· by Michael Blair, Nashville's Window Cleaning
Window cleaning quotes look similar and describe different work. Screens, tracks and interior glass are the three items that account for most of the difference.
What does a basic window cleaning include?
Exterior glass, washed and squeegeed, with frames wiped down. That is the baseline everyone quotes.
Anything beyond it should be stated rather than assumed.
What costs extra in a window cleaning quote?
Interior glass, screen removal and washing, track and sill cleaning, and any hard water spot removal, which is a separate treatment rather than part of a wash.
Also high or awkward access such as over a sunroom roof or above a steep bank.
- Confirm whether interiors are included
- Screens removed, washed and refitted, or not
- Tracks and sills cleaned, or not
- Hard water spot removal is a separate treatment
- Ask what happens if it rains the next day
Screens are the usual gap
Washing screens properly means removing, cleaning and refitting them, which takes real time. A quote without them will leave glass that dirties again with the first rain.
It is the item most worth confirming explicitly.
Practical questions
What happens if it rains immediately afterwards — most companies do not re-clean for weather, and that is reasonable, but it should be known rather than discovered.
And whether they are insured, since this is ladder work on your property.
FAQ
What a Window Cleaning Service Includes — questions
Do window cleaners clean screens?
Sometimes, and it is usually a separate line item because removing, washing and refitting them takes real time. It is worth including, since dirty screens transfer onto clean glass with the first rain and undo the work. Confirm it explicitly rather than assuming.
Is interior glass included?
Frequently not in a basic exterior quote, and it is one of the main reasons two quotes differ. Interiors also need furniture moved and floors protected, which adds time. Decide whether you want it and get it priced rather than discovering the difference afterwards.
What if it rains right after they clean?
Most companies do not re-clean for weather, and that is a reasonable position — rain on clean glass leaves far less mark than rain on dirty glass, because there is nothing for it to run through. Worth knowing the policy beforehand rather than assuming a free return visit.
What is the best way to clean window tracks?
Dry first: vacuum out the loose grit, brush what is stuck, then wipe, and only then use water, since wet dust turns to paste in the channel. Grit left in a track wears the rollers and makes the window drag. Track cleaning is often a separate line on a quote, so ask whether it is included.