Pressure Washing FAQs

6 services: house soft washing, pressure washing, driveway and concrete cleaning, paver and patio cleaning, deck and fence cleaning, and gutter brightening and oxidation removal. Most homes book two or three together in one visit.

For a homeowner, nothing that changes the result. Both use high-pressure water to clean hard surfaces, and the words are used interchangeably. Some companies say power washing when the water is heated. What matters far more is whether the pressure is set for your surface.

Pressure washing cleans with mechanical force and is right for concrete, masonry and hardscape. Soft washing cleans with a cleaning solution at low pressure and is right for siding, stucco, wood and anything delicate. Most homes need both, on different surfaces.

Vinyl and aluminum siding, stucco and EIFS, painted wood, composite decking, roofs, and the face of gutters. Those need a gentler method. Pressure belongs on concrete, sound brick, block and stone.

It is not the method we would use. High pressure can force water up behind vinyl laps, crack brittle older panels and knock trim and shutters loose. A soft wash cleans vinyl siding completely at low pressure, which is why it is the standard for houses.

Yes. We clean the wood, let it dry properly, then apply a stain or sealer to restore the color and protect it from sun and water. We talk through the finish with you before any of it goes on.

Yes. Concrete, paver and stone pool surrounds are cleaned the same way as a patio, with the pressure set for the material and the rinse water kept out of the pool.

No, and they are often confused. Gutter cleaning empties the inside, the leaves and debris, so water can flow. Brightening treats the outside face so it stops looking streaked. This service is the outside.

Yes. The black and green growth on siding, brick and stucco is what a soft wash is made for: the solution kills it, and a low-pressure rinse carries it away. We clean exterior surfaces only. We do not test for mold or treat the inside of walls, and our work is not a substitute for a remediation contractor if you have a problem indoors.

Yes, in the right order: a cleaning solution first to kill the growth, then pressure to lift it out of the surface. Pressure alone knocks the top off, and the growth comes back sooner.

It is usually mildew or algae, the organic growth that settles on shaded decks. A soft wash kills it and a gentle rinse takes it away. We clean the deck surface only, and we do not test for mold or make health claims.

Yes. Chalky, faded aluminum and vinyl siding is cleaned by hand with the same kind of process as gutter brightening. It brings much of the original color back, though siding that has chalked through its finish will not look repainted.

Rub it with a fingertip. If a chalky film comes off, white or colored, the finish is oxidizing. Dirt smears gray instead. Text us a photo if you are not sure.

No. A house wash kills algae and mildew and rinses off dirt. Oxidation removal takes the chalky, faded layer off the finish by hand. Many homes need both, and they can be done on the same visit.

No. Beds are pre-wetted before anything is applied and rinsed again afterwards, and we work with the wind rather than into it. Keep pets inside while we are working.

Water, yes – an outdoor spigot with reasonable flow. Electricity, no.

Not necessarily. As long as the surfaces are reachable and the water is on, many clients are out. We confirm the details either way beforehand.

Please move cars off the driveway, move anything fragile away from the areas being cleaned, and close windows and doors before we start. Anything that cannot be moved, we work around.

Light rain is usually fine and can even help. Heavy rain or high wind means we reschedule, and you are told as early as we know.

Spring and fall. Spring clears the pollen and the growth that built up over winter, and fall clears wet leaves before they stain the concrete. Any dry day above freezing works.

Give it about a month. Concrete keeps curing for weeks after it is poured, and a young surface can be marked by high pressure. Tell us when it was poured and we will plan around it.

Not in freezing weather. Water freezes on cold surfaces and in cracks, so the work waits for a safe stretch of weather. Spring and fall are the best seasons, and spring books up first.

A year to two years for most homes here. A shaded, tree-lined elevation greens up faster than one in full sun, so the shaded side usually sets the schedule.

Old oil that has soaked into concrete, rust staining from irrigation, artillery fungus spots from mulch, and paint that is already failing. All of those get flagged before the quote, not after the invoice.

Because gutter stripes are oxidized aluminum and bonded grime, not algae, so house-wash chemistry runs straight past them. They need gutter brightening, which is a separate service.

Clean, yes. New, not always – decades-old concrete cleans up beautifully and it does not clean up to the color of a fresh pour.

Not when the method matches the surface. Damage comes from high pressure on siding, wood, stucco or soft mortar. We soft wash those, set the pressure to what each hard surface can take, and test a hidden spot when in doubt.

It depends on surfaces, size, condition and access, which is why quotes are free and specific to your property. You get one number before anything starts and that is what you pay.

Within 24 hours, Monday through Saturday. We are closed Sundays.

Yes, fully insured on every job regardless of size.

Cash, credit and debit cards, and checks.

Effectively, yes. Most of the cost of a visit is travel and setup, so adding the driveway and walkway to a house wash costs far less than booking them separately.

Yes. If something is not right, tell us and we will make it right. We do not consider a job done until you are happy with it.

There is. You and your neighbor each get $50, and three completed referrals earns you $200 off your next service. See the referral program.