Which Replacement Windows Are Easiest to Clean From Inside? Every Style Compared

If you've ever stood on a ladder with a bucket of soapy water trying to reach the outside of a second-story window, you already know the answer to this question matters.

The short answer: windows that open into the room are the easiest to clean from inside. Swing-in windows, which open inward like a door, let you reach both sides of the glass without tilting or lifting a sash. Tilt-in double-hung windows are a close second. Casements and sliders vary by model, and traditional fixed picture windows and awning windows generally have to be cleaned from outside.

It's easier to show than to tell. Here's what a swing-in window looks like opened for cleaning:

Both the upper and lower sash swing into the room, so the outside glass faces you. See it in motion in the video below.

In This Article

• Every Window Style Compared
• Swing-In Windows
• Tilt-In Double-Hung Windows
• Single-Hung Windows
• Sliding Windows
• Casement Windows
• Awning, Picture, and Bay/Bow Windows
• Questions to Ask Before You Buy
• FAQ

Every Window Style Compared: Can You Clean It From Inside?

Here's how each style handles the job that matters most: cleaning the outside glass without going outside. Exact features vary by manufacturer and model, so treat this as a starting point and confirm with the window you're considering.

✓ = yes, ✗ = no. Other answers depend on the part of the window or the specific model.

Swing-In Windows

A swing-in window looks like a standard double-hung or slider from the outside. The difference is how it opens for cleaning: the sash unlocks and swings into the room on a hinge, like a door. The outside glass turns to face you at a comfortable height, and you don't support the sash's weight while you clean.

Energy Swing designed and patented its swing-in window, and we build it in Murrysville. It's available as a swing-in double-hung, standard two-panel slider, and 3-lite slider. We also install ProVia windows, and if you're weighing the two, here's our honest Energy Swing vs. ProVia comparison.

Where it shines:

• No tilting, lifting, or removing a sash to reach the outside glass
• Curtains can usually be pushed aside rather than taken down
• Upper-floor windows are as easy to clean as first-floor ones

What to consider:

• The sash swings into the room, so you need clear space in front of the window. Furniture, plants, and items on the sill may need to move first.
• Window treatments mounted inside the frame, such as some blinds or shades, may need to be raised out of the way.
• An open sash takes up space in the room while you clean, so it's worth a look at narrow hallways or tight corners.

Watch it in action: here's our swing-in double-hung opening, locking, and swinging inward for cleaning.

Tilt-In Double-Hung Windows

Tilt-in double-hung windows are the most common easy-clean window, and for good reason: they're widely available, familiar to most homeowners, and both sashes can be cleaned from inside. Each sash slides up and down and tilts inward once you release its tilt latches.

How cleaning typically works: unlock the window, move the sash a few inches, release the tilt latches, and tilt the sash toward you. Clean it, return it, and repeat for the other sash. Exact steps vary by manufacturer, and depending on the model you may need to remove the screen first.

What to consider: on larger windows, a tilted sash can be heavy or awkward to handle, and the angled sash may bump into nearby furniture or window treatments. Learn more about double-hung replacement windows.

Single-Hung Windows

Single-hung windows look almost identical to double-hung windows, which is why they cause so much confusion. Only the bottom sash moves, and usually only the bottom sash tilts. The outside of the top sash stays out of reach from inside.

If cleaning from inside is a priority, confirm in writing whether you're getting double-hung, swing-in, or single-hung windows.

Sliding Windows

Sliding windows aren't all the same, and the difference matters for cleaning:

• Double sliders have two moving sashes. On most models, each sash can be tilted in or lifted out, so you can reach the outside glass of both from inside.
• Single sliders have one moving sash and one fixed panel. You can clean the moving sash from inside, but the outside of the fixed panel usually has to be cleaned from outside.

An Energy Swing 3-lite slider with both side sashes pivoted open.

Energy Swing's sliders work differently. On our standard two-panel slider, the sashes pivot into the room for cleaning, so there's no lifting a sash out of its track. On our 3-lite slider, the side sashes slide and pivot, and the center picture panel pivots too, so every pane can be cleaned from inside. See our sliding replacement windows.

