I am not yet a window cleaner but am strongly considering it. I have been in the education field (elementary teacher and administrator) for the last 15 years and am ready for a change.
So . . . Two Questions:
What did you used to do?
Why did you become a window cleaner?
I used to be a production manager for a blind manufacturing company. I reached a point in the company where there was no room to move up, I was second in command and felt like the company was going nowhere.
I never thought I’d leave the comforts of a steady paycheck. I started cleaning windows part time and after a few months quit my job and haven’t looked back.
When you have the right tools and knowledge, cleaning windows is really quite simple.
I was a computer programmer and network admin for AOL. My wife’s parents had owned a window cleaning company for over 20 years. I saw it as a low stress job that I could make more money at and made the switch. Since then me and my wife have taken over the company and turned it into something very profitable. The income is not as steady as I would like in the winter but summer makes up for it. Now that the company is doing well, my wife is continuing to run the company and I will be leaving soon to pursue my dream as a police officer. Good luck!
I’m in the same spot as you. I’m looking into window cleaning, i haven’t started yet, but the advice I’m getting here is priceless.
I used to be a airplane mechanic, then switched to teaching aviation maintenance and power generation. ie wind turbines, and power generators.
I was in the service industry for 10 years. Started as a bus boy, then waitor, to a bartender,and worked my way up to a assistant General Manager. Loved every moment of it and I will open up my own restauarant soon because of the window cleaning biz!
Working 55+ hours a week and spending quality time with the Fam did not workout.
My best friend (who has owned his biz for 7 years) helped encourge me to start my own biz and taught me what a top quality windows cleaner is. With his help, WCR, Andy Engstrom, and lots of hard work… I would have never started on the right foot.
I operated a lawn care business for 8 years.
Then I bred rodents and snakes. It was profitable until the market collapsed.
Currently, I have a commercial property/grounds maintenance business (no mowing) that I started three years ago…and just recently added window cleaning as a service.
Of all my services, window cleaning is the only one I consider fun. My plan is to eventually move the window cleaning to a separate business. I will continue with the property maintenance as well because that work does not slow down during the winter…steady income.
Hi,
My GF is a kindergarten teacher, I can relate to the horror stories.
Window cleaning has been the only long lasting job I ever had. I dabbled in aviation fuel services for a few years and a lineman, cargo dispatcher and part time firefighter.
I daydreamed for about a decade about having my own window cleaning company but I didnt think seriously that I would stay in this line of work. We moved to Seattle from Indiana 3 years ago, I felt that this was my time to make a change. I knew I was good at it and had a lot of time behind the squeegee. So, with really no plan in action I quit working for “the man” put up a website, advertised and went to work for myself. It’s been the scariest thing I have ever done but Im enjoying life a bit better. Im learning the industry at a whole new level.
Good luck,
I was in the carpet cleaning business and fashion industry before that. You are a school teacher, I would recomend keeping your job and start building your business part time. It may take some time to get it where you can go full time. That way you can keep your benefits as a school teacher.
I was and still am a license plumber in MA. I have been building pure water systems and working in the field for over 18 years.
Snowboard-bum for 8 years. Traveled the world riding. Got home and had a kid. Worked 4 different jobs in less than 2 years before buying the biz from a guy who was about to retire. The past 15 years are a blur.
I delivered pizza for Dominos in a 86 camaro. I was the Road Warrior of pizza delivery. Made about $15-20 an hour delivering pizza but always had to fix my car. Got my first wc job in 94. Quit when I was doing a construction clean up on a jewel-osco in Chicago at sub zero temps at four in the morning. Moved to Michigan, worked in a commercial greenhouse, then had more car problems. Went to work for another window cleaning company in 1999 specializing in residential. Quit that job because I was better than my co workers and always had to go back and re do their work. I also feared for my life because i was working on slopes with no leveler sometimes using seven sections. I also wanted to be a “crew leader/trainer” but they had someone there ahead of me who was taking all the gravy jobs i had estimated for himself. Made about $900 my last week in commission based pay. Most of the window cleaners i meet in my area have worked for that same company. The owner sold it a few years ago. Now they specialize in janitorial. I made over a grand my first week cleaning windows for myself in june 2000. Since then, I have made over a grand in one day on multiple occasssions with one helper.
I love cleaning windows. It has liberated me from having a boss and made myself master of my own destiny. I hate Michigan though. The economy sucks, and it is about 15 degrees right about now.
I worked as a commercial printer. I learned the window cleaning trade from my brother that used to work for a wc company. We had discussions on doing it for extra money for over a year before I bought my first set of tools. Started out doing commercial and just about gave it up because of cut throat competition. I loved cleaning windows but most of the comp was cleaning for table scraps. Landed a residential job in a beautiful gated neighborhood and the rest is well… history.
Continued to work as a printer for 6 years until we had our first child in back in 1997. I chose WCing over printing and never looked back. It was definately scary at first because it is a risk but I took it with a “sink or swim” mentality. I have always worked hard to be an employee for someone else so I had no fear in that department. Looking back, I made the absolute best decision that I coud’ve made. I left the printing company 3 years before they were sold to an investor, liquidated and shut down . My printing press is now in mexico being ran by a mexican press operator for $4.00 an hour I would guess.
Out of school I worked at a grocery store as a cashier, stock clerk, bag boy, truck unloader etc. '82-'85. Spent a few months helping friends clean carpets, buff floors, clean windows.
In Feb. 1986 I started my window cleaning company with an $8 job. Now I make $8 every nanosecond:D
15 years as a Auto Tech. My hands have never been cleaner once I started doing this. 
Now I only wrench on my own stuff when I have time. Had a Mobile Car Detailing biz when we lived back in Florida. It’s an all year service and was good money too…
Professional Chain Saw juggler…NYPD…FDNY+ Window Cleaner…Im luvin it!
What number Ladder, Engine, Rescue Company are you at?
First job was a stock boy at a small party store thru high school. From there tried welding, and service dept. at a olds. dealer. Had a offer in the late 80’s to work for a friend building a wc business. Put in five years of working with people that only cared about friday. Went in business with a partner, that lasted a year. Continued on my own and love resd. cleaning. Do it on your own, no partners, and enjoy.
I had a busy (but gruelling) car repair business for exactly 21 years,to the day .For the most part it was fixing cars up to get them through the annual M.OT. test , 90%of the cars were on the tipping point in their dying days of life.Could i coax one last year outof them… Finally it hit me ,i wanted out . I sold every single tool,nut,bolt and Spanner to a dealer and one night time had a HUGE fire and burnt the rest 
The burn was very therapeutic AND final .
i drifted aimlessly for a while ,then suddenly one day i saw a set of ladders on special offer .The following morning i hit the streets ,never having cleaned 1 window before and soon i was on my way .
Man Ive had so many different jobs. I think 15 at last count. I quit all of em because I felt overworked and underpaid. Animal feed store, Hardware store, Magic Mountain, Concrete Work, Outdoor shop, Fundraiser, hotel porter, teacher, construction again, window cleaner(for someone else) , marketing for a hiring agency, construction office etc etc. Finally quit my job for good and started the WC’ing biz. Havent looked back. No regrets. Things are great. My wife and I clean windows full time.
I just read something about wealth yesterday
"Saving is the most important thing you can do to build wealth. Plus having income thats always going up."
Something like that. We’re continually making more and more money.
I would keep the teaching job and do windows on the weekend to start. My brother is a teacher and wants to quit his job. I keep telling him to stick with it and slowly build his music career. I quit my job because I got paid peanuts.
Good Luck!
I was homeless before I started washing windows.
Rob.
