Exterior cleaning · Perth
House washing in Perth. Cleaned to seal.
We clean it. Then we protect it. Extera is Perth's sealing specialist, so we soft wash your render, brick, cladding and eaves to the standard sealing demands, clearing algae, mould and bore water staining without blasting the surface to bits. Then, while it's clean and prepped, we can protect it so it stays cleaner for longer.
Why it matters in Perth
Perth marks a wall in ways other cities don't.
Iron-rich bore water, wet winters, soft coastal limestone and salt air all gang up on your exterior here. A generic wash misses what is actually staining your walls. We treat the Perth-specific causes, then contrast the method to the surface so we clear the mark without wrecking the render underneath.
Bore water iron staining
Iron-rich bore and reticulation water leaves orange and brown rust fans on light render, limestone, brick and Colorbond wherever a sprinkler hits. It is the defining Perth exterior problem, and it needs a targeted treatment.
Winter algae and lichen
After Perth's cool, wet winters, green and black growth takes hold on shaded, south facing render and roofs. A soft wash kills it at the root, not just off the top.
Soft limestone walls
Limestone and liquid limestone pit and erode under high pressure. They get a gentle, pH-considerate soft wash only, never a blast.
Coastal salt and scheme water
Salt and humidity in the western and northern beach suburbs, plus hard scheme water, leave film and mineral marks on exposed walls that build up if they are left.
Not sure what you are looking at? Sometimes the mark isn't algae at all. We identify it before we treat it.
How we do it
Soft washing, not blasting.
Soft washing is the method serious cleaners now ask for by name, and for good reason. Low pressure plus the right treatment kills the growth at the root and leaves the surface sound. High pressure blasting does the opposite: it drives water where it shouldn't go, strips coatings and spreads spores, so the wall re-greens faster. We match the method to the surface.
Soft wash, the default
For render, painted surfaces and cladding: low pressure under 500 PSI and biodegradable soaps, plus a biocide applied where there is organic growth that kills the algae, mould and lichen at the root. Because it kills the growth at the root rather than just stripping the top, the surface stays clearer for longer.
Controlled pressure, where it's safe
Only on sound face brick, and only with a wide 25 degree nozzle held well back. Pavers and hardstand go to our flat surface-cleaner method instead, never a handheld lance. It is measured, not maximum. Nothing that can be damaged by pressure gets blasted, which rules out render, limestone and painted surfaces.
Roofs are a treatment, not a rinse
A roof is soft washed, never blasted or rinsed clean on the day. We spray a biocide from ladders at the eaves that kills the moss, lichen and algae, then the growth dies back and weathers off with the rain over the following months. We never climb or blast a roof, because that creates leak paths and damages the tiles and pointing. See our roof cleaning page.
Why high pressure ruins render
Acrylic and cement render sit as a relatively thin coat. A jet held close pits and gouges it, cuts lines into the finish, blows hollow or weak patches clean off the wall, and forces water in behind the render so it lifts and bubbles later. The damage often shows up weeks after the operator has left. That is the whole reason we soft wash render rather than blast it.
Every surface, named
We tell you exactly what we clean, and how.
Most Perth cleaners keep it vague and say exterior surfaces. We name every surface and give it the method it needs, because render, limestone and painted brick each want to be handled differently.
Acrylic and cement render
Render is soft washed only, at low pressure, with biodegradable soaps and a biocide that kills any growth at the root. Never blasted, so the coloured coat stays put.
Face brick and painted brick
Sound face brick can take controlled pressure held well back. Painted brick is soft washed instead, so the paint and the mortar are not stripped.
Cladding
Colorbond, weatherboard, fibre-cement and composite cladding are soft washed. Gentle on the coating and its warranty, thorough on the film and growth.
Eaves, soffits and fascia
Usually the greenest part of the house, shaded and damp. Soft washed and rinsed from the ground, a long-tail job most cleaners skip.
Feature and boundary walls
Feature walls, boundary walls and soft limestone get a gentle, pH-considerate soft wash. High pressure pits and erodes limestone, so it never gets one.
Garage doors and fencing
Garage doors, gates and fencing are soft washed to lift road film, cobwebs and growth without stripping the paint or powder coat.
What to expect
A calm, methodical clean, with no surprises.
- We inspect the surfaces. We identify the growth or staining and confirm which surface takes which method.
- We protect the surrounds. Landscaping, pets and fittings are covered, pre-wet and kept clear.
- We apply and dwell the treatment. Biodegradable soaps clean the surface, and where there is organic growth a biocide is worked in and given time to kill it at the root.
- We rinse at low pressure. A gentle rinse carries it all away without driving water where it shouldn't go.
- We can protect it. While the surface is clean and prepped, it's the ideal moment to seal it so it stays cleaner for longer.
You're covered
Honest, insured, warranty-safe.
- Fully insured. Every job is covered, on single and double storey homes.
- Safe for your paint and render warranty. Soft washing at low pressure is the method most coating makers accept.
- Plant and pet safe. A biodegradable treatment, with the garden pre-wet and rinsed and pets kept clear.
- We won't damage your render. No blasting render, limestone or painted surfaces. Ever.
