Before any solution goes on the house, we wet down the landscaping, shrubs, and any plant beds near the foundation. This protects foliage from incidental chemical contact during the application and gives us a controlled starting point. Protecting what surrounds your home is part of the job, not an afterthought.

We apply a professional soft wash solution to the siding, soffits, fascia, trim, exterior gutters, porch ceilings, and around every window and door. The solution is mixed for the specific surface type and level of buildup on your home. Vinyl siding, Hardie board, stucco, and painted wood each require a different approach, and the concentration used on a lightly filmed surface is different from what a heavily algae-covered wall needs.

This is the step most homeowners have never seen because it looks like nothing is happening. The solution sits on the surface for several minutes, penetrating the algae and mildew at the point of attachment and breaking down the organism rather than just loosening the top layer of visible grime. This dwell period is what separates a soft wash result that lasts from a rinse that looks clean for a week.

Once the solution has done its work, we rinse every surface at low pressure, removing the cleaning solution along with the dead organic growth, dirt, cobwebs, and buildup it loosened. The pressure used at this stage is similar to a garden hose, which is what makes soft washing safe for vinyl siding, painted surfaces, and roofing materials that would be damaged by a pressure washer.

Every house wash from Shipshape includes a professional window cleaning at no additional charge. We scrub each window with a soft bristle brush to remove chemical residue and surface film, then rinse with purified water so the glass dries clear without the mineral deposits that tap water leaves behind. This is included as standard because a clean house with filmed windows does not look clean from the street.