Ensuring that your property is clean and presentable is one of the most important ways to maintain it. One of the best ways you can do this is by power washing dirty surfaces. This begs the question; what surfaces should you consider power cleaning? The most common reason to power clean an exterior surface is that it has hard to remove stains like rust or paint. Before considering pressure cleaning any area, we will inform you about which surfaces are safe to clean and should be prioritized first and which area are not safe to power wash.
1. Deck and Patios
After a while, it becomes common for patios and decks to collect mold, algae, and hard to remove stains. If your deck is not under good sunlight, it is more likely for mold and algae to appear. Wooden decks and recycled composite decks are both safe for power cleaning.
2. Fences
After a while, fences can collect dust and debris and often can have paint stains as well. Fences are safe for power cleaning and should be considered if they are dirty or stained. Fences are important for maintaining property because they are generally at the periphery of the property, so it is one of the first things, if not the first thing somebody sees when looking at the property.
3. Walls & Siding
It is normal for walls and siding to collect things like mildew, spider webs, and other toxic debris. This is very important for keeping the property aesthetically pleasing, but it can often be vital because it can create respiratory issues for the people living inside the building. Walls and sides must be cleaned every 1-3 years for these reasons. Power cleaning can be a very efficient way of cleaning siding.
4. Walkways
Entries and walkways will often make a first impression to guests and are important for the property’s upkeep. These are commonly made from concrete or limestone, which are safe to power clean. These surfaces can collect black drip marks or white chalky marks, and these can usually only be cleaned using a power cleaner. The black drip marks result from mold, which happens over time from snow, rain, and ground moisture. If the walkway is brick, pressure cleaning can also be a great cleaning solution; you should make sure cracks are sealed and dry before.
5. Driveway
Tire marks and other marks from cars can commonly appear on driveways, as well as weeds and other plants growing through the driveway. Power cleaning can be a great solution to this problem. Maintaining a clean driveway is very important for boosting curb appeal and protecting your investment.
6. Pool Patios
Pools patios are another form of patios that can become dirty from algae, weeds, stains, and mildew. Pool patios are almost always made of safe surfaces to power clean and are very important to take care of your property. They can even cause contamination issues in the pool water if not properly taken care of, so power cleaning is a great solution.
7. Concrete
If you have other surfaces made of concrete like streets or roads, power cleaning can be good. Concrete is a safe surface to power clean and can be necessary because it can have tire marks, mold, algae, paint stains, and other marks resulting from the weather. Power cleaning is a great solution for all of these.
Surfaces Not Safe to Power Clean
Cars
Cars are not safe to power clean. This will lead to more harm than good because it can cause rust and damage the paint.
Roofs
While roofs may seem like a good idea to power cleaning, they are not. High-power pressure cleaners can cause water to seep through the roof and ruin shingles, so it is not good to power clean roofs.
Wooden Furniture
It is generally not a good idea to power clean outdoor furniture. Power cleaning wooden furniture can lead to permanent damage and ruin the quality of the furniture.
Is Power Cleaning a Good Way to Remove Rust?
The most effective way to remove rust from metal is by using a power cleaner. The powerful burst of water that is projected from the power cleaner will quickly and effectively remove rust. Removing rust from a vertical outdoor surface like sidings or walls will also help surfaces that are underneath.
Should Power Cleaning be Done Professionally?
Power cleaning should be done professionally because it saves time, money and is much safer. Hiring a professional is a much quicker solution than researching what kind of power cleaner to buy, how to clean each surface, and how to use it once it is bought. It will also save money because a professional will have all the needed equipment. Generally, when people try to do the job themselves, they either buy too much equipment, not enough or do not buy the right kind and have to buy spend more money on a different kind of cleaner to do the job right. Hiring a professional will save you from all these needless issues and will do the job much safer, because more often than not when people try to do it themselves, they will damage their property. At South Shore Window Cleaning know the right way to power clean surfaces, how to determine if the surfaces are safe to power clean, and we have professionals that can get the job done safely and efficiently.