When to wash in Perth. Organic growth builds through the cool, wet winter from June to August and looks worst in late winter and spring, so that is the busy window. The honest answer is a wash once a year, or twice a year in leafy, humid or shaded spots. There is no single perfect date, and bore water stain jobs run year round.
Now protect it
A wash alone re-stains.
A wash gives you a clean surface, but a bare, porous wall starts re-greening and re-staining within one to three years. Every Perth cleaner sells that. The best time to protect the surface is right now, while it's clean, dry and prepped. That is what we actually specialise in: we clean it to the standard sealing demands, then seal it so algae, iron and lime have far less to key into and it sheets off and stays cleaner for far longer. Sealing is our flagship work, and it is what carries the 10-year registered guarantee, separate from the wash.
Questions
House washing in Perth, answered.
How much does it cost to wash a house in Perth?
Exterior cleaning is quoted per job, because the fair price depends on the size of the home, single or double storey, the surfaces involved and how much growth or staining has built up. We look at it onsite or from clear photos, then give you a fixed price before any work starts. The wash is quoted separately from sealing, so you only pay to protect the surface if you choose to add it.
Is soft washing better than pressure washing for render?
For render, yes. Soft washing uses low pressure and a biodegradable treatment that kills algae, mould and lichen at the root, so the render comes up evenly and stays clearer for longer. High pressure blasting can pit and gouge render, strip the coloured coat and drive water in behind it, which is exactly the damage you are trying to avoid. We match the method to the surface rather than blasting everything.
Will high pressure strip my render or blow it off the wall?
It can. Acrylic and cement render sit as a relatively thin coat, and a high pressure jet held close can pit the surface, cut lines into it and blow weak or hollow patches clean off the wall. It also forces water behind the render, which lifts and bubbles it later. That is why we soft wash render at low pressure instead of blasting it.
Why is my render, limestone or roof going green?
Perth's cool, wet winters feed algae, moss and lichen, and they take hold fastest on shaded, south facing and damp walls and roofs that stay wet longer. The green and black film is living growth keying into the open pores of render, limestone and roof tiles. A soft wash kills it at the root, and protecting the surface afterwards gives it far less to key back into.
What are the orange and brown stains on my render, brick and limestone?
Those rust coloured fans are almost always iron staining from bore or reticulation water. Perth groundwater is high in iron, and every time a sprinkler throws it against a light render, limestone or brick wall the iron oxidises and stains the surface. It is the most common exterior mark we see in Perth, and it needs the right treatment rather than a plain wash.
Will a house wash remove bore water and reticulation stains?
Often, yes, though iron staining is stubborn and depends on how long it has been building and how deep it has drawn into the surface. We assess it and use a targeted treatment rather than blasting, which only drives it deeper. The lasting fix is to treat the stain, protect the surface so iron cannot key in, and aim the reticulation away from the wall. Our bore water guide walks through why it happens.
How long does a house wash last before the algae and mould come back?
On a bare, porous surface, growth and staining usually start to return within one to three years, because the clean surface still has open pores for algae and minerals to key into. There is no permanent wash, so we are honest about that and offer scheduled upkeep. The way to keep it clearer for much longer is to protect the surface once it is clean, which is where our sealing work comes in.
Do you clean render, brick, cladding and eaves?
Yes. We soft wash acrylic and cement render, face and painted brick, cladding such as Colorbond, weatherboard and fibre-cement, plus eaves, soffits and fascia, feature and boundary walls, garage doors and fencing. Each surface gets the method it needs, so nothing is blasted that should be washed gently.
Do you clean two-storey homes and how do you reach high walls?
Yes, we clean single and double storey homes. Soft washing suits height, because the treatment and low pressure rinse can be delivered to upper walls and eaves from the ground, without a person leaning a high pressure jet against the render. Access and anything out of easy reach is assessed onsite so we can tell you honestly what is straightforward and what needs extra setup.
Will the cleaning chemicals harm my plants, lawn or pets?
We take care to protect your garden. The treatment is biodegradable, we pre-wet and rinse surrounding plants and lawn, and we keep pets clear while we work and until surfaces are rinsed. Used properly, a soft wash is designed to be gentle on the surrounds while still clearing the growth.
Can you wash and protect the surface in one visit so it stays cleaner for longer?
Yes, and it is the whole point of how we work. Once the surface is clean and prepped, it is the ideal moment to protect it, because a bare surface simply re-stains. We can wash the surface and then apply our sealing coating so algae, iron and lime have far less to key into and it stays cleaner for far longer. The clean and the protection are quoted separately so you can see each part.
Is your cleaning method safe for my paint or render manufacturer's warranty?
Soft washing at low pressure with a suitable treatment is the method most paint and render makers accept, which is a big reason we use it instead of high pressure blasting. Blasting is what tends to void a coating warranty, because it damages the finish. If you have specific warranty conditions, tell us at the quote and we will work to them.
Get a quote
Wash it. Then protect it.
Send your suburb, the surfaces and what you are seeing, with photos if you have them. We'll confirm the right method and a fixed price for the wash before you book, and tell you what it would take to protect it while it's clean. Exterior cleaning is quoted per job.