DIY Window Cleaning vs. Professional: What's the Real Cost?

You're staring at dusty, streaky windows and weighing your options. Grab a squeegee and a bucket from the garage, or call a professional window cleaning service? It seems straightforward enough. Then you start adding up what DIY actually costs in Las Vegas.

We're not here to tell you that cleaning your own windows is always a bad idea. Sometimes it makes perfect sense. But if you're making the decision purely based on sticker price, you're probably missing half the equation. Let's break down the real numbers.

The True Cost of DIY Window Cleaning

Supplies and Equipment

At first glance, DIY window cleaning looks cheap. A spray bottle of Windex runs about $4, and you probably already have paper towels. But if you want results that actually look good and last more than a week in the Las Vegas desert, you'll need more than that.

Here's what a proper DIY setup actually costs:

• Professional-grade squeegee: $15–$30
• Extension pole (for second-story windows): $25–$60
• Bucket and scrubber sleeve: $10–$20
• Cleaning solution (commercial or vinegar-based): $5–$15
• Microfiber cloths (streak-free drying): $8–$15
• Razor scraper (for stuck-on debris): $8–$12
• Extension ladder (if you don't own one): $150–$300
• Hard water stain remover (essential in Vegas): $12–$25 per bottle

Total initial investment: $233–$477

That's before you've cleaned a single window. And those supplies don't last forever. Squeegee rubbers wear out, solutions run dry, and microfiber cloths lose effectiveness after 100 to 200 washes.

The Time Factor

Here's where DIY really starts to cost you. The average Las Vegas home has 15 to 25 windows. For a homeowner without professional experience, cleaning each window properly (inside and out) takes about 10 to 15 minutes per window when you include setup, moving the ladder, cleaning the tracks, and wiping the frames.

For a typical 20-window home, that's 3.5 to 5 hours of work. And that's assuming everything goes smoothly. No stuck screens, no stubborn hard water stains, no trips back to the store for more supplies.

If you value your time at even $30 per hour (well below the Las Vegas median wage), that's $105 to $150 worth of your Saturday gone. At $50 per hour? That's $175 to $250.

A professional crew typically completes the same job in 1 to 2 hours because they have the right tools, the right technique, and they do this every day.

The Risk You Don't Think About

Every year, more than 500,000 Americans are treated in emergency rooms for ladder-related injuries, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that ladder injuries send someone to the ER every 5 minutes on average.

In Las Vegas, where two-story homes are standard throughout neighborhoods like Summerlin, Henderson, and North Las Vegas, you're almost certainly climbing a ladder to reach those upper windows. Factor in the desert heat (cleaning windows when it's 95°F or higher adds fatigue and dehydration risk) and the safety math gets serious quickly.

The average ER visit for a fall costs $30,000 to $35,000 before insurance. Even a minor injury means lost work time and lingering pain. Professional window cleaners carry liability insurance, use stabilized equipment, and train specifically for safe ladder work at height.

What Does Professional Window Cleaning Actually Cost?

This is where most people are pleasantly surprised.

According to national pricing data from Thumbtack and Fixr, professional window cleaning for a typical home costs:

• Average home (15–20 windows, inside and out): $190–$370
• Per window (standard double-hung): $8–$16
• Hourly rate: $40–$75 per hour
• National average for a full-home cleaning: $280–$310

For Las Vegas specifically, a typical single-story home with 15 windows runs about $150–$250 for interior and exterior cleaning. Two-story homes with 20–25 windows typically cost $250–$400.

That's the whole job. Equipment, labor, insurance, and cleanup included. No trips to Home Depot. No Saturday sacrifice. No ladder anxiety.

The Las Vegas Factor: Why Desert Living Changes Everything

Hard Water Is Your Windows' Worst Enemy

Las Vegas has some of the hardest municipal water in the country. The Southern Nevada Water Authority reports water hardness levels of 278 to 287 parts per million, classified as "very hard." That mineral-heavy water leaves white, chalky deposits on glass every time your sprinklers overshoot, your neighbor waters their lawn, or monsoon season kicks dust and rain across your windows.

Once hard water stains set in, regular glass cleaner won't touch them. You'll need specialized mineral deposit removers ($12–$25 per bottle), polishing compounds, or even professional-grade acids. And here's the kicker: if hard water deposits are left untreated for too long, they can permanently etch the glass, requiring full window replacement.

The average cost to replace a single window? $180–$409 per window according to Bob Vila, with installation. For a specialty or large window, you could be looking at $500 to $1,300+.

Professional window cleaning Las Vegas companies like us include hard water treatment as part of the service. We know exactly what products and techniques work on Vegas water stains because we deal with them every single day.

Desert Dust Never Stops

If you've lived in Las Vegas for even one summer, you know the dust situation. Wind storms, construction dust from the city's constant growth, and the natural desert environment mean your windows get dirty fast. Most Vegas homes need cleaning every 2 to 3 months to stay clear, not the once-a-year schedule that might work in other climates.

That means your DIY time commitment isn't a one-time thing. It's 4 to 6 cleaning sessions per year. At 4 hours per session, you're looking at 16 to 24 hours annually spent cleaning windows. A professional window cleaning service handles the same work in a fraction of the time, on a schedule you don't have to think about.

Two-Story Homes Are the Norm

Drive through any major Las Vegas neighborhood (Summerlin, Green Valley, Centennial Hills, Inspirada) and you'll see that two-story homes dominate the landscape. These homes often have large second-floor windows, vaulted-ceiling accent windows, and sometimes even third-floor loft windows that are essentially unreachable without professional equipment.

Cleaning second-story windows from a ladder on uneven desert landscaping (rock yards, gravel, slopes) is genuinely dangerous for an untrained homeowner. Professional window cleaning Las Vegas technicians use water-fed pole systems that clean upper windows from the ground, eliminating ladder risk entirely for most residential jobs.

When DIY Makes Sense

We'll be honest. There are situations where DIY is perfectly fine:

• You have a single-story home with just a few windows and basic cleaning needs
• You enjoy the work and consider it part of your weekend routine
• You're doing a quick interior-only wipe-down between professional cleanings
• You have no hard water stain issues (rare in Vegas, but possible with covered windows)

A quick interior clean between professional sessions can actually help extend the time between service visits. We're all for that.

When to Call a Professional Window Cleaning Service

For most Las Vegas homeowners, hiring a professional makes sense when:

• You have a two-story or multi-story home
• Your windows have visible hard water stains or mineral deposits
• You haven't cleaned your windows in 6+ months (desert buildup is serious)
• You value your weekend time more than a few hundred dollars
• You want consistent, streak-free results without the learning curve

Professional window cleaning Las Vegas services deliver results you can see immediately. There's something transformative about looking through perfectly clean glass at that desert mountain view.

The Bottom Line

DIY window cleaning isn't free. When you add up supplies, time, risk, and the unique challenges of the Las Vegas climate, the real cost often rivals or exceeds what you'd pay a professional. And the professional version comes with better results, zero risk to you, and your Saturday back.

Your windows are one of the most visible features of your home. They deserve the same expert care you'd give your HVAC, your pool, or your landscaping.

Ready to see the difference professional cleaning makes? Get a free quote from Vegas Glow Cleaning and find out exactly what sparkling clean windows cost for your home. You might be surprised how affordable it is.