Exterior Care • Greater Lansing, MI

Every Surface Gets
The Wash It Needs.

Some parts of your home need gentle chemistry. Others can take real pressure. Knowing the difference is what keeps your home safe and makes the clean actually last. Here is how I handle it on every job around Lansing.

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Clean That Lasts

A proper wash treats mold and algae at the source, so you go much longer before it grows back.

Gentle Where It Counts

Roofs, siding, and screens get low pressure and the right solution, never a blast that can do damage.

Safe Around Your Home

Plants get rinsed before and after, and treated surfaces are safe for pets and family once dry.

The Basics

Soft Washing, In Plain Terms

Soft washing is not just pressure washing turned down. It is a different approach. Instead of relying on force, it uses a cleaning solution applied at low pressure to break down mold, algae, and mildew and lift it off the surface. The water rinses. The solution does the real work.

That means the growth is cleaned off at the source instead of just knocked loose, so the surface stays clean far longer. For hard, solid surfaces like concrete driveways and sidewalks, higher pressure is still the right call. The skill is matching the method to the surface, and that is what I do on every visit.

The Right Tool

Which Surface Gets Which Method

Not everything on your home should be cleaned the same way. Here is the quick version of what I reach for, and why.

Surface	Method	Why
Roof shingles & shakes	Soft Wash	Force strips the protective granules and can shorten your roof's life. Low pressure plus solution clears the algae safely.
Siding, stucco & painted trim	Soft Wash	Gentle chemistry cleans without driving water behind the surface or chipping paint.
Screens, soffits & fascia	Soft Wash	Delicate materials that high pressure can bend, tear, or loosen.
Concrete driveways & sidewalks	Pressure Wash	Hard, solid surfaces that handle real pressure well for a deep, even clean.
Decks, pavers & patios	Depends	I check the material and finish first, then pick the safest method that still gets it fully clean.

On Your Roof

Those Black Streaks Are Alive

The dark streaks running down so many Michigan roofs are not dirt or worn-out shingles. They are a hardy roof algae that feeds on the material in your shingles and thrives in shade and moisture, which our long, damp seasons and snow-lined north slopes give it plenty of.

Left alone, it works into the shingles and can shorten how long your roof lasts. A quick surface rinse knocks the color off for a while, but the growth is still there and comes right back. A soft wash treats it at the source so your roof stays clean much longer. If your roof has streaking, that is the first thing I would want to look at. See roof cleaning.

My Process

How I Do A Soft Wash

Protect

Before anything else, I rinse and cover your landscaping so the solution and runoff stay off your plants.

Apply

I apply the right cleaning solution for that surface at low pressure, mixed for the job in front of me, not one size fits all.

Let It Work

The solution gets time to break down the mold and algae. This dwell time is what separates a real soft wash from a quick rinse.

Rinse & Check

I rinse the surface clean, walk it with you, and rinse your landscaping one more time before I pack up.

Peace Of Mind

Safe For Your Plants, Pets & Family

/ Your Plants

Every job starts and ends with a plant rinse. I pre-soak your foliage, keep solution off it during the work, and rinse again at the end.

/ Your Pets

Keep pets inside or clear of the work area while I am on site. Once the surface has dried, usually within an hour or so, it is fine for them again. I will tell you when.

/ Your Family

The solutions are applied at safe dilutions and rinsed thoroughly. You will always know what I am using and what to expect.

Common Questions

Still Have Questions?

Can I just soft wash it myself with bleach from the store? +

I would not. Getting the mix wrong can stain or damage siding, kill plants, or leave streaks, and a garden hose usually cannot rinse a large area well enough. The right dilution, the right solution for each surface, and the equipment to apply and rinse it safely are what make the difference.

How long does a soft wash last in Michigan? +

A lot longer than a quick rinse. Because the growth is cleaned at the source instead of just knocked loose, most homes go a year or more before it is worth doing again. Heavy shade and constant moisture speed regrowth, so a shaded north side may need attention sooner than a sunny wall.

Does it work on every surface? +

The soft wash approach covers most of your home: shingles, siding, stucco, soffits, fascia, fencing, and screens, each with the right solution. Solid surfaces like concrete driveways are better handled with pressure. I match the method to the material every time.

What is the difference between soft washing and just turning the pressure down? +

Low pressure alone is still using water to do the work, just gently. Soft washing uses a cleaning solution to actually break down the growth, with the water there to apply and rinse it. Different tools, and very different results on mold and algae.

Let's Get It Done

Not Sure What Your Home Needs? Just Ask.

Text me a photo of your home or your address and I will send you an honest quote. No pressure, no mystery pricing, no sales pitch. If a pressure wash is the better call for your project, I will tell you that too.