Yes. You can still have your windows professionally cleaned during the current hosepipe restrictions.
South West Water restricts householders from using hosepipes to clean windows and other exterior surfaces, but its published guidance includes an exception where the work is carried out as part of a professional service or business.
For Smith Cleaning customers in St Ives, Carbis Bay, Lelant and Hayle, regular professional window cleaning can therefore continue.
We’ve been cleaning windows around the West Cornwall coast since 2003. Today, our vehicles carry specialist hot purified-water systems that allow us to clean glass, frames and sills efficiently, while being particularly conscious of responsible water use during periods of restriction.
What does the hosepipe ban mean for window cleaning?
South West Water’s restrictions prevent householders from using a hosepipe to clean the exterior of their home, including windows, walls, paths, patios and other outdoor surfaces.
There is, however, an important distinction for professional services.
South West Water’s published guidance provides an exception when the use of a hosepipe is “as part of a professional service or business.”
This means that while you may be restricted from using your own hosepipe to clean your windows, you can still employ a professional window cleaning company to carry out the work.
How does Smith Cleaning use water efficiently?
A professional exemption doesn’t remove our responsibility to use water carefully. During a hosepipe ban, we think that responsibility becomes even more important.
Smith Cleaning uses specialist hot purified-water systems carried within our vehicles. Rather than connecting to a customer’s garden tap and using their water supply, we arrive with the purified water required to carry out the scheduled clean.
Our water-fed pole systems allow our operators to deliver purified water directly to the glass, frames and sills being cleaned. Because the water has been purified, it can be left to dry naturally without the mineral deposits that ordinary tap water can leave behind.
Heating the purified water also improves cleaning performance, particularly when dealing with the salt and environmental contamination we regularly encounter on properties around the West Cornwall coast.
We’ve invested in this equipment because using the right system, in experienced hands, allows us to achieve the standard our customers expect while being conscious of the resources we use.
Why regular window cleaning still matters during a hosepipe ban
A hosepipe ban doesn’t stop the conditions that make windows dirty.
After more than 20 years cleaning properties around St Ives and the West Cornwall coast, we’ve seen how quickly exposed glass can become affected by salt carried on the wind, particularly on properties facing the sea.
Salt deposits, bird mess, sand, pollen and general airborne contamination continue to build up regardless of water restrictions. On some of the most exposed properties we maintain, the difference between sheltered and sea-facing elevations can be significant.
This is why we don’t believe a hosepipe ban should mean abandoning regular maintenance. Where professional cleaning is permitted, continuing an established cleaning schedule prevents contamination from being allowed to build up unnecessarily.
For many of our customers, the windows are also a significant part of the property itself. Large areas of glass overlooking St Ives Bay and the surrounding coastline are there to be enjoyed, and keeping them clear is part of looking after the home.
What are we doing to use water responsibly?
Being permitted to work during a hosepipe ban doesn’t mean water conservation stops mattering. We believe the opposite is true.
Our purified water is prepared for professional window cleaning and carried to the property in our vehicles. Our operators use water-fed pole systems to apply it directly where it is required, rather than relying on a customer’s garden hose.
Purified water also allows us to clean most regularly maintained windows without conventional detergents. Once the glass, frames and sills have been cleaned, the purified water is left to dry naturally, leaving a clear finish without the mineral residue found in ordinary tap water.
For us, responsible professional cleaning means combining the right equipment with experienced operators and using the water required to achieve the result, rather than treating the professional exemption as a reason to be wasteful.
During periods of restriction, that principle matters even more.
Professional window cleaning in West Cornwall since 2003
Smith Cleaning was founded in 2003 and has spent more than two decades caring for properties across St Ives and West Cornwall.
Over that time, we’ve worked on everything from regularly maintained family homes to prominent coastal properties, holiday accommodation and commercial buildings. That experience has shaped the equipment we invest in, the methods we use and the standards we expect from our team.
Today, Smith Cleaning Limited operates specialist hot purified-water systems, with £10 million Public Liability Insurance and a professional team accustomed to working around valuable homes and businesses.
For us, professional window cleaning isn’t simply about leaving the glass clean. It’s about arriving properly equipped, working safely and respectfully around the property, and providing a service our customers can rely on throughout the year.
Frequently asked questions about window cleaning during a hosepipe ban
Can professional window cleaners work during a hosepipe ban?
Yes. South West Water’s published guidance allows hosepipe use when the cleaning is carried out as part of a professional service or business. This means professional window cleaning can continue during the current restrictions.
Can I use my own hosepipe to clean my windows?
Under the current restrictions, householders are not permitted to use a hosepipe to clean the exterior of their home, including windows and other outdoor surfaces. Professional cleaning is treated differently under South West Water’s published exceptions.
Can Smith Cleaning continue my regular window cleaning?
Yes. Smith Cleaning can continue providing professional window cleaning during the current hosepipe restrictions. Existing customers do not need to cancel their regular cleaning because of the ban.
Does Smith Cleaning use the customer’s water supply?
No. Our vehicles carry the purified water required for the scheduled clean, so our team does not normally need to connect to a customer’s garden tap for regular window cleaning.
Why does Smith Cleaning use purified water?
Purified water has had the dissolved minerals found in ordinary tap water removed. This allows the glass to dry naturally without the mineral spotting that tap water can leave behind, while helping us clean glass, frames and sills effectively.
Why does Smith Cleaning use hot purified water?
Heating purified water improves cleaning performance, particularly when dealing with salt, bird mess and other contamination found on exposed coastal properties around St Ives and West Cornwall.
Is professional window cleaning wasteful during a hosepipe ban?
We believe professional cleaning should be carried out responsibly. Our team uses specialist water-fed equipment to apply purified water directly where it is needed, and we remain particularly conscious of water use during periods of restriction.
Which areas does Smith Cleaning cover?
Smith Cleaning provides regular professional window cleaning across St Ives, Carbis Bay, Lelant, Hayle and surrounding parts of West Cornwall.
Keep your windows looking their best during the hosepipe ban
If you already use Smith Cleaning, your regular professional window cleaning can continue during the current restrictions.
If you are looking for a professional window cleaning service in St Ives, Carbis Bay, Lelant, Hayle or the surrounding area, we would be happy to discuss your property and the most suitable cleaning schedule.
Smith Cleaning has been caring for properties in West Cornwall since 2003, using specialist hot purified-water systems and professional equipment to maintain homes and businesses throughout the year.
The hosepipe may be restricted. Your view does not have to be.