The Best Window Cleaning Tools in 2021 [Video]

Having the right window cleaning supplies will not only make your life easier— it’s the key to your success and profitability.

When you run a window cleaning business, efficiency equals profits.

The best window cleaning tools will let you work faster and with fewer mistakes, so you can get paid and move on to the next happy customer.

The good news is, you don’t have to invest in a truck-load of fancy equipment.

A traditional window cleaning kit consists of several tools you can easily pick up at your local hardware store. If you’re ready to take on bigger residential and commercial jobs, we’ll show you a few specialty tools, too.

We talked to Stephen Richardson, aka SteveO the Window Cleaner, a professional window cleaner and business owner who regularly reviews window cleaning products on YouTube.

Check out his favourite window cleaning tools and product recommendations in the video below. Then, read on to learn how each one will help you get the job done right, and get the job done safely.

Equipment needed for Window Cleaning Businesses:

1. Squeegee handles, channels, and rubbers
2. Extension poles
3. T-Bars and sleeves
4. Scrapers
5. Cleaning solution and buckets
6. Towels
7. Belts and holsters
8. Ladders
9. Estimating and billing software
10. Water purification systems
11. Screen cleaning tools

With these tools, you’ll be able to run an efficient, profitable window cleaning business, from the moment you create an estimate and complete the job, all the way to getting paid.

1. Squeegees

Squeegees give windows a perfect, streak-free dry, and chances are you’ll use several as part of your everyday window cleaning toolkit. With the wide selection available, what should you look for?

A squeegee consists of three parts: the handle, the channel, and the rubber. Some traditional window cleaners prefer the weight of a brass handle, which helps to maintain blade pressure on the window. Newer squeegees are made with light-weight aluminum and plastic, and have quick-change features, so you can work more quickly with less strain on your wrists. Since you’ll use more than one squeegee, you can try one of each and see what feels best for you.

Stephen’s pick for beginners and pros is the Unger ErgoTec Ninja channel and handle, starting at $38. It’s comfortable, doesn’t bend, and comes with an easy-to-replace rounded rubber. “It gives the best results, but is easy to use,” he says. “Overall, a great channel for a newbie.”

2. Extension Poles

Window cleaning poles are a must for cleaning tall, hard to reach windows without ladders or lifts. Most are made with ultra-lightweight carbon fiber or aluminum. Look for ones with ergonomic grips, easy locking mechanisms, and replaceable tips.

Stephen’s pick is the 12 ft Unger Optilock Pole ($74) which he says is the “best bang for your buck to get into small spaces.”

3. T-Bars and Sleeves

The T-bar or window cleaning wand delivers your cleaning solution to the window surface. It consists of the wand itself and the sleeve or mop.

Different sleeves to different jobs. The most common are microfiber sleeves, which hold a ton of water and usually feature scrub pads on the ends for tough spots. You can also find bronze wool attachments for getting tougher grime off— just don’t use these on tinted glass! Common sizes range from 24” for storefronts down to 6”, which are most useful for french window panes.

Stephen’s picks for professional window cleaners include the telescoping Sorbo Swivel T-Bar, (starting at $13.25) and the Moerman Microfiber Sleeve or Ettore Pro+ Microfiber Sleeve (starting at $13.84) “It will maintain the most water of any sleeve I’ve tried,” he says. “Trust me on this. I’ve been using this for over a year and a half and it’s still great.”

4. Scrapers

For really caked on grime, keep a scraper handy. Stephen likes the 6” Unger Ergotec Ninja Scraper (starting at $49.69). It includes a holster so you can attach it to your belt and whip it out when needed.

5. Solution and Buckets

When it comes to solution, keep it simple. A dish soap, such as Dawn or Palmolive, mixed with water is extremely cost-efficient and will give you a professional clean. In terms of buckets, you can grab a few inexpensive ones from any hardware store. Get at least one rectangular bucket that is large enough for your widest T-bar.

6. Towels

Towels are another window cleaning supply that allow you to be extremely cost-efficient. Both microfiber cloths and surgical towels are cheap and great for detailing without leaving lint or streaks behind.

Stephen also recommends having a few common bath towels in your truck, which can be used in a pinch as drop blankets and for cleaning up the client’s home before you leave.

7. Tool Belt

A good belt allows you to carry your most-used tools with you wherever you go. Once again, there’s no need to get fancy.

Stephen uses a carpenter belt from his local hardware store, which he says is comfortable, has good padding, and the price is great. Pick up a squeegee holster, or bucket-on-a-belt, to keep your most-used tools close at hand.

8. Ladders

While extension poles will help keep your feet on the ground for most jobs, there are times you’ll need a ladder to get a good scrub on a tall window. This is no place to scrimp. A good ladder can literally save your life.

