If you’ve ever spent a Saturday battling streaks on a sunny bay window, you already understand why window cleaning inspires strong opinions. Some homeowners swear by their own method and won’t let a stranger near their panes. Others would rather budget for professional window cleaning services twice a year than wrestle with Window cleaning service ladders and squeegees. The right answer depends on your home, your comfort with heights, your time, and the finish you expect once sunlight hits the glass.
I’ve cleaned windows on everything from post-war bungalows to three-story heritage homes with stubborn leaded panes and storm windows. I’ve also hired crews when schedules were tight or when a property demanded water-fed poles, stain removal, or awkward access. What follows is a grounded look at DIY versus hiring a window cleaning company, with a practical eye to safety, cost, and quality. I’ll pull in local context for homeowners searching for window cleaning London Ontario, along with related services like eavestrough cleaning and vinyl siding cleaning that often travel together.
What “clean” really means on glass
Two windows can look identical when they’re shaded and still show completely different results when the sun swings around. A pane that seems clean at noon may reveal ladder marks, fine silt lines, and subtle arcs from an over-dry squeegee in late afternoon. The difference shows up between the glass and the frame as well. Aluminum tracks often collect dark grit that wicks back onto freshly cleaned glass with the first dew. In high-traffic zones, like a sliding door off a deck, a clear pane can still have a coarse lower edge full of sand that will scratch if you wipe it dry.
Professionals are trained to manage all of that. They pre-rinse stubborn frames, brush out weep holes, and flood the edges so dirty water can escape before the final pass. DIY can absolutely achieve a true clean, it just takes the right sequence and enough patience to work slowly, window by window, without letting the sun dry the soap ahead of you.
The DIY route: what it really involves
Most homeowners who attempt residential window cleaning use a bucket, dish soap, and paper towels. That will lift some dirt, but it tends to leave residue. A better home setup is simple and inexpensive: a 12 to 14 inch squeegee with a sharp rubber, a matching washer, two buckets, a soft-bristle brush for frames, and a microfiber towel for edges. Warm water with a small amount of professional window soap or a drop of dish soap works. Add a few ounces of vinegar for mineral-light areas. In hard-water neighborhoods, that vinegar won’t budge etched spots or old sprinkler stains.
Where DIY gets tricky is reach and repetition. Cleaning a dozen ground-floor windows on a mild day is satisfying work. Cleaning 30 or more windows, including a transom over a staircase or a second-story half-moon, becomes a half-day project or longer, even for someone who moves quickly. Ladders slow the pace and raise the stakes. The higher you go, the less fun it becomes to discover that a streak you missed is now in the center of the pane.
The other DIY challenge is consistency. The first five windows usually look fantastic. By the time you reach the backside of the house, the sun may be drying the soap on the glass and you’re tempted to hurry. That’s when the arcs and faint lines sneak in. If you want to do it yourself, plan around the sun, start on the side that will heat up first, and take breaks when you notice the rubber starting to chatter or drag.
What professionals bring, beyond the bucket
A good window cleaning service shows up with two advantages that matter. First, they carry tools that make a difference: water-fed poles with purified water for spot-free exterior rinses up to three stories, scrapers and bronze wool for construction debris like paint specks, and multiple squeegees with sharp, fresh rubber. Second, they’ve repeated the same motions thousands of times, which reduces streaks and speeds up the job without cutting corners.
The process usually begins with a walkaround to note oxidized frames, compromised seals, or damaged screens. If the home has vinyl siding that has chalked in the sun, professionals will be careful not to drag that residue onto the glass. They’ll often pair the work with eavestrough cleaning if you request it, which keeps runoff from dumping new grime on clean panes during the next storm. On interior glass, pros cut in with clean microfiber around muntins and trim, keeping water off the paint and floors. That small detail is what prevents drips from staining a windowsill or swelling wood.
Another pro advantage is hard-water treatment. In parts of London and the surrounding area, irrigation overspray leaves mineral rings that don’t surrender to soap. A professional can remove mineral deposits with the correct acid-based cleaner or polishing compound, then flush the glass to neutralize the surface. Used incorrectly, these products can haze glass or scar anodized frames. Experience matters.
Risk, ladders, and insurance
The blunt truth is that most DIY window injuries happen on ladders. You look up to admire your work, shift one rung, and the foot slides an inch on an uneven paver. Professional teams use stabilizers, tie-offs where possible, and pick the right ladder angle as a reflex. Many homes in London’s older neighborhoods have grade changes, garden beds, or narrow side yards that complicate access. This is where water-fed poles shine, because they keep feet on the ground while reaching second or third story glass when the architecture allows it.
Ask any window cleaning company about insurance. Reputable window cleaning companies carry liability coverage and worker’s compensation. That protects you if a ladder drops onto a deck rail or a cleaner accidentally scratches a pane while removing construction debris. If you hire the lowest bid that operates without insurance, you absorb those risks. And if you do it yourself, of course, all those risks are yours.
