Soft Washing
Green render, black-streaked roofs, algae-stained stone. Soft washing cleans the surfaces a pressure washer would destroy, killing the organic growth at the root so buildings across Gloucestershire stay clean for years, not months.
Low Pressure · Long-Lasting Results
What We Do
Clean by chemistry, not by force.
Soft washing is exterior cleaning using low-pressure application of specialist cleaning solutions that kill the algae, lichen, moss, and bacteria causing the staining, rather than blasting at the surface and hoping. The growth dies, releases, and rinses away; the surface underneath, render, roof tiles, soft stone, painted cladding, is never battered by pressure it was never designed to take. Silver Tree Services provides soft washing across Gloucestershire for homes, commercial buildings, schools, and managed properties, with working-at-height competence borrowed from a tree surgery business that lives up ladders and platforms. Here’s the job surface by surface.
How it works
Step One
Survey & Quote
Photos or a visit, the staining identified, surrounding planting and surfaces noted, written price.
Step Two
Protect
Masking, pre-wetting, and run-off control for plants, ponds, glass, and metals around the work.
Step Three
Treat
Solutions applied at low pressure by trained operators, dwell time doing the work force can’t.
Step Four
Rinse & Review
Gentle rinse-down, a walk-round with you, and honest guidance on how long it’ll stay clean.
Render & K-Rend Cleaning
The signature soft washing job. Modern through-coloured renders grow green and red algae like a culture dish, and pressure washing them pits the surface, drives water into the substrate, and voids most render manufacturers’ warranties. Soft washing kills the colonisation and lets the render release it, restoring the original colour without touching the warranty or the finish, and because the organisms are dead rather than relocated, the wall stays clean several times longer than any pressure clean.
You might need render cleaning if:
- Green or red staining is spreading across rendered walls
- North-facing and shaded elevations have gone patchy and dark
- A pressure-washing quote made you nervous about the warranty
- The house is going on the market and the render says "neglected"
| Tree Size | Typical Scope | Guide Price |
|---|---|---|
| Single render elevation | One wall, masking and run-off control included | From £250 |
| Whole-house render clean | All elevations, detached or semi | From £1000 |
Roof Cleaning & Moss Removal
Moss, lichen, and black streaking come off roofs without the two classic injuries: granules blasted off tiles and water forced under them. Heavy moss is removed by hand from the access point, the biocide treatment kills what remains and what’s microscopic, and the roof weathers clean over the following weeks rather than being scoured in an afternoon. Our IPAF-licensed operators and tree-trade rope competence mean pitches and heights are reached properly, with RAMS for anything commercial.
You might need roof cleaning if:
- Moss is lifting tiles, blocking gutters, or raining onto paths
- Black streaks are running down a visible roof slope
- A surveyor or insurer has commented on roof condition
- Solar installers want a clean roof before panels go on
Cotswold Stone & Masonry
Cotswold limestone is soft, porous, and exactly wrong for pressure washing, which erodes the face and opens the stone to faster re-soiling. Low-pressure treatment kills the biological growth and lets stone come clean gently, preserving weathered character where it’s wanted and brightening where it isn’t. We clean stone homes, garden walls, and commercial frontages across the Cotswolds, and we’ll flag honestly where listed-building or conservation considerations mean checking with the council before any cleaning at all.
You might need stone cleaning if:
- Algae and lichen have darkened a stone frontage or wall
- A period property needs brightening without losing its age
- Memorial, gateway, or feature stonework has gone green
- You've been told "it can't be cleaned safely" by a pressure firm
| Type | Typical Scope | Guide Price |
|---|---|---|
| Stone | Surveyed per property | From £250 |
Cladding, Fascias, Gutters & Whole-Exterior Cleans
The make-the-whole-building-look-new visit: painted and composite cladding refreshed without stripping, UPVC fascias, soffits, and gutters degreased and brightened, conservatory roofs and frames cleaned, and signage made legible again. For commercial buildings this is presentation maintenance, and it slots naturally into a wider grounds maintenance contract: the same contractor keeping the grounds sharp keeps the building sharp, on one invoice.
