Mildew, Algae and Exterior Cleaning in Newport News, VA

Mildew and algae are living growth. They root into the texture of vinyl siding, the pores of brick, the granules on a shingle, and the grain of a deck board. High pressure strips the green off the surface and leaves the roots behind. That is why a wall washed with a rental machine can turn green again soon.

We kill the growth with a soft wash solution, give it dwell time to work, and rinse it away at low pressure. We save high pressure for hard surfaces that can take it. Here is how we match the method to the surface:

• Siding, brick, eaves and soffits: house soft washing. Low-pressure application, dwell time, and a top-down rinse. We also brighten gutter faces and remove the tiger striping that runs down them.
• Asphalt shingle roofs: soft wash roof cleaning. The black streaks are Gloeocapsa magma algae. We never put a pressure washer on shingles, because it strips the granules that protect them. We apply the solution at low pressure and treat moss and lichen at the same time.
• Driveways, sidewalks, patios and pool decks: pressure washing with a rotary surface cleaner. We pre-treat, clean in even passes, and post-treat to kill the growth left in the concrete pores.
• Wood and composite decks and fences: deck and fence cleaning at low pressure with a low-angle wand to protect the wood fibers, followed by wood brightener on graying boards.
• Glass: window cleaning with a water-fed pole and purified water rinse, or squeegee and detail towel by hand.

For a closer look at where the line falls between the two methods, read soft washing or pressure washing.

Inspection. We walk the property. We check each side of the house, the roof, the concrete and the wood. We note where the growth is heaviest, where oil and rust stains sit on the driveway, which plants sit close to the foundation, and where the downspouts drain. We move patio furniture, grills and planters aside.

Plant prep. We pre-wet the plants. Shrubs, flower beds and grass along the foundation get a full soaking before any solution goes on the house. Wet leaves take up less of the overspray. We keep them wet through the job.

Application. We apply the solution from the bottom up. Solution running down dry siding leaves streaks. Starting at the bottom and working up keeps the lower wall wet and the finish even. We cover the siding, trim, eaves and soffits, and gutter faces.

Dwell. We let it dwell. The solution needs time on the surface to kill the mildew and algae down to the roots. We watch the wall while it works. In full sun, we keep the surface from drying out before the rinse.

Rinse. We rinse from the top down. We start at the roofline and work down, so dirty water runs over surfaces we have not rinsed yet instead of onto clean ones. Low pressure carries the dead growth and dirt splash-back off without forcing water behind the siding.

Roof. We clean the roof separately. Our crew works the roof in a roof harness. We apply the solution at low pressure across the shingles, treat moss and lichen, then rinse the gutter line and flush the downspouts. We manage runoff so it goes where we want it, away from the beds.

Concrete. We clean the concrete. We pre-treat the driveway, sidewalk and patio. Oil stains and rust stains get their own treatment. Then we run the rotary surface cleaner in even, overlapping passes to prevent striping, and use the rinse wand along the edges. A post-treatment kills the algae left in the concrete pores.

Wood. We clean the deck and fence. We wash the boards and railings at low pressure with a low-angle wand, so we clean the wood without raising the grain. Wood brightener takes out the gray. If you plan to stain or seal, we give you the dry time before the wood is ready.

Windows. We finish the windows. Glass goes last, so no rinse water spots it after it is clean. We wipe frames and sills, clean screens and tracks, and remove hard water spots.

Final check. We rinse the plants again and walk the property with you before we leave.

Newport News summers are warm and humid, and rounds of heavy rain keep siding, roofs and decks damp for days at a time. Mildew and algae grow wherever a surface stays wet. We see it most on north walls, on the shaded side of a roof, and on decks and fences under mature trees, where the sun does not reach long enough to dry things out.

Water is close on almost every side of the city. From homes near Huntington Park and Riverview Farm Park on the James River to the neighborhoods near King-Lincoln Park at the end of Jefferson Avenue, damp air off the water keeps exteriors wet longer. Around Newport News Park and the wooded streets off Warwick Boulevard, heavy shade and tree debris do the same job.

That changes the work in a few physical ways:

• Shaded walls get more dwell time. Heavy green growth on a north wall takes longer to break down than a light film on a sunny side.
• Roofs under trees get a moss and lichen treatment along with the black streak removal, and we clear the gutter line of what washes down.
• Pollen season adds a yellow-green film to siding, concrete, screens and glass. We rinse it off the siding before the soft wash and off the glass before we squeegee.
• Decks and fences under trees gray faster. We check the boards for mildew and soft spots and adjust the wand angle to protect the wood fibers.

Most homes here are single-family houses, so most of our work is siding, roofs, driveways and decks on the same property. We clean them in one visit. We also work in nearby Hampton, Yorktown and Tabb.

Will the soft wash solution hurt my plants?

We pre-wet every plant near the house, keep them wet while we work, and rinse them again when we finish. We also control runoff at the downspouts. That is how we protect beds on every job.

How often does a Newport News house need cleaning?

Most siding here needs a wash every year or two. Shaded walls under mature trees can go green sooner. Roofs usually go longer between cleanings, and concrete depends on how much shade and traffic it gets. We tell you what we see on your house after the first cleaning.

Can you pressure wash my roof?

No. High pressure strips the granules off asphalt shingles and shortens the life of the roof. We clean shingle roofs with low-pressure application only.

Why do black roof streaks come back?

The algae spores travel on the wind and settle back in wherever a roof stays damp. A proper soft wash kills the growth down to the roots, so the roof stays clean far longer than one that was only rinsed. Shaded slopes will still see roof stain return first.

Can you clean my deck before I stain it?

Yes. We clean the boards, brighten the wood, and tell you the dry time before sealing. Staining over damp or dirty wood leads to peeling, so we prepare the boards for the stain.

Do you clean the windows after washing the house?

Yes. Glass is the last surface we clean, so the house wash does not spot it. Second-story windows get the water-fed pole and purified water rinse, which dries without spots.

Call (757) 697-5416 or request an estimate for mildew, algae and exterior cleaning in Newport News. Tell us which surfaces need work, where the green or black growth is heaviest, and whether the roof has streaks. Our crew of eight has cleaned homes around Newport News since 2019. We will walk your property, match the method to each surface, and give you the cleaning plan in writing. You can read more about our company or go back to our home page.