There are a number of reasons why stucco is one of America’s favorite housing materials. For one, it provides any home with a beautiful, clean-looking finish that adds serious curb appeal. It’s also an affordable way to breathe some new life into a tired-looking exterior.
However, one area where stucco causes concerns for homeowners is maintenance and cleanliness. Stucco is a highly textured surface that allows dirt, grime, and mold to settle easily.
The soft nature of the material means that cleaning stucco also presents a dilemma. Many homeowners worry that power washing stucco is a risky business since the pressure has the potential to wear down or even destroy the exterior of a house.
However, when done right, pressure washing stucco can be as easy and trouble-free as with any other housing material.
Before getting into how to clean stucco with a pressure washer, you’ll need to make sure you understand the damage a pressure washer can do to stucco. The preferred method is low pressure ( under 300psi) and safe detergents in order to ensure the stucco is not damaged. You’ll need the following
Before using your stucco cleaner, make sure your house is prepped for a power washing. The most important thing is to check for any chips or cracks in the stucco beforehand.
If you use a power washer ,even one with low pressure. on a crack, it will likely create a huge hole in your stucco. Any cracks should be properly filled and left to dry before you begin power washing.
You’ll also want to make sure you pick a dry cloudy or sunny day to do your actual power washing. A wet will reduce the effectiveness of the washing.
Now it’s time to get down to it. You may have heard about cleaning stucco with vinegar; however, this isn’t the right approach to take when attempting to clean stucco.
Instead, apply your detergent to the section of the wall you want to wash. After waiting a few minutes for the detergent to begin working its magic, rinse the section with your power washer on low pressure. Make sure to use hot water for this task.
Repeat the same process on each section of your house until the majority of the exterior grime is removed. Once this is complete, rinse the entire property gently at least 4 times to get all the detergent off the stucco and windows
This should leave your stucco looking as good as new.
Power washing stucco is a delicate process, one that carries certain risks.
If you want to leave this task in the hands of the experts, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our professional power washers today who will guarantee a job well done.
