Not all cracks matter for cleaning, but some do. Water pushed into an open crack goes somewhere, and on a hollow-sounding patch of render it can lift the whole section.
Crazing versus cracking
Fine map crazing across a panel is a surface finish issue and cleans safely at low pressure. A single crack you can get a fingernail into is a different matter.
This guide sits under our Wall Cleaning & Softwash work, covering 20-mile radius of Plymouth.
The tap test
Tap suspect areas with a knuckle. A hollow drum sound means the render has debonded from the substrate behind, and that section should be repaired before any wash.
How we handle it
We survey, photograph and flag defects at quote stage. Where render is loose we either exclude the area or recommend a renderer first - we do not wash a wall we think will come off.
Questions we get on this
- Do you carry out render repairs?
- No. We are exterior cleaning specialists and will refer you on rather than attempt patch work.
- Can you clean around a bad section?
- Sometimes. It can leave a visible difference, and we will show you where before starting.
- Does softwash push water into cracks?
- Far less than pressure washing, which is one reason we favour it on older render.
Related reading
- Detached houses: planning a whole-property clean
- Estate agents and vendors: kerb appeal on a deadline
- Care homes, schools and community buildings
- Older and period properties: a conservative approach