shHouse Soft Washing in Delaware County, PA
Low-pressure soft washing that lifts algae, mildew and road film off vinyl siding, stucco, brick and painted trim without forcing water behind it.
A house wash is the one service that changes how the whole property reads from the street, and the siding is where most of that change happens. It is also the service most easily done badly. Siding is a rain screen, not a sealed wall, and a pressure tip held against a lap joint pushes water behind the panel where it has no way out. That is why we soft wash houses instead of power washing them.
What is actually on your siding
Almost none of it is dirt. The gray-green film down a shaded wall is Gloeocapsa magma, an algae that feeds on the limestone filler in siding and shingle. The black speckling is mildew. The dull band along the bottom two feet is road film and lawn-mower splash. Three different problems, and only one of them is loose enough to rinse off. That is why pressure alone leaves a wall that looks clean wet and streaky dry.
Soft washing vs power washing a house
A soft wash carries the cleaning solution to the wall at roughly garden-hose pressure, lets it dwell, then rinses. The algae is killed rather than knocked back, so the siding stays clean for a season or two instead of greening up again in weeks. Power washing a house does the opposite: it blasts the surface growth off, drives water under the laps, can chalk older vinyl and aluminum, and leaves the roots behind. We save pressure washing for concrete, brick paving and the other hard surfaces built to take it. The full comparison is in soft washing vs pressure washing.
Siding washing, material by material
Vinyl gets a straightforward soft wash. Aluminum gets the same, gently, because older aluminum chalks and marks under pressure. Fiber-cement boards like HardiePlank get the low-pressure method their manufacturers call for. Stucco and EIFS get extra dwell time and no pressure at all. Brick and stone get tested first, because the mortar, not the brick, decides how hard a wall can be rinsed.
Why the shady side goes green first
Walk around almost any house in Delaware County or on the Main Line and one wall is greener than the rest. It is nearly always the north side, or the wall that faces the neighbor's trees. Sun dries a wall within hours of a rain, while shade keeps it damp for days, and damp siding is where algae and mildew settle in. Humid summers and old tree canopy make the effect stronger here than in newer, open neighborhoods, which is why the shaded wall, not the calendar, usually decides when a house is due.
Mold, mildew and algae on siding
Homeowners call the growth on their siding mold, mildew or algae, and on the outside of a house the answer is the same: kill it with the right solution, give it time, and rinse it away at low pressure. That is what a soft wash does, and it is why the house stays clean far longer than after a rinse. We are exterior cleaners, not mold remediation contractors. We clean organic growth off siding, brick, stucco, trim and concrete. We do not test for mold, treat the inside of a wall, or make health claims about what we remove. If growth keeps coming back in one spot, the cause is usually water, like a leaking gutter or a sprinkler hitting the wall, and we will point it out.
When the problem is oxidation, not dirt
Some siding looks dirty and is not. Older painted aluminum, and some vinyl, slowly breaks down in the sun and leaves a chalky film. Rub the wall with a fingertip and it comes away white or colored. A soft wash rinses the loose dirt off that film, but it will not bring the color back. That takes oxidation removal, the same hand-worked process we use on gutters. On a Drexel Hill home in September 2026 the blue siding had faded to a chalky pale blue, and the homeowner wrote afterwards that it “came very close to the original color.” Close is the honest word: oxidation removal restores a lot, but siding that has chalked through its finish will not look repainted.
Before you sell, paint or host
A washed house photographs better, shows better, and tells a buyer the rest of the home has been looked after. It is also the step painters want done first, because paint does not bond well to chalk, pollen and algae, and a wash a few days before the painting starts gives the new coat a clean surface. If you are listing a house, hosting a party or getting ready for family, tell us the date when you ask for a quote and we will do our best to schedule around it.
Plants, pets and the rest of the property
Beds get pre-wetted before anything is applied and rinsed again afterwards, and we work with the wind rather than into it. Downspouts near beds get watched. Before we arrive, close the windows, bring pets inside and move anything fragile away from the walls. This is ordinary care rather than a trade secret, but it is the step most often skipped.
Will soft washing damage my siding or strip the paint?
No. Soft washing runs at roughly garden-hose pressure, which is why it is the correct method for siding, stucco and painted wood. Damage comes from high pressure held too close, which is exactly what this method avoids.
House Soft Washing, on real jobs.
Every photograph here is from a job we did.
I called Regent wash out to clean my siding, walkway, sidewalk, gutters, and patio. Juelz came out very quickly and completed his work with every detail in mind. He went over areas that he wasn’t satisfied with multiple times after the first wash to ensure we were satisfied with the end result.
My house looks beautiful,
Thank you Juelz and Regent wash.
I highly recommend their service!
Drexel Hill, PA
How much does house washing cost?
House Soft Washing runs $325–$1,200+, and where a property lands inside that comes down to size, access, condition and material. Find the line below that sounds like yours.
Small 1-story or twin
Ranchers, capes, bungalows, or one half of a twin — $325–$425+
Typical 2-story detachedMost common
Colonials, split levels, and most two-story homes — $425–$625+
Large 2-story, or difficult access
Wide fronts, steep banks, or a side yard we cannot get a hose reel through — $500–$800+
Large 3-story or estate-style
Three floors, Victorians, and stone estate homes — $650–$1,200+
It depends on the size of the house, how many stories it has, what the siding is, how heavy the growth is and how easy the walls are to reach. That is why every quote is free and specific to your home. You get one clear number within 24 hours, and that is the number you pay. Adding the driveway, walkways or gutters to the same visit costs far less than booking them separately.
House Soft Washing, close to home.
We soft wash houses across Delaware County and the Main Line, from 1920s stone twins in Havertown and Drexel Hill to stucco colonials in Newtown Square and Glen Mills. The method changes with the house, so each town page covers what we look for on the homes there.
We are based in Lansdowne and work Monday through Saturday across Delaware County and the Main Line. Quotes are free and come back within 24 hours.
House Soft Washing, answered.
Is it safe to power wash vinyl siding?
Will the cleaning solution hurt my plants, lawn or pets?
How long does a house wash take?
Do I need to be home, and do you need my water?
How long will my house stay clean?
How often should I get my house washed?
Will a house wash get the black streaks off my gutters?
Can you remove mold and mildew from my siding?
My siding leaves a chalky residue on my hand. Is that dirt?
Should I wash my house before painting it?
Can you wash my house if it rains?
Book it with the rest of the property.
Most of the cost of any visit is getting there and setting up, so adding surfaces to one booking costs far less than a second visit later.
Ready for house soft washing done properly?
Tell us what you would like cleaned and we will send a free, no-obligation quote within 24 hours.