Greenhouse and Skylight Cleaning in NYC
Cleaning Your Greenhouse & Skylight Windows
Greenhouse and skylight windows are notoriously hard to clean. After all, they are most often high above your head, which can put you in awkward angles to clean, especially if you don’t have the right cleaning equipment.
Total Window Service in NYC can help. We offer the best greenhouse cleaning services and skylight cleaning for your home or business. We have years of helping you let the light in and keep your plants growing and your buildings bright. In addition, we offer window restoration services for both greenhouse glass and skylights. Skylights can be overlooked when it comes to their maintenance because they are so high up. Greenhouse glass can break and need repair as well. If you are in need of either our greenhouse or skylight cleaning services, as well as our greenhouse or skylight restoration services in the NYC area, give us a call today!
BENEFITS OF A PROFESSIONAL GREENHOUSE AND SKYLIGHT WINDOW CLEANING SERVICE IN NYC:
- Improves the longevity of your skylights and your greenhouse glass
- Keeps you safe from having to climb up without the proper training and gear
- Keeps your windows cleaner longer
- Helps your greenhouse plants grow better
- Removes contaminants and germs that build up on your skylight or in your greenhouse
- Lets more light in
- And so much more!
Let us clean and restore your skylights and greenhouse to bring back the beauty and functionality of these architectural jewels!
SKYLIGHT CLEANING SERVICES IN & AROUND NEW YORK CITY
Are you having a challenging time reaching those hard-to-access skylights in your home or business? The window cleaning professionals at Total Window Service have you covered. We have the equipment and the know-how to access skylights that are otherwise inaccessible due to ceiling height, skylight location, items obstructing access, and other factors. We serve New York City and the surrounding areas, so be sure to contact us when you’re ready to enjoy clean, clear skylights, which are great for adding natural lighting to brighten up any room. We will get your skylights squeaky clean so you can see out of them and enjoy the view as well as the added light that clean windows let in.
Skylight Restoration
In New York City, we are fortunate to have a wealth of vintage and historic buildings to enjoy. While these structures connect us to our past, adding a touch of style and charm to our business districts and neighborhoods, they do need restoration from time to time to maintain their integrity. A lot of these buildings have skylights that, because of their age, are discolored, leaking, or stuck closed. Even brand new skylights can develop issues, especially if the building has experienced any level of settling, or if the skylight has been degraded by hail, ice, wind, snow, or other environmental factors.
Skylight restoration may involve any of the following:
- Deep cleaning to remove grime that’s built up over years, letting you see through it clearly
- Caulking to stop any leaks and prevent future ones from developing
- Framework repairs so you can open your skylight when you want to for ventilation
- Glass repairs to fix cracks and restore the skylight’s integrity and beauty
We believe that if you have a skylight in your midst, you should enjoy it. Make a skylight restoration appointment with us today, and we’ll bring new life to your old or worn window to the sky.
Greenhouse Cleaning
Total Window Service also cleans greenhouses. We know that a greenhouse offers a place of beauty and refuge, especially for city dwellers, but dirty greenhouse windows take away from the enjoyment of this space. We can deep clean greenhouses made of glass, acrylic, fiberglass, and other materials. A freshly cleaned greenhouse will add tremendous value to your property and give you a tranquil, attractive space to tend to your plants and relax in.
Greenhouse Restoration
Many historic greenhouses are in a state of disrepair and desperately need some loving attention to restore them to their original beauty. Greenhouse restoration may involve replacing cracked or fogged-up glass panes, repairing door and window mechanisms, and removing glass scratches.
If you need skylight or greenhouse cleaning and restoration services, contact the specialists at Total Window Service. We will be happy to provide you with an online estimate that’s fair and as accurate as possible. Contact us today so we can restore the beauty and functionality of your greenhouse or skylight and get them ready for you to enjoy again!
How often should NYC rooftop skylights be professionally cleaned given the city's air pollution and acid rain levels?
