Outdoor Cleaning in Poquoson, VA

Most homes in Poquoson are detached single-family houses. On most jobs we hook up to your outdoor spigot, work around one building, and finish without coordinating with a building manager. If you live in a townhome or a shared building, tell us when you call and we will plan water and access around it.

House soft washing takes green algae, black mildew, pollen film, and dirt splash-back off vinyl siding, brick, eaves, and soffits. We apply a soft wash solution at low pressure, give it dwell time, and rinse from the top down. We also brighten gutter faces to remove the dark tiger striping that runs down the front of them.

Roof cleaning removes the black streaks on asphalt shingle roofs. Those streaks are Gloeocapsa magma algae. We treat them, along with moss and lichen, using a low-pressure application. We do not blast shingles with a pressure washer, because that strips the granules that protect the roof.

Pressure washing cleans concrete driveways, sidewalks, patios, and pool decks. We pre-treat oil stains and rust stains, run a rotary surface cleaner in even passes, and post-treat the concrete so it dries without stripes.

Deck and fence cleaning brings graying wood and mildew on boards back to clean wood. We clean wood decks, composite decks, railings, and fence boards. We use wood brightener after the wash and tell you how much dry time the boards need before sealing or staining.

Window cleaning covers exterior glass, second-story windows, storm door glass, screens, frames, sills, and tracks. We use a water-fed pole with a purified water rinse on upper windows and a squeegee and detail towel where we can reach the glass by hand.

We work across town, from homes along Wythe Creek Road and Poquoson Avenue down toward Messick Point at the southern end of the city, just inside the Back River inlet. We also clean homes in Tabb, Yorktown, and Hampton.

Poquoson is low, flat, and surrounded by water. Most of the city sits below 7 feet above sea level, and tidal flooding has been part of life here since the first settlers. Damp air and wet ground keep siding, roofs, and deck boards from drying out fully. Mildew and algae grow back faster on those surfaces. We check which walls stay shaded and wet, usually the north side and the walls facing the marsh or a tree line. We give those walls extra dwell time and a full rinse. Read our guide to mildew and algae on exteriors for more on why it comes back.

High water and heavy rain splash mud and dirt onto the bottom of the siding and the foundation. We pre-treat the lower courses before washing the whole wall so the splash line comes off with the rest of the dirt.

Runoff is a big part of the job here. It is illegal in Poquoson to dump oil, grease, yard waste, and similar material into the storm drains. Driveway cleaning lifts oil, and house washing sends rinse water across the yard. Before we start, we walk the lot and find where water flows. We steer rinse water toward lawn and away from street drains and ditches. We treat oil stains so the residue does not run down the driveway into the gutter at the street. If your yard already has standing water from a high tide or a storm, we work around the low spots instead of adding more water to them.

Newer homes are common in Poquoson. Many of those houses have vinyl siding, asphalt shingle roofs, and pressure-treated or composite decks. Those surfaces take soft washing, not high pressure. On older homes with brick, painted wood trim, or cedar, we check each surface before choosing the method.

We start with a walk around the house. We note algae, mildew, roof streaks, stained concrete, gray wood, and damaged siding or loose trim. We point out anything already damaged before we put water on it.

Next we prepare the site. We pre-wet the plants and shrubs along the foundation so they do not absorb the cleaning solution. We move patio and deck furniture aside, close windows, and check that outdoor outlets and fixtures are covered.

On the house, we pre-treat stained areas, apply the soft wash solution from the bottom up, let it dwell, and rinse from the top down. We clean the eaves, soffits, and gutter faces in the same pass. After the final rinse we wet the plants again.

On roofs, our crew works in a roof harness. We apply the treatment at low pressure, let it work on the algae, moss, and lichen, and rinse the gutter line. We flush the downspouts so the runoff drains away from the house and does not back up.

On concrete, we pre-treat oil and rust stains, then clean with a rotary surface cleaner in overlapping, even passes. We edge the borders with a rinse wand and post-treat to prevent striping.

On decks and fences, we hold the wand at a low angle and keep the pressure low enough to protect the wood fibers. We follow with wood brightener and give you a dry time before you seal or stain.

We clean the windows last, after the house wash, so rinse water does not spot fresh glass. We wipe the frames and sills, clean the screens and tracks, and check every pane for streaks. Before we leave, we walk the property with you.

Do you soft wash or pressure wash my house?

We soft wash siding, brick, and roofs. Low pressure and the right solution kill the algae and mildew without forcing water behind siding or stripping shingle granules. We pressure wash concrete. Our soft washing or pressure washing guide explains which surfaces get which method.

How soon will algae come back on my house?

It depends on shade and how long the wall stays damp. In Poquoson, walls near water and under trees grow back sooner than sunny walls. Soft washing kills the growth instead of just knocking off the surface layer, so the return is slower than after a pressure rinse. We show you which walls are likely to green up first.

Will the cleaning solution hurt my plants or grass?

We pre-wet plants and turf before we apply solution and rinse them again after. We direct runoff into lawn areas in small amounts and keep it out of beds where we can. If a plant is delicate, we cover it.

Do I need to be home while you work?

No. We need working outdoor spigots, unlocked gates, and pets kept inside. We walk the house with you at the start if you are there. If you are not, we photograph the property before we start and after we finish.

Can you clean my driveway oil stains completely?

We pre-treat and post-treat oil stains, and most fresh stains lift well. Old stains that have soaked deep into the concrete often lighten but do not fully disappear. We tell you what to expect after we look at the stain.

Call (757) 697-5416 or request an estimate for outdoor cleaning in Poquoson. Tell us what you see: green siding, black roof streaks, a gray deck, a stained driveway, or spotted windows. We will look at the house, check where the water will drain, and give you a price for the work. You can also read more about our crew.