Window cleaning

Skiddaw1

Our window cleaner charges £15 per clean (which is about average for where we are). 

Slinky

Ours is £27 but we do have a lot of windows, and they climb up onto 3 flat roofs.

gadget88

Got a new window cleaner today he was 30 mins cleaned the sills doors window full door and done the woodwork and bits above gutter. I wasn’t too happy as the woodwork getting cleaned regular damages the wood. Anybody else had the issue of a window cleaner overly cleaning stuff?

I have decided a one off clean aim for 3-4 months that going to be acceptable? Ideally I’d do monthly but i am fussy either no shows or someone who over cleans?

Slinky

Ours are uPVC and aluminium, which are probably the most common frame types now. Perhaps you should tell him what you do and don't want cleaning. Most people are going to complain if their windows are 'under cleaned', not over cleaned!

expertsupport

Your UPVC frames will be fine with seasonal cleaning (3 to 4x a year). UPVC discolouration typically happens from prolonged dirt buildup combined with UV exposure over several years, not from the frequency of cleaning. Since you're in a quiet area with trees rather than heavy traffic, you're actually in a good position, you'll get tree debris and pollen but less of the pollution grime that properties in busy cities deal with.

For the UPVC specifically, regular cleaning (even just 3-4 times yearly) actually helps prevent discolouration by removing dirt and pollutants before they bond to the surface. The bigger risk is leaving them uncleaned for years, not spacing out cleans.

The pattern with cheaper cleaners who stop showing up is really common. In my experience, the slightly more expensive ones with minimum contracts often turn out cheaper in the long run because they actually show up consistently. You're not wasting time chasing people or getting quotes again every few months.

I recommend:

• If you can find someone reliable who offers 8-weekly cleans, that might be your sweet spot & keeps on top of the tree debris without being as frequent (or expensive) as 4-weekly
  
• Check if they have a proper booking system or reminders rather than you having to chase, as that's usually a sign of a more established operation
  
• Ask for references from other customers in quiet/residential areas like yours, if they're reliable for others, they're more likely to be reliable for you
  
• The 3-month contracts aren't necessarily a bad thing, they often mean the company is established enough to commit to a schedule

The one-off seasonal approach can work, but you'll likely pay more per clean since most companies price regular contracts lower. You might find you're paying £40-50 for a one-off each time vs £25-30 if you committed to quarterly cleans with the same company.

Have you asked your neighbours who they use? In residential areas, word-of-mouth recommendations for reliable window cleaners are usually spot-on.

Albermarle

UPVC discolouration typically happens from prolonged dirt buildup combined with UV exposure over several years, 

Just to clarify this point.

UPVC ( like many plastics) is vulnerable to UV light degradation. However it can be formulated with additives to make it much more resistant, especially if it is for outdoor use.

Cheaper, low quality products, such as unbranded guttering, downpipes, soffit boards etc will probably fade in colour with time, or white products may go more yellow. However UPVC window frames are made to strict standards and should not discolour due to UV exposure. ( if you put a new one next to a 10 year old one, you will probably see a difference, but on its own the 10 year old one will still look OK) Pretty much all UPVC window frames are guaranteed for 10 years, and can easily last 25 years and still look OK. Similar for guttering , downpipes, soffit and fascia board, if made by a reputable manufacturer, although they might not last quite as long as the windows, in terms of appearance.