Can You Really Make Money Washing Windows?

Finding new and inventive ways to earn extra money can sometimes be a challenge. But lately, I’ve been doing a lot of side-hustle research… and one of the best new ideas I’ve come across is this one… which, ironically, is not a new idea at all. Can you really make money washing windows? 

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Making Money Washing Windows

We all know that this is a relatively classic side hustle. But what does it take to get started? How much can you make?

And perhaps more importantly… can you actually find work doing it?

Side hustles are fantastic because they give us the opportunity to earn more money. For some of us, even $200 or $300 extra per month could make a huge difference.

This could mean paying off credit card debt, renting an apartment with an additional bedroom, catching up on those car payments, etc. There are a lot of awesome reasons to start a side hustle. 

There are two main things that keep people from starting side hustles. The first is fear. 

A lot of people are afraid to step out like this because they are afraid that something is going to go wrong. What if they actually lose money? What if something bad happens?

What if they damage something and insurance doesn’t cover it? What if they accidentally do something wrong and end up in some kind of legal trouble? What if they face only rejection in their business endeavors? 

There are a lot of things that can actually go wrong… but at the same time, if we never take those steps and face those fears, we will never learn or make any extra money. Besides… great lessons come in all shapes and forms, and sometimes the best way to learn is just to start doing it! 

The next thing that keeps people from starting side hustles is indecision about exactly what to do. They might want to start a hustle and make some extra money… but they may also draw a blank when it comes to exactly what they should do to earn that money. 

On this website, we talk about a lot of side hustle ideas. But we are also continuously exploring new ideas and seeking out ways to earn extra money on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. 

And today, we are going to be talking about window washing. 

Let’s get started. 

Window Washing: The Basics

This side hustle is exactly what it sounds like. To make money at this hustle, you would buy the appropriate equipment, and hire out to wash windows for either residential and/or commercial buildings.

We love this side hustle for a lot of reasons, but it does come with some downsides. Here is a basic breakdown of what we see to be the main upsides and downsides to it. 

Upsides:

• It is inexpensive to start
• It gives you the ability to earn quite a bit of money
• You don’t need expensive equipment or any kind of special certification to get started
• Almost anyone can start this hustle… even if they don’t own a car or have a lot of startup capital

Downsides: 

• You will have to go door-to-door to drum up customers, so you have to be at least moderately good at sales
• You have to be willing to get out and meet people
• You won’t be able to get rich with this business idea unless you scale it by hiring people and expanding
• There is quite a bit of competition, and it may take time to break into the industry in your local area

It is also important to understand that, in order to make this side-hustle work, you will need to be a self-starter. You will have to tap into your powers of self-focus, and discipline yourself to get better at what you do.

You will also have to educate yourself and learn how to clean windows. To do this, we actually recommend looking up YouTube videos and practicing on your own windows to get started. Get a feel for the skill, and get good enough at it that you can approach potential customers with confidence. 

What Does It Take To Get Started?

I started checking out YouTube videos of window washers, just to get an idea of how easy this side-hustle is to start. And as it turns out, it is exceptionally easy!

You do need to buy a few things. But for the most part, you can get started with this hustle without even spending a ton of money. You can check out this YouTube video for some pretty cool information… or you can just keep reading and we will show you a list of what you will need. 

You will need… 

• A squeegee and scrubber (about $20)
• Some dish soap and vinegar ($5-$10)
• Some Ettore Squeegee Off ($5)
• An 8 foot extension pole ($15)
• A 5 gallon bucket ($5)
• A pack of microfiber towels ($10)
• Some business cards (You can get these printed at vistaprint.com for $10-$20)

You will also need some kind of transportation. At first, you may or may not choose to buy insurance for your business… that is kind of up to you. If you are starting out small, you may not actually need to get insurance right away. But at some point you may want to look into it, just to protect you from the possibility of damages and liability. 

How Much Can You Make Washing Windows As A Side Hustle?

I’ve heard of people earning $500 per day as window washers, especially in larger cities! You have to be willing to get out and drum up some business, though. This usually means going door-to-door.

But it also takes time to build up this kind of momentum. It doesn’t happen all at once, and you have to stick with it and be willing to put yourself out there. You also have to do a pretty good job of marketing and be a ‘friendly’ person as you talk to potential clients. 

Remember that you may not get every sale… but that you can always leave your business cards with people who don’t end up hiring you. You can also come back once every so often to see if you can get those businesses to hire you later. Be nice, but determined. This is what it takes to build a business! 

My Personal Feelings About Starting A Window Washing Side Hustle

Personally, I am a pretty big fan of this side hustle idea. In addition to the steps listed above, you could also go above and beyond by building your own website and marketing online as well… though to be honest, in this industry, showing up in-person may actually do a lot more for you.

You will have to show up in-person to wash windows anyway… so showing up in-person to drum up the business will likely make a much bigger impression on the business owner. 

I think this is an especially good side hustle option for people who are not interested in doing things that are extremely technical. If you want to start an honest business that takes work, but that will also not work you to death (like digging a ditch or carrying bricks), then this is an awesome option to consider. 

Another great thing about this business is that you can always sell it if you decide to get out of it. You will have a list of clients and the equipment you’ve gathered thus-far… so if you decide to pull up your roots and move, or enter a different industry, your business will be easy to sell and hand over to someone else… giving you some pretty decent cash for the time that you’ve invested in it. 

At the end of the day, starting a window washing side hustle is a great gig for people who are not sure how else to start making extra money. It is also a hustle that gets you outside and away from the office… which could be a welcome difference for people who are sick of being cooped up inside. 

And let’s also not forget how easy and cheap it is to start. For $100 or less, you could have everything you need to start washing windows like a pro. Practice on your own windows until you feel confident, then start hitting up small businesses and asking them if they’re interested in your services. 

The main thing to remember with this hustle is not to give up. You might be tempted to give up if you face rejection the first few times you pitch, but don’t let that get to you. Rejection is only temporary, while the success you will achieve from ‘yes’ answers will be long-lasting!

Even if you get rejected 20 times for every success, you will still find that you will make awesome money. And if you keep building and keep working on it, you will eventually get so many clients that you will have trouble getting all the work done! 

That is when the money will really start to roll in! 

Our Final Opinion Of Washing Windows As A Side Hustle

Nathaniell

What's up ladies and dudes! Great to finally meet you, and I hope you enjoyed this post. My name is Nathaniell and I'm the owner of One More Cup of Coffee. I started my first online business in 2010 promoting computer software and now I help newbies start their own businesses. Sign up for my #1 recommended training course and learn how to start your business for FREE!