How Often Should You Clean Your Windows in London? A Season-by-Season Guide

Monday 19 October 2026

3Cycle electric cargo trike parked outside a row of townhouses

If you’ve ever wondered why your windows look dull again just weeks after a clean, the answer usually isn’t the cleaner. It’s London itself. Between traffic pollution, pollen and near-constant drizzle, the city puts glass through more than most.

Here’s a realistic, season-by-season answer to “how often should I clean my windows?”, plus what actually determines the right frequency for your home.

The short answer

For most homes in South, South-East and South-West London, every 4 to 8 weeks keeps windows consistently clear without paying for more visits than you need. But the right frequency depends on a few things specific to your property.

What actually determines frequency

Location and traffic exposure. Homes on or near busy roads collect brake dust and grime faster than those on quieter residential streets. If you’re on a main road through Brixton or Wandsworth, for example, you’ll likely want the shorter end of that 4–8 week range.
Proximity to trees. Leafy streets look lovely, but they also mean more pollen and sap on your glass, especially in spring.
Ground floor vs. upper floors. Ground-floor and garden-facing windows pick up splashback and dust faster than upper floors.
Property type. Flats with fewer accessible windows can often go longer between cleans than houses with bay windows, conservatories or skylights.

3Cycle operative riding an electric cargo bike through central London, with a red double-decker bus behind

A season-by-season breakdown for London

Spring (March–May). Pollen season. If you have trees nearby or suffer from hay fever, this is when windows get hazy fastest. A clean every 4 weeks makes a visible difference, both outside and indoors if you open your windows often.

Summer (June–August). Drier weather means less rain to wash away dust, so grime builds up gradually instead of being rinsed off. A 6-week rhythm usually holds results well through the summer.

Autumn (September–November). Falling leaves, damp mornings and the return of regular rain. Rain doesn’t clean windows: it usually just adds new streaks and watermarks on top of existing dirt. Sticking to your regular schedule, rather than skipping a clean because “it just rained”, avoids a build-up of residue.

Winter (December–February). Shorter days mean you spend more time looking out of your windows, and this is when dull, streaked glass is most noticeable from indoors. Frequency can often stretch slightly, but a clean just before the darker months makes a real difference to how much natural light gets into your home.

3Cycle operative cleaning the windows of a brick block of flats with a water-fed pole

Why the method matters as much as the frequency

However often you clean, the result depends on what’s being used. A purified water system (deionised water with no added chemicals) lets glass dry without streaks or watermarks, because no mineral deposits are left behind as it dries. That’s why every 3Cycle clean uses purified water as standard, on every visit, for every property.

Setting a schedule that works for your home

Rather than guessing, the easiest way to land on the right frequency is to get a property-specific price and schedule based on your actual location, window count and access, not a generic estimate.

Get your instant price and set up a recurring clean →

3Cycle provides zero-emission window cleaning across South, South-East and South-West London, delivered by e-cargo bike with a purified water system and DBS-checked, directly employed staff.