We write a lot on this blog about how to keep a home clean—when to schedule gutter cleaning, why streaks happen, how often windows really need washing. But we don't often stop to just show you the work. So this time we're doing exactly that: three real jobs our crews finished this summer, with the honest before-and-after photos, what each one actually cost, and a little about the people who showed up to do it.
A quick word about us first, since it's relevant to everything below. My Window Washing is a family-owned company that has served Chicago and the suburbs since 2003, earning 2,000+ five-star reviews along the way. We're not a national chain routing calls to a call center—we're local crews working out of neighborhood offices in Northbrook, Round Lake, and Barrington, with real names and real trucks you'll actually see in your driveway. Every job below was done by one of those crews, fully insured and bonded, and backed by our streak-free satisfaction guarantee.
1. Window Washing — Glencoe, IL
Glencoe's older residential streets tend toward deep lots and mature canopy, and the French-style windows on this two-story home had accumulated the kind of layered grime that builds up when oak shade slows the drying cycle and keeps moisture on the glass. You can see it in the before shot—the spotting and haze that soap and water alone won't tell you you've missed until the glass dries. All told: 61 windows across two floors, plus 8 skylights and 3 window wells, inside and out.
Our technician Timothy, out of the Northbrook office, arrived at eight in the morning and worked the exterior panes first, while the low light still caught streaks. French-style windows demand attention at every muntin intersection, so he wiped each grid section clean before squeegeeing the field, then cleared the window wells and skylights before moving inside for the afternoon. The result speaks for itself in the after shot. You can see the full write-up and job video on the Glencoe window washing project page.
Curious how often your own glass needs this? See how often you should wash windows based on where you live.
2. Gutter Cleaning — Grayslake, IL
Grayslake sits in a stretch of Lake County where mature trees and older subdivisions share the landscape, and the homes here collect debris in ways that aren't always obvious from the ground. This two-story house—just under 3,000 square feet of footprint—had a specific problem: the roofing was shedding fine granules, the dense, sand-like grit that packs into the bottom of the troughs and settles at every bend and elbow instead of rinsing through with the rain.
By the time our technician Paul arrived from the Round Lake office, water had no clear path to move. He worked the gutters section by section, cleared the compacted granule buildup, then chased it into the downspouts—where clogged elbows were blocking drainage entirely—and flushed every line until it ran free. That granular shedding is a slow, steady process, which is exactly why it sneaks up on people. See the full breakdown on the Grayslake gutter cleaning project page.
Related reading: 5 common ways to tell when your gutters are clogged.
3. Power Washing — Crystal Lake, IL
Crystal Lake properties under mature tree cover tend to accumulate the kind of grime plain water won't touch—mildew working into the surface, black streaks tracing the low spots, organic buildup that layers on season after season until it becomes part of the texture. That's what we found here: roughly 1,800 square feet of exterior surface and a brick paver patio that had clearly gone a few seasons without a serious cleaning.
The key is that we don't just blast it. Our Barrington crew ran a soap application first and let the detergent dwell long enough to break down the mildew and lift the black streaking before bringing pressure to bear. On the pavers, they kept the wand angle consistent to pull embedded grime out without disturbing the joint sand. By the time the hoses were rolled up, the brick read as its actual color again—not the color of everything that had landed on it. Full details are on the Crystal Lake power washing project page.
Want the science on this? Read the key differences between soft washing and power washing.
What These Three Jobs Have in Common
Different services, different towns, different crews—but the same approach shows up in all three. In each case the buildup was gradual and easy to overlook until it became a real problem: pollen you stop noticing, roof granules you can't see from the ground, mildew that creeps in so slowly it starts to look normal. That's the honest truth about exterior maintenance—it rarely fails all at once.
The other common thread is how the work got done. A named technician showed up, did the job methodically, cleaned up after themselves, and left. No pressure, no surprise upsells, no mess left in the yard. That's the standard we've held to since 2003, and it's why we can offer transparent upfront pricing: window washing starts at $100 and gutter cleaning at $120, and you can get an exact quote in about 60 seconds without an on-site sales visit.
If you'd like to see more of this kind of work, we keep a running gallery of completed jobs—every one with real photos—on our projects page.
See Your Own Before & After
Every home on this list looked "fine enough" from a distance—until you set the before and after side by side. If your windows, gutters, or siding are due, the hardest part is just booking it. We're fully insured, bonded, and BBB A+ rated, with same-day and next-day appointments often available across Chicagoland.
Explore the service that fits what you need—window washing, gutter cleaning, or power washing—or just call (847) 297-4492 and one of our local crews will take it from there.
