House washing is the cleaning of a home's exterior walls, meaning vinyl, fiber cement, painted wood or brick, by letting a gentle cleaning solution do the work and rinsing it off. Rob, owner of Rob's Exterior Services in Woodstock, does it himself with no subcontractors for homes across McHenry County. House washing is quoted after Rob sees a photo, so text (815) 451-0106 to start.
The walls of a house collect a surprising amount. Pollen settles in spring. Road film and dust ride in on wind off the fields. Algae and mildew spread across the north and shaded sides where the siding stays damp. Spiders tuck webs under the eaves, and sprinkler overspray leaves mineral trails on the lower courses. After a few seasons the whole house takes on a dull, slightly green cast that is hard to notice until you see a clean section next to it.
House washing removes that layer without punishing the surface. The method is gentle on purpose, because siding is not built to take a hard blast, and water driven behind a lap or into a seam causes more trouble than dirt ever did. This page covers what Rob does on each siding type, how house washing overlaps with soft washing and roof washing, how to decide which page applies to you, and what to expect from a quote.
What counts as house washing and what goes into the visit
House washing is the exterior walls of the house, top to bottom: siding, trim, fascia, soffits, garage door, front door surrounds, and often the porch ceiling and posts. Rob wets down plants and surfaces that should not get cleaner, applies a solution suited to the siding and the type of growth, lets it work, and rinses from the top down so dirty water never runs over clean wall.
He works around windows, light fixtures and outlets with care, and he keeps spray angles low and downward so water does not get forced upward behind laps. Gutters, roofs, windows, decks and driveways are handled as their own jobs, so house washing on its own leaves them as they were. Many homeowners combine several; that is what a package is for.
How house washing relates to soft washing and roof washing
Here is the honest version. House washing is soft washing applied to the walls. The technique is the same: low pressure, a cleaning solution that does the work, and a thorough rinse. Our general soft washing page explains that method across surfaces including siding, fences, pergolas, outdoor furniture and other delicate items. This page is the wall-specific version, with detail on siding types and what to expect on your home.
Roof washing uses the same principle on shingles, but it is a different job because of access, safety and the way roofing manufacturers advise cleaning asphalt. If your concern is black streaks on shingles, see roof washing and the What Are the Black Streaks on Your Roof, and Should You Remove Them? guide. If you want a deeper comparison of methods, the Soft Washing vs Pressure Washing: Which Does Your Surface Need? guide sets them side by side.
A simple rule for choosing the right page
If the dirt you are looking at is on the vertical walls of the house, book house washing. If it is on the shingles, book roof washing. If you have a mix of delicate items, such as a vinyl fence, a wood pergola and outdoor furniture along with the siding, soft washing is the broad umbrella and Rob will quote it as one job. If the surface is concrete, brick pavers or stone, that is flatwork, covered under driveway & patio cleaning or pressure washing.
When a photo shows more than one of these, you do not have to sort it out yourself. Text the picture and Rob will tell you what category each area falls into and quote it as one visit. The overlap in the pages is real, and it exists mostly so people searching for different words find the same service.
Vinyl, fiber cement, painted wood and brick: each cleans differently
Vinyl is the most common siding in the area and the most forgiving, though it can warp under extreme heat and water can get behind its laps if sprayed upward. Fiber cement is durable but has painted surfaces that can fade or chalk, so the cleaning solution and rinse need to respect that finish. Painted wood is the most delicate, because worn paint can lift under any strong rinse and rot can hide underneath.
Brick is porous and mortar joints are soft compared to the brick itself. High pressure can erode mortar and drive water into the wall, so brick also gets a gentle approach. Rob asks what you have, looks at the condition and picks the method accordingly. If paint is flaking or the wood is soft, he will tell you before washing rather than risk making it worse.
Green, black and orange: what is actually on the wall
Green growth is usually algae. Black or dark gray speckling is often mildew or mold. Orange or rust-colored streaks can be iron in well water or irrigation, or rust running down from a metal fixture. Chalky white trails on brick may be efflorescence, salts that migrate to the surface. Each calls for slightly different handling, and a quick look at a photo often tells Rob what he is dealing with.
Shaded sides of a house hold moisture longer, so north and east faces tend to be worst, especially near trees, hedges or a lake. Our Mold and Algae on Siding: What It Is, Whether It Matters, and How to Clean It guide explains why these organisms return, and why cleaning removes the growth but does not make a wall immune to it. Pruning shrubs away from the wall and keeping gutters flowing both slow it.
What house washing cannot fix
It will not repair cracked vinyl, replace missing caulk, or restore faded paint. It will not remove deep etching from hard water or erase stains that have penetrated the surface. Chalky, oxidized vinyl may look better but not new. Siding that has warped or buckled stays that way, and a wash may reveal damage that dirt was hiding.
Rob would rather tell you this before the visit than after. If a section of painted trim is peeling, or you can see gaps where water could be entering, a repair or repaint may need to come first. A clean wall also makes a good inspection surface; walking the house after a wash is a chance to spot loose boards, failed caulk and wasp nests before they become bigger issues.
Timing house washing around the Illinois year
Spring, after pollen and cottonwood have mostly finished, is a popular window, and late summer or early fall works well for catching up before winter. Washing in the heat of midday can cause the solution to dry too fast, so weather and shade matter. Freezing temperatures are a poor time for any water-based job on a house.
If you are replacing windows, painting or staining a deck, ask about order. Washing before painting is usually correct, and washing after construction dust settles makes sense. For more on timing, the When Is the Best Time of Year to Clean Your Home's Exterior in Northern Illinois? guide breaks down the seasons, and the Spring Exterior Checklist for Northern Illinois Homes checklist can help you place house washing among your other tasks.
Prep, quoting and what to expect on the day
House washing is quoted after Rob sees a photo, and there is no published price because the wall area, height, siding type, condition and access all change the work. Text pictures of each side of the house, and say what you notice, such as green on the north wall or rust below a spigot. The What Affects the Cost of Exterior Cleaning? guide explains the broader factors.
Before the visit, close windows, cover or move anything delicate near the walls, and bring in cushions, decorations and small furniture. Make sure outdoor outlets are not in use and let Rob know where hoses and water are available. The longer checklist in How Do You Prepare Your Home for an Exterior Cleaning Visit? covers the details. If your neighborhood has an association, the Exterior Cleaning in HOA and 55+ Communities: What to Know guide is a useful reference.
How a job goes, start to finish
Photograph all four sides
Rob reviews your photos to identify the siding type, the kind of growth and any concerns such as peeling paint or loose pieces.
Protect plants and openings
Plants are wetted and covered as needed, and windows, vents, outlets and lights are checked and protected before any solution goes on.
Apply the solution at low pressure
A cleaning solution matched to the siding and the growth is applied from the bottom up in controlled sections and left to work.
Rinse from the top down
The wall is rinsed from the top, so dirty water never runs over areas that are already clean, and trim, soffits and corners are checked.
Walk the house with you
Rob checks the results with you, points out anything he noticed such as damaged caulk or peeling paint, and rinses the surrounding plants and hard surfaces.
House Washing by town
Rob is based in Woodstock and drives to every town below. Each page covers what is different about the work there.
Getting a quote
A washed house looks different in a way that photographs rarely capture: the color comes back, the trim stops looking grimy, and the whole place reads as maintained. Unsure whether the siding is due? Take pictures of each side in daylight and send them to Rob at (815) 451-0106. He will give you an honest opinion, even if the answer is that it can wait.