NYC’s urban environment – with diesel exhaust, industrial soot, and acid rain – deposits a layer of corrosive film on horizontal skylight glass faster than on vertical windows. Because skylights face upward, they also collect bird droppings, leaf debris, and standing water residue that etch into the glass surface if left untreated. For most NYC rooftop skylights we recommend cleaning at minimum twice per year – once in spring after winter accumulation and once in fall before the leaf drop season. Skylights on buildings near the BQE, FDR Drive, or heavy industrial areas in Queens and the Bronx may need quarterly cleaning to prevent permanent surface etching from atmospheric deposits.
What cleaning products and methods are safe for polycarbonate and acrylic skylight panels versus standard glass skylights?
This distinction is critical and often overlooked. Polycarbonate and acrylic skylight panels – common in residential greenhouses and older NYC commercial skylights – scratch very easily and are chemically sensitive. Ammonia-based cleaners, solvent-based degreasers, and abrasive pads permanently damage these surfaces. We use only pH-neutral cleaning solutions and soft microfiber application on acrylic and polycarbonate. Glass skylights tolerate a wider range of cleaning agents but still require squeegee technique adapted for the horizontal surface angle to prevent streaking and solution pooling. We identify the panel material before starting and select the appropriate method – there is no one-size-fits-all approach for skylight cleaning.
My NYC building's skylight has condensation or fogging trapped between the two glass panes - can this be cleaned, or does the unit need to be replaced?
Condensation between double-pane skylight glass indicates a failed perimeter seal – the inert gas filling between the panes has been lost and moist air has entered the sealed unit. This cannot be resolved by cleaning the glass surface because the moisture is inside the sealed unit itself. The options are seal repair – which is sometimes possible depending on unit type and age – or full insulated unit replacement. We assess this during the on-site visit and advise honestly on which approach makes more sense given the unit’s age and condition. Surface grime on the exterior and interior faces of the glass can be cleaned regardless of seal condition, which at minimum improves light transmission while you decide on the sealed unit.
How do you safely access and clean NYC rooftop skylights on high-rise or multi-story buildings where rooftop access requires special authorization?
Rooftop access in NYC commercial and residential buildings typically requires coordination with the building superintendent or property manager and in some cases DOB-registered rooftop access protocols. We handle all access coordination as part of the job scheduling. For skylights on high rooftops where edge proximity is a factor, our technicians are IRATA and SPRAT certified rope access specialists – the same international certification standard used for high-rise window cleaning. This means rooftop work is performed with appropriate fall protection equipment by independently certified technicians, not general laborers with a ladder. We provide our Certificate of Insurance and safety documentation to building management before any rooftop work begins.
Can hard water stains and mineral deposits on skylight glass from rooftop drainage be removed without replacing the glass?
Yes – in most cases. NYC rooftop skylights frequently develop calcium and mineral deposits from HVAC condensate drainage, rooftop irrigation runoff, and standing water after rain. These deposits bond to the glass surface and appear as white haze or spotting that regular cleaning does not remove. We treat mineral deposits using Winsol CC550 – an acid-based professional-grade solution formulated specifically for calcium and silica removal from glass – followed by neutralization and surface protection. For skylights with severe long-term mineral etching that has permanently altered the glass surface, we assess whether micro-grinding restoration is appropriate or whether panel replacement is the better outcome. We make this determination transparently during the estimate.
Does solar window film make sense for greenhouse or skylight glass to reduce heat buildup inside the space?
Yes – and this is a frequent request from NYC greenhouse owners and commercial building managers with south-facing skylights. Unfilmed skylight glass in summer creates intense heat buildup below – particularly problematic for planted greenhouses where temperature spikes damage vegetation, and for offices or residences with skylights where the space becomes unusable on sunny days. We install solar control film on interior skylight surfaces that reduces solar heat gain significantly while maintaining high visible light transmission – critical for greenhouses where plant growth depends on light levels. The film also blocks over 99% of UV, protecting both plants and interior furnishings from UV damage. We select film VLT and solar heat gain coefficient based on whether the primary concern is heat control, plant health, or occupant comfort.