Cover your bases with a 20-foot Werner extension ladder and a standard 3-foot step ladder.

9. Window Cleaning Estimating and Billing Software

In order to run an efficient and profitable window cleaning business, you’ll also need tools to create bids, send invoices, and get paid. That’s where field service management comes in.

Field service management software allows you to manage schedules, client info, bids, invoices, and billing, all from your desktop or smartphone. While you could write estimates out on business cards and send invoices by hand, these practices are messy, prone to mistakes, and can make you look unprofessional in your customer’s eyes.

Stephen uses Jobber for his business, 20/20 Window Cleaning . “Under every single client we have inside Jobber, we can see every quote we’ve ever written, every job we’ve done, and all of their info,” he says. “I’ve done bids for a long time, and this has made it a lot easier and more professional for us.”

See exactly how Stephen creates professional window cleaning bids below:

Using Jobber, Stephen can:

• Schedule visits and jobs for him and his crew
• Get turn-by-turn GPS directions to the next visit
• Create professional bids and send them via email or sms
• Convert the bid to a job and access all client info right from his phone
• Send a professional invoice when the job is complete, and collect payment online

The entire way of making the bid through Jobber is the best. Being able to send in that email, have the client approve it, and all I have to do is text or email and say ‘I saw you approved the bid, here’s a few dates and times’. I love it. It’s one of the greatest things I’ve done in a long time.

10. Water Purification Systems

The tools above represent everything you need to run a professional, traditional window cleaning company. If you’re ready to move onto bigger jobs, you’ll definitely want to look into a water fed pole and water purification system.

These systems use extension poles with a brush head that dispenses 100% purified water. Because the water is completely clear of chlorine, minerals, and bigger particulates, it dries perfectly clear, no squeegee required. The benefits of using a water fed pole system include no ladders, extended reach, and perfectly clean windows with less effort. Water fed poles are also easy to learn, even for beginners.

“Once you have one, you’ll have the answer to anything and everything. There’s no job you can’t do,” says Stephen.

That being said, our window cleaning expert warns against buying one right away as part of your window cleaning starter kit. “You need to be established before buying one. Learn the traditional tools first.” Depending on your needs, a water purification system can cost you up to $3,000. You’ll also need to purchase brushes, replacement resin, and filters.

If you are ready to invest, there are two types of water purification systems to choose from. Stephen helped us break them down:

1. DI Systems: DI systems deionize water using resin in a tank. The resin includes positive and negative charges that eliminate all minerals and TDS (total dissolved solids), leaving you with 100% pure water.
2. RO/DI Systems: This 3-step water purification system is required if you work in an area with extremely hard water (TDS readings over 200). It works by combining a reverse-osmosis water filter, a carbon filter, and a DI tank to remove all water impurities.

“Water fed poles are the future of window cleaning,” Stephen told us. “They’ve been around for the past 10 years, but in the past 5 they’ve really exploded and they’ve made our jobs so much easier.”

11. Window Screen Cleaning Tools

Another upgrade option for your traditional window cleaning supplies kit is a screen cleaning kit. Here are 3 ways to clean window screens:

1. Microfiber sleeve and solution: To keep things simple, remove and clean screens using your regular microfiber sleeve, cleaning solution, and a bucket.
2. Pressure washer: Use a gentle pressure washer to loosen grit and dust. Just make sure the pressure washer is gentle enough to be safe for screens.
3. Professional screen cleaning tool: A screen cleaning machine pushes water through bristles so you can get perfectly clean screens with less effort. While this tool isn’t necessary, if you have lots of screens to clean in a short amount of time, it may be worth the money.

The #1 Window Cleaning Tool to Grow your Business

Stephen’s tested out dozens, if not hundreds, of high-tech window cleaning supplies, tools, and gadgets. After all that, he’s got one last piece of advice:

“We put so much emphasis on tools and techniques, but the truth of it all is that those things don’t matter,” he says.

Ultimately, you are the most important tool in your toolbox. How you present yourself, how you speak with clients, and how you make them feel is what decides if they will give you the job and want you to return to their home or business.

“The most important thing is knowing your self-worth. You’re getting the jobs, not your tools.”

Want to level-up your window cleaning business?

Get more Window Cleaning Contracts with Jobber.

Learn this simple 4-step sales process your whole team can follow.

Originally published July 2019. Last updated February 2021.

5 Tips For Cleaning High Windows

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It’s time to clean those areas that maybe only need it once a year to ensure both you and your house are ready for some balmy weather. One of those areas is high windows. Windows are one of the top five areas that make people happy when they’re cleaned. They’re number five on the list, behind floors, toilets, countertops and showers. They’re also something that 72% of us want to include in our spring cleaning plans

It’s particularly important to clean high windows but it’s possible to overlook them. Cleaning them is a major event, as you have to gather equipment, work on a ladder and even choose the right weather. Here is a step-by-step guide to having windows that sparkle and shine.

