaks and spots
Most streaks come from two things: too much soap, and tap water drying on the glass. Tap water contains dissolved minerals, mainly calcium and magnesium, as the U.S. Geological Survey explains. When a drop dries, the minerals stay behind as a spot. Cleaning in direct sun makes it worse because the water dries before you can remove it.
Stains that are not dirt
Hard water deposits and oxidation from aluminum screens do not come off with glass cleaner. People often scrub harder, or reach for something abrasive, and damage the glass. These need the right product and a careful hand.
What a professional brings
Reach without ladders. A water-fed pole cleans upper floors from the ground.
Purified water. With the minerals filtered out, exterior glass dries clear on its own. Our pure water method page explains how.
The whole window. Frames, sills, tracks and screens, not only the glass.
Speed. A house that would take you a weekend is usually finished in a single visit.
Insurance, in case anything goes wrong.
A second pair of eyes for failed seals, cracked panes and rotting trim.
What about the cost?
Price is the real reason most people consider doing it themselves. HomeAdvisor's national window cleaning cost guide puts the typical professional job between $150 and $302, with an average around $221. The same guide points out that buying proper equipment yourself is not free either.
Those are national figures and not a quote from us. Every house is different, which is why we look before we price. Our post on what affects window cleaning cost in Massachusetts goes through the factors.
A sensible split
Many of our customers do both. They keep up with the easy ground-floor glass between visits, and have Andy do the full house, the upper floors, the screens and the skylights once or twice a year. That is a perfectly good way to keep windows clean without spending your weekends on a ladder.
Common questions
What is the best homemade window cleaner?
A few drops of dish soap in a bucket of water. More soap is not better; it is what causes streaks.
Can I use a razor blade on paint spots?
We would not. Scrapers can scratch glass, and the industry guidance linked above advises against them.
Is it safe to pressure wash windows?
No. High pressure can break seals, force water into the wall and damage screens.
Want the hard ones done for you?
Request a free estimate or read about our residential window cleaning.
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