Outdoor Cleaning in Tabb, VA

Most Tabb homes need more than one surface cleaned. Siding, roof, driveway, and deck all collect the same humid-season growth. They just collect it at different rates.

For house soft washing, we clean vinyl siding, brick, eaves, and soffits with a low-pressure wash. The soft wash solution kills the algae and mildew. The rinse carries it away. High pressure never goes near your siding seams or window seals.

For roof cleaning, we remove black roof streaks, moss, and lichen from asphalt shingle roofs with low-pressure roof cleaning. Those black streaks are Gloeocapsa magma algae. We kill it on the shingle instead of blasting it off, which protects the granules.

For pressure washing, we clean driveways, sidewalks, patios, and pool decks with a rotary surface cleaner. We pre-treat oil stains and rust stains before the main pass.

For deck and fence cleaning, we wash graying wood, composite boards, and railings with a low-angle wand technique that protects the wood fibers. We move furniture aside and put it back when we finish.

For window cleaning, we wash exterior glass, screens, frames, and sills. We reach second-story windows with a water-fed pole and a purified water rinse.

If you are deciding between methods, our guide on soft washing or pressure washing explains which surfaces get which treatment.

Tabb is the part of York County south of the Poquoson River and Harwoods Mill Reservoir. Nearby water and mature trees across most neighborhoods keep exterior surfaces damp longer after rain and morning dew. That dampness feeds green algae, black mildew, and moss. We find the worst growth on north walls, under eaves, and on shaded roof slopes. We treat those areas first and give them longer dwell time.

North of Victory Boulevard, homes sit on lower-density lots. Shade and pollen film are common on those houses, and long driveways take more surface cleaner passes. We check for lifted concrete panels before we run the machine, because a raised edge catches the cleaner and leaves an uneven strip. South of Victory Boulevard, and in neighborhoods like Tabb Lakes and Woods of Tabb, houses sit closer together. There we watch wind direction, cover what needs covering, and keep rinse water off the neighbor's car and siding.

Commercial property runs along Hampton Highway. Sidewalks and parking areas along that corridor carry oil stains, gum, and dirt splash-back from traffic. We pre-treat oil spots, run the rotary surface cleaner in overlapping passes, and post-treat the concrete so it dries even.

Wet weather matters here too. The Tabb Pressure Reducing Pump Station exists to take pressure off the sewer system during heavy rain. We do not wash ahead of a downpour. Rain on freshly applied solution dilutes it before it works, and heavy runoff carries it past the beds we protected. We check the forecast and move your appointment when a storm lines up with it.

Summer heat is the other factor. On days hot enough to open the cooling center at Tabb Library, solution dries on siding fast. Dried solution leaves streaks. On those days we start early, work the shaded sides of the house first, and keep walls and plants wet between steps.

We start by walking the property with you. We check siding type, roof material, gutter condition, concrete stains, and wood condition. We note loose siding, cracked window seals, and soft deck boards before any water goes on the house.

For house washing:

1. We pre-wet the plants and grass around the house. 2. We apply the cleaning solution from the bottom up, so it does not run down dry siding and leave streaks. 3. We let it dwell long enough to kill the mildew and algae. 4. We rinse from the top down, starting at the eaves and soffits. 5. We rinse the plants again when we finish.

While we are at the eave line, we brighten the gutter faces to remove tiger striping.

For roofs, we work from a roof harness and apply the solution at low pressure. We rinse the gutter line, flush the downspouts, and direct runoff away from your beds. Rain then washes the dead algae off the shingles.

For concrete, we pre-treat stains, then clean with even surface cleaner passes that overlap slightly. Even passes prevent the striped look a wand leaves when it is swung back and forth. We finish the edges with a rinse wand and post-treat the slab.

For decks and fences, we wash at low pressure with the wand held at a low angle, then apply wood brightener. If you plan to stain or seal, we tell you how long the boards need to dry first.

For windows, we squeegee the glass, wipe frames and sills with a detail towel, clean screens and tracks, and check every pane for streaks before we leave.

Will soft washing hurt my plants?

We pre-wet the plants before we apply solution and rinse them again after. Wet leaves and soil do not soak up the solution the way dry ones do. We cover delicate plantings near the foundation when the house calls for it.

Why do the black streaks on my roof keep coming back?

The streaks are algae, and shaded, humid roofs in Tabb give it what it needs to grow. Soft washing kills what is there now. Regrowth depends on shade and moisture. The shadier the roof, the sooner the streaks return.

How often should I have my house washed?

It depends on shade and moisture around the house. North walls and heavily shaded homes may need it sooner. Our guide to mildew and algae on exteriors shows the early signs.

Can you pressure wash my siding instead?

We do not pressure wash vinyl siding. High pressure drives water behind the panels and can crack them. We soft wash siding and save high pressure for concrete.

Do I need to be home?

No. We need access to an outdoor spigot and unlocked gates. Close your windows and move cars off the driveway before we arrive.

Call (757) 697-5416 or request an estimate for outdoor cleaning in Tabb. Tell us which surfaces bother you most: green siding, a streaked roof, a stained driveway, or a gray deck. We will walk the house and explain the cleaning options that fit it. We also work in Yorktown and Hampton.