An independent research database
Window cleaning / Residential · high access · solar · tracks

A streak-free window costs the same as a streaky one. The difference is which operator the household called.

Window cleaning is the trade Australians most regularly underpay for, then complain about the result. The right operator gets it done in 90 minutes with streak-free results that hold for months. The wrong one leaves you with smears, drip marks on render, and a $80 charge for the privilege. This guide tells you the difference.

Standard cost
$180–$420
Single-storey home, inside + outside, ~25 windows
High access
$380–$1,200
Two-storey, abseil access, atrium or skylight
Ladder limit
4m
SafeWork limit before scaffold / pure-water pole / abseil
Sources
36 verbatim buyer accounts; AS 2550.10 working at heights; SafeWork height-access guidance; Australian Window Cleaning Federation guidelines.
Verification
Pricing cross-checked against three operator quotes per state (Jan–Apr 2026). Industry method definitions verified with AWCF.
Funding
Independent. We don't take fees from operators or equipment suppliers. How this works.
Before we start

This is the trade with the lowest barrier to entry in this guide and the widest spread in quality. Anyone with a bucket and a ladder can call themselves a window cleaner. The professional operators carry pure-water systems, proper insurance, and the rope tickets to reach windows you can't. Knowing which one you've hired before the bill arrives is the point.

01

What window cleaning actually costs

Pricing is per pane (or per window, two-sided), with modifiers for tracks, screens, and access. Minimum call-outs are common — usually $150–$250.

2026 price bands
Standard pane (inside + out)$8–$14 each
Large fixed pane / picture window$18–$32 each
+ Tracks & sills$3–$6 each
+ Flyscreen removal & wash$4–$8 each
Two-storey access loading+30–60%
Abseil / rope access$250–$650/half-day
Typical single-storey, 25 windows$220–$420
Typical two-storey, 30 windows$380–$680
Quarterly subscription discount typical 15–25% vs ad-hoc. Pre-sale or post-build first cleans always cost more (heavy soil).
02

How to vet a window cleaner

Came back to streaks on every external window. He said they were “hard water spots” and not his fault. Got a proper operator in next month — pure water, no streaks. Different trade entirely.
— Buyer, Mosman NSW
Green flags
  • · Public liability $5M+, certificate available
  • · Workers comp / personal accident cover
  • · Pure-water system for external work above 2m
  • · Abseiling licence for atrium / high access
  • · Quotes per-window, not per-hour
Red flags
  • · No insurance details — can't produce on ask
  • · Uses dishwashing detergent in mains water
  • · Climbs ladders above 4m without harness
  • · “Cash only” with no invoice
  • · Won't guarantee streak-free
03

Height work, abseiling, ladder limits

Window cleaning is unregulated as a trade — no licence required to operate. But the work itself sits inside the WHS height-work envelope. Above 2m, fall protection is required. Above 4m, ladder use becomes regulatorily fraught.

Height & access tiers

HeightMethodNotes
<2mHand wash / squeegeeStandard ground work
2–4mPure-water pole / step ladderThree-point contact required
4–8mExtended pure-water poleIndustry standard for 2-storey
>8mRope access / EWPIRATA certification, scaffold, or boom lift

A professional operator with a pure-water pole reaches second-storey windows from the ground — no ladder, no risk. Cheaper operators climb. Their insurance, when they have it, often excludes ladder work above 3m.

Part Two · Specifying the job
04

How often (and when not to)

  • · Quarterly — standard residential cycle, balances cost and result
  • · Bi-monthly — coastal or heavy-tree properties
  • · Monthly — commercial frontage, brand-sensitive
  • · After major events — bushfire ash, dust storms, salt spray, renovation
  • · Don't clean: direct hot sun (chemistry flash-dries), windy day (overspray on render), within 24h of rain (drip lines).
05

Inside, outside, tracks and screens

A “full clean” should be four things: external glass, internal glass, tracks & sills, and flyscreens. Operators who quote “windows” sometimes mean glass only — you find out when the tracks remain dirty.

