This is part of our complete Portland residential window washing coverage — see our full residential window washing Portland guide for complete pricing, scope, and scheduling.

7 Questions Every Portland Homeowner Should Ask Before Hiring a Window Washer

Portland has dozens of window washing companies. Some are excellent. Some leave dirty tracks, streaked glass, and debris in your garden. Most of the negative reviews that appear on Google for Portland window washers could have been avoided if the homeowner had asked 7 specific questions before booking.

I’m Andrew Zellers, owner of Perfect Pays PDX. I’ve been cleaning windows in Portland since 2010 and I’ve heard from hundreds of customers about bad experiences with other companies. Every complaint maps back to something that could have been screened for before booking. Here are the 7 questions — and what the answers tell you.

Question 1: Does the Price Include Tracks, Frames, Sills, and Screens — or Just the Glass?

This is the single most important question and the one most homeowners don’t think to ask. “Window washing” is an ambiguous term in the Portland market. Some companies mean glass only. Some mean glass plus tracks. Some mean the full scope. You won’t find out which one you’ve hired until the invoice arrives.

The right answer: everything — glass (interior and exterior), tracks, frames, sills, and screens — all included in the standard price, no extras.

If a company says tracks or screens cost extra, factor that into your actual cost comparison. A company quoting $5/pane glass-only is often more expensive than $7/pane all-inclusive once you add track and screen charges.

Question 2: Is It Inside and Out, or Exterior Only?

This one surprises homeowners regularly. Many Portland window washers default to exterior-only as their standard service and add interior cleaning as an upgrade. Some quotes are presented ambiguously — “window cleaning” — without specifying which faces of the glass are included.

Always ask: “Does this price include interior glass as well as exterior?” If a company hesitates or confirms exterior-only, ask what the inside-and-out price is. For most Portland residential clients, interior cleaning is equally important — especially in homes where interior condensation, pet glass marks, or cooking aerosol have built up on the inside face.

Question 3: Do You Use Deionized Water or Soap?

This question separates professional window washers from commodity ones — and most Portland homeowners have no idea to ask it.

Soap leaves an invisible film on glass that attracts pollen, dust, and mineral deposits. This film is why windows cleaned with soap re-soil in 2–3 weeks. Deionized water has all dissolved minerals removed — when it dries on glass, nothing is left behind. Windows cleaned with deionized water stay clean 4–6 weeks in Portland conditions.

The right answer is: deionized water for exterior cleaning. A company using deionized water will know exactly what you’re asking. If the person on the phone seems confused by the question, that tells you their method.

Question 4: Is the Owner Doing the Work, or a Rotating Crew?

The Portland window washing market is full of companies where you never know who will show up. The reviews tell the story clearly: Portland customers who love their window washer almost always name a specific technician — Josiah, Ethan, Thomas, Michael. They ask for that person specifically on their next booking. They’re anxious about getting “a different one.”

This anxiety doesn’t exist with owner-operated businesses. When Andrew Zellers quotes your job, Andrew Zellers does your job. The same person every time. The same standard every time. No “good crew day vs bad crew day” variance.

Ask directly: “Will the same person do the work every time?” If the company routes through a crew scheduling system, the answer is no.

Question 5: Are You Licensed and Insured? Can I Have a COI?

This one is non-negotiable. Any window washer working at your property without general liability insurance exposes you as the homeowner if something goes wrong — a broken window, a ladder through a skylight, damage to landscaping from a water-fed pole. Their uninsured loss becomes your claim.

Ask for: Oregon Business License number (verifiable at sos.oregon.gov) and a Certificate of Insurance (COI) naming your property. A legitimate operator will provide a COI within 24 hours without complaint. If there’s resistance or delay, walk away.

See the full Portland licensed window washers guide for exactly what credentials to verify.

Question 6: Will You Text Before Arriving and Do a Walkthrough When You’re Done?

This question sounds minor but it reveals a lot about how a company operates. The Portland window washing reviews that generate 5 stars consistently mention the same communication moments: a text before arrival, an explanation of what will be done before work starts, and a walkthrough or report when finished.

A company that does these things has a process. A company that doesn’t is showing up, cleaning what they clean, and leaving — with no accountability loop.

The right answer is: yes to both. Pre-arrival communication and post-job walkthrough are standard, not extras.

Question 7: Do You Clean Up After the Job?

This question generates the most surprise among Portland homeowners — because they assume cleanup is included, and it often isn’t.

Portland window washing reviews are full of complaints about debris left in garden beds, water streaks on exterior walls below windows, ladder marks on siding, and in at least one documented case, debris blown onto a neighbour’s car. These aren’t freak occurrences — they’re what happens when a company doesn’t have a post-job cleanup standard.

The right answer: yes, cleanup is part of the job. The property should look cleaner after a window washing visit than before — not just the glass, but the surrounding surfaces and access areas.

Bonus: What the Answers Tell You

What if a Portland window washer can’t answer these questions?

That’s your answer. A professional who cleans windows for a living should be able to respond to all 7 questions immediately, confidently, and without caveats. Hesitation, redirecting to a booking form instead of answering, or a clearly uncomfortable pause after “do you use deionized water?” — these are signals that tell you something important about how the job will go.