Most people think about window cleaning purely in terms of appearance — clean windows look better, that's all. And while that's true, there's more going on. Regular professional window cleaning protects your glass, frames and seals, keeps you informed of problems developing around your windows, and eliminates a genuinely hazardous DIY task. Here's the full picture.
Traffic film, bird droppings, hard water mineral deposits and tree sap are all mildly acidic or abrasive. Left on glass for extended periods, they etch microscopically into the surface. Over years this creates a permanent haze that can't be removed by cleaning — the glass itself is damaged. Regular removal prevents this from ever becoming an issue.
The rubber seals around double-glazed units degrade faster when coated with grime and algae. So do uPVC frames — mould and algae hold moisture against the surface and accelerate discolouration and brittleness. A regular clean keeps frames and seals in the condition they were designed to be in.
Professional cleaners use deionised (pure) water that has had all minerals removed. When it dries it leaves nothing behind — no limescale, no detergent residue. This means windows stay cleaner for longer between visits compared to a DIY clean with tap water.
Working on a ladder at height is one of the most common causes of serious DIY injury in the UK. A professional with a reach pole system cleans all floors from the ground — no ladders, no risk. For most homes with first-floor windows, this alone justifies the cost.
A professional clean covers the glass, frames, outer sills and any glazed door panels in a single visit. The frame often accumulates as much grime as the glass — particularly on north-facing walls where green algae establishes. Cleaning glass while leaving dirty frames is a missed opportunity.
A regular cleaner who visits every 4–6 weeks becomes familiar with your property. Damaged seals, cracked frames, failed mastic around the window edge, bird nesting activity near vents — these are all things a trained eye spots during a routine visit. Catching them early is always cheaper than leaving them to develop.
Set up a regular schedule and it simply happens. Most regular customers have a standing arrangement and payment by bank transfer. You come home to clean windows without having arranged anything, bought anything or spent a Saturday afternoon on it.
There's nothing wrong with cleaning accessible ground-floor windows yourself in between professional visits — particularly if you have French doors or patio doors you want to keep clear. But for upper floors specifically, the risk of ladder work in a domestic setting is real and significant.
The other practical issue is tap water. UK mains water contains calcium and magnesium — when it dries on glass it leaves visible spots and a slight haze that builds up over time. This is why windows cleaned with tap water can look worse after a few days than they did just before cleaning. Pure water systems eliminate this entirely.
First clean note: if your windows haven't been professionally cleaned for a year or more, the first visit takes longer — there's usually a layer of embedded grime on the frames that needs more attention. Subsequent regular cleans are much quicker and often cheaper as a result.
For a standard 3-bed semi-detached, external window cleaning on a regular schedule typically runs to £12–£18 per visit. Larger properties, bay windows or first cleans cost more. On a monthly schedule that's roughly £150–£200 a year — well under £5 a week for consistently clean windows on all floors, frames included.
Most companies in Derby offer the first clean at a fixed rate and then agree a regular schedule price. Ask what the regular rate will be before you commit — that's the price you'll pay for the ongoing service.
We run regular monthly and 6-weekly rounds across Derby, Chaddesden, Chellaston, Spondon and Alvaston. Get in touch to start a regular schedule.
Pure water leaves no mineral residue, reach poles allow safe access to upper floors, and frames and sills are cleaned at the same time. The result lasts longer and eliminates the safety risk of ladder work.
Yes. Traffic film, bird droppings and hard water deposits are mildly acidic and abrasive. Left long enough, they etch glass and degrade uPVC seals. Regular cleaning removes them before permanent damage occurs.
For a standard semi-detached, external cleaning on a regular schedule typically costs £12–£18 per visit. Larger properties and first cleans cost more.