House Washing in Santa Cruz, CA
Mildew, algae, salt film, cobwebs and dirt washed off stucco, wood, vinyl and painted siding with a low-pressure soft wash. We protect your plants, keep wash water out of the storm drain, and finish with the windows if you want them done too.
Call or text a few photos. Flat quote, usually the same day.
- Low-pressure soft wash
- Stucco and painted siding
- Plants protected
- Windows on the same visit
What House Washing Is and Why It Is Not Pressure Washing
House washing, also called soft washing, cleans siding with a cleaning solution applied at low pressure and then rinsed. The solution does the work on mildew and algae, so the water does not need to be forced at the wall. That matters on stucco, painted wood and older siding, where high pressure can erode texture, lift paint and push water into cracks and joints.
Low-pressure wand on sidingMy neighbor washed the outside of her house. Should I do the same? Only if your house needs it. Most of what grows on siding is organic film that looks bad more than it harms the house, so washing is often about appearance. It makes more sense if you have green or black growth on a shaded wall, cobwebs and dirt under the eaves, salt film on a coastal house, or you are about to paint or sell.
For concrete, pavers and driveways, a pressure washer is the right tool, and that is covered on our pressure washing page. This page is about the house itself.
What a House Wash Includes
Every wash covers the same list, so you know what you are paying for.
All exterior walls
Siding or stucco on every side of the house, from the foundation line to the eaves.
Eaves and soffits
Cobwebs, wasp nests and mildew brushed down and washed off the undersides of the roof overhang.
Trim, doors and frames
Painted trim, front and garage doors, and window frames rinsed clean along with the walls.
Plant protection
Landscaping wetted before, during and after so it does not absorb the cleaning solution.
Before and after photos
Dated photos of each side, useful before painting or listing the house.
Runoff managed
Wash water directed onto landscaping and kept out of the street and storm drains.
How We Wash Each Type of Siding
Santa Cruz homes use a lot of stucco and wood, with vinyl and fiber cement on newer houses. Each gets a different approach.
Rinsing a painted wall at low pressure| Surface | Common problem here | How we wash it |
|---|---|---|
| Stucco | Green and black growth on shaded walls, dirt in the texture, sprinkler marks | Pre-wet, soft wash, low-pressure rinse; no scrubbing |
| Painted wood (shingle, board and batten, clapboard) | Mildew under eaves, fading, salt film near the coast | Test spot first, soft wash, gentle rinse |
| Vinyl | Green film on shaded sides, chalky residue | Soft wash and rinse from the top down |
| Fiber cement | Dirt streaks below gutters, mildew at the base | Soft wash, rinse, check seams |
| Brick and stone | Moss in mortar joints, rust from sprinklers | Soft wash; rust stains quoted separately |
Sources: PROSOCO, How to Clean Stucco Safely.
How We Wash a House, Step by Step
Mixing the soft wash solution on siteWalk the house
We look at every wall for cracks, loose trim, failing paint and open vents, and check where the downspouts and drains run.
Protect plants and openings
Plants are watered first so they absorb less runoff. Light fixtures, outlets and vents get covered, and we confirm windows and doors are shut.
Pre-wet and test
The wall is rinsed to cool it and loosen surface dirt, and the solution is tested on a small spot on painted or older surfaces.
Soft wash from the bottom up
The solution is applied at low pressure, starting low on the wall to avoid streaking, and given a few minutes to work. It is not allowed to dry.
Rinse from the top down
Each wall is rinsed at low pressure from the eaves down, so dirty water does not run over clean siding.
Rinse plants and check
Plants get a final rinse, we walk the house with you or send photos, and touch up any spot that needs it.
What Santa Cruz Weather Does to a House
The marine layer and fog keep walls damp in the morning, ocean spray leaves a salty film on coastal homes, and redwoods, oaks and eucalyptus shade whole sides of houses inland. The result is green and black growth on north and shaded walls, gray film on the ocean side, and pollen and sap on houses near trees.
Working close to landscaping| Area | What builds up | Typical wash interval |
|---|---|---|
| Oceanfront: West Cliff, East Cliff, Pleasure Point, Seacliff | Salt film, mildew on shaded faces | Yearly, sometimes more |
| Near the water: Westside, Seabright, Live Oak, Capitola | Mildew and fog film, cobwebs under eaves | Yearly |
| Under the trees: Felton, Ben Lomond, Boulder Creek, Bonny Doon | Algae and moss on shaded walls, pollen and sap | Yearly, check every spring |
| Inland and sunny: Scotts Valley, Watsonville | Dust and pollen, sprinkler marks | Every year or two |
These are typical patterns, not rules. The side of the house that faces a sprinkler or sits under a tree decides more than the zip code.
Washing Will Not Fix a Wet Wall
Mildew comes back fastest where water keeps reaching the wall. A wash removes what is there; these changes keep it from returning.
Turn sprinklers away
Sprinklers that hit the wall feed mildew and leave mineral marks on stucco.
Cut back plants
Shrubs and vines pressed against siding hold moisture and block airflow.
Keep gutters flowing
Overflowing gutters soak the wall below them. We can clear them the same day.
