Most Ontario homes are well served by two exterior cleans and one interior clean a year, but trees, roads, sprinklers and sun can shift that. Here is a baseline schedule, the seasonal reasons behind it and the adjustments that add or remove a visit.
In This Article
What each season leaves on your glass
Ontario's four distinct seasons each put a different kind of dirt on a window, which is why one calendar date never fits everyone.
| Season | What lands on the glass | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Winter | Salt spray and grit near roads and driveways, plus condensation marks inside. | Dried salt leaves a white film, and low winter sun shows every smear. |
| Spring | Pollen, catkins, seed pods and mud splashed up by thaw and rain. | Pollen turns to a paste on damp glass and clogs screens. |
| Summer | Sprinkler overspray, insects and humid-air film. | Sprinkler water dries into mineral spots that harden over time. |
| Fall | Wet leaves, needles, rain-splashed soil and dust from yard work. | Debris sits against the glass and frames all winter if it is not cleared. |
A baseline rhythm for a typical home
- Exterior glass, twice a year. Once in late spring or early June, after the heaviest tree pollen, and once in late fall after most leaves are down and before hard freezes set in.
- Interior glass, once or twice a year. Pair it with the exterior visits, and do kitchen windows and patio doors whenever they start to look smeared.
- Screens, once a year, at the spring clean, when they are holding the most pollen.
- Tracks and sills, at each seasonal change, so grit and moisture do not sit in them.
- Skylights, on the same schedule as the exterior glass.
The late-fall visit earns its place because glass that enters winter dirty stays that way until spring, and grime holds moisture against frames and sills through every freeze-thaw cycle. The spring visit does the opposite job, clearing what winter left behind. That baseline suits an average lot with a few trees and no sprinklers on the glass. The next section shows when to move off it.
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Adjusting the baseline to your property
| If your property has | Adjust by | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Large maples, oaks or pines beside the house | Adding a light spring rinse or a third exterior clean. | Pollen, sap and seeds arrive in heavy waves. |
| Sprinklers that reach the windows | Cleaning more often, or better, re-aiming the heads. | Mineral spots from hard water bond harder the longer they sit. |
| A busy road or a salted driveway close by | Adding an early-spring clean of ground-floor glass. | Salt residue builds up through winter. |
| South- and west-facing glass | Not stretching the gap between cleans. | Afternoon sun bakes deposits on and makes them show. |
| Construction or road work nearby | Waiting until the dust settles, then cleaning once. | Cleaning mid-dust wastes the effort. |
| Deep porches or heavy shade | Cleaning slightly less often. | Less exposure, though watch for algae on north-facing frames. |
| Cooking, smoking, pets or small children | Cleaning interior glass more often. | Grease film and fingerprints build up quickly. |
If you can only book one visit a year
Pick late spring or early summer, once the main pollen has passed. That single clean clears winter salt and spring debris, and gives you the clearest glass during the months you spend outdoors. If your problem is leaf fall or sprinklers, move the visit to match it.
Between professional visits, a gentle hose rinse of ground-floor glass in the fall costs nothing and stops leaf residue and grit from settling in for winter. Avoid rinsing when temperatures are near freezing, because water can ice up on the glass and sills.
Signs you have waited too long
- A film shows from indoors when low sun hits the glass.
- White spots stay put after a wipe with a damp cloth.
- A dark line runs along the bottom edge of the pane or in the corners.
- Rain leaves streaks instead of running clear.
- Sills and tracks hold dark grime or a fuzz of mould.
- You have stopped enjoying the view because you keep noticing the glass.
Mineral spots are the sign to act on quickly. Fresh spots often respond to a mild cleaner, while old ones can bond to the surface and become permanent. D&D Home Services quotes window cleaning from $125 for typical Kitchener-Waterloo homes, and the schedule above is a good starting point for that conversation. For a breakdown by house type, read how often to clean windows by home type, and see window cleaning for what a visit includes.
Key Takeaways
- A baseline of two exterior cleans and one or two interior cleans a year suits most Ontario homes.
- Each season leaves a different deposit: salt in winter, pollen in spring, sprinkler spots in summer and leaf residue in fall.
- Trees, sprinklers, roads and sun exposure are the main reasons to clean more or less often.
- Act quickly on mineral spots, because fresh ones clean easily and old ones can become permanent.
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