Beta Beta — hiring neighbors on Papalocal is new; what you see here is real, and it's still growing.
Ground-floor window washing Beta
A neighbor washes the outside of your ground-floor windows and screens with a squeegee so you are looking through the glass, not at it.
- How often
- Seasonal
- Where the work happens
- Outdoors
- Who it suits
- Best done by an adult
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Ground-floor window washing covers the outside of the windows you can reach from the ground or a small step stool: scrubbing the glass, squeegeeing it dry, wiping sills and frames, and brushing off the screens. It is the difference between looking through a window and looking at one.
People book it in spring after the pollen, in fall before the holidays, before family comes to visit, or before a house is listed. It is also a frequent ask from people who can no longer get on a step stool safely.
A neighbor can do a one-story home, or the lower floor of a two-story, safely from the ground. Upper floors and anything that needs tall ladders or water-fed poles is work for a window-cleaning business.
Also called: window cleaning service, window washing, exterior window cleaning, clean outside windows, window screen cleaning, residential window washing.
What's usually included
- Washing and squeegeeing the outside of every window you can reach
- Wiping sills, frames and tracks from outside
- Taking off screens, brushing and rinsing them, and putting them back
- Knocking down cobwebs around windows and the front door
- Drying drips off the frames before leaving
What to ask before you hire
- How many windows, and on which sides of the house?
- Are screens included, and do they come off from outside?
- Is there an outdoor faucet they can use?
- Are any windows old, tinted or covered in film that need a gentle touch?
- If it is windy or rainy on the day, do they reschedule?
Staying safe
- Stay on the ground or a short, stable step stool, and leave anything higher to a business with the right gear.
- Check window corners and the backs of shutters for wasp nests before you start.
- Never use a metal scraper on tinted or coated glass.
Ground-floor window washing by town
Questions people ask
How often should outside windows be cleaned?
Twice a year is common, in spring and fall. Homes near dusty roads or under heavy pollen may want it more often.
Will they wash the inside of the windows too?
This service is for the outside. If you want the inside done, agree on that separately, since it means having someone in your home.
What about my upstairs windows?
Those need tall ladders or special poles, so a window-cleaning business is the right call.
Does the weather on the day matter?
Try to avoid strong direct sun, which dries the soap too fast and leaves streaks. An overcast morning is ideal.
Thinking of offering this yourself?
- A good squeegee, a scrubber sleeve, a bucket, a few lint-free cloths, a scraper for stuck-on spots and a short step stool are all it takes.
- A few drops of dish soap in a bucket of water handles most glass; work top to bottom and wipe the blade after every pass.
- Count the windows before quoting and price by the window or by the house, with screens priced in since they add time.
- Find out what window cleaning usually runs for a one-story home where you live, and pick something fair for ground-level glass.
- Twice-a-year customers are common, so offer to put them on your spring and fall lists.
