Soft Washing in Alexandria, VA
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At Clearly Amazing, soft washing uses low pressure and eco-friendly products.
RESIDENTIAL SERVICES
Clearly Amazing soft washes siding, trim, fences, decks and porch ceilings throughout the City of Alexandria, from our Northern Virginia office in Sterling. Soft washing applies a cleaning solution at low pressure and lets the solution do the work, so painted and softer surfaces are cleaned without being blasted.
Call (703) 723-7770 for a free on-site estimate.
Your siding and the historic district rules
Alexandria’s Board of Architectural Review is a seven-member board appointed by City Council, and two of its members must be architects. It regulates two local historic districts, Old and Historic Alexandria and Parker-Gray.
For the Old and Historic Alexandria District, the city’s administrative policy gives examples of ordinary maintenance that needs no Board approval, including repainting non-masonry surfaces and minor repairs to siding materials. The policy never mentions washing or cleaning. We can’t tell you whether a soft wash sits inside or outside that list; the policy asks applicants to consult BAR staff for a written determination before starting work. Homes in Parker-Gray follow separate residential guidance.
What pressure can do to painted and older surfaces
Paint, caulk and older wood don’t stand up well to a high-pressure stream. Water forced under the edge of the paint or into a seam can loosen it, and a nozzle held too close can gouge soft wood. A cleaning solution applied gently and given time to act breaks down algae, mildew and dirt, so a low-pressure rinse can carry them off.
That makes soft washing the better fit for siding, trim, porch ceilings and painted fences. It also cleans the surface without driving water into the wall behind it.
Free on-site estimate in Alexandria
How we clean it
Inspect. Siding, trim, decking, fencing and porch ceilings are checked first, and we point out anything a wash won’t fix, such as peeling paint, soft wood or loose boards.
Apply. The solution goes on at low pressure and is left on long enough to break down the growth. We soak the surrounding plants.
Rinse. A gentle rinse works from the top of each wall down, and shaded spots such as porch ceilings get a second look.
Areas we cover in Alexandria
Del Ray, Old Town, Parker-Gray and Seminary Hill are all part of our Alexandria coverage, as is the rest of the city. Sterling is home base for the wider Northern Virginia area.
When to schedule in Alexandria
Under NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals, yearly precipitation at Reagan National Airport comes to 41.82 inches, spread across all twelve months. Because there is no dry season, warmth is what makes the easiest window: in warm weather the solution works well and siding dries quickly afterward.
Cooler months are fine too, and a house washed then gets just as clean; it simply takes longer to dry. Soft washing is ongoing maintenance, and a regular cycle keeps each wash light.
Questions Alexandria customers ask
Will soft washing damage my paint?
Low pressure with a cleaning solution is gentler on paint than a pressure washer, which is the reason the method exists. Paint that is already failing may come loose under any wash, so we point it out beforehand.
Do I need BAR approval to have my siding washed?
In the Old and Historic Alexandria District, the ordinary-maintenance examples include repainting and minor siding repairs, but the policy does not mention washing. For a written answer, ask BAR staff.
What about the shrubs along the foundation?
We soak the surrounding plants.
How often does siding need washing?
It depends on how much shade and tree cover each wall gets. A wall that stays damp and shaded tends to green up again sooner than one that dries in full sun, so we look at every side of the house at the estimate and give you an honest read on each one rather than a blanket schedule.
Should I rent a pressure washer instead?
On a bare fence rail, maybe. On painted siding and trim, the pressure it takes to move the grime is often enough to damage the paint, which is exactly what soft washing avoids.
Clearly Amazing — Northern Virginia
43676 Trade Center Place, Suite 140, Sterling, VA 20166