Getting paid as a window cleaner: pricing, rain, scratches and owners who aren't home

Homeowner isn't home when I finish. How do I get paid?

Text the bill before you leave the driveway. In SnapPaid, snap the finished windows, set the price and send. She gets one link from your own number. She pays in Venmo, Cash App or PayPal from a button, or copies your Zelle email or phone into her bank app.

Should I leave an invoice on the door or text it?

Text it, so the bill reaches her phone at work. In a 2017 Window Cleaning Resource thread, a cleaner asked how soon he could come back for payment without looking desperate. A texted link means you don't drive back for a check. Window Cleaning Resource

Should residential window customers pay on completion or net 30?

On completion. In a 2019 forum thread, a new cleaner had $2,300 outstanding after three months of net 30 bills. One reply: "You are extending a line of credit to your customers and they are taking advantage of it." The advice was due on completion for homes. Window Cleaning Resource

Customer went quiet after the bill. When do I nudge again?

Nudge once a few days after the visit, then again a week later, politely and with the amount. SnapPaid asks you "Did she pay?" on day 3, 7 and 14, and lets you send one nudge every 24 hours. It never messages her by itself.

Is it OK to text a bill from my personal number?

Yes. SnapPaid sends the bill from your own number, so it lands in the same thread as your booking texts. She knows who it is from. If you want work texts kept apart, a second number is your choice.

How do I get paid by a customer who only pays by check?

Offer the text link, and take the check if she prefers. Cleaners in the 2017 "Owner isn't in" thread advised setting the rule in advance: "Please have check or money ready on service date." When the check clears, mark the bill paid in SnapPaid, so the visit shows as closed.

Should I price window cleaning per pane or per window?

Either works if you count the same way every time. Housecall Pro's guide gives $4 to $8 per pane for multipane homes, or $10 to $18 per window. One Los Angeles cleaner on a 2020 forum charged $12 to $14 a window of any size, because "it all averages out." On a house full of French panes, decide before you quote and tell her how you count.

How much should I charge per window, inside and out, in 2026?

HomeGuide (January 2026) and Angi both list $8 to $16 per window, inside and out. Housecall Pro's guide says $10 to $18. Angi lists $4 to $8 per window for basic cleaning. For exterior only, one Los Angeles cleaner charges 60% of his inside-and-out price. HomeGuide, Angi

What hourly rate do window cleaners charge?

The sources disagree widely. Angi lists labor at $10 to $15 an hour, while Housecall Pro's guide says $45 to $75 per cleaner for homes. Angi's page showed no date, and Housecall Pro sells software to cleaners, so treat both with care. The table compares them side by side.

How much extra for second and third story windows?

HomeGuide lists $10 to $40 per window above the second floor, against $8 to $16 for inside and out on lower floors. Build the ladder time into the price, and say so when you quote. Check your city's rules for high work first; see the safety answers below.

Do I charge extra for screens and tracks?

Yes, if it is extra work. HomeGuide and Angi both list $2 to $5 per screen, and HomeGuide lists tracks and sills at $1 to $3 per window. Rescreening is a separate job: one forum thread put it near $20 a screen, some at $25 to $30. Window Cleaning Resource

What's a good minimum charge for a residential window job?

HomeGuide lists minimum job fees of $100 to $250. Housecall Pro's guide puts small homes of 10 to 15 windows at $150 to $275. Angi gives a national average of $221 a visit, in a range of $150 to $302.

How do I price hard water stain removal?

Angi lists $10 to $30 per window for hard water stain removal. If you can't tell how long it will take, charge hourly and give her a range first. SnapPaid takes a flat price or an hourly rate on each bill.

How do I bill quarterly window cleaning customers?

One bill per visit, sent as you finish. SnapPaid has no recurring or scheduled invoices and never charges a card automatically. Her client page shows every past visit and what is still open. If she wants to pay cash "next time," in three months, ask her to pay this visit from the link instead.

Do I need to offer a rain guarantee?

