Honestly, most people wait way too long. It's one of those things that creeps up on you — one week the windows look fine, then you notice they're a bit dull, and before you know it you can't remember the last time you got them done. We get it. But leaving it too long actually costs you more in the long run, because Christchurch is a genuinely tough environment for glass.

For most homes: every 3 to 6 months

Canterbury throws a lot at your windows. The nor'west winds carry fine dust and pollen from inland. Summer bakes whatever's on the glass. Winter rain leaves water marks that build up over months. For a typical Christchurch home, we'd say every three to six months is the sweet spot — it keeps things looking great year-round, and more importantly it stops mineral deposits building up on the glass itself. Once those get embedded, they're really hard to shift and can cause permanent damage over time.

Near the coast? You'll need it more often

If you're in Sumner, New Brighton, Redcliffs, or anywhere you can smell the sea on a good day, salt spray is landing on your windows constantly — even when the weather's calm. Salt is corrosive, and over time it etches into the glass itself. Those marks don't clean off. We'd say every two to three months for coastal properties, not because we want to sell you more cleans, but because that's genuinely what it takes to stay ahead of the damage.

Trees nearby, or on a busy road?

Christchurch's tree-lined streets are one of the things that makes the city beautiful — but established trees are hard on windows. Pollen, sap, and leaf debris build up fast, especially in spring and autumn. Same deal if you're on a main road: traffic film is subtle but it accumulates quickly and dulls your glass more than most people realise. Either way, you'll probably find yourself needing a clean more often than a property in a quiet, sheltered street.

Businesses: first impressions matter

People make snap judgements about a business before they've even walked through the door. Dirty windows on a shopfront read as neglect — even if everything inside is immaculate. For most commercial properties we'd recommend monthly or every two months, especially if you're on a busy street like in the CBD, Riccarton, or Sydenham where foot traffic is high and people are looking right at your frontage.

The short version

Every six months as a bare minimum for homes, every three months if you want them looking their best. For coastal or tree-heavy properties, more frequent is genuinely worth it. And if you're not sure what your property actually needs, just give us a call — we're happy to take a look and give you an honest recommendation, no charge, no pressure.

Get on a Regular Schedule

Canterbury Clear looks after homes and businesses all across Christchurch. Get a free quote and we'll sort out a schedule that works for you.

If you've ever cleaned your own windows — really put the effort in — and then watched streaks appear as the glass dried, you'll know how frustrating that is. You did everything right, and it still looks average. That's not a technique problem. It's a water problem. And once you understand that, the whole thing makes a lot more sense.

It's not the dirt — it's what's in the water

Tap water isn't just water. It contains dissolved minerals — mainly calcium and magnesium — that you can't see while the water's wet. But the moment it starts to evaporate, those minerals get left behind on the glass as white spots and streaks. It doesn't matter how much you wipe; you're essentially painting the glass with mineral residue every time you rinse. Even Christchurch's relatively soft tap water has enough in it to leave marks on a clean pane.

What pure water actually is

Pure water has had all those dissolved minerals stripped out through a multi-stage filtration process — typically reverse osmosis followed by deionisation. What you're left with is water that's as close to H₂O as you can practically get. When that dries on glass, there's nothing left behind. No spots, no streaks, nothing. Just clear glass.

How we use it

We use water-fed poles — telescopic poles with a soft brush head at the end that pump purified water through while you scrub. The brush agitates the dirt off the glass, the pure water rinses it clean, and then you just leave it to dry naturally. Because there's nothing in the water, the glass dries completely clear. No finishing with a squeegee or cloth needed.

A big practical advantage is reach. Our poles extend high enough to safely clean up to third-storey windows from the ground — no ladders needed. That's better for your property (no ladder damage to gutters or paintwork) and safer for everyone involved.

No chemicals — genuinely

Because the water itself is doing the work, there are no detergents or cleaning chemicals involved at all. That means it's completely safe around kids, pets, gardens, and painted surfaces. Nothing goes down the drain except water and the dirt we've lifted off your windows.

Does it actually last longer?

This is the one that surprises people most. Traditional cleaning products leave a thin residue on the glass — even when the window looks clean, that residue is there, and it attracts dust. Pure water leaves nothing, so there's nothing for grime to cling to. Most of our customers find their windows stay cleaner noticeably longer after a pure water clean compared to what they were used to before. That's why we use it on every job — it genuinely delivers a better result.

Want to See the Difference?

Canterbury Clear uses pure water technology on every job across Christchurch. Get your free quote and find out what a proper clean looks like.

There's a specific kind of frustration that comes from cleaning your windows, standing back, and realising those brown insect marks are still there. You wipe harder. They smear. You try a different cloth. Still there. And at some point you start to wonder whether they've actually damaged the glass. In most cases they haven't — but they do need more than a standard clean to shift, and knowing why makes all the difference.

