Soft Washing in Oregon City, OR

Clearly Amazing crews soft wash the exteriors of homes and commercial buildings in Oregon City, siding and stucco included, working from our Portland / Tigard office. Cleaning is low-pressure and uses eco-friendly products.

Call (503) 255-2532 for a free on-site estimate.

What the City’s guidelines say about treating historic materials

The City of Oregon City adopted its Design Guidelines for Alterations and Additions to Historic Buildings by resolution on August 28, 2012. Among the Secretary of the Interior’s standards as the City adopted them is this one: “Chemical or physical treatments, if appropriate, will be undertaken using the gentlest means possible.” The next line reads “Treatments that cause damage to historic materials will not be used.”

The guidelines apply to historic buildings under the Historic Review Board’s review. The quoted standard names no product and no method. Whether a house is under that review is the City’s to say.

The City’s Historic Review Process page draws a line between maintenance and alterations. It says “Painting previously painted surfaces is a common example of what does not need approval.” The Policies page leaves “regular maintenance or repair of existing structures” outside its scope. Neither page mentions soft washing, and neither says whether routine washing is maintenance.

Stucco, wood and brick in the City’s records

A 2009 Oregon Main Street survey of 133 buildings along Main Street and nearby, posted on the City’s site, includes a material count. It lists wood on 43 buildings (32 percent), stucco on 34 (26 percent), concrete on 25 (19 percent) and brick on 17 (13 percent). The sheet labels the column “Materials” and does not say whether a material is the exterior cladding. Those counts describe that survey area in 2009, not the whole city.

The City’s McLoughlin Conservation District page describes the 7th Street corridor as including “a 1920’s stucco-finished Fire and Police station.”

For Canemah, the National Register documentation hosted by the City describes early houses with “board siding,” and says the 1910s and 1920s bungalows’ “Finishes include horizontal wood siding and composition roofing.” This is how the district’s historic houses are documented, and it is not a statement about any house today.

On designated structures, the Board’s Policy 8 says “Alterations are permitted if they duplicate existing building materials and styles.” It adds “Wood siding is encouraged if the siding is replaced.” It is the Board’s exterior-alterations policy for the McLoughlin Conservation District, the Canemah district and landmarks, and it says nothing about cleaning.

Algae on siding, in an Oregon State note

Oregon State University’s Solve Pest Problems entry on mold, updated June 30, 2022, says algae grows on moist outdoor surfaces, naming “vinyl siding and wooden decks.” It adds that shady spots count, naming “the north side of buildings.” The OSU entry is general Pacific Northwest guidance. It is not about Oregon City houses, and it names no cleaning company.

Homeowners associations and the City

The City’s neighborhood-association page says “Within Oregon City’s neighborhoods are many more homeowners associations (HOAs),” which it describes as “private corporations typically established by a developer.” Its planning FAQ says “The CC&Rs are a private agreement and thus are not enforceable by the City.” Those are the City’s statements. What any one association’s documents say about exteriors belongs to that association.

Year-built counts for Oregon City

The Census Bureau’s 2024 five-year estimates count 14,651 housing units in Oregon City, with a median year built of 1992. An estimated 4,879 were built in 2000 or later (33.3 percent), 3,788 between 1980 and 1999 (25.9 percent), and 5,984 before 1980 (40.8 percent). Build years are all this shows. They do not describe the siding or the age of any exterior.

What the job involves

Estimate. Estimates are free and are done on site.

Wash. Pressure stays low, and the products are eco-friendly. Stucco is part of what we soft wash.

Surroundings. The plants nearby are soaked.

Photos. If the crew spots a problem, it photographs it and shares the photos with you.

Where the work happens

Soft washing is available throughout Oregon City, for residential and commercial properties.

Oregon City soft washing questions