1. Schedule A Day

Believe it or not, you shouldn’t just wake up one morning and say, “Windows, here I come!” Cleaning your windows must be a planned process. You don’t want to go through the time and effort of cleaning your high windows only to have them streak. Streaking will happen if you wash the windows on a sunny or hot day.

The cleaner will dry very quickly on your glass if the sun is warming your windows, quicker than you can wipe it off, which creates streaks. Since the streaks are made by the cleaner, you won’t be able to remove them by more rubbing.

Ditto for trying to clean on a hot day. The heat will dry the cleaner on the glass before you can remove it. Streaks will mar your windows yet again. Your goal is sparkling, clean windows, not partly clean and partly streaked.

Aim for a day when the temperature isn’t projected to go over 70 degrees. That’s the optimum temperature to clean windows. And, of course, aim for a day when it isn’t raining.

2. Choose Your Method of Getting to the Exterior

If you need to clean tall windows, you’ll need a safe method for accessing the exterior. There are two ways to accomplish this: a squeegee with a long handle or a ladder. These can, of course, also be combined. Your windows may require a ladder and a long-handled squeegee.

Never try to clean your windows by standing in the interior and hanging out of the exterior windows if more than your arm has to be extended. If you need to stretch from the waist or below, it’s potentially dangerous. The last thing you want is to tumble out of windows on your way to a clean exterior.

It’s also important to not put weight on portions of the roof that can be unsteady or susceptible to damage. If you lean on a gutter, it may give way under your weight. And if you followed one of the recent exterior home design trends and installed copper gutters, that can be a costly mistake in terms of home value.

If you need a ladder, either an extension ladder or a stepladder will work. A test the to be sure the ladder is at a safe angle by standing with your toes touching the feet of the ladder, then stretch your arms out. If your fingertips can touch the rungs of the ladder, the angle is correct. If not, move the ladder until you can touch the rungs.

Also, follow the belt buckle rule. Whether you’re actually wearing a buckle or not, keep that area of your body within the ladder’s boundaries at all times. If you have to stretch so far that it isn’t, don’t. Doing so could cause you to lose your balance and fall. That’s a sign that the ladder needs to be moved.

3. Prepare the Windows

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Remember that your interior and exterior windows likely have not been cleaned in a long time, so they have plenty of dirt to clean. The outside may have additional leaves, insects and cobwebs to clean off. Just like you do when you paint, put in some prep time first.

A small hand-held portable vacuum cleaner can do a world of good in removing leaves, insects, cobwebs and any grime. Soft-bristled brushes like the ones used to clean kitchen counters will work too, but you’ll still need a miniature broom for the leaves and insects.

4. Get Your Supplies Together

You’ll need specific supplies to clean windows. Gather them together before you begin.

• Mild liquid dishwashing detergent or white vinegar
• Two buckets
• Squeegees, with or without extension poles
• Large sponges
• Rubber gloves
• All-purpose cleaner, without ammonia
• Towels
• Lint-free cloths like chamois, cloth diapers, old t-shirts or other soft clothing

If you use old clothing, be sure to choose clothes that haven’t been treated with fabric softener. Softener residue can streak your windows. Also, never use paper towels to clean windows. They leave lint behind.

5. Wash the Windows

For exterior windows, mix half white vinegar and half water as the cleaning solution in a large bucket. Water and dishwashing liquid will work equally well. Use just a few drops of dishwashing liquid. Any more than a few drops and the water will be too soapy. Fill a second bucket with just water for rinsing the sponge and squeegee.

Put a sponge in the cleaning solution and wash the windows with it. Wet a squeegee as a dry squeegee blade won’t have traction. Use only water, though, and not the cleaning solution.

Move the squeegee vertically down the window with a straight stroke, beginning at the right upper corner. Go back for the next stroke and do it the same way. Overlap the prior stroke just a bit. After you complete a stroke, use a second sponge or one of the cloths to wipe the squeegee’s rubber edge. When you’re done moving across the entire window, pull across the window’s bottom horizontally with the squeegee.

For cleaning inside windows, use a towel to catch any drips. Take a sponge or cloth to dry the sill if it gets wet. For interior windows, use a wet cloth and a non-ammonia cleaner to wipe the frames.

Remove the cleaner with a rise. Use a clean wet cloth. Dry the frames immediately. Water can harm wood. Clean the sponge and squeegee in the second bucket.

Conclusion

There you have it! Your windows will be clean and sparkling, and your house will look much and feel much brighter. You’ll also have the satisfaction of knowing another year’s worth of spring cleaning on those upper windows is finished.