Window Cleaning Cost: Average Prices & Cost Factors

Window cleaning is priced by the window, by the pane, or by the hour, and a company may use any of the three. That makes quotes hard to compare unless you know the unit behind the number. A flat fee for a whole house can look cheap next to a per-window rate until you count how many windows you have.

This guide lists the published prices for each pricing method, then shows how the total changes with window count and window type. It also covers the extras that show up on invoices, like screens, hard water stains, and upper floors.

Most professionals quote a per-window rate for exterior glass. This Old House gives $8 – $40 each per window, which is a wide span because size, condition, and access vary so much. Yelp's rate sits inside that span, and it also lists a per-pane rate for windows made of several panes.

The per-pane rate matters for windows with grids or several sashes. A window with many small panes can cost more than its size suggests, because each pane takes its own pass. Ask whether a quote counts windows or panes before you compare it with another.

Counting windows is the fastest way to budget. A home with five or six windows costs $100 – $120, and one with eighteen to twenty costs $360 – $400.

Cost per window tends to stay in the same band as the count grows, so a bigger house costs more in total, not much more per window. If a company offers a discount for a large number of windows, it usually shows up as a lower rate on the whole job.

Larger and more complex windows take more time. Double-hung windows are the baseline, and bay, bow, and skylight windows cost more.

A double-hung window costs about $12 each, and a skylight about $30 each. Skylights sit higher and are harder to reach, which accounts for much of the difference. Bay and bow windows have several angled sections that each need cleaning.

Some cleaners bill by the hour, especially for odd jobs, hard to reach glass, or a mix of window sizes. Hourly billing makes sense when the work is hard to count by window.

Yelp lists $35 – $70/hr for window cleaners. Ask for an estimated number of hours with that rate so you can see the likely total before work starts.

The base price usually covers the exterior glass. Several extras appear on invoices, and each is priced separately.

Hard water stain removal adds $10 – $30. Screen cleaning costs $5 – $10 each, and a second story surcharge is $3 – $5 each. Many companies also set a minimum visit charge, listed here at $50 – $100, so a handful of windows may cost more per window than a large job.

• Number of windows: more glass means more time, and a higher total.
• Stories and access: upper floors need ladders, and windows blocked by tree limbs or other obstructions cost more.
• Window type: bay windows, skylights, and multi-pane windows take longer than a standard double-hung.
• Condition: heavy buildup, paint splatter, or mineral deposits add labor.
• Interior and exterior: companies usually clean the outside by default and charge differently for the inside.
• Where you live: rates follow local labor costs.

Two sources can give different totals for the same house because they count different things. One may publish an average for a whole house of average size, while another averages real customer quotes for a set number of windows. Whether the price includes interior glass, screens, and tracks changes the total as well.

Treat the range where the sources overlap as your budget. Quotes outside it are not necessarily wrong, but ask what the company is including.

Ground floor windows are easy to clean yourself with basic tools. The upper floors are the problem, since cleaning them means working on a ladder, and falls from ladders cause injuries. Hire a professional for anything you cannot reach safely from the ground or a stable surface. Professionals also have squeegees and tools that leave fewer streaks Ask whether the company carries insurance before it works on your home.

• Count your windows and note which are on upper floors.
• Say whether you want interior, exterior, or both.
• Ask whether screens, sills, and tracks are included.
• Ask about a minimum charge and any surcharge for height.
• Get written quotes from at least three companies and compare the unit each one uses.