How to start a window cleaning business
Season: Year-round · Typical startup: $150 to $400
Window cleaning has one of the lowest startups of any trade and leads to steady recurring routes: storefronts want their glass cleaned every month, and homeowners book spring and fall. A squeegee, a pole and a bucket get you started. Here is the gear, pricing, and how to build a route.
$150 to $400To get started
$120Typical small home
Year-roundSeason
The gear and what it costs
Professional squeegee + washer setA real channel squeegee is night-and-day faster than a spray bottle.
$80
Extension pole + water-fed brushReaches second-story and storefront glass from the ground.
$200
Bucket, soap, scrubber and towelsThe rest of a complete starter kit.
$60
What established pros charge
| Whole-house window cleaning, average · HomeAdvisor | $220 |
| Per window, average · HomeAdvisor | $10 |
National figures from published cost guides, checked November 8, 2026. Local prices vary.
Starting rates for a new business
| Storefront (monthly) | $30 |
| Small home | $120 |
| Large home (in & out) | $250 |
| Screen cleaning add-on | $2/screen |
Our suggested starting point for a new business. Monthly storefront routes pay the bills; homes are the higher-profit jobs. Compare with the pro figures above, and raise your rates once you have reviews and a full week.
How to find your first customers
- Walk a commercial strip and offer a monthly storefront route at a flat rate; a tight route is very profitable.
- Offer homeowners a spring-and-fall inside-and-out package.
- Post sparkling before-and-after storefront photos tagging the local business.
- Ask every storefront customer to refer the shop next door.
Rules to check before you start
- Clean upper windows from the ground with a pole. A water-fed pole keeps you off the ladder entirely.
- Storefront owners may ask for proof of insurance before they give you a monthly route.
- Some cities and counties require a business license, even for a small service business. Check your city or county website before you take payment.
- Once you make $400 or more in profit in a year, you owe self-employment tax and need to file a return (IRS). Keep every receipt for gas and gear.
- Card payouts need a Stripe account. Stripe requires the account holder to be 18 or older for this kind of account, so a parent or guardian sets it up if you are under 18 (Stripe). Cash works from day one. Venmo, Zelle and Cash App need your own account, and under-18s need a parent to set one up.
Stay busy all year
Add pressure washing and gutter cleaning; the same customers and the same ladder.
Build your window cleaning plan free
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Questions
Is window cleaning a profitable business?
Yes, because of recurring storefront routes: ten shops at $30 a month each, cleaned in a single morning, is steady money on top of higher-priced home jobs.
How much should I charge for window cleaning?
$30 a visit for a storefront on a monthly route, $120 for a small home, and $250 for a large home inside and out are typical starting rates.
What equipment do I need?
A channel squeegee, a washer, an extension pole, a bucket and towels. A water-fed pole lets you reach upper windows from the ground safely.
Can a teenager start a window cleaning business?
Yes. Ground-floor and pole work is a safe, cheap start. Leave anything that needs a tall ladder or a roof until you are older and insured. On Launchpad, 13 to 17 year olds sign up with a parent or guardian's agreement.
Sources
Checked November 8, 2026.
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