Pressure & Soft Washing in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Fort Lauderdale's combination of marine algae, mildew, and limestone dust from construction creates a grimy film on driveways, pool decks, and building exteriors that builds up fast — especially on homes within a mile of the Intracoastal or the ocean. KB Painting & Refinishing provides pressure and soft washing throughout Broward County as a standalone service and as preparation before any exterior paint project.
Local insight
Stucco and painted CBS exteriors in Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods like Sailboat Bend and Rio Vista develop green algae and black mildew streaks within a year or two of the last cleaning — soft washing with a surfactant solution removes the biological growth at the root, while high-pressure washing alone just blows it off the surface temporarily.
Pressure and soft washing in Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale’s warm, humid air is paradise for algae and mildew — surfaces that look clean in November can be noticeably green by March. The salt haze off the Atlantic and the Intracoastal also deposits a film on painted and bare masonry surfaces that dulls finishes and traps moisture against the wall. Regular washing extends the life of your exterior paint and keeps your property looking maintained year-round.
Two methods, used appropriately
Not every surface should be hit with high pressure. Stucco, older painted masonry, and screen enclosures can be damaged or have their paint stripped by excessive PSI. We use soft washing — a low-pressure application of a biodegradable surfactant and algaecide solution — on painted stucco exteriors, rooflines, and screen enclosures. High-pressure washing is reserved for concrete driveways, brick pavers, pool decks, and other hard masonry surfaces that can handle it.
What we clean
Driveways and concrete walkways, pool decks and lanai pavers, stucco and painted exterior walls, fences, dock structures, and screen enclosures. Many Fort Lauderdale homeowners schedule a wash annually in late spring before the rainy season starts, and again in the fall after hurricane season.
Before a repaint
All exterior paint projects begin with a thorough wash — no exceptions. Paint applied over algae, mildew, or salt residue fails quickly regardless of product quality. Our wash prep is included in the exterior painting scope; standalone wash services are also available.
Questions Fort Lauderdale homeowners ask
Will soft washing damage my Fort Lauderdale home’s painted stucco? No — when done correctly, soft washing is safe for painted stucco. The cleaning action comes from the surfactant and algaecide, not from water pressure. We rinse with low pressure after a dwell time that lets the solution do its work. High-pressure washing on painted stucco can loosen paint and drive water into hairline cracks, which is why we use the lower-pressure method on those surfaces.
How often should Fort Lauderdale homes be washed? Most Fort Lauderdale homes benefit from an annual wash, particularly if they are near the water or under large trees that drop organic debris onto the roof and gutters. Homes in the Las Olas Isles and Harbor Beach areas with canal frontage tend to accumulate algae faster and may need attention twice a year. We can assess during your free estimate and recommend a schedule based on your property’s exposure.
Pressure & Soft Washing — before & after
What Fort Lauderdale neighbors say
More services in Fort Lauderdale
Get a free estimate in Fort Lauderdale
Call (954) 738-8222 or fill out the form. No pressure, line-item quote the same day.
Common questions
What's the difference between pressure washing and soft washing, and which does my roof need?
Pressure washing uses high-force water to strip hard surfaces like concrete driveways and pavers. Soft washing uses lower pressure combined with a biodegradable cleaning solution — it's what your roof, stucco, and painted siding need. High pressure on a shingle or stucco surface can lift material and void manufacturer warranties, so we always match the method to the surface.
How long does a driveway or paver wash stay clean in South Florida's climate?
In our humidity and heat, algae and mildew can return to untreated concrete within six to twelve months. Applying a concrete sealer after washing extends that significantly — we can discuss sealing as an add-on when we walk your project. Roof soft-wash treatments with our algaecide solution typically suppress regrowth for two to three years.
Do you wash surfaces before every exterior paint job, or is it a separate service?
Washing is part of our standard prep on every exterior repaint — we never paint over a dirty surface. If you just need washing without painting, we offer it as a standalone service. Either way, the same crew that paints your home handles the washing, and the work is backed by our five-year workmanship warranty.
