Soft washing
Low-pressure exterior cleaning for cladding, render, fascias, and building elevations — designed to last 12-18 months, not weeks.
What this service covers
Render, K-rend, cladding and painted surfaces can't take a pressure washer — high pressure strips coatings, drives water into the substrate and leaves visible scarring. Soft washing solves the same problem the right way: specialist cleaning solutions applied at low pressure that kill algae, lichen, moss and organic staining at the root, then rinse away to leave the surface clean without any mechanical damage. It's the correct method for rendered facades, roughcast, painted masonry and delicate cladding — and because the growth is killed rather than blasted off, surfaces stay cleaner for far longer than a pressure wash would achieve.
When you'd use this service
- Cladding, fascias, and render that need cleaning without surface damage
- Annual exterior maintenance of managed residential blocks, particularly painted or rendered finishes
- Buildings where pressure washing isn't appropriate — listed buildings, heritage facades, soft finishes
How we deliver it
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Substrate survey
We confirm soft washing is the right method for your surface, and what dwell time the cleaning solution needs to do its job.
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Resident communications
We coordinate with your management chain to brief residents on the work window (windows closed during application and dwell).
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Application
Biocide solution applied at low pressure across the elevation. Multiple visits sometimes scheduled across tall or complex buildings.
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Dwell and rinse
The solution does its work over the dwell period; we rinse. The full visual result reveals over the following two to four weeks as dead organisms wash off with rain.
What we use to do the job
Soft washing uses purpose-built low-pressure pumping systems to apply a biocidal cleaning solution across the surface, allowing dwell time to break down organic growth before rinsing at little more than garden-hose pressure. Solutions are selected for the surface being treated and applied by trained operatives, with surrounding areas — planting, glazing, vehicles — protected or rinsed throughout. Access is by application from the ground where reach allows, or powered access platforms under our IPAF accreditation for taller elevations. Because the treatment is biocidal, regrowth is significantly slower than mechanical cleaning, and results typically hold for years rather than months.
Our safety commitment
Soft washing combines chemical handling with work near occupied buildings, and our method statements address both. Operatives are trained in the safe dilution, application and disposal of cleaning solutions, COSHH assessments are completed for every product used, and occupants, planting, glazing and adjacent surfaces are protected during application and rinsed afterwards. Site-specific risk assessments and method statements are produced for every job and available to property managers on request.
Frequently asked questions
Soft washing is for anything you don't want to risk damaging with high pressure: render, painted brick, composite cladding, fascias, soffits, timber, and most building elevations above ground level. It's slower than pressure washing but the result lasts longer because the cleaning solution kills the algae, moss, and lichen at the root rather than just dislodging it. Pressure washes need re-doing in months; a good soft wash holds for 12-18 months.
A biocide-based cleaning solution applied at low pressure. The active ingredients are designed for exterior cleaning use, comply with UK environmental regulations, and break down without leaving residue on the surface. We'll share the COSHH datasheet on request — usually goes in the tender pack as standard.
Yes, with normal precautions. The solution is applied to elevations and exterior surfaces, dwell time is short, and we ensure no overspray onto pet areas, garden planting near application points, or open windows. We'll communicate the work window to residents through your management chain so windows stay shut during the wash and for the dwell time after — usually 30-60 minutes.
Often yes, but the full result reveals itself over the next two to four weeks. The biocide kills the algae and lichen, and as the dead organisms wash off with subsequent rain, the surface continues to brighten. Buildings look noticeably better straight away, and even better a fortnight in. Worth setting that expectation with residents.
Per square metre of surface area, with a site survey to establish access requirements, height, and substrate. For most managed blocks we'll quote a single price for the full job; for portfolios we'll quote a rate card so budgeting across sites is predictable. No surprise extras — if anything emerges during the survey or job that changes scope, we flag it and discuss before pressing on.