Illustration for Siding Makers Say Dont Pressure Wash

That’s good news, really. Your siding maker isn’t asking you to live with green film and gray streaks. It’s telling you how to get them off: low pressure, a mild cleaner, and a soft brush or a hose. Here’s what the care guides say, what that kind of wash costs, and what to ask before you book.

What the care guides say

Siding maker Siding type What the care guide says The method it points to
James Hardie Fiber cement “Using a pressure washer can damage the surface of Hardie® siding.” Garden-hose spray and a soft, medium-bristle brush, “once or twice a year”
CertainTeed Vinyl and polymer “We do not recommend power washing vinyl or polymer siding” “A house wash that connects to your hose”
LP SmartSide Engineered wood “Avoid using a pressure washer on LP SmartSide siding.” Mild detergent and water, a soft brush or sponge, then a garden-hose rinse

Read side by side, the three guides agree. Each one expects you to keep the siding clean, and the fiber cement guide even suggests a schedule. They just rule out the high-pressure wand. The vinyl and engineered wood guides give the reason: high pressure can force moisture in and mark the finish.

Why a soft wash fits the rule

A soft wash is the care guide’s method, scaled up to a whole house. The cleaning solution does the work on algae and mildew, and a low-pressure rinse carries it away. What a pro adds is reach (second-story walls, gables, over the shrubs) and a steady, even mix, not more force.

If you’d rather do it yourself, our label-first DIY soft wash setup walks through it. A few sidings have their own wrinkles. Stained wood has a gentler routine, covered in cleaning cedar siding. Manufactured homes add skirting, covered in washing manufactured home siding. And if your vinyl leaves powder on your finger, read up on chalky vinyl siding before the wash.

What a soft wash costs

These are published prices from washers’ own pages. They’re asking prices, not a national average, and several are starting prices or minimums.

Washer (area) How it prices Published house soft wash price Near a 2,000 sq ft home
Platypus Power Washing (Richmond, VA) Home size bands $249–$299 under 1,500 sq ft; $399–$499 for 3,000–4,000 sq ft $275–$325 (1,500–2,000 sq ft band)
Southern Pro Exteriors (Middle Tennessee) Flat rate by home size $299 one story under 1,500 sq ft; $699 for 3,500–5,000 sq ft $399 (1,500–2,500 sq ft)
KC Splash (Kansas City metro) $0.20 per sq ft of measured footprint; $300 minimum per visit $300 for a 1,500 sq ft house; $1,000 for 5,000 sq ft $400 for a 2,000 sq ft footprint
Clear Vision Cleaning Services (Lansing, MI) Home size, height and material $299 minimum for small one-story vinyl; $850–$900 for large brick or over 3,000 sq ft No 2,000 sq ft price; $450–$650 for a mid-sized two-story

The per-square-foot price is easy to check yourself: at $0.20 a square foot, a 2,000 sq ft footprint comes to $400. The flat-rate lists jump by size band instead.

Size isn’t the only lever. One Lansing washer says its price moves with square footage, height, surface materials, buildup and access. A two-story or a brick home costs more there, so compare quotes for the same kind of house. For more prices by home size, see our house washing cost guide. Here’s how we collect these numbers.

Matching a quote to your siding

  1. Name your siding. Fiber cement, vinyl and engineered wood each have a care guide, and the rule is set per product.
  2. Read the method on the quote. Plenty of companies call everything “pressure washing,” so the word alone doesn’t settle it. Ask.
  3. Compare like with like. Flat rate or per square foot? Floor area or footprint? Starting price or final price?
  4. Take a few photos first. Snap each wall before the crew starts. If you spot a mark later, our guide to telling wash damage from old wear helps you sort it out calmly.

What to ask the washer

  • What method will you use on my siding? You want to hear “soft wash” or “low pressure,” with the walls named.
  • How do you price my house? Flat rate, square footage or home type tells you which price list to compare with.
  • Is this a starting price or the final one? Several of the prices above are starting prices or minimums.
  • Do you know my siding maker’s care guide? A crew that does can tell you what it says in a sentence.

For a longer checklist, see our questions to ask a house washing company.

Sources

Based on 7 sources · How we price