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Clean windows let in more daylight, but a regular wash also gives someone a close look at every window in the house. A good cleaner notices fogged glass, cracked caulking, soft wood and torn screens, the early signs that a window needs repair or replacement.
This page covers what a full interior and exterior cleaning includes, why high windows are a job for professionals, what can be done about hard water spots, what to watch for while the windows are being cleaned, the best seasons for the work and why insurance matters.
Interior and exterior window cleaning: glass, screens, tracks and frames
A standard job covers both faces of each pane. Ask what else is included, since screens, tracks and interior work are sometimes quoted separately.
- Exterior glass is scrubbed and squeegeed by hand, or washed with a water-fed pole that rinses with purified water so the glass dries without streaks.
- Interior glass is cleaned with drop cloths and towels laid out to protect sills, floors and window coverings.
- Screens are removed, brushed or washed, dried and put back, with tears and bent frames pointed out to you.
- Tracks and sills are vacuumed and wiped to clear grit, insects and debris, and the drain holes are checked so water can escape.
- Frames and sashes are wiped down, including the tops of sashes and the ledges where dust collects.
- Add-ons can include patio doors, glass railings, storm windows, skylights reachable from inside, and paint or labels left on the glass after renovations.
Cleaning high windows: why ladder work is best left to professionals
A fall from a ladder can cause serious injury, and window cleaning stacks the risks: leaning sideways to reach the far corner, wet rungs, a ladder footed on soft lawn, a sloped deck or icy ground, and hands busy with a squeegee instead of holding on.
Professionals manage those risks with equipment and training: water-fed poles that clean upper windows from the ground, ladder stabilizers and levellers, fall protection where the work calls for it, and lifts for tall or awkward glass. They also keep ladders and metal poles well clear of the overhead electrical line that feeds the house.
- Clean ground-floor windows yourself if you like, along with the inside of every window from floor level.
- If your upper sashes tilt in or lift out, clean their outside faces from inside the room.
- Leave anything that needs a ladder above the ground floor, or access from a roof or balcony railing, to a professional.
Hard water spots on windows: prevention and removal
Hard water spots are mineral deposits left behind when water evaporates on the glass. The usual culprits are lawn sprinklers aimed at the house, runoff from brick, stone or concrete above a window, and well water used for washing. Fresh spots come off with a normal cleaning; deposits left for a long time can etch the surface, and etched glass can be improved but not always restored.
A pro uses a mineral remover suited to the glass and tests it first, since acidic products can harm metal trim, some glass coatings and nearby stone. Adjusting sprinklers so they don't reach the windows prevents most new spots. If you clean between visits, keep products apart: Health Canada warns that bleach mixed with ammonia-based glass cleaners or with acids releases toxic gases.
Window problems to check while cleaning: failed seals, fogging and rot
Because a window cleaner handles every sash and screen, a wash is a good moment for a quick inspection. Ask the cleaner to point out anything unusual. A failed seal or a rotting frame usually means the glass unit or the whole window needs replacing, and a window replacement contractor can tell you which before the damage spreads to the wall around it.
- Fog or streaks between the panes of a double- or triple-glazed unit mean the seal has failed, and no cleaning can reach them.
- Soft, dark or flaking wood on sills and frames is a sign of rot that lets water into the wall.
- Caulking around the exterior trim that is cracked, shrunken or missing.
- Condensation or frost that keeps forming on the inside of the glass in winter may point to high indoor humidity or a poorly insulated window.
- Sashes that stick, won't lock or let in drafts, and screens with tears or bent frames.
- Cracked or chipped glass should be dealt with before the crack spreads.
Best time of year for window cleaning in Canada
Canadian weather sets the rhythm: winter leaves a film of road salt and grime, spring and early summer bring pollen and tree seeds, and freezing temperatures limit outdoor work.
- Spring: wash off winter grime and salt spray, check screens before they go back in and clear the tracks before insects arrive.
- Early summer: a second wash after the pollen and seeds of late spring is worthwhile near maples, poplars or a busy road.
- Fall: clean before the heating season so the glass lets in as much low winter sun as possible, and store screens if you take them down.
- Winter: exterior washing is limited once temperatures stay below freezing, because water can freeze on the glass, but many cleaners still do interior work.
- Any season: avoid washing in strong direct sun, which dries the solution too quickly and leaves streaks.
Window cleaner insurance and protection against damage
Window cleaning happens close to things that break: glass, screens, blinds, flower beds, siding and the roof edge. Before work starts, ask for proof of liability insurance that covers damage to your property, and ask whether the workers are covered by your province's workplace injury insurance, so there's no question about who pays if someone falls on your property. A written list of what's included, such as screens, tracks and interior panes, avoids disputes afterwards.
Ask too how the company handles scratches. Tempered glass, used in patio doors and many large panes, can scratch when a razor scraper catches particles left in the glass during manufacturing, so careful cleaners limit blades on it or ask first. Note any existing scratches or cracks together before the job begins.
Window Cleaning: frequently asked questions
How often should I have my windows professionally cleaned?
Many homes do well with a cleaning in spring and another in fall. A house near a busy road, the water, a construction site or lots of trees may need more, and interior glass often needs less.
Can a window cleaner fix foggy windows?
No. Fog between the panes means the seal of the glass unit has failed and moisture is trapped inside, where no cleaning can reach. The glass unit, or sometimes the whole window, has to be replaced by a window installer.
Do window cleaners clean screens and tracks?
Many do, but not always as part of the basic service. Confirm in writing whether screens are removed and washed and whether tracks are vacuumed, so you're comparing the same work between quotes.
Is it safe to clean my own upper-floor windows?
From the inside, yes, if your sashes tilt in or come out. Anything that needs a ladder is safer left to a pro with poles, stabilizers and fall protection, especially above a deck, on a slope or near the electrical line.
Can hard water stains on windows be removed?
Recent spots usually come off with a mineral remover and a careful cleaning. Deposits left for years can etch the glass; a pro can improve their look, but etched glass may never look new.
Sources
Written by the LokalMatch editorial team. Reviewed by Zubair Afzal on September 10, 2026. How we write and check our guides