Window cleaning in Melbourne: how often, and how to get streak-free

Clean windows do more than look good: they let in more light and are one of the quickest ways to freshen a home's street appeal. Here is how often they really need doing, and how the pros get that streak-free finish that is so annoying to achieve yourself.

How often, based on where you live

Timing matters as much as frequency. A clean before spring clears the winter grime so the house is bright for the warmer months, and another after summer takes off the dust, pollen and salt build-up. Pick a mild, overcast day if you are doing it yourself: hot sun on the glass is the enemy of a streak-free finish.

Inside and outside are different jobs

Outside glass takes the weather, so it collects the most film and does the most for your home's look. Inside glass picks up cooking film, dust and fingerprints. A full clean does both faces plus the frames and sills, and most cleaners will clear tracks and screens on request. When you price the job, note whether you want inside and outside (both sides) so the estimate matches.

Screens, tracks and sills

Sparkling glass in a grimy frame still looks dirty, so the bits around the glass are worth a few minutes each time.

• Tracks: vacuum first with a crevice tool to lift the dry grit, then loosen what is left with a small brush and wipe with a damp cloth. Wetting a gritty track first just turns it into mud.
• Weep holes: most aluminium window and sliding door tracks have small drainage slots so rain can escape. Make sure they are clear, or water can pool in the track instead of draining away.
• Flyscreens: lift them out, brush or vacuum both sides, wash gently with mild soapy water, rinse and let them dry in the shade before refitting. Go easy, fine mesh tears or stretches if you scrub it.
• Frames and sills: a damp cloth with a little mild detergent lifts most dust and film. Do them before the glass so drips do not land on a pane you have just finished.

Why pros get streak-free (and you fight it)

• Out of the sun: direct sun dries the solution before you can wipe it, leaving streaks.
• Less is more: too much detergent is a top cause of smears; a light solution wipes clean.
• A squeegee, not paper: cloths and paper towel leave lint; a squeegee pulls the water clean off.
• Pure water poles: for high or hard-to-reach glass, deionised water dries with no residue, so no streaks and no ladder.

DIY or a pro?

Ground-floor windows are a doable DIY job once you have the squeegee technique. Second-storey glass, big fixed panes and awkward access are where a pro earns their keep, both for the finish and for the safety of not being up a ladder. Pure-water poles let a good cleaner reach most upstairs glass from the ground.

If you do use a ladder, set it on firm, level ground, keep three points of contact, do not overreach, and have someone with you to steady it. If a window needs you to lean out from the top rungs, that is the one to leave to an insured professional.

Related guides

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• How to paint a timber fence so it lastsPaint vs stain, prep and timing
• All home maintenance servicesGutters, windows, pressure washing, fence painting

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This guide is general information to help you plan, not professional advice. Always follow safe ladder practice, or use an insured professional for work at height. Current at October 2026.