What Professional Window Washing Actually Includes
Everyone's cleaned a window. So why does a professional visit leave glass looking like it isn't there, while your own attempt leaves streaks that only show up when the sun hits? The difference is method, tools, and the parts of the job you can't see from inside. Here's what you're actually buying.
The parts you don't see
A real window washing visit is more than glass. Pros clean the frames and sills so dirt doesn't wash straight back onto the pane, scrub the screens (a shocking amount of haze lives there), and clear the window tracks where grit accumulates and grinds away at the seals every time you slide the window. Skipping those is why DIY results fade in a week.
Why the streaks disappear
Professionals don't use glass spray and paper towels. They wash with a mop and squeegee the water off in one continuous motion, so nothing dries on the glass. For upper stories, many now use water-fed poles with purified water: minerals are filtered out, so the water dries spot-free with no wiping at all, and nobody has to hang off a ladder at your second floor.
What drives the price
- Window count. The foundation; most quotes are per pane or per window
- Stories. Upper floors take more time and equipment
- Inside and out vs. exterior only. Interior adds roughly half again, since it means working around your rooms
- Condition. Hard-water spots, paint overspray, or years of buildup need extra passes or polishing
- Extras. Screens, tracks, skylights, French panes (many small panes = many small squeegee jobs)
How often, and when
Twice a year keeps most homes genuinely clear. A common rhythm is spring (pollen season's end) and fall, before the dark months when every bit of daylight counts. In the Pacific Northwest there's a practical bonus to the fall slot: clean, sealed tracks and sills go into the rainy season ahead of the grime instead of behind it.
Get the number without the walk-around
Window washing prices come down to countable things: windows, stories, inside or out. Get an instant window washing quote from verified local pros: itemized, up front, no visit needed to learn the price.