At some point, you’ve probably looked at your windows and thought — yeah, someone should deal with that. Fair enough. But before you call anyone, it helps to know what you’re actually up for.
Small apartment? You’ll likely sit at the cheaper end. Double-storey house with windows in awkward spots? Expect to push toward the top — or past it. The final price shifts depending on how many windows you’ve got, how easy they are to reach, and whether you want just the outside done or a full inside-out clean.
This guide breaks it all down — average costs, per-window pricing, residential versus commercial rates, and what’ll push your quote up or down.
How Much Does Window Cleaning Cost in Australia?
Most Australian homeowners pay somewhere between $150 and $330 for a standard window clean. That covers a typical house — nothing too dramatic. Go smaller, like an apartment, and you might get away with under $200. Got a two-storey place with a lot of glass? Budget closer to $400, sometimes more.
Here’s a rough breakdown of what to expect:
| Service / Property Type | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Small apartment or unit | $110 – $180 |
| Apartment / flat | $150 – $180 |
| Small to medium single-storey home | $180 – $250 |
| Standard 3-bedroom house | $150 – $250 |
| 4-bedroom house | $180 – $280+ |
| Large single-storey home | $250 – $330 |
| Two-storey home | $330 – $400+ |
| Large home (5+ bedrooms) | $350 – $500+ |
| High-rise window cleaning | From $1,000+ |
Commercial properties get quoted separately — especially when the job needs specialised equipment or a regular schedule.
Pricing varies, too. Some cleaners charge a flat rate for the whole job, while others go by the hour. Hourly rates usually sit between $30 and $55, though trickier jobs cost more.
The fastest way to get an accurate number? Just ask for a quote. Give them your window count, property size, and whether anything’s hard to reach — they’ll take it from there.
Window Cleaning Cost Per Window
Not every cleaner quotes by the job. Some — especially for smaller one-off cleans — will price per window instead. It’s straightforward enough: size, which side you need done, and how easy it is to reach.
| Window Type | Exterior Only | Inside & Outside |
|---|---|---|
| Standard window (up to 1.5m), ground floor | $9 – $11 | $15 – $16 |
| Double window (up to 2m), ground floor | $13 – $15 | $22 – $24 |
| Standard window (up to 1.5m), first floor | Around $14 | Around $18 |
| Double window (up to 2m), first floor | Around $18 | Around $30 |
Take these as a rough guide, not gospel. Most cleaners will still quote on the whole job once they see what’s involved — per-window pricing tends to work better for small, simple cleans rather than a full house.
A few things can push the price up regardless of how it’s quoted: sliding doors, skylights, balcony glass, hard water stains that need extra work, and anything awkward to get to. If your home has any of that, just mention it when you call. No surprises that way.
Is Window Cleaning Charged Per Window or Per Hour?
Honestly? Both. Depends on the job.
Most residential cleaners will give you a fixed quote upfront — based on how many windows you’ve got, the size of the place, and what’s easy or hard to reach. Homeowners tend to prefer this. You know what you’re paying before anyone shows up; there’s no watching the clock, no surprises at the end.
Hourly rates come into play for smaller jobs, tricky layouts, commercial properties, or post-construction cleans, where nobody really knows how long it’ll take until they’re actually in it. Rates generally sit between $30 and $55 per hour, though messier or more complex jobs can go higher.
If you’re not sure which way your quote will go, just ask. A good cleaner will tell you straight.
Window Cleaning Cost by Property Type
Size matters here more than anything else. A cleaner quoting a compact apartment is doing a completely different job from someone facing a double-storey with glass wrapped around half the house. More windows, more surface area, more time spent on a ladder — or a very long pole — equals a higher bill. Simple as that.
Apartments and Units
Apartments are the easy win for your wallet. Fewer windows, usually decent access, done in an hour or two. Most people pay $90 to $180 for the exterior, or $150 to $220 if you want the inside done as well.
Ground-floor units are the cheapest. The moment you throw in balcony glass, those tall floor-to-ceiling panels, or any window that requires a bit of creative problem-solving to reach, the price starts climbing.
3-Bedroom Houses
A standard 3-bedder usually comes in at $150 to $250 for exterior only, or $200 to $330 for a full clean inside and out.
The number of windows varies more than you’d think between 3-bedroom homes — some have a dozen, some have twenty. Whether it’s single or double-storey matters too. Fly screen cleaning or dirty tracks can add a bit on top. Not a lot, but worth mentioning when you call for a quote.
4-Bedroom and Larger Homes
More bedrooms, more glass. A 4-bedroom home typically runs $180 to $280+ for the exterior, or $250 to $400+ for the full job. Big sliding doors, alfresco areas, open-plan living with windows everywhere — it all adds time.
Five bedrooms or more? Start budgeting from $350, with plenty of room to stretch past $500 depending on the scale of the place.
Double-Storey Homes
Upper-floor windows are just harder. Takes longer, needs different equipment, carries more risk. Even with water-fed poles — which most pros prefer over lugging ladders around — there’s no getting around the extra complexity.
