How we work
Why the surface decides the method, not the machine
A pressure washer can clean almost anything. That's the trouble. Why we look at the surface first, and what that means when we turn up at your place.
The Pressure Wash Brigade · · 2 min read
The trouble with a strong machine
A pressure washer makes dirt vanish fast. It's satisfying to watch. That's why so many people reach for one, and why so much damage gets done with them.
Too much pressure on the wrong surface strips paint, scars timber and pushes water behind the walls. Most of that doesn't show on the day. It shows when the paint flakes, the deck goes furry, or a damp patch turns up inside.
So we start with the surface
Before we pick a method, we look at what we're cleaning. Is the concrete plain or coloured? Are the walls painted, rendered or bare brick? Is the deck hardwood or treated pine? Is the paint sound?
The answers pick the method. Hard concrete and pavers get pressure, through a spinning cleaner so there are no stripes. Walls and roofs get a soft wash. That's low pressure and a cleaning mix that kills the growth, then a gentle rinse. Timber gets a cleaner first, then a low rinse along the grain.
Why slower is often better
A soft wash is less exciting to watch. Nothing gets blasted off in front of you. The mix sits, does its work, and gets rinsed away.
But it kills mould and lichen at the root, so they take longer to come back. On a roof, the growth keeps dying off for a few weeks, and rain finishes the job.
It's the same reason we treat an oil stain before we wash it. Pressure is the last step, not the first.
What that means at your place
You shouldn't have to know any of this. That's our job. But it helps to know what to ask, of us or anyone else.
Ask which method each surface will get, and why. If the answer is the same machine for everything, keep looking. If you'd like us to take a look, get a free quote and we'll tell you what each surface needs.