It is your choice; we found no rule that requires one. In a 2014 Window Cleaning Resource thread, cleaners named rain guarantees from 3 to 14 days, and a Florida cleaner said he offers none. One wrote: "Rain doesn't make windows dirty. Dirt makes windows dirty." Put your policy in writing before the first job. Window Cleaning Resource

Customer says the windows got spotty after it rained. Do I come back free?

If your written rain policy covers it, yes. If not, it is a new visit. A free re-clean is your policy, not a SnapPaid feature. If you charge for the return, send it as its own bill.

Customer reschedules every time the forecast shows rain. What do I do?

Tell her your rain policy covers rain soon after the visit, so she does not need to wait for a dry week. If the moves keep costing you work days, add a short-notice reschedule fee to your written policy.

Customer cancels when I arrive. Can I charge a trip fee?

You can if you told her about the fee before the visit. Point to the message where you named it. Send it as its own bill, with "trip fee, cancelled on arrival" in the note on the bill.

Customer says I scratched her window. How do I prove I didn't?

Often you can't, with photos alone. Your bill photo shows the finished glass at a moment, not whether a scratch was there before. In a 2021 forum thread, the advice was to point out defects before cleaning and photograph them at the estimate. Window Cleaning Resource

What is fabricating debris, and am I liable for scratched tempered glass?

Fabricating debris is glass particles fused onto tempered glass when it is made. A Window Cleaning Resource article says a scraper removes the defect "and causes scratched glass." It says general liability excludes damage to surfaces being cleaned, and points to "Care, Custody and Control" coverage. Who is liable is a legal and insurance question, so talk to your insurer. This is not legal advice. Window Cleaning Resource

Do I need a waiver for scratches on glass?

We found no law that requires one, but forum advice and the fabricating debris article both suggest one. The forum version covers scratches, broken seals and heat-treated glass. A 2016 IWCA and GANA bulletin, as summed up on the forum, says a razor blade should not be used to regularly maintain clean glass; cleaners in the thread disputed it. Have a lawyer read your waiver. This is not legal advice.

Customer says I broke a screen. What do I do?

Look at it with her and say plainly what happened. Forum cleaners say screens 5 to 6 years old or more turn brittle, and advise noting their condition at the estimate. If you repair it, rescreening ran about $20 a screen in one thread. If you bill for it, send it as its own bill.

A window cracked the day after I cleaned it. Is it my fault?

Not necessarily, and a photo can't settle it. In a 2019 thread, a pane "exploded" a day after a water-fed pole clean. The cleaner paid $300 to replace it to keep the customer, though he believed it was not his fault. Talk to your insurer before you agree to pay. Window Cleaning Resource

Customer complains about streaks or film after I left. How do I handle it?

Go back and look before you argue. A real streak gets a quick fix at no charge, if that is your policy. If the film won't wipe off either side, it may be a failed seal, which no cleaning fixes. A photo cannot prove the glass was streak-free.

Should I take before photos of windows and screens?

Yes, of any scratch, failed seal or worn screen you see. SnapPaid's photo is of the finished job and does not record the before state, so use your phone's camera. Glare and reflections make glass hard to photograph, so add a written note of what you saw.

Can I take Venmo for window cleaning, or do I need a business profile?

Use a business profile. Venmo's user agreement says personal accounts may not be used for business. A business profile charges 1.9% + $0.10 per payment; a personal payment marked goods and services costs 2.99%. Standard transfers to your bank are free, and instant ones cost 1.75%. Venmo fees

Is Zelle safe for window cleaning customers?

Zelle typically charges no fee, but its small business page says to check with your bank, which must offer Zelle for your account type. Zelle tells users to send money only to people and businesses they trust. Zelle has no pay link, so SnapPaid's pay page shows your Zelle email or phone to copy. Zelle for small business

If a realtor pays by Zelle and wants a receipt, mark the bill paid once the money lands. The receipt downloads as a PDF.

Cash App, Venmo, PayPal or Zelle: which is cheapest for my business?

