Interior Window Cleaning Schedule for Greater Montréal Homes

Most Greater Montréal homes do fine with interior glass washed twice a year, once in late fall or early winter and once in spring. Homes with young children, pets, smokers, a wood fireplace or a busy kitchen often need three or four washes, at least on the windows that get the most abuse. Inside glass stays cleaner longer than outside glass, so it rarely needs to match the exterior visit for visit.

The schedule below is sorted by household, with the signs that tell you a window is due and a simple way to line up inside and outside work around Québec's short exterior season.

A starting schedule by household

Treat these as starting points. Your own windows will tell you within a season or two whether to add a wash or drop one.

• Adults only, no smoking, no pets. Twice a year is plenty. Some quiet homes can stretch to once a year for upper floors and bedrooms.
• Young children. Fingerprints stop at about one metre up, so the low panes, patio doors and any window beside a couch get dirty first. Two full washes a year, with the low glass wiped between them.
• Dogs and cats. Nose marks on the front window and fur stuck along the bottom of the pane. Three washes a year is a reasonable target for the rooms they favour.
• Smokers or vapers in the home. Residue builds up as a yellow or greasy film that keeps coming back. Plan on three or four washes.
• Wood stove or fireplace. Fine soot settles on nearby glass through the heating season. Add one wash in spring, once the last fire is out.
• Open kitchens. Cooking grease travels farther than people expect and holds on to dust. Windows near the range may need a wash every few months, even when the rest of the house doesn't.

Why the inside looks worse in November

Nothing dramatic happens to indoor glass in the fall. The light changes. The sun sits low across the sky through the Montréal winter, so it hits windows at a flatter angle and picks up every smear that went unnoticed in June.

The season also adds its own grime. Closed windows mean cooking vapour, candle smoke and everyday dust stay indoors. Forced-air heating moves that dust around the moment the furnace starts. Glass is often the coldest surface in a room, so moisture collects on it and dries into faint marks along the lower edge.

That moisture deserves a separate look. Occasional fogging at the bottom of the pane usually points to indoor humidity, and our guide to winter window condensation covers what to adjust. Fog trapped between two panes of a sealed unit is another matter. It means the seal has failed, and no amount of washing will reach it.

Signs a window is due

A calendar is useful, but a quick check works too. Stand to one side of the window on a bright day and look along the glass rather than through it.

• A hazy film that a dry finger can streak
• Greasy patches around handles, locks and latches
• Grey or dark marks along the bottom rubber or wood edge
• Dust or dead insects sitting in the tracks
• Glare that makes the window look foggy at sunset, then clears once the sun moves

Dark spots on a sill or frame that return after wiping can be mould, and that points back to moisture. Clean them with care and deal with the humidity, or get advice if the staining is spreading or the wood has gone soft.

Lining up the inside and the outside

Exterior work in Greater Montréal is seasonal and runs from about March to November, so the last outdoor visits of the year are happening now. Interior cleaning has no such limit and can be booked in any month. That leaves two sensible patterns.

Both sides together in spring and fall. You get one visit, one appointment to be home for, and glass that looks clean from both directions. Our flat rate covers the exterior (glass, frames, sills and screens rinsed in place), and interior glass goes on the same visit as a paid add-on. If you are weighing that choice, this comparison of exterior-only and inside-and-out service walks through it.

Outside in spring, inside in winter. Good for anyone who wants the job split up, or who missed the fall window. January and February are quiet months at home, the heating has been running for a while, and clean glass makes a real difference on short days. Exterior work then waits for spring, since washing outdoors in freezing weather isn't an option. If you're unsure whether your date is still workable, read about when it gets too cold to clean outside.

Tracks and screens on the same schedule

Track cleaning is a paid add-on to an interior clean, and tracks don't need attention on every visit. Once a year usually keeps them moving, and spring is a good moment because a winter's worth of grit has collected. Drainage holes matter more than appearance here: if they clog, water can sit in the track.

Screens can be taken out and washed as a separate add-on. Fall suits this well, since many owners store screens for the winter and it's better to put them away clean. We don't repair screens, but the crew will point out any tears so you can have them fixed before spring.

Getting ready for an interior visit

A few minutes of preparation keeps the visit short. Move furniture and plants about a metre back from the glass, take fragile items off the sills, and open blinds or tie back curtains. Someone needs to be home for interior work. If windows are blocked by heavy furniture, mention it in your request.

Frequently asked questions

How often should the inside of house windows be cleaned?

Twice a year suits most homes in Greater Montréal. Add a wash or two if you have pets, smokers, a wood fireplace or a kitchen that opens onto the windows. Quiet rooms and upper floors can often go a full year.

Is interior window cleaning included in the flat rate?

No. The flat rate is for the exterior. Interior glass is an optional paid add-on, and so are screen removal and washing and track cleaning. You choose which ones you want when you book.

Can interior windows be cleaned in the middle of winter?

Yes. Interior work runs all year, while exterior work stops for the cold months and starts again around March. Winter is a practical time to do the inside, since the glass is what you look at most during short days.

Do recurring plans lower the cost of window cleaning?

Discounts apply only to quarterly (10%), bi-monthly (15%) and monthly (20%) service. Bi-annual and annual programs come with automated reminders and no discount. Most houses don't need more than the bi-annual rhythm, so pick the frequency your windows call for rather than the discount.

Book your interior visit

Altara has cleaned more than 7,800 homes across Greater Montréal. Our residential window cleaning page sets out what each visit includes, and you can find your window-count tier on the pricing page. For interior work this winter, or a last exterior visit before the season closes, send us a request with your address and a few details about your windows.