Expect to pay from $330 upward for a full clean on a double-storey. Steep blocks, unusual architecture, or a lot of hard-to-reach glass can push it past $500 without much trouble. If access looks tricky, ask the cleaner upfront whether that’ll affect the price — better to know before, not after.
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What Affects Window Cleaning Costs?
Ever got two quotes for what seemed like the same job and wondered why they were so different? You’re not imagining things. Window cleaning prices shift around a lot — because no two properties are quite the same. A small house with windows above a steep drop can cost more to clean than a bigger home where everything’s easy to reach.
Size matters, but it’s not the whole story. Here’s what actually drives the price:
- Number of windows and panes – More windows mean more time. Windows broken into multiple small panes take longer to do properly than one big sheet of glass.
- Window size – Big picture windows, sliding doors, floor-to-ceiling glass — all of it takes longer than a standard window. More glass, more labour.
- Inside and outside cleaning – Doing both sides is a bigger job. Simple as that. It’s one of the main reasons inside-out cleaning costs more than exterior only.
- Height and access – Ground-floor windows? Easy. First floor, second floor, or anything awkward to get to? That usually means ladders, water-fed poles, or specialised gear — all of which add to the cost.
- Tracks and sills- Most cleaners focus on the glass. If your tracks are caked in grime — and some of them really are — getting those clean properly is extra work, often priced separately.
- Fly screens – Taking them off, washing them, letting them dry, putting them back. It takes time. Some companies include basic screen cleaning, while others charge for it. Worth checking before you book.
- Window frames – A quick wipe might be included. Anything more thorough is usually an add-on.
- Hard water stains – Sprinkler residue, mineral build-up, coastal salt. This stuff doesn’t just wipe off. It needs specialist products and elbow grease, which bumps the price up.
- How often it’s been done – Regular cleans are quicker. If your windows haven’t been touched in three years, expect the first job to take longer — and cost more.
- Location – Prices vary between cities and suburbs. Travel time, parking, local demand, labour costs — it all feeds into the final number.
Commercial Window Cleaning Costs in Australia
Commercial jobs are a different world from residential work. We’re not talking about a few dozen windows on a family home — we’re talking shopfronts, office buildings, strata complexes, large glass facades, and often a scheduled maintenance agreement on top of it all.
Pricing reflects that. Building size, total glass area, how easy it is to access, how often it needs doing, whether specialist equipment is involved — all of it feeds into the quote.
Businesses that lock in regular cleans almost always pay less per visit than those booking a one-off.
Here’s a rough guide to what commercial window cleaning costs in Australia:
| Commercial Window Cleaning Type | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Small shopfront | From $50 – $150+ |
| Office building | $500 – $1,000+ |
| Large commercial property | $1,000+ |
| High-rise commercial cleaning | From $1,000 – $1,200+ |
| Commercial glass (per m²) | From $12 per m² |
Small Shopfronts
Cafes, retail stores, and local businesses — these are usually the most affordable commercial jobs. A basic shopfront clean starts from around $50 to $150, depending on how much glass there is and how regularly it’s done.
Most shop owners book weekly or fortnightly. Keeps the windows looking sharp, stops the fingerprints and water marks from building up into something that needs a proper scrub.
Office Buildings
Larger glass areas, multiple levels, and more time on site. Office buildings generally cost $500 to $1,000+, depending on size and complexity. Buildings with atriums, glass partitions, or tricky access points will sit toward the higher end.
Regular Commercial Maintenance
Plenty of commercial properties run on ongoing service agreements — offices, retail centres, medical facilities, strata buildings. It keeps things looking professional without letting grime accumulate between visits. The per-visit cost is usually lower than booking a one-off clean, which makes the arrangement worth it for most businesses.
What Pushes Commercial Costs Higher?
A few things can move the price up quickly:
- Building height — Taller buildings need specialised access equipment and stricter safety requirements
- Large glass areas — More glass means more labour, full stop
- After-hours work — Some businesses need cleaning done outside operating hours to avoid disruption
- Access restrictions — Limited access slows the job down and increases labour costs
- Safety compliance — Risk assessments, site inductions, insurance — it all adds to the operational cost
- One-off cleans — Without a regular schedule, you’ll pay more per visit
For anything beyond a small shopfront, get a tailored quote. Commercial window cleaning varies too much from one property to the next to rely on general figures for exact budgeting.
Interior & Exterior Window Cleaning
Complete window cleaning for a spotless finish inside and out.
Takeaways
- Most Australian homeowners pay between $150 and $330 for professional window cleaning.
- A standard 3-bedroom house typically costs between $150 and $250 for exterior cleaning and $200 to $330 for inside and outside cleaning.
- Window cleaning cost per window generally ranges from $8 to $29, depending on size, height, and access.
- Commercial and high-rise window cleaning costs are usually higher due to specialised equipment and safety requirements.
