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The average cost of window cleaning services will vary according to your location, size of your home’s exterior windows, type of wash you choose, and even the level of dirt and grime that’s caked on the glass. Typically, window cleaning services might run between $2 and $7 per pane, with some prices being even a bit higher.

No matter the cost, having your home’s windows professionally cleaned is vitally essential for keeping those windows in excellent condition. Over time, built-up silt, grime, grit, dirt, dust, cobwebs, bird droppings, and other residues can cause etching and scratching of window glass. In turn, that glass can weaken and even develop microscopic cracks and leaks.

It’s also important to realize that window cleaning is not a DIY job! Pressure or power washing your home’s windows is more complicated and messy than you might realize, and it’s easy to damage or outright shatter a window while cleaning it.

Window Cleaning Cost Calculator

When you see window cleaning cost calculators online, this can be an excellent way to get a “ballpark” figure of the cost of having your home’s windows cleaned, but you don’t want to rely on these calculators for an exact number. A window cleaning cost calculator will typically harvest quotes found at websites for service providers in your area, and then average out those prices to create a quote for you.

Note, too, that a cleaning technician may still need to inspect your home’s windows to evaluate the amount of dirt and grime they would be cleaning, and then adjust your quote accordingly. He or she may also want to confirm the size of the windows and recommend a few different types of cleaning methods.

Fortunately, many companies offer a free, no-obligation estimate for window cleaning services, so you can call and arrange for a technician or sales rep to visit your home and give you an exact quote, rather than relying on a window cleaning cost calculator alone. Having a sales rep or technician visit your home also allows him or her to explain all your options for cleaning your home’s windows, gutters, exterior walls, and so on.

Window Cleaning Quotes and Services

As said, window cleaning quotes might vary according to the services or cleaning methods you choose for your home’s windows. However, many homeowners don’t realize that there are different methods of window cleaning available to them!

Consider the differences in exterior house and window cleaning services so you can better understand your options when you arrange for a quote or estimate.

• Pressure washing refers to any cleaning done with water delivered at high pressure.
• Power washing refers to a high-pressure wash done with hot water.
• Soft wash cleaning starts with specialty solvents that are meant to dissolve thick dirt and grime. A low-pressure wash is then used to rinse away that residue.

Each of these services may then include a wipe-down and added polish of the windows, to ensure they have a streak-free shine. Some companies may also clean screens, sills, shutters, and the inside of window frames as well.

While pressure washing is effective for windows that are caked with thick dirt and grime, using too much pressure can damage windows and increase the risk of cracks or breakage. High-pressure washing can also peel away chipped paint, and dislodge old shutters, flower boxes, and other such fixtures.

As an alternative cleaning solution, note that the solvents used with a soft wash cleaning system are designed to eat away at thick dirt and grime so that even the toughest residue can be rinsed with gentle water pressure. The pressure used in a soft cleaning system is often just slightly more forceful than the pressure delivered from a garden hose. Soft wash systems are an excellent choice for windows that have lots of buildup, or older windows that could be weaker due to age and exposure to the elements.

Standard Window Cleaning Is Not a DIY Job

When searching around for standard window cleaning prices, you might start to think that it would be cheaper just to rent a pressure washer and manage this job on your own. Washing exterior windows yourself can be a mistake, as window cleaning is not as easy as you might assume.

Note a few common mistakes and hazards that homeowners face when cleaning windows, so you better understand why it’s good to invest in those standard window cleaning prices no matter the cost!

• Built-up dirt, grime, mud, cobwebs, and dust may not come clean even with power or pressure washing. Added detergents may be needed to dissolve this residue, but choosing the right solvent for the dirt you’re addressing can be a challenge! It’s easy to waste both time and money on ineffective cleansers that don’t remove dust and cobwebs, as well as caked-on mud and dirt from a home’s exterior windows.
• Washing windows at the wrong time of day can result in streaks and dried-on residue. Hot, direct sunlight will dry cleansers and detergents and cause them to stick to window glass so that they’re very difficult to rinse away properly. Sunlight can also dry the water you’re using for window washing, which is how streaks form.
• High water pressure can shatter a window, dent aluminum siding, chip exterior brick, cause paint on shutters to peel away, break outside light bulbs, and otherwise cause tremendous damage to your house. You may not even realize that you’re using too much pressure until you’re done washing your home’s windows and then notice areas of peeled paint, cracked brick, or dented siding! A professional window washer will know just the right pressure to use to clean windows, without damaging your home’s exterior.
• While you can wash some exterior glass from the ground, you might need to get up on a ladder to access upper story windows. Being on a ladder is dangerous for any reason, but even more so when you’re using a high-pressure sprayer. It’s not unusual for homeowners to suffer severe injuries from falling off a ladder, even from a short height.
• Pressurized water is also hazardous, especially if you use hot water for your exterior washing. Even a quick splash with pressure or power washer can cause skin abrasions, burns, and severe injury to your eyes.

