Window Cleaning on Montreal's North Shore: Booking the Last Exterior Clean Before Winter
On Montreal's North Shore, the fall window cleaning is the last chance to clean exterior glass before freezing temperatures shut the season down, usually some time in November. A fall visit removes the summer's pollen, dust and spider residue from the glass, frames and sills, and leaves you with clear windows during the months when daylight is shortest. If you want one in Terrebonne, Blainville, Mascouche or elsewhere on the Rive-Nord, book it in October.
Here's what the fall clean covers and why North Shore homes get dirtier than people expect.
Why the fall clean matters more than spring on the Rive-Nord
Most homeowners think of window cleaning as a spring job. Spring does remove winter salt and grime. But the fall clean does something spring can't: it sets the windows up for the months when you can't easily touch the outside of them.
Once temperatures stay below freezing, exterior cleaning stops. Water freezes on the glass and on the pole, and pure-water systems don't work in the cold. Whatever is on the glass in mid-November stays there until spring, through every short, low-sun winter afternoon that shows each streak and spot.
Fall is also a good time to look at the parts of the window that affect your comfort in winter:
- Tracks full of grit, seeds and dead insects can stop sliding windows and patio doors from closing tight.
- Weep holes (the small drainage slots at the bottom of many window frames) clogged with debris can trap water that freezes in the frame.
- Screens caked with pollen and dust cut a surprising amount of light, and you look through them all winter if they stay on.
What makes North Shore windows dirty
The Rive-Nord has its own mix of grime, and it varies from town to town.
New construction. Blainville, Mirabel, Terrebonne's newer sectors and parts of Mascouche have had steady residential construction for years. Neighbouring building sites mean a constant layer of fine dust, and newer homes often have large windows and patio doors that show it clearly.
Trees and the rivers. Older neighbourhoods along the Rivière des Mille Îles and around Vieux-Terrebonne have mature trees. That means pollen in the spring, sap and seeds in the summer, and leaf debris in the fall. Homes near the water also tend to collect more spider webs and insect residue on the exterior frames.
Highway corridors. Homes close to the 640, the 15 and the 25 pick up a grey road film, which gets worse once the salt trucks start running.
Open land. Parts of Mirabel and Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines are next to farmland, and windblown soil dust collects on the windward side of the house.
What a fall window cleaning includes
Altara's flat rate covers the exterior:
- Exterior glass cleaned with pure (deionized) water on a water-fed pole, which dries without the mineral spots tap water leaves. The pole works from the ground and reaches up to three storeys.
- Frames and sills on the outside, cleaned in the same pass.
- Screens rinsed in place.
- A spot-check of every window before the crew leaves. If you see a streak afterward, contact Altara within 24 hours and the crew comes back to re-clean it at no charge.
Interior work is an optional add-on at extra cost:
- Interior glass with a squeegee and microfibre detail.
- Screens removed and washed.
- Tracks cleaned.
The interior add-on can be booked year-round, so if fall dates are tight, you can do the outside before freeze-up and the inside later.
Skylights, solariums, heavy hard-water staining and post-construction cleanup are quoted separately. If your home is taller than three storeys or has hard-to-reach windows, mention it when you get in touch; Altara does a site visit before pricing those.
Should screens come off for winter?
It's personal preference, but there are good reasons to take them off on the Rive-Nord.
Screens catch snow and ice, especially on windows that face the prevailing wind, and fine mesh can tear when ice builds up on it. They also reduce how much daylight gets in at a time of year when there isn't much. Taking them off after the fall clean, storing them dry in a garage or basement and reinstalling them in the spring keeps them in better shape.
If you leave them on, they still get rinsed during the exterior visit. For a deeper clean, screen removal and washing is part of the interior add-on. A dirty screen in front of clean glass undoes half the work.
How the price works
Altara charges a flat rate based on window count rather than an hourly estimate. You pick the tier that matches your home on the pricing page and book online. No in-home visit, no photo uploads, no waiting for a callback.
A few things sit outside the tiers:
- Interior add-on (inside glass, screen removal and washing, tracks), listed separately
- Skylights and solariums, quoted separately
- Heavy hard-water or mineral staining, quoted separately
- Post-construction cleanup (paint, plaster, construction dust), quoted separately
- Homes taller than three storeys or with difficult access, which get a site visit first
Annual and spring-and-fall programs come with an automated reminder before your next visit, at the regular rate. Recurring discounts apply to quarterly (10%), bi-monthly (15%) and monthly (20%) service.
Where we work on the North Shore
We cover Laval and the Rive-Nord, including Terrebonne, Blainville, Mascouche, Repentigny, Boisbriand, Sainte-Thérèse, Mirabel, Saint-Eustache and Deux-Montagnes.
Frequently asked questions
When is the last date for exterior window cleaning in the Montreal area?
There's no fixed date, because it depends on the weather. Exterior window cleaning generally stops once daytime temperatures stay around or below freezing, which in Greater Montréal usually happens some time in November. Booking in October gives you the best chance of a mild, dry day.
Can windows be cleaned in winter in Quebec?
Interior windows can be cleaned year-round. Exterior cleaning is generally seasonal in Greater Montréal, running roughly from March to November, because water freezes on the glass and equipment in sub-zero temperatures. A fall visit is the last full exterior clean before spring.
Is it better to clean windows in the fall or the spring?
Ideally both. Spring removes winter salt and road film, while fall removes the summer's pollen, dust and insects before the glass is locked in for winter. If you can only do one, many North Shore homeowners choose fall so the glass stays clear through the darkest months.
How long does window cleaning take for a two-storey house?
It depends on the window count, the type of windows, and whether you add the interior. A typical two-storey home on the Rive-Nord is usually finished within a few hours. Divided-light windows, lots of patio doors or the interior add-on add time.
Book your fall window cleaning
Pick your window-count tier on our pricing page and book before freeze-up. If you have a question about your home first, use our contact form.