How to start a window cleaning business
Safety, equipment, insurance, pricing by the pane and building a round — a plain checklist for starting a window cleaning business, without the income promises.
Who it suits
Window cleaning suits someone comfortable working at height and willing to sell door to door. It needs little equipment to start, and recurring storefront rounds give it a steadier income than one-off jobs — but weather and seasons still decide your week.
1.Residential, storefront or both
Homes are seasonal, often spring and autumn, and paid per visit. Storefronts are cleaned weekly or fortnightly and build a regular round.
High-rise and rope-access work is a different business, with its own training and insurance. Leave it until you are established.
2.Learn to work safely at height
Ladder setup, water-fed poles and fall protection matter more here than in almost any other cleaning trade.
The International Window Cleaning Association publishes safety guidance and training for the industry. Start there before you climb.
3.Register and insure
Choose a structure — sole proprietor or LLC — get an EIN, and check your city and county for a general business licence.
General liability covers broken glass and damaged property. Check that the policy covers ladder work at the heights you plan to reach. Workers’ compensation is required in most states once you hire.
4.Equipment
Squeegees, scrubbers, a bucket and belt, scrapers, towels, and ladders sized for the homes in your area.
A water-fed pole system lets you clean upper floors from the ground. Many cleaners add one once their round can pay for it.
5.Price by the pane
Most cleaners price per pane or per window, with inside, screens, tracks and hard-water removal as extras, and a minimum charge per visit.
Count panes on every quote and keep the count. The second visit should not need a second count.
6.Build your first round
Claim a free Fixerlane listing so people searching for window cleaning nearby can find and book you.
Canvass the streets and shopping strips around your first customers. A tight round means less driving and more panes per day.
The trade in numbers
Window cleaning is classified under janitorial services (NAICS 561720), which has 67,799 businesses with employees. That count covers all janitorial services; there is no window-only figure.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has no separate occupation for window cleaners; it lists washing windows, walls and glass among the duties of janitors and building cleaners.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025
The International Window Cleaning Association was founded in 1989 in Lubbock, Texas.
Source: International Window Cleaning Association, Checked October 2026
Your first customers, free
List your window cleaning business on Fixerlane at no cost. Homeowners searching for window cleaning in your area can find you and send enquiries, and replying is free. When the work picks up, the tools to quote, schedule and invoice are a 7-day free trial away.
Common questions
- Do I need a licence to start a window cleaning business?
- Usually a general business licence from your city or county rather than a trade licence. Check locally, and check what your insurer requires for work at height.
- How much does it cost to start a window cleaning business?
- We do not publish a figure. Basic hand tools cost little; ladders, a water-fed pole system, a vehicle and insurance are where costs vary. Price each one locally.
- How do window cleaners price jobs?
- Per pane or per window, sometimes by the hour for commercial glass, with screens, tracks and hard-water removal priced as extras and a minimum per visit.
- How do I find window cleaning customers?
- A free listing where people already search, canvassing near your existing customers, and storefronts that want a regular round.
- Is window cleaning seasonal?
- Residential work clusters in spring and autumn in most places. Storefront rounds run all year and even out the quiet months.
- How much do window cleaners earn?
- We do not promise earnings, and there is no government wage series for window cleaners on their own. Be wary of first-year income figures without a source.