That was the norm prior to me moving to Florida some 16 years ago. Something I've never seen here or any home owner cleaning their own. guessing I've cleaned my own less than a dozen times. cannot recall many homes having lawn guys compared to here.

Screens and/or storm windows, means they usually don't get washed.

There is a local commercial company that does the occasional home, but instead of being a few bob to do, it's in the grand kind of range for a small home.

We used to have a window cleaner in the UK. He charged about 15quid. He came every month. Over here the going rate is about $200. So we've never had them done. Labour costs are ludicrous in SoCal. I keep telling my kids to be electricians and plumbers, at $200 an hour.

I had my windows washed before selling my home last year; arranged by the realtor. The effect was magical! Price wasn't bad either; will be tracking him down to come to my new place, which has several hard-to-reach windows.

My parents have and still do use a window cleaning service. Same guy treats the neighborhood and surrounding area. Must be some window cleaner code for exclusivity.

In the US it is easier to wash windows when you have the new replacement windows that tilt in for easy washing both outside and inside regardless of what floor of the house you are on. I even had these windows when I lived in a high rise apartment building. I've have to admit to never doing windows monthly as I never saw the need for it. Once every quarter year was sufficient and still is. My sister in Florida uses her garden hose and the window washing solution that attached to hoses to do the outside of her windows, particularly on the upper floors. Claims they come out sparkling clean.

Me!

I do our inside windows 1-2 times a year, the inside windows never really get dirty. The outside windows are cleaned once a year by the management company of the building we live in, the outside get dirty quickly with dust and car soot, but no access to clean the outside ones being on an upper floor, so have to make do with the annual cleaning they do.

I suspect some of this is a cultural thing (UK vs US). My old grannie used to get on her knees (arthritis and all...) every week and clean the 'stone' that served as the entrance threshold to the house (terraced house, front door directly on the street). That same grannie would iron underwear and bed sheets.

Part of the difference is weather-related. In CA, it typically doesn't rain at all from April through November, so your windows don't exactly get dirty. In other parts of the US, it rains so hard that the force of water probably does the job for you. In the UK, by comparison, you have a near-endless presence of 'drizzle' that is probably the worst for messing up your windows. Finally there's bug screens ... I won't open a window in the US that doesn't have a bug screen on it and bug screens do tend to make washing that much harder (removing bug screens is often an invitation to breaking them).