Homeowners: How to Clean Your Windows Yourself and Save on Replacement Costs
How You Can Avoid Paying Me To Clean Your Windows and Achieve Professional Results and Increase the Value of Your Home By Yourself
Now, why would I write a blog post like this? Well, the truth is I simply cannot help as much homeowners as I want.
Window cleaning is one of the highest ROI home services to invest in to increase the value of your home. A study by Realtor.com found that the average return on the amount spent by a homeowner to have their windows cleaned professionally was a 768% increase to the value of the home.
On the other hand, neglected windows that end up needing to be replaced cost an average of $750 to install based on 2024 numbers. Window cleaning: You make money by increasing the value of your home, and you save money by avoiding replacement costs.
While I do make a living helping homeowners clean and maintain their home’s exterior, a lot of homeowners like to do the work themselves.
Since window washing is one of those things that finds its way on every homeowner’s to-do-list eventually, you have the option to pay for it with money (calling a professional like us to come do it for you and reach excellent results) or your time. The choice is yours and I recognize the value that people see in doing it themselves. However, too many do it incorrectly.
So, here are my secrets to achieve excellent results without calling a professional and/or investing in professional window cleaning equipment.
What You’ll Need
For a single-story home (you can reach all windows from the ground):
A bucket
Water
Dish soap
Sponge or handheld mop
Squeegee
Microfiber towels
For a 2+ story home:
Everything listed above
A telescopic pole or a ladder
How To Clean Your Windows Professionally
Fill a bucket with water and dish soap
Dip your handheld mop or sponge into the soapy water and wring out excess liquid
Scrub the frames and sills first, then scrub the glass until all buildup is removed
Use your squeegee to get all cleaning solution off of the window
Use a dry microfiber towel to clean the corners and edges of the glass. Also dry the frames and sills
For a 2+ story home:
Do all the above for the lower level windows that you can reach from the ground
For the higher windows, attach your handheld mop and squeegee to your telescopic pole to clean OR use a ladder to be able to get to the glass
It is very important to use a dry microfiber towel to wipe away any excess solution or streaks from the window. It is challenging at first to not leave any streaks, but with enough practice, you will be able to leave every window spotless. It may be worth getting onto your roof if you can do so safely so that you are eye-level with the windows when cleaning.
As Always, We Are Here For You!
If you are unable to reach that professional, spotless look for your home with DIY methods, feel free to fill out a quick form on our website to get a free estimate! We have taught plenty of our clients how to do the work we do by themselves because we truly believe everyone’s home can benefit from a shining exterior. However, we are always willing to help you out to check off some tasks on the endless home maintenance to-do-list!