Cladding & fascia cleaning
Soft-washing and pressure-washing for cladding, render, fascias, and exterior building surfaces — without compromising the finish.
What this service covers
Cladding, fascias and soffits are the building's frame — and the first surfaces to show algae streaking, traffic film and weather staining. Because they're high, they're also the surfaces most managers leave until the building looks visibly tired. Our cladding and fascia cleaning service restores them safely: the right method matched to the material, whether that's soft washing for coated and delicate cladding or controlled pressure washing for robust surfaces. The visual difference is dramatic — clean cladding and bright fascias change how the whole building reads — and regular cleaning protects coatings and surfaces that cost serious money to replace.
When you'd use this service
- When cladding has darkened or greened, particularly on north-facing elevations or near gutters and downpipes
- Annually as part of a structured exterior maintenance programme, or twice a year on high-pollution or coastal sites
- Before a building goes to market, on completion of major works, or ahead of a key visitor or inspection
How we deliver it
-
Substrate survey
We identify the cladding type and condition before quoting. Composite, render, painted brick, ACM, terracotta, GRP, metal — each calls for its own method.
-
Method statement
Soft wash, pressure wash, or mixed approach depending on what the surface needs. Listed buildings get a heritage-sensitive method, reviewed where required.
-
Scheduled clean
Typically one to five days depending on building size and access constraints. Out-of-hours work available where the site demands it.
-
Aftercare guidance
Biocide-treated soft washes hold their result for 12-18 months. We'll advise on the right cadence for your site after the first visit.
What we use to do the job
Method follows material. Coated cladding, uPVC fascias and painted surfaces are soft washed — low-pressure application of cleaning solutions that dissolve organic growth and traffic film without abrading the finish. Robust surfaces take controlled pressure washing where appropriate. Access is the other half of the job: water-fed poles handle lower elevations from the ground, and higher work is carried out from powered access platforms under our IPAF accreditation. Gutters and fascias are typically cleaned in the same visit as cladding since the access is already in place — a worthwhile saving worth asking about when you book.
Our safety commitment
Cladding work is working at height, and it's planned that way: site-specific risk assessments and method statements for every job, powered access operated by IPAF-trained staff, and exclusion zones maintained below working areas on occupied sites. Chemical application is COSHH-assessed, with glazing, planting and adjacent surfaces protected throughout. All documentation — RAMS, insurance and training records — is available to property managers on request, before work begins rather than after.
Frequently asked questions
Three signs: a visible darkening or greening on the surface (particularly on north-facing elevations where moisture sits longer), streak marks running down from gutters or windows, and a general loss of contrast in the building's lines. If you're walking up to the building and the architecture reads as tired before you've stepped inside, the cladding is doing most of the work. Annual cleaning keeps most commercial properties looking new; high-pollution or coastal sites may want twice a year.
Pressure washing uses high water pressure to remove dirt mechanically — fast, effective on hard surfaces, but can damage softer materials and joints if applied wrong. Soft washing uses low pressure with a cleaning solution that kills algae, moss, and lichen at the root. For most modern cladding (composite, render, painted finishes), soft washing is the right call — it cleans without risking surface damage and the results last longer because the biology is killed, not just dislodged. We'll choose the right method based on the cladding type and condition. Mixed approaches are common on mixed-elevation buildings.
Not if it's done right. We survey the cladding type before we quote — composite panel, render, painted brick, ACM, terracotta, GRP, metal — and choose the access method and cleaning solution accordingly. We're insured against damage either way, but the point is to avoid the conversation in the first place. If we ever think a cleaning method poses a risk to a particular substrate, we'll tell you and propose an alternative.
Yes, with the right preparation. Listed buildings require a heritage-sensitive approach — usually lower pressure, neutral pH cleaning agents, and sometimes a written method statement that's been reviewed by the property's conservation officer or architect. We've worked on listed and protected facades for managing agents handling period properties. Tell us the listing status in your brief and we'll factor it into the method statement.
Depends on the building. A four-storey block with straightforward access — one to two days. A larger commercial site with mixed elevations and access constraints — three to five days. We schedule cladding cleans for the dry months where possible and work around your operating hours. Out-of-hours and weekend work is available where the site demands it; usually at a small premium, sometimes at none, depending on the volume of work and the relationship.