Soft Washing in Crawley
Soft Washing in Crawley: dirt, algae, mould and staining cleared at low pressure with biodegradable solutions that treat the growth at its source. Crawley sits just over the county border from Horley. The first step is a free, no-obligation quote.
- Low-pressure, surface-safe cleaning
- Eco-friendly, biodegradable solutions
- Removes dirt, algae, mould and staining
- Treats growth at the source for a longer-lasting finish
Soft Washing for homes and businesses in Crawley
Newer housing generally uses thin-coat silicone or acrylic render systems, not traditional sand and cement, so if your Crawley home is a recent build that is very likely what is on it. Those behave differently again. They are tough, flexible and factory-coloured all the way through, which is good, and they are also a favourite surface for algae because the texture holds moisture and there is no paint film to renew.
Coloured render means you cannot just repaint it
On a painted wall, a bad clean can be covered with paint. On a through-coloured thin-coat render there is no paint layer, so the colour you can see is the material itself. Damage the surface and the only fix is a render repair, which will always show as a patch.
That is the whole argument for soft washing these systems. It cleans them without touching the finish, and because most thin-coat systems have a silicone or acrylic binder that resists water, they respond very well to a treatment left to dwell.
Red and orange staining is a different organism
Green algae is what most people expect. On pale modern render you also see pinkish, red or orange staining, which is a different algae, and it tends to show up worst on sheltered elevations and under eaves and sills.
It responds to biocidal treatment like green algae does, and it is more stubborn and often needs longer dwell or a second application. Worth flagging when you enquire so we bring the right approach rather than discovering it on the day.
How we work
- 1Identify the growth and the substrate
Green algae, black lichen, red algae and mould all respond differently, and render, K-rend, painted masonry, timber, cladding and PVC all take the treatment differently. Both halves have to be right before anything is mixed.
- 2Test patch somewhere out of the way
On painted and rendered surfaces especially, a small area should be tried first to see how it reacts. It costs ten minutes and it is the difference between a clean elevation and a patchy one.
- 3Pre-wet the planting and cover what needs covering
Beds and borders want watering before anything is mixed so nothing takes the solution neat, and anything nearby that should not get wet wants covering. This is most of the actual work on a soft wash.
- 4Apply at low pressure and let it dwell
The solution does the cleaning, not the machine. It goes on gently, then it needs time on the surface. Rushing the dwell is the usual reason a soft wash looks streaky.
- 5Rinse or leave to weather, then check back over
Some surfaces get rinsed down, some are better left for the rain to finish, and it depends on the product and the material. We tell you which one applies to yours and what it will look like in a fortnight.
A soft wash keeps clearing after we leave. The colour lifts on the day and the rest weathers off over the following days and weeks, so it is worth not judging it the same afternoon.
Other services in Crawley
Soft Washing near Crawley
Real results
Soft Washing: before & after
Genuine before and after results from recent jobs across Surrey, Sussex and Kent.
Customer reviews
What our customers say
Dirty South Power Wash were absolutely fantastic from start to finish. They're extremely friendly, professional, and reliable, making the whole process completely stress free. I had my decking soft washed and the results were amazing, it genuinely looks like new and has been brought back to life. You can really tell they take pride in their work and pay attention to detail. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone and will definitely be using their services again in the future!
No fuss, just excellent - from start to finish. Friendly to deal with, clear communication all the way, came when they said they would, did an excellent job. Would use again without a doubt.
Great service, really pleased with our garage roof. All the moss has gone and left nice and tidy. Great guys too. Thanks!
Did a fantastic job on a garage roof clean/moss removal, looks good as new! friendly & professional highly recommend 👏🏼
Really pleased with our driveway😊
They done an amazing job and great price
Good to know
Soft Washing in Crawley: your questions answered
Can silicone or thin-coat render be cleaned safely?
Soft washing is the right method for it. Thin-coat silicone and acrylic renders are coloured all the way through, not painted, so there is no paint layer to renew if the surface gets damaged, and a render repair always shows as a patch. A low-pressure biocidal treatment cleans the surface without asking anything of it.
What is the red or orange staining on my render?
Mention it when you enquire so we plan for it. Usually a red algae rather than dirt or rust, and it shows up most on pale modern render, particularly on sheltered elevations and under eaves and sills. It responds to biocidal treatment like green algae does, though it is often more stubborn and may need longer dwell time or a second application.
How much does soft washing a house cost in Crawley?
It depends on the size of the property, how many elevations need doing, what the surface is and how bad the growth is, so we quote per property instead of publishing a rate. Access matters too, since upper elevations need reaching safely. Send a few photos or book a visit for a free, no-obligation figure.
Can you soft wash just the back or side of the house?
It is often the sensible choice. The shaded elevations are usually the only ones with any real growth on them, and the sunny walls frequently need nothing. The only thing worth thinking about is whether the cleaned and uncleaned walls will be visible together, since there can be a noticeable difference in tone afterwards.
Do you soft wash flats and commercial buildings?
Yes, we work with homeowners, landlords, managing agents, businesses and commercial premises. Larger buildings mainly need more planning around access and around working times so residents or staff are not disrupted. The method on the render itself is the same, applied at low pressure with the treatment doing the work.
Soft Washing in Crawley, done properly
Free, no-obligation quotes across Surrey, Sussex and Kent. Send a few photos and we will do the rest.