When it comes to façade and window cleaning, you have hundreds of companies to choose from. Where do you begin? To start, recognize what type of cleaning you need. This is some brief information to hopefully help you weed out options beginning with your google search.

Some research points to help you get started:

Window Cleaning Crews fall into two categories: Grounded and suspended

• Grounded crews clean windows by accessing them using ground-based equipment, including extension poles, water-fed poles, ladders and aerial man-lifts.(cherry pickers)

• Suspended workers are supported on the sides and off the roofs of building while cleaning. ( think Superheroes washing hospital windows)

Commercial window cleaning then falls into several sub-categories:

Route Work –
A route company is a window cleaning company that concentrates on first or second floor commercial windows and cleans these accounts on a recurring daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis. These companies’ accounts will include structures such as storefronts, shopping malls, professional buildings, restaurants, and car dealerships

Low to Mid-rise work –
A low to mid-rise company is a window cleaning company that concentrates on ground-based operations that are typically performed on commercial buildings under five stories in height. They are most often utilizing non-suspended equipment such as ladders, water-fed poles and aerial work platforms (scaffolding).

High Rise Commercial –
A high-rise company is a window cleaning company that concentrates on cleaning commercial structures that are more than four stories in height. They most often are the guys you see dangling from harnesses on the sides of the buildings downtown.

Residential windows require a type of white-glove service not typically needed for a commercial space. Extra care for clients’ safety and their belongings should be paramount.

As with always hiring a contractor, once you have selected one, !Do Your Homework!! Don’t make your job unnecessarily hard by neglecting to do your homework upfront. A little extra work at the front end can save you a ton of hassle, headaches and money down the line. Verify that their license is current, ask for proof of insurance with ample coverage. Ask for references and then call the references. If people are truly happy with a company, they will share.