Cleaning your home’s windows without making a mess can also be a difficult task. Pressurized water can cause splatters on all areas of your home’s exterior, and water runoff can flood your landscaping features and flowerbeds. You may wind up with a bigger mess after you’re done cleaning windows than you had before you started!

Are Storefront Window Cleaning Prices Higher?

Storefront window cleaning prices are sometimes higher than standard prices because storefronts may need a bit of extra skill and know how to clean properly. Many storefront windows are especially dirty because of the amount of fumes and emissions to which they’re exposed since they typically face a parking lot or busy roadway. Storefront windows are also often dirtied with fingerprints, bird droppings, and other such residues.

A storefront might also have etching, frosting, engraving, or other means of advertising on the front of its windows, and these need to be worked around or cleaned along with the glass. A standard high-pressure wash may damage that lettering or cause some low-quality frosting or inks to peel away. Because of the added skill and expertise involved in cleaning storefront windows, your costs might be higher for your retail business than for cleaning your home’s windows.

Why Have Roof Cleaning and Other Services Performed at the Same Time?

When calling a company for a window cleaning services quote, you might ask about other exterior cleaning services as well. As said, you might get a discount by combining these services in one visit, but there are other reasons to consider professional roof cleaning, gutter cleaning, and other exterior washing services every time you have your home’s windows washed.

• If your home’s windows are caked with dirt and grime, there’s a good chance your home’s roof is also covered in filth! Dirt and mud hold moisture against a roof’s surface so that algae and moss eventually appear. Roofing paper might also weaken and tear, and lead to leaks.
• As with your home’s roof, dirty windows can signal dirty and clogged gutters. When gutters are clogged, rainwater will wash over their edges. This rainwater can cause damage to a home’s exterior and foundation, and even lead to interior water leaks.
• A professional wash of your home’s exterior surfaces can expose areas of rust, damaged paint, cracking brick, or other such issues that should be addressed and repaired.
• Driveway and sidewalk cleaning will remove residue left over from snow-clearing salt, pesticides, fertilizers, and other harmful chemicals that eat away at concrete and asphalt. This regular cleaning will then help to avoid premature chipping, cracking, and spalling of all your property’s concrete and asphalt surfaces.

A thorough and professional cleaning of your property’s exterior surfaces can also enhance and increase your home’s overall curb appeal. The color of your home’s roof, siding, and brick will be restored and will seem brighter and truer. Professional washing removes stains from driveways and walkways and can help prepare those surfaces for new paint, so your entire property is then fresh and new.

How to Protect Your House and Property From Damage Due to Dirt

If your home’s windows tend to get overly dirty on a regular basis, you might note some suggestions for keeping them clean and protected from damaging dirt, silt, grit, and grime.

• Install awnings over the windows. Curved and oversized canopies especially can allow rainwater, and the dirt it carries with it, to wash over and away from a home’s windows.
• Keep your property adequately watered. Arid soil will get dusty and sandy, and that grit can then end up on your exterior windows. If you have flowerbeds or landscaping features under the windows, add mulch over the soil, to keep it hydrated and compacted and off your home’s windows.
• Solid panel fencing can also keep more dirt, dust, and other such debris out of your yard. If you cannot install solid panel fencing, consider thick hedges that help to block wind and dirt from getting onto your property.

You may not realize it, but you can protect your home’s roof from a buildup of excessive dirt and grime. Protecting your home’s roof can help to avoid damage to the shingles and tiles, as well as damage to the roofing paper under the tiles.

• Trim back branches that hang over a roof. Branches drop seeds, sap, twigs, leaves, acorns, and other such debris onto a roof, and this debris can then get wedged under and around roofing tiles. Those shingles may then be more prone to blowing away in a storm. Branches are also a place for birds to perch. Bird droppings are acidic and caustic and can damage a home’s roof.
• Be sure you check the home’s chimney for nests and remove these as soon as you see them forming. Not only is this good for the vent, but it also means fewer birds will use your home’s roof as a resting place!
• Keeping gutters free of clogs will also actually protect the home’s roof. When rainwater fills up clogged gutters, it can then rest along the roof’s edge and get absorbed by the shingles, roofing paper, and other building materials. Leaks in the ceiling might suddenly appear, and moss and algae may begin to grow along the roof’s eaves.

To protect your home’s gutters, invest in a quality leaf guard. A leaf guard is a screen that goes over the top of the gutters, to block out leaves, twigs, seeds, and even thick mud and dirt. Leaf guards are easy to install and come clean with a standard rinse or power wash, and they help to keep those gutters free of clogs and damaging debris.