How to Prepare for a Window Cleaning Appointment

What should I do before window cleaners come?

Here’s the whole list. None of it takes long.

• Unlock the side gates. We can’t clean windows we can’t reach. Leave gates unlocked for the day, or call or text us the code ahead of time.
• Plan for pets. Bring dogs inside or keep them secured while we’re working in the yard.
• Pause the sprinklers. Skip that day’s watering for any zone that hits the house.
• Clear the inside sills. Only for an inside cleaning: move small and breakable things off the sills and raise the blinds.
• Tell us about anything unusual. Windows that stick, a torn screen, white spots on the glass, a room that’s off limits.

Should I take the screens out before the window cleaner comes?

No, leave them in. On every outside cleaning we take the screens off, clean the glass, frames and sills, and put the screens back where they came from.

Washing the screens themselves is an add-on. If you want it, ask for screen cleaning and we run them through our XERO screen cleaning machine before they go back in. Worth it here: spring pollen, cottonwood fluff and summer dust pack into Treasure Valley screens fast, and a dirty screen puts that dust right back on clean glass.

Know a screen is torn or bent? Mention it. We look over the screens and tell you what we find, but we don’t repair screens.

Do I need to move furniture or leave the water on?

No and no. Patio chairs, grills and planters can stay where they are, and so can the furniture inside. We bring our own water, ladders and tools. Tall and second-story windows don’t need anything from you either.

How do I get the outside of my house ready?

• Gates and codes. A locked gate means a side of the house we can’t get to. If you won’t be home, unlock it or send us the code before cleaning day.
• Dogs in the yard. We go in and out of the gates as we work. Bringing dogs inside for the visit keeps them from slipping out and keeps everyone relaxed.
• Snow in winter. A shoveled path along the house helps. We clean year-round, and if it’s too cold, we move your cleaning to a warmer day.

Should I turn off my sprinklers before window cleaning?

Yes, for any zone that reaches the house. Most Treasure Valley water is hard: it carries calcium and other minerals, and when it dries on glass it leaves white spots. Freshly cleaned glass that gets hit by the sprinklers that evening spots just like it did before. Skip that day’s cycle on those zones and turn them back on the next day.

While you’re out there, turn or lower any heads that spray the windows so the water stops short of the house. That keeps spots off the glass long after we leave.

Already have white spots? Tell us which windows when you book. Light spots get worked on during every cleaning. For heavier staining, our tech can take a look on site and give you a price before doing any extra work, and Monthly and Quarterly members get hard water removal on up to 5 panes every visit at no extra charge. More here: how to get hard water spots off your windows.

How do I get my home ready for an inside cleaning?

For an interior window cleaning, someone needs to be home to let us in. (Outside only? Here’s whether you need to be home.) Before we arrive:

• Clear the sills. Move plants, photos and anything breakable off the sills and away from the glass. Big furniture can stay where it is.
• Raise the blinds. Pull blinds all the way up and tie curtains back so the whole pane is easy to reach.
• Flag the tricky windows. Point out windows that stick, locks that don’t work, and any rooms that are off limits.
• Keep pets in another room. Ladders come inside for tall windows over stairs and in great rooms, so a closed door keeps curious pets and ladders apart.

We use protective coverings as needed and work carefully, so your home is left as clean as we found it, just with clearer windows.

“Amazing communication, promptness and service! I appreciate the care and respect toward our home and the superior job done on my windows! What a treat!”

What should I tell the window cleaner ahead of time?

A quick call or text before the day saves time on the day:

• Inside, outside or both. So we plan the right amount of time for your home.
• Add-ons. Screen cleaning and track detailing are extras. If your sliders feel gritty or your windows drag when you open them, ask about tracks.
• Problem windows. Hard water spots, a cracked pane, or fog between the panes of glass. We note damage that’s already there, but we don’t fix windows or screens.

One easy DIY step: the week before, walk the house and open and close the windows you want cleaned inside. Note any that stick or won’t lock, and pass that list along.

When should I start getting ready?

Your reminder texts set the timeline. You get one two weeks before your cleaning and another two days before, and every visit has a two-hour arrival window.

• At the two-week text: ask about adding inside windows, screens or tracks, and send any gate code.
• At the two-day text: check the sprinkler timer, and plan to clear the inside sills if we’re cleaning inside.
• That morning: unlock the gate, bring the dogs in, raise the blinds. Done.

If you’re home when we finish, we’ll ask you to take a look around before we leave. If anything isn’t right, tell us within 48 hours and we’ll make it right.

Ready to book?

Every outside cleaning includes the glass, frames and sills, and every screen comes off and goes back on. Everything is cleaned by hand, never pressure washed. We’re insured, every tech is background-checked, and every cleaning is backed by our 100% satisfaction guarantee. We clean homes all over the Treasure Valley, including Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Nampa and Caldwell.

Get a free quote, or call or text (208) 484-5207, Monday through Saturday, 8am to 7pm. Tell us what you want cleaned, and we’ll take it from there.

Keep reading

• Do I Need to Be Home for Window Cleaning?
• Do Window Cleaners Clean Inside Windows?
• How to Get Hard Water Spots Off Your Windows
• How Long Does Window Cleaning Take?