House Washing in the Quad Cities, IL & IA
Soft washing, not pressure blasting. A cleaning solution does the work, the algae dies at the root, and your siding stays sealed.
That green film is alive, and pressure does not kill it
The dark green or grey haze on the north and east faces of a Quad Cities home is algae, mildew and lichen feeding on moisture. River humidity keeps those elevations damp for most of the morning, and shaded siding never fully dries out. Growth follows the water.
A pressure washer can knock the surface layer off and make the wall look clean for a few weeks. What it cannot do is kill the organism embedded in the surface, so the growth returns faster each time. Worse, high pressure on lap siding drives water up behind the seams and into the wall cavity, chews at caulk lines and window trim, and on older painted wood it strips paint outright.
Soft washing takes the opposite approach. A detergent and surfactant blend is applied at garden-hose pressure, dwells long enough to kill the growth, and is rinsed away. The wall comes clean because it was cleaned chemically, not sandblasted.
How a soft wash day goes
- Landscaping soaked and covered before anything is applied; plants stay protected the whole time.
- Windows, doors, lights and outlets checked and protected where needed.
- Cleaning solution applied low and slow from the bottom up so nothing streaks.
- Dwell time — the part most people skip. The solution has to work before it is rinsed.
- Rinsed top down at low pressure, including soffits, fascia and gutter faces.
- Beds and walkways rinsed clean, final walk-around with you.
Surfaces we soft wash
- Vinyl and insulated vinyl siding
- Fiber cement (LP, Hardie and similar)
- Aluminum siding
- Stucco and Dryvit, on a gentler mix
- Brick and stone veneer
- Painted wood, when the paint is sound
- Soffits, fascia, gutter exteriors and porch ceilings
Do windows at the same time
House washing throws detergent and rinse water across your glass whether you plan for it or not. Booking window cleaning in the same visit means the glass gets finished after the siding is done, instead of you looking at a clean wall through spotted windows. It is also cheaper than two separate trips, and most homes can be done in one day.
What is included — and what is not
Included in a standard house washing job:
- Full exterior siding wash on all accessible elevations
- Soffits, fascia and gutter exteriors
- Porch ceilings, columns and front entry
- Plant protection before, during and after
- Low-pressure rinse of walkways and beds
- Walk-around with you before we pack up
Not included as standard, quoted separately when you need it:
- Roof cleaning (quoted separately — see roof cleaning)
- Peeling or failing paint removal; we will not wash paint that is already lifting
- Rust, oxidation and chalking removal on old aluminum (a separate restoration)
- Interior or between-pane window issues
- Deck, fence and concrete surfaces unless added to the quote
Signs it is time to book
- Green or black film on the north or shaded side of the house
- Dark streaks running down from gutter seams
- Spider webbing and mud nests in the soffit corners
- Siding color looks flat compared to a wall that gets full sun
- Dirt splash line along the bottom courses near the beds
- You are listing the home, hosting, or about to paint
Pricing
Quote-only, and firm. Price depends on the size of the home, access, and the condition of the surface, so instead of publishing a starting-at number that changes the moment we see the property, we look at the actual job and give you a fixed price before any work begins. No hourly meter, and the number we quote is the number you pay. Call (309) 507-6816 — most homes can be quoted in one conversation.
House Washing before & after
What customers say
Had Waterwerks do windows, screens, and patio. They arrived on time and did a great job. Would call them again.
Water Werks washed my windows yesterday and do they look shiny and new! Their process left no water spots and took all the dirt and dust off. I would highly recommend them! The technician was pleasant, on time, and did a great job!
I have had Water Werks do work for me multiple times. We live in an old Victorian mansion with a tall roof and over 50 windows. They have cleaned my gutters and my windows. The service was affordable and left my house sparkling clean.
Verified reviews from our Google Business Profile — 4.8 stars across 126 reviews.
House Washing questions we get
- Is soft washing safe for my plants?
- Yes, when the prep is done. Beds get saturated with clean water before we start, sensitive plants are covered, and everything is rinsed again afterward. Soaking is the important part — wet foliage does not absorb the solution.
- How long does it last?
- Most Quad Cities homes go two to three years before the growth comes back visibly. Heavily shaded homes and homes surrounded by mature trees are closer to eighteen months. Because soft washing kills the growth rather than knocking it off, it comes back slower than after a pressure wash.
- Will it damage my siding or force water inside?
- No. Application and rinse both happen at low pressure, roughly what a garden hose puts out. That is the entire reason for the method — the risk with house washing has always been pressure, not water.
- Can you wash the house and clean the windows in one visit?
- That is the way we prefer to do it. Siding first, glass after, one trip. Tell us both when you call and we will quote them together.
Related services
Window Cleaning
Spot-free glass inside and out with pure deionized water.
Gutter Cleaning
Clear downspouts before the freeze-thaw season hits.
Roof Cleaning
Remove black streaking without walking or blasting shingles.
Concrete Cleaning
Even, stripe-free driveways, sidewalks and patios.
Deck Cleaning
Gentle wood-safe cleaning that preps for stain or seal.
Fence Cleaning
Green film and grey weathering washed off vinyl or wood.
Want to know if we cover your town? See our Quad Cities service areas.