Costs: what you can expect to pay or spend
Pricing varies with the number of panes, access, and whether you want interior, exterior, or both. In a typical suburban home with 20 to 30 window units, exterior-only cleaning by a professional window cleaning service might run 150 to 300 CAD. Interior and exterior together could range from 250 to 500 CAD, higher for large homes, extensive french panes, or third-story access. Screens add time. So do storms and true divided lights.
DIY costs less in cash and more in time. A basic homeowner kit with decent tools costs 80 to 150 CAD. Factor in three to six hours for a full clean on a two-story house if you’re careful. Add more time for first-time cleans where the tracks and frames have built up grit. If you value your time at even 25 CAD per hour, a full day invested starts to look comparable to hiring local window cleaning services at least once or twice a year.
Eavestrough cleaning is often paired with window work. In London Ontario, a one-story bungalow might cost 120 to 180 CAD for eavestrough cleaning services, while a two-story home could range from 180 to 300 CAD. If you schedule eavestrough cleaning London Ontario with window cleaning London on the same visit, many companies bundle for a better total than booking separately.
Quality, detail, and the eye for defects
A perk of hiring pros that doesn’t get mentioned enough is the extra set of trained eyes on your exterior. Cleaners notice failing window seals, rotted sill noses, damaged caulking, and torn screen corners. They’ll see bird impact marks and recommend a gentle clean rather than a hard scrape that could cut the glass. On newer builds with vinyl siding, a professional will also spot oxidation and might suggest a vinyl siding cleaning before glass, because chalky runoff from a pressure wash can streak newly cleaned windows. If you are planning exterior house cleaning, coordinate the order. Soft wash the siding first, rinse thoroughly, then book window cleaning last so you don’t chase residue.
DIY eyes can be just as observant, especially if you know your own home’s quirks. The difference is bandwidth. When you’re balancing a squeegee, a towel, and a bucket on a ladder, you’re less likely to pause and inspect caulking. A trained technician can clean and scan at once.
The case for a hybrid approach
Plenty of homeowners blend the two approaches. They’ll handle interior glass and ground-floor exteriors each month with a quick squeegee routine, then hire professional window cleaning services for a spring or fall deep clean, especially for second-story glass, skylights, and tricky architectural windows. That rhythm keeps the home bright without turning every weekend into a maintenance project.
Another hybrid option is to hire a window cleaning company for the first pass on a new-to-you home. That initial visit removes oxidation drips, builder’s dust, and fine scratches you might not notice. You then maintain with DIY between professional visits. The first clean is the hardest. Once a window has been properly detailed, including the frames and tracks, monthly upkeep goes faster and looks better.
Weather, timing, and realistic expectations
People ask whether it’s better to clean windows in spring or fall. The best time is when pollen, seeds, and leaf litter are not at peak. In London, spring cleans after the heavy pollen phase in late May tend to hold up well, and fall cleans after the leaves drop set you up for winter sun. If you’re listing a home, clean as close to photography as weather allows. Bright glass sells.
Exterior cleaning in direct sun is harder. Soap dries too fast and leaves arcs. Work the shaded side first, then follow the shadow line. On the brightest days, purified water through a water-fed pole can be a lifesaver because it dries spot-free without a squeegee. For interior work, turn off ceiling fans that turn droplets into spatter. Keep pets out of the room unless you want nose prints five minutes after you finish.
Safety specifics DIYers shouldn’t skip
If you choose the DIY route, treat ladders with respect. Set the angle so the base is one quarter of the working height from the wall. On pavers or soil, use a stabilizing mat or feet. Don’t overreach. Move the ladder before your belt buckle crosses the rail. Never climb with a bucket in your hand. Rope it to the top once you’re stable, or use a tool belt with a secure hook for your squeegee and washer. If wind picks up, call it. No pane is worth a slip.
Old glass and older coatings need a careful touch. Never razor a tempered pane unless you know exactly what you’re doing, and even then tread lightly. Micro-scratches from a dirty blade don’t show inside, but outside under a low sun they become a permanent haze. If you hear or feel grit under the rubber, stop and flush the pane, then continue. That habit alone prevents most DIY scratching.
Finding and vetting local window cleaning services
Not all window cleaning companies operate the same way. When you search window cleaning near me or window cleaning London, you’ll find solo operators, small teams, and larger outfits with multiple trucks. Any of those can do excellent work. What matters is whether they match your home’s needs. Ask about their process for hard-water stains, whether they use purified water systems, and how they protect landscaping. If you’re bundling eavestrough cleaning, ask whether they hand-scoop gutters and flush downspouts, or rely solely on blowers. Each method has a place, but flush testing tells you whether your downspouts actually drain.
References matter. A window looks good right after a clean. The real test is whether drip lines appear a day later because the tracks and frames were left dirty. Read reviews with an eye to repeat customers and seasonal maintenance. For window cleaning London Ontario, look for companies that schedule route work in your neighborhood. Local routes often mean faster response and better pricing, because travel time is lower.
