A window cleaner washes glass, frames, sills and screens at customers' homes, inside and out, using squeegees, ladders and water-fed poles. A typical day is several homes on a route, often with gutter cleaning or a pressure wash added, and a final check with the homeowner before the crew pulls away.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, building services companies · BLS, May 2025
Responsible for cleaning windows, frames, and sills under supervision, ensuring a streak-free finish that enhances the aesthetic appeal of residential properties. Contributes to overall customer satisfaction and safety by adhering to company quality standards and guidelines. Plays a key role in maintaining the professional image of the company through attention to detail and reliability.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Clean windows, frames, and sills in residential properties under the supervision of a Cleaning Supervisor.
Ensure that cleaning solutions and equipment are used safely and according to manufacturer instructions.
Maintain a clean work area and properly store cleaning equipment after use.
Report any damages or issues noticed during cleaning to the supervisor immediately.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Arrive at assigned locations on time and meet the daily schedule.
Greet customers in a respectful and friendly manner while explaining the cleaning process if needed.
Follow safety protocols and use personal protective equipment during every cleaning task.
Communicate with the supervisor regarding work progress and any challenges encountered.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Customer Satisfaction Rating: >4.8 stars per service.
Callback Percentage: <5% due to quality issues.
Task Completion Rate: 95% of assigned tasks completed on schedule.
Safety Compliance: 100% adherence to safety protocols and equipment usage.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
High school diploma or equivalent.
Prior experience in cleaning or maintenance preferred but not mandatory.
Ability to effectively communicate with supervisors and customers.
Basic knowledge of cleaning solutions and equipment handling.
6. Preferred Experience
1-2 years of experience in window cleaning or a related field in the home services industry.
Experience with commercial or residential cleaning techniques and safety procedures.
Previous work in a team-oriented environment in the cleaning or maintenance sector.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to lift and carry cleaning equipment with a capacity of up to 25 lbs.
Must be able to perform repetitive motions, bending, and stretching throughout the day.
Comfortable working in various weather conditions, including hot and humid environments.
Capable of standing, walking, and climbing stairs or ladders during the cleaning process.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Work hours are typically Monday through Friday with occasional weekend assignments.
Daily outdoor work in varying weather conditions.
Minimal travel required within designated service areas.
Occasional on-call duties for urgent cleaning requests may be expected.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Hourly rate ranging from $12.00 - $16.00 per hour based on experience.
Performance-based bonus opportunities available.
Access to health, dental, and vision benefits.
401k plan with company contribution and additional fringe benefits.
10. Company Culture and Overview
We foster a growth-oriented and inclusive culture dedicated to helping our employees succeed and level up in their careers.
Our team is built on a strong foundation of respect, diligence, and commitment to customer satisfaction.
We value open communication, continuous improvement, and a positive work environment that rewards high performance.
11. How to Apply
If you meet the above criteria and want to be part of a growth-oriented company focused on customer satisfaction, please send your resume to [INSERT EMAIL HERE] or apply online at [INSERT WEBSITE LINK HERE].
Need help filling this role? HireBus posts the ad, Iris interviews every applicant by phone before you do, and you decide who to hire. Start hiring now
Where window cleaning differs from other cleaning jobs
Window cleaning is cleaning, but most of it happens outside, up a ladder or at the end of a pole, on a route of homes that book again and again.
Both sides of the glass, one visit
A home job usually covers inside and outside. Outside, it's ladders, poles, wind and the odd wasp nest. Inside, the cleaner works around blinds and curtains, sills lined with plants and photos, and sometimes a dog that wants out. A cleaner who is careful in both places gets asked for by name, and recurring customers are what keep the schedule full.
The pole handles the second story
With a water-fed pole, a cleaner scrubs and rinses upper windows from the ground, with no squeegee and no ladder for much of the outside glass. It's its own skill: frames get scrubbed too, and a rushed rinse leaves marks once the glass dries. Inside glass, screens and tight spots still call for a ladder.
Some glass has a coating
Glass maker Cardinal IG tells cleaners to check for exterior coatings before they start, because some cleaning products can harm them. Its bulletin also says not to use abrasive cleaners and not to clean tinted or coated glass in direct sunlight. A cleaner who asks before reaching for a stronger product avoids damage you'd end up paying for. Source: Cardinal IG: Technical Service Bulletin IG12, Glass cleaning recommendations (January 2026).
Gutters and pressure washing fill the day
A window visit often comes with gutter cleaning, a driveway pressure wash or a house wash. Cleaners who can run a pressure washer and a gutter scoop as well as a squeegee stay busy when window bookings dip, and a crew can finish the whole ticket without sending a second truck.
Residential vs. commercial window cleaners
The squeegee is the same. The buildings, the hours and the way you reach the glass are not.
