Soft Washing in Horsham
Soft Washing in Horsham: dirt, algae, mould and staining cleared at low pressure with biodegradable solutions that treat the growth at its source. Horsham is reached from just over the Surrey border in 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 Horsham
Timber cladding and weatherboarding, painted or stained, turn up on older and newer properties alike, and weatherboarding is part of the traditional building vocabulary of the Weald that Horsham sits in. Timber is the substrate where pressure does the most obvious damage, because you can see the grain lift as it happens.
Pressure raises the grain, and it stays raised
Wood is fibrous. A high-pressure jet tears out the soft summer growth between the harder grain lines, leaving the surface furry and rough. That roughness then holds water and dirt far better than the smooth board did, so the cladding gets dirty faster afterwards and any coating on it fails sooner.
Raised grain does not settle back down. Putting it right means sanding and recoating the whole elevation, which is a decorating job rather than a cleaning one. Soft washing avoids the problem entirely by not applying force to the timber at all.
Coated timber and what a clean will and will not do
Most cladding is painted, stained or oiled, and the coating is what is actually protecting the wood. Soft washing removes the algae and grime sitting on the coating without stripping it, which is the aim.
Which of the two you are looking at is obvious close up. What cleaning cannot do is restore a coating that has already failed. Where a stain has weathered off and the timber underneath has gone grey and open, cleaning will remove the growth but the wood will still look tired, because it needs recoating.
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 Horsham
Soft Washing near Horsham
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 Horsham: your questions answered
Can you clean timber cladding without damaging it?
Yes, with soft washing, not pressure. Wood is fibrous, and a high-pressure jet tears out the soft growth between the grain lines and leaves the surface permanently rough, which then holds dirt and water more readily than before. A low-pressure biocidal treatment lifts the algae off without applying any force to the timber.
Will cleaning make my weathered cladding look new again?
It will remove the growth and grime, but not restore a coating that has worn off. Where the stain or paint is still sound, cleaning makes a big difference. Where the coating has weathered away and the timber underneath has gone grey and open, the wood will look clean but still tired, because at that point it needs recoating rather than washing.
Do you clean fences, sheds and garden buildings?
Yes, and the same rules apply as for cladding: low pressure, treatment doing the work, and no blasting of timber. Fence panels in particular are thin and often already weathered, and a pressure washer will tear them up quickly. They are usually worth doing at the same time as a house elevation while everything is set up.
Is the treatment safe to use around a garden?
Soft washing uses biodegradable solutions, and the area wants preparing first. Beds and borders want watering thoroughly before anything is applied so nothing takes the solution neat, sensitive planting covering, and run-off spreading instead of concentrating in one spot. Tell us about anything particularly precious nearby and about any pond, which needs planning for in advance.
How often does timber cladding need cleaning?
Typically every couple of years, sooner on shaded or north-facing elevations. What matters more than the interval is not letting growth establish deeply, since a light annual or biennial clean is far kinder to the timber and its coating than leaving it until it is thoroughly green. Recoating is a separate cycle and usually less frequent.
Soft Washing in Horsham, done properly
Free, no-obligation quotes across Surrey, Sussex and Kent. Send a few photos and we will do the rest.