Most second-storey glass can be reached without leaving the ground, if you match the tool to the window. This guide covers three ways to reach it, the kit each one needs, a seven-step routine from the ground, and the point where you should stop and call a crew.
In This Article
Three ways to reach upstairs glass without a ladder
Begin with the cheapest option, which is often already built into your window.
Tilt-in sashes from inside
Many double-hung windows have tilt latches that let the sash swing inward, so both faces of the glass can be reached from the room. Check the latches or the owner's manual, hold the sash firmly and work over a towel. If a window does not tilt, or the sash feels loose, leave it alone.
Telescoping pole with a squeegee head
A pole with a swivel squeegee and a washer sleeve lets you wet, scrub and clear the glass from the ground. It copes with light dirt on windows whose top edge you can see, but arms tire and the angle gets awkward on tall glass.
Water-fed pole with a pure-water filter
A hose sends water through a resin filter and up the pole to a soft brush. You scrub, rinse and let the glass air-dry. Pure-water poles are a normal method in the trade, and home-scale kits exist. They give the longest reach and rinse the frame and sill as well, but they need a hose, a filter that is replaced as it wears out and room to stand back.
The kit, tool by tool
| Tool | What it does | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Telescoping pole (aluminum, fibreglass or carbon fibre) | Carries the head up to the glass. | Metal and carbon fibre conduct electricity, so keep any pole well away from overhead lines. |
| Swivel squeegee head with sleeve | Washes and clears water in one pass. | A nicked rubber blade leaves streaks, so replace it. |
| Soft-bristle brush for the pole | Loosens dirt on glass and frames. | Grit hides in bristles, so rinse it often and skip stiff bristles. |
| Hose and inline resin filter | Makes a spot-free rinse from tap water. | Hard groundwater uses resin up faster, and a small TDS meter shows when it is spent. |
| Microfibre cloths and a bucket | Finishing sills, edges and interior glass. | Wash them without fabric softener, which leaves a film. |
| Garden hose with spray head | Pre-rinses grit before anything touches the glass. | Keep the spray gentle near screens, old putty and worn seals. |
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A seven-step routine from the ground
- Look up first. Find overhead lines and the service mast. The Electrical Safety Authority says to keep ladders and tools at least 3 metres (about 10 ft) from overhead powerlines. If a line runs near the window, skip that window.
- Pick a calm, overcast day above freezing. Direct sun dries the mix before you clear it, and wind throws spray back at you.
- Close every window in reach, including the ones above, so spray cannot blow inside.
- Pre-rinse from the top down to float grit off before any brush touches the glass.
- Scrub the frame, then the glass, with light pressure and overlapping passes.
- Rinse or squeegee. With a pure-water pole, rinse top to bottom until the water sheets off. With a squeegee head, pull overlapping strokes and wipe the blade after every pass.
- Step back and check at an angle. Low light shows streaks that straight-on glare hides. Touch up spots with a clean damp cloth, from inside if the sash tilts.
Where the pole stops working
- Windows above a porch, garage or lower roof. You cannot stand where the pole needs to be.
- Third-storey glass, dormers and gable windows. Pole length and angle both work against you.
- Heavy mineral scale, paint or construction residue. A brush and rinse will not lift it.
- Steep grades, window wells and wet lawns. Your footing matters as much as your reach.
- Wind. A long, extended pole acts like a sail and can knock the glass.
When upstairs windows are a job for a crew
If a window fails those checks, hand it over instead of reaching for a ladder. D&D Home Services quotes window cleaning from $125 for typical Kitchener-Waterloo homes, and its crew members are Working at Heights certified. Ask any company how it reaches upper storeys before you book.
For more on the options, read how to clean second-storey windows. If you decide to use a ladder after all, read ladder safety for exterior home maintenance first, and see window cleaning for what a professional visit covers.
Key Takeaways
- Try a tilt-in sash, a telescoping pole or a pure-water pole before you consider a ladder.
- Keep every pole and ladder at least 3 metres from overhead powerlines, and remember that metal and carbon fibre conduct electricity.
- Pre-rinse from the top down, scrub, then rinse or squeegee, and check the glass at an angle.
- Windows over roofs, dormers, third-storey glass and heavy mineral scale are better left to a crew.
Sources & References
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