Where costs creep and where they don’t
Two things drive cost up on professional jobs: true divided light windows with many small panes, and access that requires specialized equipment. A bank of 20-pane french casements at the back of a garden takes much longer than a modern slider. The price per window unit isn’t meaningful in those cases. Instead, ask for a range based on time on site. Conversely, a straightforward two-story with wide, modern panes and good access cleans quickly. If a quote feels high for a simple layout, ask for detail on what’s included. You might find extras you don’t need every visit, like screen washing or deep track detailing.
On the DIY side, the creeping cost is in time and repeat efforts. If you aren’t satisfied the first pass, you’ll chase imperfections for another hour. That’s why having a sharp squeegee rubber and a rinse bucket matters. The difference between a first pass that finishes clean and a second pass to fix arcs often comes down to tool condition.
Related services that improve your results
Clean windows don’t stay clean if the sources of dirt are still active. Gutters that overflow sling dirty water down the glass every rain. Eavestrough cleaning is the cheap insurance that keeps your panes eavestrough cleaning cleaner longer. Likewise, a mildewed or chalky exterior will drip residue during storms. Vinyl siding cleaning, done with a low-pressure soft wash and the right surfactant, removes biofilm without driving water behind the siding. Book exterior house cleaning before a full window service. The sequence saves double work and avoids residue rinsing onto fresh glass.
For homes near busy roads, the lower panes pick up a fine film from traffic. Scheduling a quick exterior touch-up between main cleans can keep your living areas bright through the season. Many local window cleaning services offer discounted maintenance visits that focus on the worst exposures.
A realistic comparison of DIY vs professional
Here’s a tight comparison that captures the trade-offs clearly.
- DIY benefits: lower cash cost, flexible timing, personal control over details. You can clean on a sunny afternoon and stop any time. DIY drawbacks: safety risk on ladders, longer project times, inconsistent finish in direct sun, limited ability to remove hard-water stains or construction debris. Professional benefits: faster and more consistent finish, safer access to high glass, better tools for stains and frames, bundled services like eavestrough cleaning, and insured workmanship. Professional drawbacks: higher upfront cost, scheduling around the company’s calendar, variability in quality if you choose solely on price.
When DIY makes sense, and when it doesn’t
If your home is single-story with modern windows and easy ground-level access, DIY is a smart choice. Invest in proper tools, set aside a morning twice a year, and you’ll be proud of the results. If your schedule is tight, your home has complex glass, or you’re not comfortable on ladders, the professional route is the better value. That’s especially true if you pair it with eavestrough cleaning London Ontario heading into fall, or if you need spot treatment for sprinkler stains on lower panes.
In rental properties or listings facing photography, hire pros. The speed and consistency are worth it. For heritage homes with delicate glazing putty or leaded sections, lean professional unless you’ve done it before. A heavy hand can pull putty or flex a pane.
Practical tips that raise the bar either way
You can increase the life of any window clean. Trim shrubs that brush against glass. Redirect sprinklers that hit lower panes. Replace or clean your furnace filters seasonally, since interior dust settles on windows. Keep a small spray bottle of distilled water and a microfiber towel near patio doors. A quick weekly pass on the dog’s favorite nose-pressing panel makes a bigger difference than you might expect.
If you hire a window cleaning service, walk the property with them for a minute at the beginning. Point out any old scratches, sticky sashes, or windows that never open. If you notice cloudiness between double panes, that’s a failed seal, not dirt on the surface. Cleaning won’t fix it. Flagging that early saves debate later.
A note on searching and shopping locally
When you type window cleaning near me or window cleaning London into a browser, the top results may be national directories. Dig one layer deeper to find local window cleaning services with a physical presence in your area. Ask about their service radius, especially if you’re on the outskirts. A local route reduces travel time, which can shave dollars off the bill and make it easier to schedule during peak seasons. If you’re bundling vinyl siding cleaning or exterior house cleaning, verify whether one crew handles all tasks or if they subcontract. Coordination matters to avoid tracking debris from one task into another.
Final judgment
Residential window cleaning isn’t an all-or-nothing decision. DIY works well for manageable layouts, homeowners who like hands-on care, and maintenance between deeper cleans. Professional window cleaning services earn their keep on difficult access, time-sensitive situations, and when you want a flawless finish without the ladder risk. In London Ontario, seasonal realities and hard water complicate the picture. That’s where experienced local teams shine, especially when they combine window cleaning with eavestrough cleaning and other exterior work in a single visit.
Choose based on the real constraints in front of you, not the ideal afternoon you picture. If you have the time and a safe setup, a DIY morning can brighten your home. If you don’t, call a reliable window cleaning company, ask informed questions, and enjoy the view.
Clearview Brothers Window Cleaning London, ON (226) 239-5841
Clearview Brothers provides professional window cleaning, eavestrough cleaning, siding cleaning, and screen cleaning services in London, Ontario. Their eco-friendly methods and advanced equipment deliver streak-free windows, clear gutters, and refreshed exteriors that enhance curb appeal and protect your home.