Window cleaning

Most residential window cleaning today uses a water-fed pole system with purified water, allowing upper floors to be cleaned safely from the ground without ladders.

Customers are typically billed on a recurring four, six or eight-weekly cycle, which is what makes window cleaning one of the more genuinely recurring local services available.

A round is built street by street, since a tight, walkable or short-drive round of thirty to sixty regular customers is far more profitable than the same number spread across a wide area.

Lowest-cost way to test demand: Start with a portable water-fed pole kit costing under £300 and a handful of streets close to home, taking on ten to fifteen customers before considering a van-mounted system.

Twenty houses on a four-weekly cycle at £15 each brings around £300 per full round, and a round of eighty to a hundred properties spread across four weekly working days brings roughly £1,200–£1,800 a month.

Because cleans repeat on a fixed cycle, a mature round becomes quite predictable, unlike many one-off local services.

Weather causes short delays rather than lost income, since missed days are usually rescheduled within the same cycle rather than lost entirely.

What changes your earnings most

• How tightly clustered your round is, since travel between houses is the main cost
• Whether you run a portable kit or invest in a van-mounted system as the round grows
• Add-on services such as gutter clearing and conservatory roofs
• How consistently customers stick to the cycle rather than cancelling ad hoc

With a basic kit and some direct doorstep or leaflet marketing, a first paid clean can happen within a week or two.

Before starting you need insurance and a clear, safe method, particularly if any traditional ladder work is involved.

Building an initial round of returning customers typically takes six to twelve weeks, since the value of the recurring cycle only becomes clear after the second or third visit.

It takes longer to reach full-time income than to get a first booking, since round-building is a steady accumulation process.

• Doorstep and leaflet drops on target streets

  Still the most effective way to start a tight local round; offer a discounted first clean to get on the books.

• Local Facebook groups and Nextdoor

  Good for filling gaps in a round and reaching customers who missed a leaflet.

• Google Business Profile

  Captures 'window cleaner near me' searches, especially valuable for small shop and office enquiries.

• Referrals from existing customers

  Ask happy customers if a neighbour would also like to be added to the round on the same day.

Objections you will hear, and how to answer them

• "How often do you come?" — be upfront about your standard cycle and offer flexibility for a small premium.
• "Will you damage my windows or frames?" — explain your method and show insurance if asked.
• "Can you just do it once?" — accept one-off jobs but price them higher than recurring customers to reflect the lack of ongoing value.

Why customers might not buy: Most homes want their windows cleaned regularly and understand the service instantly, so the main task is becoming visible on a street rather than persuading anyone of the value.

• Register as self-employed with HMRC once income exceeds the trading allowance.
• Public liability insurance is strongly advisable, particularly working near customers' property and vehicles.
• If using ladders rather than a water-fed pole system, follow HSE guidance on working at height, since falls from height are a leading cause of workplace injury.
• Tell your motor insurer you are using the vehicle for business, especially if carrying a water tank.
• Take care with waste water discharge if working near surface-water drains, particularly when using cleaning additives.

This is general guidance rather than legal, tax or insurance advice. Requirements may vary, so check current official guidance or speak to a suitable professional.

A week of low-cost steps to test whether real customers want this before you spend serious money.

1. Day 1: Choose your method and target area

   • Decide between water-fed pole and traditional methods for now.
   • Pick two or three streets close to home to target first.

   Outcome: A defined starting round area.

2. Day 2: Research local pricing

   • Note prices charged by existing window cleaners nearby.
   • Set your own per-property rate.

   Outcome: A local pricing benchmark.

3. Day 3: Buy kit and insurance

   • Purchase a basic water-fed pole kit or traditional equipment.
   • Get a public liability insurance quote and buy cover.

   Outcome: Ready to safely start work.

4. Day 4: Leaflet the target streets

   • Print simple leaflets with your service, cycle and price.
   • Deliver to fifty to a hundred houses in your target area.

   Outcome: Local awareness created.

5. Day 5: Follow up and set up online presence

   • Knock on a few doors to follow up on leaflets.
   • Create a Google Business Profile.

   Outcome: First enquiries and online visibility.

6. Day 6: Complete first cleans

   • Carry out your first booked cleans.
   • Note down each customer's cycle preference and any access notes.

   Outcome: First paid jobs and a starter customer list.

7. Day 7: Plan the recurring schedule

   • Map confirmed customers onto a four or eight-weekly cycle.
   • Identify nearby gaps still worth leafleting.

   Outcome: The beginnings of a structured round.

• Cleaning method chosen and kit purchased
• Public liability insurance in place
• Local pricing researched and rate set
• Target streets leafleted
• Google Business Profile live
• First cleans completed and customer cycle notes recorded
• Working at height precautions understood if using ladders

Consider this if

Fit, outdoor-minded people wanting to build a genuinely recurring local income round over time.

