Inside and outside window cleaning: choosing the right visit

Rain marks, dust and everyday outdoor dirt can make the outside glass look dull. An exterior visit deals with that face of the window; it does not remove fingerprints or cooking residue from inside.

Fingerprints, household dust and splashes collect indoors, especially beside seating, sinks and kitchen worktops. Choose internal cleaning when these marks bother you, even if the outside panes were cleaned quite recently by someone else.

When dirt is visible on both faces, booking them together makes the request clearer. List the windows involved and say whether you mean the whole home, one floor or only particular rooms needing attention.

You do not have to describe every window as equally dirty. A kitchen pane beside the hob may need different attention from a bedroom window. Point out the marks that prompted you to enquire.

A request to clean windows can mean different things to different people. Say whether you also want frames and sills cleaned. Tracks, hinges and other moving parts need a separate conversation about the work.

Photograph the front of the home from a sensible position on the ground. Include the window height and any bay or porch beneath it. A close photograph of the glass alone does not show the whole building.

Tell the cleaner whether the rear garden or yard can be entered without going through the home. Mention locked gates and narrow passages. These details affect the visit even when the rear windows themselves look straightforward.

An opening window does not necessarily make its entire outside face reachable from indoors. Share photographs showing the building and let the cleaner explain which panes can be cleaned and how the visit would be arranged.

A kitchen extension or conservatory can sit directly beneath an upstairs window. Show both the roof and the window in a photograph. Do not climb onto a roof to take pictures or demonstrate a possible position.

Say whether the glass is a balcony door, a window beside the balcony or the balcony screen itself. These are different items. Mention furniture and planters that could prevent someone reaching the panes from the balcony.

In a flat, list your own windows separately from communal stairwell glass. Check who can authorise cleaning of the shared windows and arrange entry with them before adding those panes to your private booking.

Move pots, photographs and delicate ornaments away from the sill before the visit. This leaves the surface ready to wipe and may reveal a stain or damaged paint; point out anything you notice before the cleaning starts.

Move light belongings away from the window where practical. Tell the cleaner about a large sofa, desk or bed that will stay in place. Heavy furniture should be discussed beforehand rather than treated as an automatic part of cleaning.

Explain how curtains or blinds can be moved away from the glass. Mention damaged fittings and delicate fabric. Washing or repairing these coverings is a separate job, even when they happen to hang beside the windows being cleaned.

Check that the required window keys are available if opening is part of the planned visit. Tell the cleaner about a window that sticks or cannot open. Nobody should discover a broken catch by forcing it during cleaning.

Plan where pets and children will be while the cleaner works beside an open window or moves between rooms. Discuss this before the visit if it affects entry, opening doors or keeping a particular room undisturbed.

Point out garden furniture, stored items and planters beside the building. Move only what you can comfortably handle yourself, and show what will stay in place so the cleaner can discuss reaching the outside glass.

No. Ask for the faces that need cleaning and name them clearly. Exterior-only cleaning will not remove indoor fingerprints; internal-only cleaning will not remove dirt from the outside face. Both can be discussed together when needed.

Ask whether the cleaner needs indoor entry and how keys or gates will be handled. Internal cleaning normally needs someone to provide entry or another agreed way in. Confirm this when arranging the appointment, not after arrival.

Send ground-level photographs showing the window height and anything below the pane. Ask which high windows can be included and whether any will need a different cleaning plan before confirming the visit and its price.

For glass-specific care, use the manufacturer’s instructions. The Glass and Glazing Federation also explains surface damage and the distinction between cleaning and repair. For a quotation, describe your windows through our window-cleaning service.