Most Perth homes should have their windows professionally cleaned at least once a year. Every six months keeps on top of it, and every three months suits coastal homes and anyone who wants spotless glass year-round. The right cycle for you depends on how close you are to the ocean, what’s around the house, and how much the view matters to you.
That’s the short answer we give on the phone most days, and it’s the question we hear most about residential window cleaning. The rest of this post explains how to work out which group your home falls into, so you’re not paying for cleans you don’t need or living with cloudy glass between them.
Once a year: the minimum for most homes
A yearly clean is where most of our clients sit, and it’s the minimum we recommend. Glass left longer than that starts to hold dirt in a way a quick wash won’t shift. Dust bakes on over summer, cobwebs set into frame corners, and tracks fill with sand until sliding doors drag.
A yearly clean suits homes a few kilometres back from the coast, without pool fencing or big view windows, where the glass mostly needs a reset rather than constant upkeep. Booking the same month each year makes it easy to remember.
Every six months: keeping on top of it
Twice a year is the cycle that keeps glass looking clean rather than just getting it clean. It suits:
- Riverside homes. Dalkeith, Nedlands, Applecross and Mosman Park, where river haze settles on the glass.
- Family homes with pets. Dogs leave nose marks on low glass and screens faster than you’d expect. We see a lot of “nose art” on sliding doors.
- Homes with plenty of trees. Pollen and sap land on the glass, and leaf litter collects in tracks.
- Two-storey homes. The upstairs windows are hard to reach yourself, so they only get done when we come.
A common pattern is one full clean in spring, when the house opens up after winter, and a lighter glass-only clean in autumn.
Every three months: coastal homes and spotless glass
On the coast, salt is the deciding factor. In Cottesloe, Swanbourne, North Fremantle, Coogee and North Coogee, the afternoon sea breeze carries a fine salt mist that dries onto seaward windows as a grey film. On some streets it comes back within weeks of a clean.
Quarterly cleans suit:
- Beachfront and ocean-view homes. The view is the reason you bought there.
- Glass balustrades and pool fences. They catch salt and splash marks on both sides.
- Homes that host or entertain. Christmas, summer gatherings, a wedding in the garden.
- People who simply like the glass perfect all the time.
If you’re on the coast and booking once a year, you’ll notice the haze back by late summer. That’s not the clean failing. It’s the sea breeze doing what it does.
What changes the answer for your home
A few things push a home towards a shorter cycle:
- Sea breeze season. From roughly October to March, the afternoon wind off the ocean is at its strongest and most regular, so coastal glass dirties fastest over summer.
- Renovations and building work nearby. Plaster dust and cement haze cling to glass. If a neighbour is building, it’s usually worth waiting until the dusty stage is over, then booking a clean.
- Reticulation. Sprinklers that hit the windows leave white mineral spots that get harder to remove the longer they sit. Adjusting the spray is the real fix.
- Selling or leasing. A clean before photos and before the final inspection (see our pre-sale and end of lease cleaning) is worth doing regardless of your normal cycle.
What a clean includes, and what’s extra
On every visit we clean the glass inside and out, wipe the frames and sills, and vacuum the tracks. We use a heated, ionised pure-water system with no detergent, so the glass dries spot-free and nothing is left behind to attract dust.
Some parts don’t need doing every time:
- Flyscreens. These are a $50+GST add-on to our Essential clean, and included in our Premium clean. Many people have screens done once a year and the glass more often.
- Deep track cleaning. If sliding doors are dragging on built-up sand and salt, a deep track clean is $250+GST. Once it’s done, regular track vacuuming keeps it under control.
- Hard water stains. Stains from sprinklers or pool splash need extra treatment, about $10+GST per window, on top of a standard clean.
Window cleaning is priced by bedrooms and storeys, from $250+GST for a one-bedroom single-storey home. The full table is on our price list.
Can you stretch it out with a bit of DIY?
You can, a little. Wiping low windows and the inside of sliding doors between visits helps, especially with pets. Brushing sand out of tracks after a windy week stops it grinding. Rinsing glass with the garden hose usually makes things worse in Perth: scheme and bore water both carry minerals that dry as spots.
Upstairs windows are the part we’d steer you away from doing yourself. A ladder on soft lawn against a second-storey wall is how people get hurt. Our pure-water poles reach up to five storeys from the ground, so the glass gets done without anyone climbing.
Picking your cycle
If you’re not sure where you fit, use this as a guide:
| Home | Suggested cycle |
|---|---|
| Inland suburb, no pool fence, few big windows | Once a year |
| Riverside, pets, trees or two storeys | Every six months |
| Ocean frontage, glass balustrades, pool fence, or you want it spotless | Every three months |
The best way to find out is to book a clean and see how long the result lasts on your house. Most clients settle into a rhythm after the first year.
Quick answers
How often should windows be cleaned in Perth?
At least once a year for most homes. Every six months keeps glass looking clean, and every three months suits coastal homes or anyone who wants spotless windows all year. Homes close to the ocean usually need the shortest cycle because salt film returns within weeks over summer.
Do coastal homes need their windows cleaned more often?
Yes. In suburbs like Cottesloe, Swanbourne and Coogee, the sea breeze leaves a salt film on seaward glass that builds up quickly between October and March. Quarterly cleans keep ocean-facing windows clear, while the rest of the house can often stay on a longer cycle.
How often should flyscreens be cleaned?
Once a year suits most homes, often at the same time as a full window clean. Homes with dogs, heavy pollen or ocean frontage may want them done twice a year. Flyscreens are a $50+GST add-on to our Essential clean and included in our Premium clean.
Is it worth cleaning windows before summer?
Spring and early summer are the most popular times, because the house is opening up after winter and the long evenings show every mark. On the coast, every three months keeps seaward glass clear, so a clean in early December is a good start.
If you’d like a price for your home, you can request a quote and we’ll reply within 24 hours.