Watch it in action: here's our 3-lite slider gliding, locking, and pivoting all three panes for cleaning.

Casement Windows

Casement windows are hinged on the side and crank outward. When fully open, there's a gap between the sash and the frame that you can reach through to wipe the outside glass.

How well that works depends on the model, the hinge, the window's size, and your reach. Narrower casements with hinges that open wide are usually easiest, while on larger units the far side of the glass can be harder to reach. Some casements are designed specifically so both sides of the glass can be cleaned from indoors, so ask to see the cleaning position before you buy. Read more about casement replacement windows.

Awning, Picture, and Bay/Bow Windows

Awning Windows

Awning windows are hinged at the top and open outward from the bottom. They're great for ventilation in the rain, but the outside glass is angled away from you, so they're hard to clean from inside.

Picture Windows

Traditional fixed picture windows don't open. That's what gives you an unobstructed view, but it also means the outside glass has to be cleaned from outside. If you want a large center pane you can clean from inside, consider Energy Swing's 3-lite slider: its center picture panel pivots, so you can turn the outside glass into the room. See our picture windows.

Bay and Bow Windows

Bay and bow windows usually combine a fixed center window with operating windows on the sides. Cleaning ease depends on what those side windows are, so ask for double-hung or swing-in flankers if this matters to you.

Who Benefits Most From Easy-Clean Windows?

• Two-story homes: upper-floor windows are where cleaning from inside matters most.
• Homeowners planning to age in place: fewer ladders and less lifting.
• Anyone who pays for window cleaning: easy access means you can do more of it yourself.

Questions to Ask Before You Buy

1. Can you show me, in person, how I'd clean the outside glass of this window from inside?
2. Does every sash or panel open for cleaning, or are some fixed?
3. How heavy is the sash, and do I hold it while I clean?
4. How much clear space do I need in front of the window?
5. Can I remove or clean the screen from inside?
6. Does the warranty cover the hardware and hinges that make cleaning possible?

The best way to answer all six is to try the windows yourself. You can operate Energy Swing's swing-in windows at our showroom in Monroeville. Keep your frames looking new, too: here's how to clean vinyl window frames.

FAQ: Easy-to-Clean Replacement Windows

What type of window is easiest to clean from the inside?

Windows that open into the room are easiest. Swing-in windows bring the outside glass into the room without tilting or lifting the sash, and tilt-in double-hung windows are a close second.

Are double-hung windows easy to clean?

Yes, if both sashes tilt in. Larger sashes can be awkward to handle while tilted, so try the motion before you buy.

What's the difference between tilt-in and swing-in windows?

A tilt-in sash pivots at the bottom and leans into the room at an angle. A swing-in sash opens on a side hinge like a door, so the outside glass faces you without you supporting the sash.

Are sliding windows easy to clean from inside?

It depends on the type. Double sliders, where both sashes move, can usually be cleaned from inside. Single sliders have a fixed panel whose outside glass usually has to be cleaned from outside.

Can you clean casement windows from inside?

Often, yes. When fully open, you can reach through to clean the outside glass. How easy that is depends on the model, the hinge, the window's size, and your reach, and some casements are designed specifically for cleaning both sides from indoors.

Can you clean picture windows from inside?

Not traditional fixed picture windows, which have to be cleaned from outside. If you want a picture-window look you can clean from inside, Energy Swing's 3-lite slider has a center picture panel that pivots into the room.

What are the easiest windows to clean on a second floor?

Swing-in and tilt-in double-hung windows, because both let you reach the outside glass without a ladder.

Final Thoughts

If cleaning windows from inside is high on your list, the choice comes down to how the glass reaches you. Swing-in windows bring it to you, tilt-in double-hung windows are a solid and widely available choice, and every other style involves some trade-off. Whatever you choose, test the cleaning motion before you sign.

If drafts are also on your mind, see our guide to the 7 best windows for drafty Pittsburgh homes.

Schedule a consultation to see our swing-in windows in action.

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