Modern window cleaning equipment comes down to three things: a water fed pole, a brush head with jets, and a deionising tank that purifies the water so the glass air dries with no streaks. That setup replaced the ladder, bucket and squeegee for most professional window cleaners in Australia, and the same gear now suits homeowners who want second storey glass done safely from the ground. This page walks through each piece, what it costs, and how to put a kit together whether you are cleaning your own house or starting a window cleaning business.
The equipment list
| Equipment | What it does | Do you need it? |
|---|---|---|
| Deionising water tank | Purifies tap water to 0 ppm so the glass dries streak free with no wiping | Yes, it is the piece that makes the finish |
| Telescopic water fed pole | Reaches upper storey glass from the ground, 22ft covers most two and three storey buildings | Yes, for anything above arm height |
| Brush head with jets | Scrubs frames and glass while feeding purified water to the work | Yes, comes with the pole kit |
| TDS meter | Verifies the water reads 0 ppm and tells you when resin is due | Yes, included with the tank |
| Flow control adapter | Sets the water flow at the tap so you are not wasting resin capacity | Worth having |
| Ladder, bucket, squeegee, detergent | The old way | No |
Why the water is the most important piece
Any pole can move a brush around glass. The finish comes from what is in the water. Tap water dries with mineral spots and streaks, which is why hosing your windows makes them look worse. Run the water through a deionising tank first and it reads 0 ppm on the meter, so it dries to nothing. That is the entire trade secret of pure water window cleaning: the brush loosens the dirt, the purified water flushes it away, and the final rinse evaporates clean. The full method is in our step by step water fed pole guide, with the video showing it on a real job.
The pole
A 22ft hybrid telescopic pole ($700) reaches the glass on most one, two and three storey Australian buildings with both feet on the ground. The hybrid construction keeps it light enough to control at full extension, the brush head takes the jets, and the internal hose feeds the water to the work. It handles windows, glass balustrades, shopfronts and solar panels with the same head. Choosing between pole options and lengths is covered in the pole buying guide.
The tank
The tank pairs to your water and workload. A Medium (10L, $499) suits a home and the occasional job. Anyone cleaning glass regularly, or working in a harder water area, should look at the Large (15L, $699) or XL (25L, $999) so resin changes stay rare. Every tank arrives assembled and tested in Brisbane with resin pre-filled, and when the resin is eventually spent, the replacement takes 15 minutes with nothing more than scissors.
The tank and pole bundle ($1,099 with the Medium tank) is the complete kit in one box: tank, pole, brush head, hoses, fittings and TDS meter. Connect a garden hose and you are cleaning within minutes.
Starting a window cleaning business with this gear
Most people who buy the pole setup from us run a business or are starting one: window cleaning, solar panel cleaning, soft washing, pressure washing. The pure water setup is the industry standard method for a reason. It is faster than squeegee work, it needs no ladder for routine jobs (which your insurer will appreciate), and the finish on upper storey glass is better than anything you can do by hand at height. One operator, one vehicle, a tank and a pole is a genuinely complete service offering, and the same kit adds solar panel cleaning as a second service with zero extra equipment. We put the whole start-up playbook, gear, paperwork, pricing and first customers, in our guide to starting a window cleaning business in Australia.
For daily commercial volumes in very hard water areas, read our RO/DI vs DI comparison before you buy, because at that scale an RO membrane in front of the DI stage can earn its keep. For everyone else, the standalone tank is the simpler and more portable tool.
Does it matter which city you are in?
The equipment is the same in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth or Cairns. What changes is your water. Harder water uses up resin faster, so a Perth or Adelaide operator sizes the tank up while a Cairns local gets a very long run from a Medium. Check your area in the water hardness by suburb guide before choosing a size. Everything ships free Australia-wide from Brisbane.
Frequently asked questions
What equipment do I need for pure water window cleaning?
A deionising water tank, a telescopic water fed pole with a jetted brush head, and a TDS meter to verify the water reads 0 ppm. A flow control adapter at the tap is a worthwhile extra.
What window cleaning equipment do professionals use in Australia?
Water fed poles running purified water are the standard for routine residential and low rise commercial work. The squeegee still gets used for ground floor detail work, but the pole and pure water do the bulk of the job.
How much does a window cleaning setup cost?
The complete tank and 22ft pole bundle is $1,099. The pole kit alone is $700 if you already own a tank. The ongoing cost is replacement resin, driven by your local water hardness.
Can the same equipment clean solar panels?
Yes. The same tank and pole clean solar panels from the ground with the same purified water, which is the recommended method because it leaves no residue on the glass.
Do I need detergent for water fed pole cleaning?
No. The brush does the agitation and the purified water does the rinsing. Glass cleaned this way dries clear without any product.
