The services list mistake on most window cleaning profiles, and the 20-minute fix
Many window cleaners pick one category and leave the services list blank, so Google never shows them for screens, gutters or solar panels. Here is the fix.
A homeowner searches "screen repair and window washing near me" and gets three companies. You clean screens on every job, but you are not one of the three. The reason is often not your reviews or your location. It is a blank box on your Google Business Profile that most window cleaners never fill in.
We look at a lot of window cleaning profiles. The same mistake shows up again and again: one category, an empty services list, and a one-line description. Here is what goes wrong and how to fix it in about 20 minutes.
What the mistake looks like
Open a typical profile and you see:
- Primary category: Window cleaning service
- Additional categories: none
- Services: empty, or just "Window cleaning"
- Description: "Professional window cleaning. Call for a free quote."
Nothing here is wrong exactly. It is just thin. Google uses categories and services to decide which searches you show up for. If the profile only says "window cleaning," Google has little reason to show you for "gutter cleaning," "pressure washing," "solar panel cleaning," "hard water stain removal," or "screen repair," even if you do all of them.
Why it matters more than it seems
Your best customers often search for something specific. Someone searching "hard water stain removal on windows" usually has a real problem, is willing to pay to fix it, and has fewer companies to choose from. Those searches have less competition than plain "window cleaning near me."
AI search tools work the same way. When someone asks ChatGPT or Google's AI answers "who cleans solar panels and windows in [town]," the answer leans on what your profile and website actually say. Empty fields give them nothing to quote. The AI search guide explains this in more detail.
The 20-minute fix
1. Check your primary category (2 minutes). It should be "Window cleaning service" for most companies. Do not switch it to something broader to chase more searches. The primary category carries the most weight.
2. Add relevant additional categories (5 minutes). Only add ones you actually do as real services. Options often include:
- Gutter cleaning service
- Pressure washing service
- Solar panel cleaning (if available in your area's category list)
- Christmas light installation, if you offer it seasonally
Do not add categories you do not offer. Customers who call for the wrong service waste your time, and it can hurt your profile.
3. Fill in the services list (8 minutes). Under each category, Google suggests services. Turn on every one you offer, then add custom ones. A good list for a residential window cleaner might include:
- Interior and exterior window cleaning
- Screen cleaning and repair
- Track and sill cleaning
- Hard water stain removal
- Skylight cleaning
- Solar panel cleaning
- Gutter cleaning
- Post-construction window cleaning
Add a short description to each. One sentence with a starting price works well: "Screen cleaning, included on full-service jobs, $5 to $8 per screen on its own."
4. Rewrite the description (5 minutes). Use your 750 characters. Say what you do, where, and what makes you different, in plain words:
Residential and storefront window cleaning in [town], [town] and [town]. Inside and out, screens and tracks included on full-service jobs. We also clean gutters and solar panels. Fully insured, family owned since [year]. Text or call for a quote, usually same day.
While you are in there
Fix two other things most profiles miss:
- Hours. In our data, 68.4% of window cleaning listings show no hours at all. Even if you work by appointment, list the hours you answer the phone.
- Photos. Post real before-and-after shots: hard water stains, dirty tracks, a clean storefront. 91.7% of profiles have at least one photo, so having one is not enough. Fresh, specific photos help.
The Google Business Profile guide walks through every setting step by step.
What to expect
Changes to categories and services can take a few days to a few weeks to show up in search. You will not get a flood of calls overnight. What you should see over the next month is your profile appearing for more specific searches. Google shows these in your profile's performance section under the searches people used to find you.
A hypothetical: if your profile starts showing for "solar panel cleaning" in a town where only two other companies list it, even a few extra calls a month at $150 to $300 per job adds up over a season.
How you compare
Most window cleaning companies have strong ratings. 92.9% of rated listings sit at 4.5 stars or higher, and the median company has 7 reviews. With stars that close, the details on your profile are one of the few things left that set you apart. The benchmark report shows the full picture.
If you want someone to clean up your profile and keep it current, try a free 14-day trial of any service, no card, text or call (801) 515-4729.
Steven has spent the last several years running growth campaigns for local service businesses, window cleaning companies among them, and builds the benchmark datasets on this site from public Google listings. About the editor