- Cleaning
- Clean & Refresh
- Outdoor Upkeep
- Routine Maintenance
Home Window Cleaning
Are your windows covered in dust, pollen and rain spots, and you can't reach the exterior windows on the second storey and above yourself? Your cleaner can come to your home one time or on a recurring basis to clean interior and exterior glass, window frames, window sills, tracks and screens for houses, townhouses and low-rise homes. Exterior windows are handled from the ground with a water-fed pole, from a ladder or from a low roof, depending on site conditions. If you live in a condo or apartment, your cleaner can clean glass that can be safely reached from inside your unit and from your balcony. If needed, you can also add skylights, glass railings, glass canopies, and hard-water stain or post-renovation paint and tape residue treatment.
- Service area
- Vancouver, Burnaby and Richmond
Common issues
Seasonal exterior window cleaning
Dirt, pollen and rain spots build up on the glass, and some households book professional interior and exterior window cleaning every year or by season.
Can't do second- or third-storey exterior windows yourself
Your cleaner handles high exterior windows with a water-fed pole, a ladder or from a low roof, depending on site conditions, so you don't need to climb a ladder yourself.
Before selling, moving in or moving out
Before your home is listed for sale, or before you move in or move out, have all the windows, window frames, tracks and screens cleaned; inspections and deposit outcomes are handled between the landlord and tenant under the tenancy agreement.
White spots or sprinkler stains on the glass
White mineral spots left by sprinklers or rain can be treated with the hard-water stain add-on; water stains that have already etched the glass may not come off completely.
Paint or stickers on the glass after renovations
For paint, tape and sticker residue left on new windows or after renovations, your cleaner first checks the type of glass and whether it has a coating, then chooses a suitable method to remove it.
Interior windows and balcony glass in a condo unit
Your cleaner cleans the windows inside your unit, both sides of the balcony glass door and the balcony glass railings; other windows on the building's exterior are generally arranged by the strata.
What the pro will do
- 1
Your cleaner finds out the address, property type, floor and number of storeys, whether you want the interior, the exterior or both sides cleaned, the approximate number of windows and glass doors, any screens, skylights, glass railings or canopies, any hard-water stains or renovation residue, as well as slopes around the house, obstacles in front of windows, overhead power lines, where the water taps are and the building's rules for contractors. You can share photos to help show the situation. Your cleaner then confirms the cleaning scope, method and price.
- 2
On arrival, your cleaner first checks the condition of the windows and glass, any existing scratches or damage, and access conditions on site, then decides whether to use a water-fed pole, hand cleaning with a squeegee, a ladder or a low roof.
- 3
Your cleaner cleans the glass, window frames, window sills and tracks within the confirmed scope, removes and washes removable screens and puts them back, and does any skylight, glass railing, canopy or special stain treatment confirmed in advance. If an exterior window can only be reached with rope access, a swing stage or a boom lift, that part isn't covered by this service and needs to be arranged separately. If your cleaner finds fogging between the panes of double-pane glass, broken glass, or damaged screens or sealant, they'll explain it to you; repairs or replacement need to be arranged separately. If extra work within the scope is needed, your cleaner will confirm the details and price with you first.
- 4
When finished, your cleaner explains what was cleaned, any stains or water marks that couldn't be removed, and any damage found. For recurring customers, each later visit follows the confirmed scope.
Good to know
Clear the area in front of your windows
Move items, potted plants and furniture off window sills and balconies and away from windows so your cleaner can clean and set up a ladder. Some strata buildings also ask residents to clear their balconies, close their windows and remove screens before scheduled exterior window cleaning.
Let your cleaner know about screens and window locks
If any screens are already torn or hard to remove, or if window locks or rollers have problems, let your cleaner know in advance. Old screens tear more easily, and repairs or replacement need to be arranged separately.
Don't climb a ladder for high windows yourself
Leave exterior windows on the second storey and above, high windows above stairwells, and skylights that need roof access to your cleaner, who will handle them based on site conditions.
Watch for overhead power lines near your home
If there are overhead power lines beside your home or in front of your windows, let your cleaner know in advance. BC Hydro recommends keeping your body, tools and ladders at least 3 m away from power lines when working around your home.
Use gentle methods for routine care
Window manufacturers generally recommend cleaning glass and frames with mild soapy water and a soft cloth, and cleaning tracks with a vacuum or damp cloth. Avoid abrasive or acidic cleaners, razor blades and pressure washers, as they can scratch the glass or affect your warranty terms.
Fogging between double-pane glass
Fog or water droplets between the two panes are usually a sign that the sealed glass unit has failed, and the fix is to replace that unit. Cleaning tools can't reach between the two panes, so please arrange a window repair separately.
Local tips
Summer water restrictions may affect the cleaning method
Cities supplied with water by Metro Vancouver have Stage 1 water restrictions every year from May 1 to October 15, which can move up to Stage 2 or Stage 3 during droughts. During Stage 2 and Stage 3, using water to wash exterior walls, balconies and other hard surfaces is restricted. Metro Vancouver says commercial cleaners can continue to clean windows with a bucket and squeegee, while whether a water-fed pole can be used depends on your municipality and the restriction stage in effect. White Rock uses its own groundwater supply, and restrictions follow the city's rules.
Strata exterior windows are usually arranged by the building
In buildings that use BC's Standard Bylaws for strata, maintenance and repair of exterior windows (including exterior window cleaning) is the strata's responsibility and is generally arranged by the building through a contractor. Each building can adopt its own bylaws, so please check with your property management company first.
Window responsibilities between tenants and landlords
Residential Tenancy Branch guidelines say that landlords are generally responsible for cleaning exterior windows at reasonable intervals, while tenants are responsible for interior windows and tracks, and for both the inside and outside of balcony doors and windows. Individual cases are decided by the tenancy agreement.
Don't let wash water flow into storm drains
The City of Surrey says that even biodegradable cleaners must not flow into storm drains. City of Vancouver and District of North Vancouver bylaws also prohibit discharging wastewater into storm drains.
This service only covers residential window and glass cleaning, including interior and exterior glass, window frames, window sills, tracks and removable screens, with exterior windows handled from the ground, with a water-fed pole, from a ladder or from a low roof. For condo and apartment units, it only covers glass that can be safely reached from inside the unit and from the balcony. For all in-scope home types, skylights, glass railings, glass canopies or a solarium, hard-water stains and post-construction residue can be added when confirmed in advance. It doesn't include: exterior windows on high-rise buildings, and exterior windows that need rope access, swing stages, building maintenance units (BMUs) or boom lifts; building exterior windows outside a condo unit; high-up cleaning other than windows, such as pendant lights and ceilings; whole-home cleaning; curtains and blinds; replacing glass or double-pane units; caulking and sealant; screen, window lock or roller repairs; skylight and roofing work; gutter cleaning and washing of exterior walls, roofs, balcony floors, fences or driveways; scraping off old window putty or old paint; mould remediation and dealing with condensation or humidity problems; and commercial or vehicle glass cleaning. Cleaning can remove dirt from the surface of the glass, but it can't repair scratches, glass etching, broken glass or fogging between the panes of double-pane glass, and hard-water stains that have already etched the glass may not come off completely. Cleaning results can be affected by later weather and rain, and there's no guarantee that they'll meet individual window manufacturers' warranty conditions or lead to any particular landlord inspection or deposit outcome.
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