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At a glance: money to start · hours · how fast it pays · how much you keep · how much it can earn. Taller bars are better; the dashed line is halfway.

Commercial window cleaning: what it really costs to start

Starting a commercial window cleaning business in Europe costs €3,000–€14,000 in 2026, with first income after about 4 weeks and earnings of up to €3,400 a month working full time.

Last updated: September 2026 · sources at the bottom of the page

Rounds on monthly contracts.

Commercial window cleaning in numbers
Money to start €3,000–€14,000 What you spend before the first customer pays: kit, stock, licences, launch.
Hours a week 20–45 What it takes to run it properly, from part time to full time.
Weeks to first income about 4 How long you pay in before any money comes back. You still need to live in those weeks.
Kept of every €100 €70 What stays with you after running costs, before you pay yourself for your hours.
Most it earns a month €1,100 part time · €3,400 full time A realistic ceiling for one person running it. Your own hours are the limit.
Competition medium Some competition: running it well is what decides.
Licence or qualification not usually Beyond registering the business and insurance, nothing specific in our research.

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What nobody usually tells you

Recurring by nature: the same windows get dirty every month forever, and rounds are bought and sold as assets. Weather-dependent and physically repetitive, but the income is more predictable than almost anything else here.

The route, in five steps

  1. Buy a pole-fed system: no ladders, no ladder insurance
  2. Buy an existing round if one is for sale — instant income
  3. Shops and offices, monthly, on contract
  4. Cluster by street to cut driving to nothing
  5. Raise prices 5% a year automatically

What you'll need to buy

These are the categories this business pays for in the first month. We go through the software side on the tools page.

pole systemvanwater tankinsurance

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Common questions

How much does it cost to start a commercial window cleaning business?

Between €3,000 and €14,000 to begin. That covers pole system, van, water tank and the rest of the setup. It does not cover your own living costs during the 4 weeks before the first income arrives, which is the cost most people forget.

How long after starting a commercial window cleaning business does the first income arrive?

Around 4 weeks to the first euro. Reaching the realistic maximum of €3,400 a month takes considerably longer, and assumes 45 hours a week.

How much can you earn a month if you start a commercial window cleaning business?

Up to about €3,400 a month working full time, or €1,100 part time. Of every €100 it takes, about €70 stays with you after running costs.

Can you start a commercial window cleaning business alongside a job?

Yes, at a cost. Part time it realistically tops out around €1,100 a month, against €3,400 working full time, and it needs 20–45 hours a week.

Is there a lot of competition?

Competition is medium. Neither crowded nor protected: winning comes down to how well you run it rather than whether you can enter.

Similar businesses to compare

Sources

Where these numbers come from. Figures are rounded ranges for European markets; check the ones you are about to spend money on. Last checked September 2026.

  1. ANNA — How to start a window cleaning business (commercial kit from about £4,000) money to start · what it earns
  2. Pureseal Services — How much self-employed window cleaners earn in the UK what it earns · share kept

Does it fit you?

These numbers are the average case. Whether this business clears your target depends on your money, your hours and how long you can wait. Put them in and see.

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