Avoid this if

Anyone uncomfortable with heights if planning to use ladders, or wanting fast income without round-building.

Biggest opportunity

Building a tight, walkable round where travel time between houses is minimal.

Biggest risk

Investing in a van-mounted system before proving the local round can support the ongoing cost.

First milestone to aim for

Reach twenty regular customers on a repeating cycle before considering a van-mounted upgrade.

Is window cleaning a good side hustle in the UK?

It can be, for the right person. It is worth considering for fit, outdoor-minded people wanting to build a genuinely recurring local income round over time, and a poor fit for anyone uncomfortable with heights if planning to use ladders, or wanting fast income without round-building. The biggest opportunity is building a tight, walkable round where travel time between houses is minimal, while the biggest risk is investing in a van-mounted system before proving the local round can support the ongoing cost.

How much does it cost to start window cleaning in the UK?

Budget £150–£2,500 as an indicative range. The main essentials are basic water-fed pole kit with portable tank (£150–£500), traditional squeegee, scrim and applicator as backup (£30–£60), public liability insurance (£80–£200 a year). Start with a portable water-fed pole kit costing under £300 and a handful of streets close to home, taking on ten to fifteen customers before considering a van-mounted system.

How much could a beginner realistically earn from window cleaning?

An indicative initial range is £400–£2,200 a month, with the top of that range reached only with a steady flow of paid work and repeat customers. Twenty houses on a four-weekly cycle at £15 each brings around £300 per full round, and a round of eighty to a hundred properties spread across four weekly working days brings roughly £1,200–£1,800 a month. These are estimates rather than guarantees and depend on how tightly clustered your round is, since travel between houses is the main cost, whether you run a portable kit or invest in a van-mounted system as the round grows, add-on services such as gutter clearing and conservatory roofs.

How long does it take to get the first paying customer?

Typically 1–4 weeks. With a basic kit and some direct doorstep or leaflet marketing, a first paid clean can happen within a week or two.

What should you charge for window cleaning?

Common pricing in the UK: terraced or semi-detached house at £12–£20 per visit; detached house at £18–£30 per visit; small shop or office frontage at £15–£35 per visit. Check what comparable UK providers actually charge before setting your own prices — rates vary considerably by area and experience.

How do you find customers for window cleaning?

Doorstep and leaflet drops on target streets: still the most effective way to start a tight local round; offer a discounted first clean to get on the books. Local Facebook groups and Nextdoor: good for filling gaps in a round and reaching customers who missed a leaflet. Google Business Profile: captures 'window cleaner near me' searches, especially valuable for small shop and office enquiries.

What do you need to check legally before starting?

Register as self-employed with HMRC once income exceeds the trading allowance. Public liability insurance is strongly advisable, particularly working near customers' property and vehicles. If using ladders rather than a water-fed pole system, follow HSE guidance on working at height, since falls from height are a leading cause of workplace injury. This is general guidance rather than legal or tax advice — check the current official guidance linked at the end of this guide before you start trading.

Pricing unit used

Figures assume pricing terraced or semi-detached house at £12–£20 per visit.

Weekly capacity assumed

Income ranges assume 8–25 hours a week of actual working time, not including travel, admin or quoting.

Startup cost basis

The £150–£2,500 range covers the essential items listed above at typical UK retail prices. The lower end assumes you already own some equipment or buy second-hand; the upper end assumes buying everything new.

Direct costs deducted

Income figures are shown before tax and before ongoing costs such as water and filter replacement (£10–£40 a month), fuel (£40–£150 a month), insurance (spread annually). Treat them as gross of tax and net of nothing.

Time to first paying customer

The 1–4 weeks estimate assumes you actively approach potential customers from day one rather than waiting to be found.

Status of these figures

All figures on this page are indicative working assumptions built from publicly available UK pricing and typical operating patterns. They are estimates rather than forecasts, and your own results will differ by location, pricing, demand and how much time you put in.

The full method behind these costs, income ranges and match scores is set out on the methodology page.

• Pressure washing

  £400–£2,500 to start

• Garden maintenance

  £200–£1,500 to start

• Handyman services

  £300–£2,500 to start

• Compare window cleaning with pressure washing

  Pressure washing costs £400–£2,500 to start against £150–£2,500 here, and is local, outdoors. Which suits you better depends on your budget, time and how you prefer to work.

• Compare window cleaning with garden maintenance

  Garden maintenance costs £200–£1,500 to start against £150–£2,500 here, and is local, at the customer's property, mostly outdoors. Which suits you better depends on your budget, time and how you prefer to work.

• Compare window cleaning with handyman services

  Handyman services costs £300–£2,500 to start against £150–£2,500 here, and is local, at the customer's property. Which suits you better depends on your budget, time and how you prefer to work.