Gutter cleaningWhy does mildew keep coming back on the same wall? Because the wall stays wet. A sprinkler hitting the siding, a leaking gutter, shrubs pressed against the wall or a north face that never sees sun will regrow mildew no matter how often it is washed. Fixing the moisture source does more than washing more often.
Common Exterior Stains and What Removes Them
Not every mark on a house comes off with the same cleaner. Treating mildew, mineral deposits and dirt as one problem is a common mistake.
Fences pick up the same mildew and sprinkler stains. See fence cleaning.
Reaching the upper wall from the ground| What you see | Usually is | How it is handled |
|---|---|---|
| Green film on shaded walls | Algae and mildew | Soft wash solution, low-pressure rinse |
| Black spots under eaves and on north walls | Mildew | Soft wash; check for a moisture source |
| White crust near sprinklers | Mineral deposits from hard water | Separate treatment; quoted after a test spot |
| Orange or brown streaks | Rust from sprinklers or metal fixtures | Rust treatment, quoted separately |
| Gray dirt streaks below gutters and windows | Runoff carrying roof and frame dirt | Soft wash and rinse; clear the gutters |
| Webs and nests under eaves | Spiders and insects | Brushed down before the wash |
If a stain does not respond to a test spot, we tell you before going further rather than turning up the pressure.
How to Get Ready for a House Wash
There is not much to do, but a few things help the day go faster.
- Close every window and door, including garage and pet doors.
- Move cars, bikes, furniture and planters a few feet from the walls.
- Turn off sprinklers for the day so the wall can dry evenly.
- Keep pets inside until we finish.
- Point out anything fragile: loose trim, a cracked window, an old paint job.
- Make sure we can reach an outdoor faucet.
If you are planning to paint, tell us. Painters usually want a house washed and dry before they start, and we can time the wash for that.
Keeping Wash Water Out of the Storm Drain
In Santa Cruz, storm drains flow to the nearest creek, the San Lorenzo River or Monterey Bay without treatment, according to the City of Santa Cruz. Soft wash solution should not go down them.
Rinsing the lower wall last- Downspouts and runoff are directed onto landscaping, not the street.
- We use only as much solution as the wall needs and rinse plants thoroughly.
- Nothing is washed into storm drains in the street or driveway.
Sources: City of Santa Cruz, Stormwater Residential Information.
Washing Your Own House vs Hiring Us
A single-story house with siding in good shape is a reasonable weekend job. Here is how it compares.
| Doing it yourself | Hiring us | |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment | Garden hose, soft brush, pump sprayer or rented pressure washer | Low-pressure soft wash setup |
| Main risk | Too much pressure on stucco or paint, solution drying on the wall | Tested, low-pressure process |
| Second story | Ladder work with water and solution | Extension wands from the ground |
| Plants and runoff | Your responsibility | Protected and managed |
| Windows | Often left spotted after a wash | Cleaned on the same visit if you want |
If you do it yourself, keep the pressure low, test a hidden spot, work bottom-up with the cleaner and top-down with the rinse, and never let the solution dry on the wall.
House Washing FAQ
How often should you wash the exterior of your house?
Once a year is a common baseline. Coastal homes, houses under heavy tree cover and walls that stay shaded often need it more, while a sunny stucco house inland can go longer. Check the shaded sides twice a year and wash when growth or film starts to show.
Can washing a house too often damage the siding?
It can. Repeated washing pushes water into joints and behind siding, and repeated scrubbing roughens the surface so it holds more dirt. A gentle wash when it is needed is better than frequent washing on a schedule.
Can you wash a painted house without stripping the paint?
Yes, with low pressure and a cleaner suited to both the paint and the surface underneath. We test a small, hidden area first. If paint is already chalking or flaking, washing will show it, and we tell you before we start.
Should cracked stucco be washed?
Not until the cracks are looked at. Water can get into cracked or loose stucco and the wall behind it. We wash around minor hairline cracks at low pressure, but larger cracks or loose sections should be repaired first.
What are the white marks on my stucco near the sprinklers?
Usually mineral deposits left when sprinkler or hard water dries on the wall. They are a different problem from mildew and do not come off with the same cleaner. Turning the sprinkler head away from the house is the first step.
Can washing my siding void the warranty?
It can if the method damages the siding. Some siding and paint warranties exclude damage from high-pressure washing or harsh cleaners. A low-pressure soft wash with a cleaner suited to the surface avoids that, but check your warranty terms if the siding or paint is recent.
How long does a house wash take?
Most single-family homes take a few hours. A one-story stucco house with easy access is on the shorter end; a tall, shaded house with heavy growth and a lot of landscaping to protect takes longer. We give you a time window with the quote.
Get a Free Window Cleaning Quote in Santa Cruz County
Send your address and a few photos. You’ll hear back the same business day with a flat number.
(831) 203-3111- Same-day response, Monday through Saturday
- Flat quote, good for 30 days
- Add gutters, solar or skylights to the same visit
Serving Santa Cruz, Capitola, Aptos, Soquel, Live Oak, Scotts Valley, Felton, Ben Lomond, Bonny Doon, Watsonville and everywhere in between.