When you first make the investment into your pressure washer, you can feel confident in knowing that soon, your property is going to be as clean as possible and that you aren’t going to have to think about pressure washing all that often, considering how thorough of a job it can get done, right?
How often you pressure wash your house is a hard line to set, as there are different parts of a house that need to be pressure washed, and some parts of the house are more prone to gathering dirt and grime on them that would lead to them needing to be washed more often.
How often should you clean the exterior of your house?
The rule of thumb that most people follow, when it comes to how often a house should be pressure washed, is that the exterior should be cleaned at least once a year as a bare minimum, with additional cleanings as the circumstances see fit.
Cleaning Your House Correctly
There are a few particular areas of your house that are going to be more prone to gathering dust, dirt, grime, and mold on them than other parts of the house. These are the parts you will want to pay the most attention to, so that you will know when it is time to take out the pressure washer to clean everything down.
The driveway
The driveway is going to be the biggest one. There are so many factors that go into the driveway’s appearance that there is no way to gauge how often you should clean it. However, it can help to know what some of the uses of the driveway are that will make it more prone to gathering dust and grime.
The mud from your car’s tires can stain and be absorbed into the driveway, especially if you have a porous driveway, and these can leave long-lasting marks if you do not clean them up quickly or efficiently. Oil stains from the car itself or a grill set up on the driveway can also warrant a pressure washing session, although you may want to try to remove that stain as best you can first, before bringing out the pressure washer. Humid, balmy, and rainy seasons promote the growth of mold and algae on driveways, meaning that during a particularly heavy season, you might find yourself breaking out the pressure washer more often.
In general, you could expect to clean your driveway at least twice a year, if not more.
The Roof
While it is debatable if the driveway is a part of the “house” or if it is simply property, your roof and exterior walls are part of the house and something you will need to pay attention to regularly if you want to keep your home looking as clean as possible. The roof of your house can actually be thought of in a similar way as your driveway.
The roof is exposed to the elements so there is a lot of potential for stains, mold, and algae to grow. This is the most common reason why people pressure wash their roofs. They also build up a fair amount of dust and grime over the course of the year, meaning that you would be cleaning the roof on a regular basis if you want to keep everything looking as new as possible.
The one problem with the roof is that some roofing materials do not handle pressure washers well. This is something you will have to research when you are deciding whether to include the roof when you are cleaning the full house on a yearly basis. Some problematic roofing materials include asphalt shingles, most tiling, and water-sensitive materials.
The external walls
Finally, there are the external walls of the house. These do not build up dirt and grime as easily as the roof, but on a windy and rainy day, dirt-filled rain can easily smatter the side of your house, staining a full wall. Depending on where you are, you may find yourself cleaning this off twice a year as well, on a seasonal basis.
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More questions about pressure washing your house
How Do You Know When to Pressure Wash it?
If you want to know another method aside from simply eyeing the condition of your property, you can consider running your finger along the siding of the house or on the surface that you are planning to clean. If you leave a trail where you ran your finger, then it is very likely time for you to bring out the pressure washer. This will also be the case if there is notable discoloration or patches of mold.
What Is the Best Time to Pressure Wash the House?
If you are thinking about when the best time for the once-yearly whole-house pressure wash is, there are a few ways to determine the best time for you. Many people who are willing to pressure wash their home multiple times a year will choose a change of the season as a good time to get the job done. Other times, you may want to choose a time in the summer or late spring, when it is a fully sunny day, but the temperature is mild.
What About Situational Cleaning?
There are some cases that may warrant a session of cleaning that you didn’t plan for or expect. This is most common during storm seasons, when unexpected storms can bring debris and dirt into the walls of your home, staining them and creating a hospitable environment for mold and mildew. Similar situations also include spring weeks of humidity and when snow stays on your home for a while after it has fallen.
