Case Study: Patio, Steps and Render Cleaned in One Visit

The customer wanted the outside of the house brought back in one go. The front patio had gone grey-green with algae, the back door steps were slippery every time it rained, and the roughcast render had streaks from years of Scottish weather.

Rather than book three separate jobs, we priced it as one domestic exterior clean. It was one visit and one set-up, and the price was agreed before we started.

Concrete slabs are tough, so this surface could take a proper pressure wash. We worked across the slabs with a rotary surface cleaner, which keeps the finish even and avoids the stripes a hand lance can leave. Then we flushed the joints to get the moss out.

The difference is in the photos. The slabs went from dark and blotchy to their original pale grey, and the moss in the joints is gone.

The buff stone steps outside the patio doors were the part the customer was most worried about. Green algae on a step turns it into an ice rink in the wet. We cleaned them at a lower pressure than the slabs to protect the softer stone face.

If your steps or paths are slippery, it is worth having them done before winter. We explain why in our guide to the best time of year for exterior cleaning.

Roughcast render should not be hit with full pressure. It can knock the aggregate off and force water into the wall. Instead we soft washed the render: low pressure, a cleaning solution to kill the algae at the root, then a gentle rinse.

We cover the difference between the two methods in soft washing vs pressure washing.

Three surfaces, three methods, one visit. The patio looks new, the steps are safe to use in the rain, and the walls are clean without the render being damaged.

If your home needs something similar, request a date or send us a photo through the contact page. We cover Glasgow, Hamilton, East Kilbride, Motherwell and everywhere within 15 miles of Uddingston.