  1. · 1. Remove flyscreens for external access — wash with soapy water, rinse, replace.
  2. · 2. Wash tracks & sills — vacuum debris, scrub with stiff brush, wipe.
  3. · 3. External glass — pure water or squeegee method.
  4. · 4. Internal glass — spray + microfibre or squeegee with drop cloth.
  5. · 5. Frames wiped down on internal side.
06

Pure water vs squeegee vs robot

Pure waterSqueegeeRobot
MethodDe-ionised water, telescopic poleSoap solution, squeegee, ladderSuction unit traverses pane
Streak-freeYes (water dries clear)Operator-dependentMixed results
High reachTo 8m from groundLimited by ladderN/A
Frame cleaningIncludedOften skippedGlass only
Best forTwo-storey homesSingle-storey interiorHigh-rise apartments

Pure-water systems use de-ionised water and special poles that reach 8m+ from the ground. The water dries with no mineral residue — truly streak-free. This is the modern professional method for any home with windows above the first storey.

07

Hard water staining — can it be removed?

Hard water spots are mineral deposits left when calcium-rich water dries on glass. They look like cloudy patches that won't wipe off. Common cause: garden sprinklers overspraying onto windows. Once etched, ordinary cleaning won't remove them.

Restoration options

  • · Mild deposits — oxalic acid treatment + buffing, $40–$80/window
  • · Moderate etching — cerium oxide polish, $80–$160/window
  • · Deep etching — mechanical polishing with diamond pads, $250–$500/window
  • · Severe damage — replace pane (sometimes cheaper than restoration)

Prevention is dramatically cheaper than cure: move sprinklers, install water-softener filter on outdoor taps, clean immediately if overspray occurs.

08

Coastal, bushland, traffic — site reality

Coastal

Salt spray re-deposits within days of cleaning. Quarterly minimum; many opt for bi-monthly. Anti-salt rinse aids extend the result by 3–4 weeks.

Bushland / leafy suburbs

Pollen, sap, bird droppings, tree dust. Spring is the worst quarter — some clean monthly Sep–Nov.

High-traffic main roads

Diesel particulate and brake-dust deposits. Bi-monthly minimum. Tinting and screens compound the dirt-attraction effect.

Dry inland

Dust storms can re-coat windows in hours. Plan cleans around weather; consider after-storm one-offs separately to the quarterly schedule.

09

Solar panels, skylights, awnings

The professional window cleaner can usually handle adjacencies — solar panels, skylights, glass awnings. Three things to confirm before they include these:

  • · Solar panels — pure-water method only (no detergents, voids panel warranties). Annual clean increases output 3–7%.
  • · Skylights — outside cleaning from ladder or pole; inside via fixed reach. Cracked seals are noted, not repaired.
  • · Glass pool fence panels — same method as windows, twice-yearly recommended for clarity.
  • · Glass balustrades — specifically request these — not always included in “windows”.
10

Between-clean care, frequency economics

The single biggest determinant of how long a clean lasts is what you do in the first 48 hours. Light rain on freshly cleaned external glass is fine — it's heavy splash, dust storms, and pollen events that re-soil quickly.

Subscription economics

Quarterly subscription pricing typically saves 15–25% per visit vs ad-hoc. The operator schedules you in their route, batches efficiently, and locks predictable revenue. Both sides benefit. Most professionals offer this; cash operators usually don't.

  • · Set window-cleaning schedule alongside lawn-care or other regular trades
  • · Keep flyscreens off windows during heavy pollen weeks if affordable
  • · Move sprinklers and rotate impact so they don't overspray windows
  • · Squeegee external windows yourself between cleans if hard water staining is a risk

Ready to brief a window cleaner?

Use the 12 cross-cutting questions every Australian household should ask before signing a trade contract.

Open the briefing template →