Power Washing FAQs
Power washing, pressure washing, or soft washing, what’s the difference?
Power washing and pressure washing are two terms that mean basically the same thing. It’s washing away dirt and stains using high pressure. This is great when washing certain hard surfaces, but not for most of the residential exteriors of today. Soft washing however is using the same equipment or specialty equipment at very low pressures. To achieve this added specialty cleaning agents are used. Each type of stain will use a different cleaning agent each with certain properties to allow the safe removal of the stain with a low pressure rinse, hence the term soft washing.
How often should I wash my home?
We recommend every other year in most cases. However, this will depend largely on the environment your home is in. Are you near a large body of water? In a park like setting surrounded by trees? In the heart of a busy town? Typically we find that the North facing side of a home will grow algae, mold, and mildew faster than the other sides, due to a lack of sunlight and thus more moisture for organic growth to thrive. Because of this some clients will opt to have the North side washed annually and the rest of their home washed every other year.
Do you use bleach?
Sodium Hypochlorite (bleach) is the most common cleaning agent we use. When diluted to correct ratios and used properly by our professional technicians it can become a great tool to safely remove organic stains using low pressure. Combined with our commercial grade surfactants bleach can and is used to safely and gently clean various exterior surfaces of your home.
Is there anything we can do, to make my home stay clean longer?
Let’s face it no one wants to constantly worry about cleaning their home’s exterior. Although there are sealers and such available for most concrete, brick, and wood surfaces, there’s nothing tried and true to make your vinyl siding stay clean. There are various wet waxes on the market, similar to those which are applied at an automatic car wash. Although we do have some and can add them upon request, it is not something that we have found truly keeps your home cleaner longer, it just may offer a temporary layer of protection and add a slight sheen for a short period of time. It is best to simply regularly maintain the home with consistent house washing.
Is your process safe for pets?
Of course! Our machines flow water at a high volume, making them extremely efficient. This high volume, low pressure method safely dilutes and rinses away any cleaning agents we may use. Although we do ask for pets to be kept indoors or away from the area during the cleaning process, once the process is complete, it is both pet and paw safe.
What other services do you offer?
We specialize in exterior cleaning. House washing, roof cleaning, deck cleaning, gutter cleaning, fence cleaning, brick cleaning, and concrete cleaning to name a few. We have done specialty projects as well over the years including graffiti removal, steeple cleaning, apartment and townhome complexes, heavy equipment cleaning, we have even had to wash in a bee suite at a bee farm and have brushed the teeth of a lion! It’s true, just ask us for picture proof!
Can you also perform handyman services?
Unfortunately no. Although we often have clients who ask us to replace a board on their deck, fix their siding that came off in a storm or reattach a falling gutter to their home; we simply are not qualified nor insured to perform this type of work. It is best to find a home improvement contractor or a handyman for these types of tasks.
What is the average price for a house wash?
Our house washes start at $350 with an average sized house in 2023 selling at $595. Roof cleaning starts at $595 with an average sized roof costing $895. Our current minimum for any service is $295.
Do you offer any discounts?
Yes. Our most common discount is the multi service discount, this happens when bundling more than one service at a time. We have discounts for Veterans and we also have coupons on most of our print material including our post card mailings.
Do you bring your own water or use ours?
Both. Typically we carry hundreds of gallons of water on our truck, however that is typically not enough water to completely wash your property, so we also hook up to your water spigot for service. Note that on average most municipalities we service charge $10 or less per 1,000 gallons of water, which is significantly less than we would use on an average sized project. We do however offer the ability to bring water remotely for an additional charge.
What about my windows?
The exterior of your windows will be washed with the same process as the rest of your home. This does not however guarantee your windows will be spot free. We offer exterior window cleaning if you are concerned that your windows may be spotted after your house wash.
Do I have to be home at the time of service?
No. Roughly half of our clients are not home during service.
Do You Clean Solar Panels?
The Complete Power Wash techs safely clean solar panels, which can add 10 to 25 percent to a grid’s efficacy depending on how dirty the panels are.