You might need an exterior clean if:
- Fascias and gutters have greened and the house looks tired
- Cladding or signage is letting a commercial frontage down
- A whole-exterior refresh is cheaper than the repaint you're considering
| Size | Typical Scope | Guide Price |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior-clean section | Fascia/soffit/gutter package | From £500 |
Soft Washing vs Pressure Washing
The honest comparison, because we do both. Pressure washing removes dirt by force: right for robust concrete drives, block paving, and patios, wrong for render, roofs, soft stone, and coatings, and it only removes what it hits, so the living organisms regrow within months. Soft washing kills the growth itself, which is why treated surfaces typically stay clean two to five times longer. The rule: hard landscaping gets pressure, buildings get soft wash, and a contractor pointing a lance at your render is telling you to get another contractor. Drives and patios are a different service we’re happy to quote alongside.
Quick chooser:
- Render, K-rend, roofs, stone, cladding, painted surfaces: soft wash
- Concrete drives, block paving, patios, robust hard surfaces: pressure wash
- Not sure: send a photo, we'll tell you straight
| Method | Best For | Typical Longevity |
|---|---|---|
| Soft Washing | Buildings & delicate surfaces | 2-5x longer clean |
| Pressure washing | Hard landscaping | Months, then regrowth |
Areas we cover
Soft washing across Gloucestershire, including Cheltenham, Gloucester, Stroud, Tewkesbury, Cirencester, and the Cotswolds, with commercial work across Bristol, Bath, Swindon, and surrounding counties.
Why choose Silver Tree Services
Silver Tree Services has traded for over 20 years from Shurdington, Cheltenham, with 30+ qualified staff across seven specialist teams, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certification, ARB Approved Contractor status, and SMAS SSIP accreditation. Crews are NPTC-certificated with IPAF and CSCS where work requires it, RAMS are produced per site, DBS-checked operatives are available for sensitive settings, and public and employers’ liability insurance covers every job. The client list, NHS, Gloucestershire Police, Stroud District Council, Savills, the Church of England, is the vetting evidence.
Frequently Asked Questions About Soft Washing
What is soft washing?
Soft washing is exterior cleaning using low-pressure application of specialist cleaning solutions that kill the algae, lichen, moss, and bacteria causing staining, rather than blasting the surface with high-pressure water. Because the growth is killed rather than just knocked off, surfaces stay clean far longer, and delicate materials like render, roof tiles, and soft stone aren’t damaged. Silver Tree Services provides soft washing for homes and commercial buildings across Gloucestershire from its Cheltenham base.
How much does soft washing cost?
In Gloucestershire, single render elevations start from around £250, whole-house render cleans from £1000, and fascia, soffit, and gutter packages from £500, with stone and commercial buildings surveyed per property. Height, access, surface area, and how established the growth is set the price. Silver Tree Services quotes free, in writing, often from photographs: send pictures of the staining to start, or call 01242 472560.
Is soft washing safe for render and roofs?
Yes, that’s precisely why it exists. The cleaning happens by chemical action at low pressure, so render isn’t pitted and its warranty isn’t voided, roof tile granules stay on the tiles, and water is never forced under the covering or into the building fabric, the standard injuries from pressure-washing those surfaces. Silver Tree Services masks and protects surrounding planting, pre-wets and rinses down, and its trained operators work to RAMS on commercial buildings across Gloucestershire.
How long does soft washing last?
Typically two to five times longer than pressure washing the same surface, because the organisms causing the staining are killed at source rather than dislodged and left to regrow. Exact longevity depends on exposure: a shaded, north-facing render wall under trees regreens faster than an open south elevation. Silver Tree Services gives honest per-surface expectations across Gloucestershire properties and offers maintenance cleans for buildings worth keeping permanently sharp.
Can you soft wash Cotswold stone and period buildings?
Yes, and it’s the appropriate method: Cotswold limestone is soft, and pressure washing erodes the face and accelerates re-soiling. Low-pressure treatment kills the biological growth and lets stone come clean gently, keeping the weathered character that gives period buildings their value. Silver Tree Services cleans stone homes, walls, and commercial frontages across the Cotswolds and Gloucestershire, and flags where listed-building or conservation status means checking with the council first.
Do you soft wash commercial buildings and schools?
Yes. Offices, schools, care settings, retail, and managed residential blocks are cleaned across Gloucestershire with RAMS, DBS-checked operators where settings require, and scheduling around occupants, trading hours, and term times. Exterior cleaning slots naturally into a wider grounds maintenance contract, so the contractor keeping your grounds presentable keeps the building presentable on the same invoice, to the standards our NHS and Stroud District Council contracts are audited against.
Ready When You Are
Clean buildings,
kept clean.
Send a couple of photos of the staining and we’ll tell you what it is, how we’d treat it, and what it costs.
Or call · 01242 472560