Soft Washing in Leesburg, VA

Clearly Amazing soft washes houses and commercial buildings in Leesburg, working from our Northern Virginia office in Sterling. Soft washing keeps the pressure low and lets eco-friendly cleaning products, not a hard spray, do the work on brick, stucco and siding. Estimates are free and done in person.

Call (703) 723-7770 for a free on-site estimate.

What the Old and Historic District guidelines say about washing a house

Leesburg has written part of this down for one part of town. The Town’s Old and Historic District Design Guidelines (the 2009 edition) are the Town’s preservation guidelines for historic materials, and they apply inside that district only. They are not a town-wide rule, and Loudoun County’s ordinance is a different document that does not apply inside the Town of Leesburg. Every point below comes from the Town’s own documents, not from us.

Wood. The guidelines list pressure washing wood among the inappropriate treatments, because of the damage it can do to the material’s integrity. They add that pressure washing may force moisture underneath siding and into the framing, and that rot, mold and related problems may result. When wood is cleaned or prepared for a new treatment, the appendix says to use the gentlest means possible.

Masonry. The guidelines say not to sandblast masonry, use high-pressure waterblasting, or clean with an inappropriate cleanser, because those methods can do irreparable damage. The maintenance appendix says to always use the gentlest or least aggressive cleaning method that gets satisfactory results. It also says to identify what is on the surface first, and its list of soiling types includes atmospheric dirt and pollutants, biological growth such as algae, lichens and moss, paint or graffiti, and metallic stains.

Paint and stucco. The appendix says that cleaning painted surfaces of accumulated dirt on an annual basis will prolong the life of a paint job. On stucco, the guidelines say historic stucco needs regular maintenance and note that stucco is a less common material in the district than brick or stone.

None of this recommends a particular contractor or service, and the guidelines do not use the words “soft washing.” What they describe is a preference for gentle cleaning of historic wood and masonry. Whether a washing job at a given address needs the Town’s Certificate of Appropriateness is a separate question: the Town’s page on certificates says they are required for all exterior alterations in the district, and it does not mention cleaning either way. For an answer about your address, ask the Town’s Preservation Planner.

Call (703) 723-7770 for a free on-site estimate in Leesburg, or request one online.

What the job involves

Survey. Before any solution goes on, we walk the exterior, noting each surface material (brick, stucco or siding) and the spots with the heaviest staining.

Wash. The solution and the rinse go on at low pressure, and we manage the runoff path. Plants around the house are soaked.

Flag problems. If the crew finds something that needs attention, such as cracked siding or a loose piece of trim, they photograph it and share the photos with you. Our crews are our own employees, and they carry general liability and workers’ compensation insurance.

Areas we cover in Leesburg

Our soft washing in Leesburg reaches homes and businesses, Exeter and the Old and Historic District among them. HOA and condo common areas, from clubhouses to pool decks and building exteriors, get quoted too. Homes elsewhere in Northern Virginia are served from Sterling.

When to schedule in Leesburg

Spring and fall are comfortable months for soft washing. Any other month works too, and a green streak you are tired of looking at is reason enough to call. Think of it as ongoing maintenance for the outside of the house, the way you would think about gutters.

Questions Leesburg customers ask

\1The guidelines speak to wood and masonry and do not name any service. They are the Town’s preservation guidelines for that district, not a recommendation of us or anyone else.