What to leave ready before you go
- The outside spigot. One Ohio washer brings water but still says it needs “access to your water spigot” to finish. If yours sits behind a locked fence, the job can stall. Our water-use guide runs the gallons.
- Side gates open. One crew’s prep checklist says to “open side gates for full access”, and a North Carolina washer says it may “need to access gates or areas around your home”.
- Pets in, cars out. One washer requires pets to be secured inside during the wash. Another asks you to move cars off the driveway because its hoses run around the house. Coops, ponds and hives take more planning; see getting backyard animals ready.
- Doors and windows shut. The Ohio prep answer asks that “all doors and windows are closed”, and the checklist washer calls closing them “completely” the homeowner’s job.
- Your phone on. The North Carolina washer still finds it “helpful” when you can be there to open things up. If you can’t, be reachable in case a latch sticks.
If the spigot really can’t be reached, ask about bringing water: one washer will do it for “a $20 extra charge”.
Paying and prepping when you’re out
Ask the office to send the bill to your phone. The Ohio washer says that when you’re out it will “email/text you the invoice” so you can pay directly, and the checklist washer notes most jobs are paid on completion. A deposit is a separate question; see what’s normal for a house-washing deposit.
Before you leave, pull potted plants and patio furniture well away from the walls; the Ohio page asks for 10 feet or more. And if you do stay home, that same page wants everyone, pets included, inside during the cleaning. Our before, during and after checklist covers the rest of the visit, and the house washing cost guide covers what the wash itself should run. How we choose the figures we cite: methodology.
Sources
Based on 4 sources · How we price
- Northern Coastal Pro-Clean, FAQ: northerncoastal.net/faq
- Stillwater Pressure Washing, FAQ: stillwaterpw.com/faq
- Southern Shine, soft washing FAQ: southern-shine.com/soft-washing-faq
- The Moss Busters, FAQs: themossbusters.com/faqs
