Why DIY at Height Goes Wrong

SafeWork Australia data: falls from ladders are one of the most common causes of serious workplace and home injury. The injuries are disproportionately bad — broken hips, head injuries, spinal damage — because the fall is from height onto hard surfaces (concrete paths, paving, garden edges).

The injury risk is high enough that most home insurers will not cover injuries sustained by the homeowner while doing risky DIY work. If you fall off your own ladder cleaning your own window, your medical and lost-income costs are usually on you.

How Professionals Do It Safely

Two-storey window cleaning is done with one of three methods:

Water-fed pole. A long telescopic pole with a brush head, fed with purified water. The cleaner stays on the ground; the pole reaches up to 12+ metres. Standard for second-storey work where access is good. Safest method.
Extension ladder with stand-offs. A proper extension ladder anchored to the ground and offset from the window frame with stand-off arms. Used where pole access is blocked (overhangs, awnings, garden density).
Rope access / abseil. For very tall buildings (3+ storeys) or where ladders and poles can’t reach. Rare for residential work.

For most NE Victoria two-storey homes, water-fed pole handles 80%+ of the windows. The remaining 20% (windows under deep eaves, blocked by trees) use ladder with stand-offs.

“Hamish completed a large scale clean of our windows, big house with really tricky roof work etc. He did this safely and with expertise that I presume he learnt as an electrician. I highly recommend Hamish.”

— Andrew Pye — verified Google review

What to Check Before You Hire

Five questions to ask before booking a two-storey window clean:

Are you insured for working at heights? The contractor should hold public liability insurance with no exclusion for height work. Ask to see the certificate.
What method will you use on the upper-storey windows? Good answer: water-fed pole as default, ladder with stand-offs where needed. Bad answer: “I just use a normal extension ladder.”
Do you have a spotter or work solo? Best practice is two people on any height job — one working, one watching. Solo work isn’t illegal, but it’s riskier.
What’s your fall arrest setup? For higher-risk jobs, the cleaner should be wearing a fall-arrest harness anchored properly. Lower-risk pole work doesn’t require it; ladder work above 2-2.5m usually does.
If you damage my window or my home, what’s the claim process? A reasonable contractor has a clear answer. A vague answer means there’s no real process.

Frequency for Two-Storey Windows

Most two-storey homes need upper-storey window cleaning twice a year: spring and pre-Christmas. The upper windows accumulate dust slower than ground-floor windows (less foot traffic, less garden splash-up) but they’re harder to inspect for build-up, so it’s easy to leave them too long.

If you’re booking ground-floor and upper-storey at the same time, most window cleaners give a small bundle discount because the call-out and setup costs are shared.

How You Get the Clean You Want

Two-storey window cleaning is a job worth paying a professional to do — your home insurance, your spine, and your wallet all thank you for it.

No pushy sales tactics. We have a friendly conversation, walk through your home, agree the scope room by room, and quote in writing. You move forward at your own pace. People choose Green Koala because we explain how the work will be done before we start — not after.

We’ll walk you through the room-by-room checklist so you’re not caught off guard by what’s included and what isn’t. We’ll explain the difference between cadences (weekly, fortnightly, monthly) so you know what each one costs and what each one delivers. And we’ll match what we do to what your home actually needs.

Our goal is straightforward. We want you to walk into a properly clean home — and feel that exact “this is what I wanted” relief — every visit.

Get in touch with us today. We’ll review your situation, answer your questions, and help you choose the cleaning cadence that fits your home, your budget, and your routine.

How We Work With You

Our process is straightforward and designed around your needs.

Step 1: We Talk and Answer Your Questions

When you get in touch, we’ll call you back for a friendly 10-minute conversation. We’ll explain who we are, what we do, and most importantly, what we’re going to do for your specific home. We’ll answer every question you’ve got — about scope, pricing, frequency, products we use, anything.

Step 2: We Come Out and Look

We do a free walkthrough of your home — no pressure, no obligation. We agree the scope room by room, point out anything that needs special attention, and give you a written fixed-price quote on the spot. You’ll know exactly what’s getting cleaned and exactly what it’ll cost before any work starts.

Step 3: You Decide What Works Best

Take your time. Compare us with anyone else you’re considering. Once you’re ready, we’ll book the first clean — usually within 7 days — and confirm which cleaner will be coming to you each visit.

Step 4: We Stay With You

Recurring customers get the same cleaner each visit. Your cleaner learns your home, your preferences, your routine. Need to shift a date? Email or text us. Need extra hours one week? Just ask. We’re here for the long run.

Get in Touch With Us Today

If anything you’ve read here matches what you’re looking for, get in touch — we’ll have a 10-minute friendly chat, come out for a free walkthrough, and quote you in writing before any work starts. Same cleaner each visit, fixed-price quotes, room-by-room checklists you can see ticked off as we go.

Get in touch: greenkoalacleaning.com.au/contact
Phone: 0493 295 032
Email: [email protected]
Service area: Wangaratta and Northeast Victoria

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Green Koala do two-storey window cleaning?

Yes. Hamish has a trades background and works at height safely. We use water-fed pole for upper-storey windows where access allows, and properly-rated extension ladders with stand-offs elsewhere. Public liability insurance covers height work.

How much does two-storey window cleaning cost?

For a typical 3-4 bedroom two-storey home in Wangaratta, $250-$400 for both sides of all windows including upper storey. Fixed price after a free walkthrough.

Is two-storey window cleaning safe in a high wind?

No. Both water-fed pole work and ladder work are abandoned if wind speed gets above safe operating limits (typically 30+ km/h gusts). If conditions are unsafe, we reschedule. We don’t take risks with heights.

Do I need to be home for two-storey window cleaning?

Outside cleaning, no — we just need yard access. For inside upper-storey windows, yes, someone needs to provide access. We can do outside one day, inside another, if scheduling matters.

What about windows under deep eaves where the pole can’t reach?

We use an extension ladder with stand-off arms for windows the pole can’t reach. The stand-offs hold the ladder away from the glass and gutter line for stability. Slower than pole work but the only safe way to reach behind eaves.

Sources

Information about home cleaning, NDIS funding, and bond cleaning standards changes from time to time. Linked content may change or become outdated. Please always contact us for help with your important cleaning decisions.