Zelle, if your bank charges nothing. Venmo business costs 1.9% + $0.10 a payment, and PayPal checkout and invoicing 3.49% + $0.49. We could not confirm Cash App for Business's fee, so check its own fee page. SnapPaid takes 0%, but the app she pays with may charge you. PayPal fees

How can a happy customer add a tip?

The pay page has a tip option, so she adds it when she pays. Tips are income, and the IRS says you must report all income. This is not tax advice.

Should I take credit cards as a solo window cleaner?

Only if your customers ask, because each card payment costs a fee. Jobber lists 2.9% + $0.30 per card, and Housecall Pro lists cards from 2.59%. SnapPaid does not process cards; she pays in Venmo, Cash App, PayPal or Zelle. SnapPaid is our app, so weigh this with that in mind. Jobber pricing, Housecall Pro pricing

Do I need Jobber or Housecall Pro as a solo window cleaner?

Not to get paid. Jobber's Core plan lists $49 a month and Housecall Pro's Basic $79, billed monthly, with scheduling, quotes, reminders and card processing. SnapPaid does one thing: the photo of the finished job becomes a bill sent by text. It costs $9.99 a month after 3 free invoices, with no routes, scheduling or autopay. SnapPaid is our app, so weigh this with that in mind.

Do I need a license to clean windows?

We found no state-level window cleaning license, though we could not confirm that for every state. Cities can require one. Minneapolis licenses work that is suspended or uses a lift more than 24 feet above grade; ladder work from the ground is exempt. Saint Paul licenses outside windows above the first floor, but not on one- or two-family homes. This is not legal advice. Minneapolis, Saint Paul

Both cities also set insurance minimums for licensed work. Check your own city and county, including for a general business license.

Do OSHA ladder rules apply to me if I work alone?

Generally not, if you are truly self-employed with no employees. A 2001 OSHA letter says OSHA "has no authority" to make such a person follow its construction requirements. For employers, OSHA's general industry rule requires fall protection at 4 feet or more. That is not permission to skip safety. This is not legal advice. OSHA letter, 29 CFR 1910.28

How high can I safely go on a ladder for window cleaning?

We found no single height limit for a solo cleaner. OSHA's ladder QuickCard says to keep three points of contact and set the base a quarter of the working length from the wall. An extension ladder must reach at least 3 feet past the point it rests on. Keep metal ladders away from power lines, and don't stand on the top step unless it is made for it. OSHA ladder QuickCard

The IWCA calls its ANSI/IWCA I-14.1 "the only standard of its type that is specifically for those in the window cleaning industry." IWCA

Do I need insurance to start a window cleaning business, and what does it cost?

Minneapolis and Saint Paul require it for licensed work, and a scratch or broken pane claim is an insurance question. Insureon reports a median of $78 a month, or $931 a year, for window cleaners' general liability among its quote applicants. Typical limits were $1 million per occurrence and $2 million total. Ask your insurer whether damage to the glass you clean is covered. Insureon

Do I have to report Venmo payments from window cleaning on my taxes?

Yes. The IRS says that whether or not you get a Form 1099-K, you must report all income. That includes cash, checks and tips. This is not tax advice. IRS on Form 1099-K

Will I get a 1099-K from Venmo or PayPal?

Only if you receive over $20,000 in over 200 transactions in a year. The IRS confirmed that threshold in October 2025. Your income is taxable either way. This is not tax advice. IRS IR-2025-107

How much should I set aside for taxes as a window cleaner?

We can't give one percentage, because income tax depends on your situation. Self-employment tax alone is 15.3% of net earnings once you net $400 or more, on top of income tax. If you expect to owe $1,000 or more, the IRS generally wants four quarterly estimated payments. This is not tax advice. IRS self-employment tax, IRS estimated taxes

What records should I keep, and for how long?

The IRS says to keep records 3 years in most cases, and 6 years if you underreported income by more than 25%. SnapPaid gives a PDF receipt for each paid bill and a page per client, but no reports or exports, so save the PDFs. For past jobs, keep your payment app's transaction history. This is not tax advice. IRS on keeping records