Most homes do well with their windows cleaned twice a year. A house near dusty hills, a busy road or sprinklers that spray the glass may want it three or four times. Windows under a covered patio can often go once a year, and the inside depends mostly on how you live.
The right number is the one that keeps glass from building up a film you can’t see until the sun hits it at the wrong angle. Here’s how we’d work it out for your house.
What decides how often windows need cleaning?
Four things matter most.
Dust. The Valleys get long dry stretches, and the Santa Ana winds blow grit and pollen onto glass. Homes on hillside streets and next to open ground collect it faster than homes in the middle of a tract.
Water. Sprinklers that spray glass leave mineral spots. If that’s your house, cleaning more often keeps the spots from etching in. Our guide to hard water spots on windows goes into detail.
Trees. Oaks, sycamores and similar trees drop pollen, sap and leaf bits onto glass, especially in spring.
Sun and cover. A south or west window in full sun bakes dirt on. A window under an eave or patio cover stays cleaner.
How often by home type and exposure
This table is a starting point, not a rule.
| Home or window type | Suggested schedule | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Typical tract home, moderate shade | Twice a year | Normal dust and pollen |
| Hillside or open-space edge | Three to four times a year | More dust, wind grit and leaf debris |
| Near a busy street or freeway | Three to four times a year | Road film and exhaust settle on glass |
| Windows hit by sprinklers | Every few months until spray is fixed | Mineral spots build in layers |
| Under oak or other trees | Three to four times a year | Pollen, sap and leaf bits |
| Covered patio or deep eaves | Once or twice a year | Less direct exposure |
| Second-story windows | Match the house, as a bundle | Safer to do with the rest in one visit |
Homes near the coast can see a marine layer film on the glass, which is something to watch if you’re in the western edge of the area. Most of our service area sits inland.
Interior vs exterior: the same schedule?
Usually not. The outside gets weather, dust, pollen and spray, so it sets the schedule. The inside collects fingerprints, pet marks, and the thin film that settles near kitchens and where people smoke or burn candles.
Many homes do the outside twice a year and the inside once or twice. If you have pets that lean on the glass or small kids, the inside may need more. If you only want one side done, that’s fine, just tell us when you ask for an estimate.
What time of year is best?
Timing matters more here than in places with four seasons.
- Late spring. Pollen peaks in spring. A wash after it passes clears the sticky film before summer.
- Early fall. The dry summer leaves a heavy coat of dust. Cleaning in September or October gets glass ready before any rain.
- After a wet spell. Rain on dusty glass can leave blotchy marks. A touch-up for hillside homes helps.
If you only do it once, early fall is a good bet for many homes. If you’re doing it twice, pair it with late spring.
Screens and tracks
Dirty tracks hold dust and grit that blow back onto clean glass, so many people add them to the visit. We can clean screens and tracks if you ask, and we plan for it when you book.
A torn or bent screen is a different job. See screen repair. If your screens are in rough shape, it’s a good time to deal with them on the same day.
How do you know it’s time?
Look at your windows in late afternoon sun. Check for:
- Streaks or a gray haze when the sun hits the glass at an angle.
- White spots or rings near the bottom of the pane.
- Dirt lines in the corners and along the edges.
- Dust or webs on screens and in tracks.
- A view that looks dimmer than it used to.
Any of those means you’re overdue.
What to know before your first visit
A few things make a first cleaning go better.
- Tell us what you want, outside only or both sides, plus screens and tracks.
- Point out any windows with spotting or scratches. We’ll look at them before we start and tell you what we see.
- Clear things away from windows inside if we’re doing the interior.
- Let us know about gates, pets and sprinklers.
- Give us access to water if we need it for the job.
We clean by hand with soft brushes and purified water, and we don’t use high pressure on glass. For details, see our window cleaning page.
Bundle with solar panel cleaning
If you have panels, you already have a reason to call someone. We use purified water for both, so many customers book windows and panels on one visit. Panels in Woodland Hills and Encino catch the same dust as the glass below them. Our solar panel cleaning page explains how we handle the roof side.
For homes with a lot of exterior grime, house washing is also an option. See what house washing and softwashing is.
Homes in Porter Ranch, Santa Clarita and Thousand Oaks often schedule glass and panels together in spring and fall.
Does a clean window stay clean?
Not forever, and it depends on the day. A window that’s clean on Monday can pick up dust by the weekend if the Santa Ana winds blow, and a sprinkler cycle can undo a good wash in minutes. That’s why the schedule is about the long view. You’re trying to keep glass from building up a layer, not keep it spotless every day.
If you’re particular about certain windows, like the ones facing the pool or the front entry, you can have those done more often and the rest on the usual schedule. Tell us when you ask for an estimate and we’ll plan around it.
A simple seasonal plan
- Late spring: outside glass, screens and tracks, once the pollen has passed.
- Early fall: outside glass again, plus the inside if it’s due.
- After a wet winter or a dusty windstorm: a touch-up for hillside or tree-covered homes.
Adjust it to match what you see. If the glass looks clear in June and still looks fine in October, you may be fine with less.
Should you do it yourself?
Ground-floor windows are a fair DIY job if you have the time. Use a soft cloth, work in shade, and dry the glass right away. Upper floors, tall stairwell glass and anything you can’t reach from the ground are better left to a crew with the right gear. Hard water spotting is also easier to prevent than to fix, so if you see it starting, have it looked at early.
Get on a schedule
Tell us about your house and we’ll suggest a schedule that fits. Estimates are free. Call (818) 913-1626 or check the cities we cover, including Calabasas and Simi Valley.