Condos & High-Rises
Condo Window Cleaning: What an Owner Can Book and What the Building Handles
By Solpath Window Detailing · Published · Updated
In most South Florida condominiums, owners look after the inside of their glass and the sliders and railing glass on their own balcony, while the association has the building facade cleaned from rope or a swing stage. Your declaration and rules decide the details. Check them before booking anyone, because many buildings set working hours and require contractors to register with the management office.
Who usually handles what
| Glass | Usually handled by | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Inside of every window | The owner | Cleaned from inside the unit |
| Balcony sliders, both faces | The owner | The outside face is reachable from the balcony |
| Balcony railing glass | The owner, from the balcony side | The outer face is part of the facade in most buildings |
| Fixed exterior glass with no balcony | The association | Cleaned from rope or a swing stage with the facade |
| Lobby and common-area glass | The association | Usually on the building contract |
Check before you book
- What your declaration and rules say about windows and balconies
- Permitted working hours and days
- Whether contractors have to register with the management office or the front desk
- Whether the service elevator needs booking
- Anything the building asks contractors to have on file before they are let in
Balcony safety
Balcony glass is cleaned standing on the balcony floor. Nobody should lean out, reach over a railing or stand on furniture to get at the outside of a pane, at any height. If a pane cannot be reached from where you can stand safely, it belongs to the facade work.
Salt and wind on high floors
Upper floors take more wind and more salt than lower ones, and an oceanfront balcony can film over within days. On a balcony like that, a regular schedule does more than an occasional deep clean.
Low-rise condos and villas
In low-rise and garden-style communities the association often handles the exterior on its own schedule, but ground-floor glass, screened porches and patio sliders are frequently left to the owner. The same rule applies: ask the association first, then book what is yours.
