Is exterior cleaning the same as pressure washing?

No. Pressure washing is one method, used on surfaces that can take it. Walls and roofs are usually softwashed at low pressure instead.

Do I have to book every surface at once?

No. Many people start with the part that bothers them most. Doing several in one visit simply avoids repeat set-up and lets us work top-down.

Do you clean inside the house?

No. We are an exterior cleaning business only; we do not offer domestic or indoor cleaning.

Which part should I do first?

Whatever is causing a problem, such as overflowing gutters. Otherwise, start at the roof and work down.

What Does Exterior House Cleaning Include?

Exterior house cleaning means cleaning the outside surfaces of a home: the walls, the roof, the gutters and roofline, the windows and frames, and the paving around it. Nobody needs all of it every year, and the most useful thing a cleaner can do on the first visit is tell you which parts actually need attention. This guide walks through each surface, the method that suits it, and the order that stops one clean undoing another.

Get this priced for your property

Name, phone and email is all we need to come back to you with a figure in writing.

The walls

Render, K-Rend, pebbledash and painted brickwork are cleaned with a softwash: a biocide treatment applied at low pressure that kills algae and lichen rather than blasting them off. It is left to work where appropriate and then rinsed. Force is the wrong tool on most walls because a jet can scour coatings and open up mortar, so a wall that looks the dirtiest part of the house is often the gentlest part of the job. Windows, doors and planting are protected before any product goes on.

This guide sits under our Wall Cleaning & Softwash work, covering 20-mile radius of Plymouth.

The roof

Roof cleaning is a two-stage job. Heavy moss is removed by hand and bagged, then a treatment is applied across the whole roof to deal with the algae and lichen that remain. Roof ladders spread the load where we have to go onto the tiles. Moss that comes off a roof ends up in the gutters, so any debris that falls into them is cleared as part of the same work.

Gutters and roofline

Gutters are cleared from the ground with a vacuum on a carbon pole, reaching up to four storeys without a ladder against the house. A camera on the same pole shows the run before and after, and before and after photographs of every section come with the job. Fascias, soffits and gutter faces get dirty for the same reasons and are often cleaned in the same visit, after the gutter itself is clear.

Windows, frames and sills

Windows are cleaned with a water-fed pole and purified water. Because the water carries so few dissolved minerals, glass dries without spotting. Frames and sills are scrubbed at the same time, which matters more than people expect: a clean pane under a dirty frame is streaked again by the next shower. Conservatory roofs, glass or polycarbonate, can be added.

Patios, paths and driveways

Hard paving is pre-treated with a biocide for moss and weeds, cleaned with a rotary surface cleaner that gives an even finish without stripes, and the joints are refilled with kiln-dried sand. Natural stone such as Indian sandstone gets lower pressure and a softwash pre-treat. A breathable sealer is an option rather than a default.

The order that works

Work from the top down. Roof first, because it drops debris into the gutters; gutters next, so the next downpour does not wash dirty water down clean walls; then walls, windows and finally the paving, which catches rinse water from everything above it. Done in the wrong order, the paving you paid for gets splashed by the wall clean you booked a fortnight later. If you are only doing one or two surfaces, tell us what else is planned so we can fit around it.

What you do not have to do

You rarely need to be in. Most visits need only an outside tap and a gate left open, we message the night before, and photos can be sent if you are away. Payment is by card or bank transfer afterwards. Quotes are fixed and written after a free survey, and for many jobs a set of photos is enough to price from.

Reader note: What does exterior house cleaning include?

Homeowner searching for exterior cleaning who wants to know what the job actually covers.

The walls: Render, K-Rend, pebbledash and painted brickwork are cleaned with a softwash: a biocide treatment applied at low pressure that kills algae and lichen rather than blasting them off. It is left to work where appropriate and then rinsed. Force is the wrong tool on most walls because a jet can scour coatings and open up mortar, so a wall that looks the dirtiest part of the house is often the gentlest part of the job. Windows, doors and planting are protected before any product goes on. The roof: Roof cleaning is a two-stage job. Heavy moss is removed by hand and bagged, then a treatment is applied across the whole roof to deal with the algae and lichen that remain. Roof ladders spread the load where we have to go onto the tiles. Moss that comes off a roof ends up in the gutters, so any debris that falls into them is cleared as part of the same work. Gutters and roofline: Gutters are cleared from the ground with a vacuum on a carbon pole, reaching up to four storeys without a ladder against the house. A camera on the same pole shows the run before and after, and before and after photographs of every section come with the job. Fascias, soffits and gutter faces get dirty for the same reasons and are often cleaned in the same visit, after the gutter itself is clear. Windows, frames and sills: Windows are cleaned with a water-fed pole and purified water. Because the water carries so few dissolved minerals, glass dries without spotting. Frames and sills are scrubbed at the same time, which matters more than people expect: a clean pane under a dirty frame is streaked again by the next shower. Conservatory roofs, glass or polycarbonate, can be added. Patios, paths and driveways: Hard paving is pre-treated with a biocide for moss and weeds, cleaned with a rotary surface cleaner that gives an even finish without stripes, and the joints are refilled with kiln-dried sand. Natural stone such as Indian sandstone gets lower pressure and a softwash pre-treat. A breathable sealer is an option rather than a default. The order that works: Work from the top down. Roof first, because it drops debris into the gutters; gutters next, so the next downpour does not wash dirty water down clean walls; then walls, windows and finally the paving, which catches rinse water from everything above it. Done in the wrong order, the paving you paid for gets splashed by the wall clean you booked a fortnight later. If you are only doing one or two surfaces, tell us what else is planned so we can fit around it. What you do not have to do: You rarely need to be in. Most visits need only an outside tap and a gate left open, we message the night before, and photos can be sent if you are away. Payment is by card or bank transfer afterwards. Quotes are fixed and written after a free survey, and for many jobs a set of photos is enough to price from.

Questions we get on this

Is exterior cleaning the same as pressure washing?: No. Pressure washing is one method, used on surfaces that can take it. Walls and roofs are usually softwashed at low pressure instead.
Do I have to book every surface at once?: No. Many people start with the part that bothers them most. Doing several in one visit simply avoids repeat set-up and lets us work top-down.
Do you clean inside the house?: No. We are an exterior cleaning business only; we do not offer domestic or indoor cleaning.
Which part should I do first?: Whatever is causing a problem, such as overflowing gutters. Otherwise, start at the roof and work down.

If this describes your situation

Send a photo of each side of the house and tell us what bothers you most, and we will say which parts are worth doing.

Send photos for a quote Wall Cleaning & Softwash Call 07830 242403

What does exterior house cleaning include?