Why insect marks are so stubborn

When an insect hits warm glass and bakes in the sun, it's not just sitting on the surface — the proteins and oils bond to the glass at a molecular level. A standard window cleaner or a damp cloth doesn't have the chemistry or the dwell time to break those bonds down. You're essentially just pushing it around. What actually works is a cleaner that can penetrate the residue, combined with gentle agitation and — often — multiple passes. The second pass shifts what the first one loosened. It takes longer, but it's the only way to do it properly.

Dog noses and paw prints

Dog nose and paw prints are a grease problem — the oils from your dog's skin transfer to the glass every time they press against it, and grease needs an emulsifier to cut through it. Household glass cleaner is mostly water-based and doesn't emulsify well. A proper degreasing step before the main clean is what shifts these reliably. If you've got a dog who loves the front window, you'll probably need more frequent cleans — every two to three months rather than six — to stay ahead of the buildup.

Hard water spots

Hard water stains are mineral deposits — calcium and magnesium left behind when water evaporates. Christchurch water is relatively soft compared to other parts of New Zealand, but you'll still get spots over time, especially from sprinkler systems hitting windows, or coastal properties where salt combines with water. The mineral deposits are alkaline, so you need a mildly acidic solution to dissolve them — vinegar works on light buildup, but commercial-grade products work a lot better on anything that's been sitting for months. The longer they're left, the deeper they can etch.

When it actually can't be fixed

This is the honest part. If hard water deposits have been sitting on glass long enough — typically years, not months — they can etch into the surface itself rather than just sitting on top of it. At that point, no amount of cleaning will remove them because the glass is physically damaged. The same goes for scratches from grit being rubbed across the surface during a bad DIY clean. If you hold a light up to the glass at an angle and the marks are still visible when the surface is wet, that's usually a sign you're looking at etching rather than surface contamination.

We'll always tell you honestly which situation you're in. If it's surface contamination, we'll keep going until it's gone — we've had jobs where it took three passes to fully shift stubborn insect marks, and we don't stop until they're clear. If it's etching, we'll tell you that too, so you're not paying for a result that isn't achievable.

The short version

Insect marks, dog prints, and hard water spots are all removable with the right approach — they just need more than a standard wipe-down. The earlier you address them, the easier they are to shift. Leave them for years and you risk permanent etching. If you're not sure what you're looking at, get us out to take a look — we'll give you a straight answer before you commit to anything.

Got Stubborn Marks on Your Windows?

Canterbury Clear handles the tough stuff — insect marks, water stains, you name it. Get a free quote.

If you're moving out and wondering whether you need to get the windows professionally cleaned — the answer is almost always yes, and the reason is simple: it's one of the easiest things for a landlord or property manager to flag on a final inspection, and one of the hardest to argue against if they do. A smeared window is obvious. A professional clean with an invoice is hard to dispute.

Are windows actually part of your bond conditions?

In most Christchurch rental agreements, yes. The standard requirement is that windows are returned in the same condition as noted on your ingoing inspection report. If they were clean at the start of your tenancy, they need to be clean at the end. Most ingoing reports describe windows as "clean" — which means you're expected to leave them that way. The burden of proof is on you to show they were cleaned properly, which is why a professional service with a receipt is worth far more than doing it yourself and hoping for the best.

Inside versus outside — where landlords actually look

Most tenants clean the insides and assume that's enough. Landlords know this, which is why the outside is often the first place they check. Exterior windows accumulate road grime, pollen, and weather marks that you genuinely can't reach properly from inside — especially on second-floor windows. Get both done. The difference in price is small and the difference in outcome at inspection can be significant.

Tracks and sills — where disputes actually happen

Window tracks and sills are where most bond disputes about windows actually originate. Grime builds up in tracks over years and is easy to overlook when you're rushing a vacate clean. A proper end-of-tenancy window clean should include tracks and sills — if whoever you book doesn't mention this, ask explicitly. We do it as standard because we know it's what gets checked.

How late can you book?

We can usually fit end-of-tenancy cleans in within a day or two of your request — sometimes same day if you're in the Christchurch area and the timing works. The earlier you book the better, but we understand that vacating a rental is chaotic and last-minute requests do happen. Give us a call and we'll do our best to make it work.

If there's a dispute

Keep your invoice. If a landlord tries to claim the windows weren't cleaned to a professional standard, a dated invoice from a window cleaning company is your best defence. We can also provide a simple confirmation of the work completed if you need it for a Tenancy Tribunal matter — just ask when you book.

Moving Out? Book Before Your Inspection

Canterbury Clear handles end-of-tenancy window cleans across Christchurch. Quick turnaround, inside and out, tracks and sills included.