Does anything need repair before cleaning?
Look from a safe, accessible position for cracked panes, loose frames, missing putty around the glass, peeling paint, or signs of water getting inside. Report what you can see; do not press on glass or probe damaged wood to test it.
The National Park Service’s maintenance guide for older buildings identifies damaged glazing, loose parts, deteriorated joints, and broken sash cords as inspection concerns. It explains that sound glazing putty helps keep air and water out. A missing strip at the glass edge is a repair issue, not dirt to wash away.
For a cracked pane, loose component, or active leak, arrange a window-repair assessment before cleaning that window. Photograph the location and keep it off the cleaning list until the concern is resolved. Other windows can be considered separately.
Will the work require opening or removing anything?
Tell the cleaner if a sash—the framed section holding the glass—is painted shut, sticks, or will not stay open. Do not force it open or prop it up for the appointment. Access needs to be planned around its actual condition.
Also identify any separate storm window or added glass panel. Cleaning the outermost face does not necessarily reach the glass behind it. Marvin’s care guidance distinguishes removable exterior energy panels from the main window and calls for checking storm-panel fasteners.
Ask which glass faces can be reached with the panels in place and who, if anyone, will handle removal and reinstallation. Do not assume an older window tilts inward or that panel removal is part of the cleaning quote. If the arrangement is unknown, send a photo rather than taking it apart.
How will the frames and finishes be protected?
A method needs to suit the surrounding material as well as the glass. Marvin advises checking wood finishes for failing paint or caulk and warns against directing a pressure washer at any part of a window or door. Its instructions also call for removing leftover cleaning solution and moisture from the frame.
Share any manufacturer label, past repair details, or care sheet you already have. For original windows without product records, an experienced window-restoration specialist can help identify suitable care. Mention decorative glass separately; do not assume ordinary glass instructions apply to it.
Where applied film is present, use the separate tint and film guide to check product requirements.
Make a window-by-window plan
Instead of describing every window as “old,” separate the exceptions. For example: “Living room: intact glass, exterior cleaning requested. Rear bedroom: sash will not stay open; leave closed. Kitchen: cracked pane awaiting repair; exclude for now.” This is a sample handoff, not a completed Valley job.
For an older Lakeland home with replacement windows in one room and original windows elsewhere, label the photos by room so the two types do not get treated as one group. Include these notes with your request for exterior window cleaning or interior window cleaning. Keep repairs and any panel handling explicit in the agreed plan.