Topic
Residential
Commercial
Buildings
Homes, inside and out
Storefronts, offices and taller buildings, mostly outside
Getting to high glass
Extension ladders, or a pole from the ground
Poles and lifts, or ropes on high-rise buildings
Hours
Daytime, while homeowners are around
Often early mornings or after closing
Talking with customers
At most stops, before and after the work
Mostly with a manager or front desk, if at all
Work beyond the glass
Screens, tracks, gutters and house washing
Frames, doors and post-construction cleans
How much window cleaners make
The closest BLS group for window cleaners is janitors and cleaners. Janitors and cleaners who work for building and home services companies earned a median of $17.21 an hour ($35,790 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s about the same as the $36,840 median for janitors and cleaners in all industries. About 829,300 of the 2,209,760 janitors and cleaners in that survey work for building services companies.
BLS lists window washers within janitors and cleaners, so these figures mix window cleaners with custodians and other building cleaners. The template's offer is hourly with a bonus on top, and its range sits below this median, so check it against what nearby cleaning and landscaping jobs pay before you post. Its low end is also under the minimum wage in a number of states, so check your state's rate. If you pay a share of each job instead, federal overtime for non-exempt workers is still figured from the average hourly rate that pay works out to.
Building services companies
$35,790$35,790 median Middle half $30,590–$38,520 10th–90th $28,130–$46,250
All industries
$36,840$36,840 median Middle half $32,240–$44,060 10th–90th $28,640–$50,270
$20k$30k$40k$50k$60k
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
Building services companies
$28,130
$30,590
$35,790
$38,520
$46,250
All industries
$28,640
$32,240
$36,840
$44,060
$50,270
BLS doesn’t publish pay for window cleaning companies on their own. These figures cover services to buildings and dwellings, which include them. Post a real range for your market in the ad.
The pay line in the template above is an example from our Role Blueprint. Set yours from these figures and what local companies pay.
Skills to hire for, and what you can teach
Hire for these
A steady, streak-free squeegee stroke, or the drive to learn one
Willing to work from an extension ladder at second-story height after training
Respectful with homeowners, their homes and their pets
Reports damage before touching a window, not after
Reliable about start times all season
Teach these on the job
Scrubbing and rinsing upper glass with the water-fed pole
Removing hard water spots and paint specks without scratching
Minor screen repair
Gutter cleaning and pressure washing
Reading the pure water system's meter and changing filters
Window cleaners work with squeegees, scrubbers and scrapers, extension and step ladders, and water-fed poles that rinse with filtered water. If the job also covers gutters or pressure washing, say so, since some cleaners have only ever worked glass.
Window cleaner interview questions
They have their own page: 6 questions that test this job, what strong and weak answers sound like, and a work exercise to run with your finalists.
These numbers mean more per cleaner over a few weeks than for any single day. Use your own spring averages to set the bar, and adjust when a cleaner moves up to harder homes.
Customer Satisfaction Rating
Pull survey results for every job the cleaner was on. On crew jobs, note which windows or rooms were theirs, so a low score leads to the right person.
Callback Percentage
Return visits for quality divided by the cleaner's finished jobs. Tag each callback with a cause, such as streaks, missed windows or screens, so coaching goes after the real problem.
Task Completion Rate
Windows, screens and add-ons finished as written on the work order, checked at the lead's final walk-through. Note any skipped window and the reason, such as a stuck sash or a locked room.
Safety Compliance
Spot checks by the lead or supervisor on ladder setup, gloves and eye protection, and chemical mixing. Record each check as passed or fixed, and look for patterns monthly.
That's your call, but cleaners do work inside customers' homes. If you use a background check company, federal law (the FCRA) requires a separate written disclosure to the applicant and their signed consent first. If something in the report makes you lean toward a no, send the applicant that report and the standard summary of FCRA rights before you act on it. Check state and city laws as well, since some regulate how that information is used.
How much does a window cleaner make?
Janitors and cleaners who work for building and home services companies earned a median of $17.21 an hour ($35,790 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $30,590 and $38,520 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and overtime.
Do window cleaners work in winter?
Less, in cold climates. Outdoor glass work slows when it's freezing, and water in poles and hoses can freeze too. Some companies fill winter with inside-only jobs, holiday light installs or shorter weeks. Tell candidates honestly what winter hours look like at your company, so the good ones don't leave when the weather turns.
Can a window cleaner work alone?
On some homes, yes. Ground-floor glass and pole work can be a one-person job. Two-story ladder work and big inside jobs go better with two, since a second person can steady a ladder, watch for overhead lines and move furniture. Decide which jobs you'll send solo before you hire, because it changes who you need.
How much ladder work does a window cleaner do?
Some every day. Water-fed poles cover a lot of outside glass from the ground, but inside windows, screens, gutters and tight spots still mean ladders, and the template lists climbing stairs and ladders. Say so in the job post, and have a lead watch each new cleaner's setups before they work at second-story height.
