House washing in St. Catharines, the soft-wash way.

Green or black streaks on siding are algae, and blasting them with high pressure is the wrong tool. Soft washing cleans the exterior properly, keeps it gone longer, and does not risk forcing water behind the siding.

Algae on a St. Catharines wall? Soft washing clears it without the high-pressure damage. Here is what that involves.

A house wash is the highest-impact thing you can do for curb appeal in a single afternoon. Here is what soft washing is, why it beats pressure washing on an exterior, what gets cleaned, and what it costs in St. Catharines.

What soft washing is

Soft washing uses low pressure, roughly the force of a garden hose, paired with a cleaning solution that kills the algae, mould, and mildew at the root. High-pressure washing blasts the surface, which can drive water behind siding, etch brick, and pit stucco. Soft washing does a deeper clean and the result lasts longer because the organic growth is treated, not just knocked off. Most soft-washed homes go a couple of years between washes; a pressure-rinsed wall with no solution often sees the algae return within months.

What gets cleaned

  • Vinyl and aluminum siding. The most common St. Catharines call. North and shaded walls go green first and clear without the risk of water intrusion.
  • Brick and stucco. Cleaned at a pressure that will not etch the mortar or pit the stucco.
  • Soffits, fascia, and eaves. The grimy edges up high that make a clean wall still look tired.
  • Exterior windows and gutter faces. An easy add-on while the equipment is already set up, so the whole exterior matches.
Why it lasts longer: because the solution kills the algae rather than just rinsing the surface, a soft-washed house stays clean far longer than a pressure-washed one. Most homes go a couple of years between washes.

Driveways and flatwork: a different tool

Hard horizontal surfaces are the exception to the soft-wash rule. Concrete driveways, walkways, and interlock can take a rotating surface cleaner at higher pressure, which spins the spray evenly across the whole pad for a uniform finish instead of the stripe marks a bare wand leaves. Interlock should be cleaned without blowing out the joint sand, with re-sanding available afterward, and concrete can be sealed after cleaning to slow re-staining. Driveway cleaning is usually the most affordable exterior job and bundles well with a house wash.

What house washing costs in St. Catharines

Most homes here land between $300 and $600 for a full exterior soft wash, depending on the size of the house and how heavy the growth is. A bungalow is at the low end, a large two-storey with bad north-side algae at the high end. Driveways run roughly $100 to $250. A house-and-driveway bundle usually lands around $400 to $750. Confirm scope and pricing with a licensed local contractor. See the full cost guide, or the common questions about roof and siding safety.

Roof streaked too? Soft washing is the only roofing-approved way to clean asphalt shingles, and the walls and roof can be done in one visit. See the FAQ on why pressure washing a shingle roof is the wrong call.

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