Start a Window Cleaning Business

It seems too simple to be a business, but storefront routes cleaned monthly turn into predictable recurring income.

1. 1

   Buy a pro squeegee kit

   A quality squeegee, strip washer, extension pole, scrapers, and towels run about $150. That is the entire startup inventory.

2. 2

   Practice until streak-free

   Do your own windows and two neighbors' free. The fanning technique takes a weekend to learn and is the whole craft.

3. 3

   Walk one commercial strip

   Pitch every storefront on monthly service at $20 to $40 per visit. Say 'I'm doing the shops on this street the first Tuesday of each month' and close on the spot.

4. 4

   Build route density

   Ten storefronts on the same street cleaned the same morning beats ten scattered across town. Density is what makes the hourly rate hit $60 plus.

5. 5

   Add residential at house prices

   Homes pay $150 to $300 per visit. Quote per pane, and offer a spring and fall schedule so every house books twice a year.

6. 6

   Get insured and go bigger

   Once the route pays, add liability insurance and a water-fed pole for second-story glass, which opens up offices and larger buildings.