Window and facade cleaning for a commercial building means cleaning the glazing on both sides together with the frames, profiles and hardware, and, where needed, removing protective film and installation residue. Inside, glass is cleaned from the floor or with a telescopic pole; outside, up to the second floor with a pole fed with purified water, and higher up by rope access, a cradle or an access platform. Facade work runs section by section from the top down, a permit to work is raised for every descent at height, and each section is signed off with photographs. Glazing repairs, joint sealing and gasket replacement are not part of the job, and the access method and frequency are agreed individually with each client after a site survey.
Eight stages of the work
1
Site survey
Before work starts, we look at the type of glazing and profile, the fixings, the anchor points, the parapet and access to the facade, as well as the condition of sealant, gaskets and drainage. The survey decides the access method and divides the facade into sections, each with its own way of working and list of tasks.
2
Glazing from the inside
Glass, glazed walls and glass partitions, frames, glazing beads, gaskets and hardware, sills, reveals and drip edges, tape and sticker marks and handprints. The work is done from the floor, room by room, so it does not disrupt the building’s operations.
3
Outside glazing up to the second floor
Cleaning with a telescopic pole fed with purified water: no one has to work at height and no streaks are left. This also covers outside reveals, drip edges, shopfronts and entrances.
4
Work at height on the facade
Descent section by section from the top down: glass, profiles and joints between panes. Two independent lines at every point, and the area below the working front is barriered off.
5
Glazed walls and atriums
Internal height — glass, mullions and transoms, glass roofs and skylights. The work is done from an access platform or cradle, depending on the building, and usually outside its operating hours.
6
Frames, profiles and hardware
Aluminium and uPVC inside and out, gaskets and drainage channels, hinges, locks and door closers, oxidation marks and cement film. Aluminium, uPVC and painted metal each get their own products.
7
Film and installation residue
Removing protective film from profiles and glass, leftover adhesive, tape and sealant, cement film and paint drops, then checking edges and joints. If the whole building has just been fitted out, this is done as part of post-construction cleaning.
8
Sign-off by section
A walk-round of the facade with your representative, photographs of every section, and any remarks put right before the record is signed.
How glass is cleaned at height
The access method is chosen at the survey and written into the contract. There are three options.
A telescopic pole with purified water — up to the second floor. No one has to work at height, and purified water leaves no streaks.
Rope access — above the second floor. Descents start from the roof and go section by section from the top down, so run-off from above never dirties what is already clean; equipment is checked before every descent.
A cradle or access platform — where the building has permanent facade equipment or room for a lift, and for atriums and glazed walls inside.
A permit to work is raised for every descent at height: crew, equipment, the plan for barriering the area below and the working hours. The permit is closed after sign-off. The contractor should hold liability and work-at-height insurance — ask for it before work begins.
What to agree with the building’s property manager
Any work on the facade has to be approved by the building management. You will need:
Permission to access the roof, the parapet and the anchor points.
Agreed working hours.
A plan for barriering the area below the working front and a detour for pedestrians.
The contractor usually handles the approval — all the client provides is the property manager’s contact. Windows can be cleaned from the inside while the building is in use. Outside, the area below the working front is closed off, so the side with the entrance is usually cleaned early in the morning or at the weekend. It normally takes three to seven working days from request to the crew arriving: survey, scope of work and quotation, permits and approvals.
How often to clean glazing in Dubai
Glass gets dirty faster in Dubai than in other climates: sand dust settles on it constantly, and after seasonal winds it builds up in a layer. From our experience with Grade A buildings, glazing is cleaned quarterly and shopfronts and entrances monthly. The exact frequency is agreed individually with each client: it depends on the district, the number of floors, which way the facade faces and how visible the building is. Cleaning can be ordered as a one-off or included in a regular contract.
What is not included in window and facade cleaning
Glazing repairs and gasket replacement.
Sealing joints.
Pressure washing of ventilated facades.
Dismantling structures.
All of this is priced separately and agreed in advance. If the survey shows damaged sealant or gaskets, you are told before cleaning starts — water can get inside through them.
Buildings by Dubai district: what to plan for
We work in every district of Dubai. The district determines the height of the buildings, the access method and the hours when work is possible.
DIFC, Downtown Dubai, Business Bay and Sheikh Zayed Road — office towers. Most of the facade is cleaned from the roof by rope access or the building’s cradle, and roof access and working hours are agreed with the property manager in advance.
Dubai Marina, JLT and JBR — mixed-use towers by the water. Besides dust, a film from the sea air settles on the glass; offices, shops and cafés on the lower floors are cleaned before they open.
Al Barsha, Deira and Bur Dubai — mid-rise buildings and streets of shopfronts. Most of the glazing can be reached with a pole or access platform, and shopfronts and entrances are cleaned early in the morning.
Al Quoz, JAFZA and DIP — warehouses, production sites and showrooms in industrial areas. There is more dust, facades are lower and work at height is more often done from an access platform; in free zones, passes for the crew are arranged before the visit.
How to sign off the work
“The windows are clean” cannot be checked — each section can. Ask the contractor for:
A scope of work by section with the access method — as an appendix to the contract.
A permit to work for every descent at height.
Photographs of every section and a walk-round of the facade with your representative before the record is signed.
What a contractor needs to quote
To get a real quotation rather than a guess, prepare:
The building’s address and number of floors.
The glazing area if you know it, or the number of windows and shopfronts.
Which sides are needed: inside, outside or both.
Whether the building has a cradle or permanent facade equipment, and room for a lift.
Whether frames and profiles, film removal after installation or a glass roof are needed.
When work is possible: during the day, early in the morning, at night or at weekends.
The contact of the building’s property manager.
About the company
B2B Clean Space is an international cleaning company founded in 2006. We clean the windows and facades of office and residential towers, shops, hotels, clinics and showrooms in every district of Dubai — DIFC, Downtown Dubai, Business Bay, Dubai Marina, JLT, JBR, Al Barsha and along Sheikh Zayed Road, as well as Deira, Bur Dubai, Al Quoz, JAFZA and DIP. Work at height is done under a permit to work and with insurance, and sign-off is section by section with photographs. We bring our own equipment and products. The site survey is free. Work and requests are handled 24/7, including weekends and public holidays.
