Improving the view with soap and water

A house is only as clean as its dirtiest window, and in the Southland there are a lot of grimy panes to wash after the spring rains.

If you’re a homeowner looking to hand over the dirty work to a professional window washer, you can expect to pay anywhere from $75 for a 700-square-foot condo to $300 for a two-story, 2,000-square-foot house, as long as there are no extenuating circumstances.

“The price depends on the square footage of the home, whether it’s one or two stories, access to the windows and circumstances like whether there are smokers in the place or dogs that press their noses against the glass,” says Leo Turnbull, owner-operator of Crystal Clear Professional Window Cleaners, which services homes in the San Fernando Valley.

“Most people have solid plate glass. Older homes with French windows and lots of wood are harder to clean. So is leaded glass or stained glass. It all affects the price.”

Residential window cleaners generally are owner-operated firms -- or small companies using crews -- that are insured, or uninsured individuals who peddle their services by word of mouth or by ringing doorbells.

“You want a window cleaner who’s bonded, because they’re going to be in your home,” says Turnbull, who’s been in business for 17 years. “Check references to make sure they’re reliable.”

Pros say Los Angeles homes have more windows than residences in many other areas because the climate is temperate and views here can be stunning.

“In Los Angeles, architecture in condos and homes doesn’t really keep maintenance in mind,” says Dan Rastorfer, owner of Dave the Window Washer in Los Angeles. “We specialize in a lot of hillside homes that have windows that are hard to reach in Santa Monica, Malibu and the Pacific Palisades. We’re a small company with nine employees, and we all pretend we’re Dave.”

Rastorfer and many other companies charge a minimum of $150 per job but don’t offer long-term accounts unless a client requests one.

“Most often, people want their windows done once in the spring and once in the fall,” says Rastorfer. “We also have weekly accounts with oceanfront homes where the metal framing needs maintenance and the glass itself may have water or calcium deposits.”

He says the greatest demand for window washing occurs after the spring rains, between mid-March and the summer months, and before the holidays, from November through Jan. 1.

Cleaners say regular customers are homeowners who don’t have the time or inclination to wash their own windows, with the majority being wealthy clients who do a lot of entertaining.

“In L.A., the windows are easier to do, but the houses are bigger,” says Eric Schwartz, who has a four-man crew in the employ of Windows by Eric, which operates in Brentwood, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica. “We do everything from the windows to chandeliers, indoor and outdoor glass fixtures and mirrors. This time of year, we do a lot of gutter cleaning and gutter repair as well.”

Homeowners who prefer to tackle the job themselves often use hand-held squeegees and glass cleaners like Windex with vinegar, says Galen Mogtaderi, manager of Ace Hardware in Studio City.

“Squeegees can run from $2.99 to $20, depending on the size and quality,” says Mogtaderi. “We sell scrubbers, which are cylindrical cloths on a handle that can be used to scrub windows, for $11. Some homeowners buy that to clean large windows.”

The newest equipment recommended by the pros is made by Sorbo, whose scrubbers are lightweight aluminum and can be found in janitorial supply houses or through online retailers.

For do-it-yourselfers, window cleaning is often done twice a year, in spring and fall. It’s best to clean when the sun isn’t directly on the glass so that you’re not racing to beat the evaporation of water droplets as you squeegee down the pane.

Dual-pane insulated glass -- used to buffer sound and to keep heat in or out of homes -- attracts more dirt because of its special metal coatings and may need attention more often.

Oceanfront windows, exposed to water deposits, and those in hillside areas that are exposed to spider webs and leaf sap may also need more frequent cleaning.

Different companies use similar methods for cleaning. What differs may be the equipment used, depending on the access to the glass.

What do pros recommend if you’re tackling the job yourself?

“Give up the Windex and towels,” says Rastorfer. “Dish soap and a squeegee is much better. Windex-type cleaners are a higher concentration of soap, and when you swirl it around on the glass with a paper towel, you’re just moving the dirt around, and when it dries, you’ll get streaks.

“The magic is in the squeegee,” he says. “If you’ve got a good sharp rubber blade and use the right pressure and angle, you, too, can join the ranks of great professional window cleaners.”

Of course, homeowners who have stains on their glass that require special chemicals for removal, or those who have windows at dangerous heights, may want to leave those jobs to the pros.