Remove algae, mold, and biological staining from stucco, block, and painted exterior walls — professional soft washing throughout Southwest Florida.
Exterior house washing is one of the most impactful maintenance tasks a Southwest Florida homeowner can perform — and one of the most frequently deferred. In a climate with year-round warmth and humidity above 70% for most of the year, algae and mold colonize exterior wall surfaces within months of the last cleaning. The green-black streaking that runs down stucco and block exteriors is not just ugly — it is biological growth actively holding moisture against the wall surface, slowly degrading paint and surface coatings and, in severe cases, penetrating cracks in stucco and causing damage behind the surface.
Southwest Florida homes are predominantly stucco or concrete block — surfaces that are particularly susceptible to algae attachment and that require soft washing rather than pressure washing. High-pressure washing on stucco causes pitting, hairline cracking, and surface erosion that voids stucco warranties and creates entry points for moisture. Our soft wash process uses low-pressure application of a professional biodegradable cleaning solution that kills biological growth at the root, followed by a gentle rinse. The result is a clean that lasts longer than pressure washing because the organism — not just its visible surface — has been eliminated.
Rain Exterior Home Service provides house washing throughout Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero, and throughout Lee and Collier counties. We clean stucco, block, painted surfaces, soffits, and fascia boards in a single exterior visit. Many homeowners combine house washing with roof cleaning, gutter cleaning, and window cleaning on the same day for a complete exterior refresh — ask about our exterior maintenance package.
Before we apply any solution, we wet down landscaping and plants in the work area. After cleaning, plants are rinsed again. Our solutions are biodegradable and safe for established landscaping. We have never caused plant damage using our standard house washing process, and we will tell you if we observe any pre-existing plant health issues before we start.
Roofs, stucco walls, painted block, vinyl siding, soffits, and fascia all require soft washing rather than pressure washing. A wand at 2,500 PSI strips protective granules from shingles, pits stucco, and peels paint — the surface is damaged by the cleaning process itself. Soft washing uses professional-grade, biodegradable solutions to kill algae, cyanobacteria, mold, mildew, and lichen at the cellular level, with water used only for delivery and rinsing. The clean lasts longer because the organism is eliminated, not just its visible layer. If another quote proposes a high-pressure wand for your walls or roof, the wrong tool is being proposed.
More than 80% of homes in Lee and Collier counties have stucco or stucco-painted block exteriors — and stucco must never be cleaned with high-pressure water. Direct pressure causes surface pitting, hairline fractures, and finish erosion that invite moisture intrusion. We inspect the stucco condition before cleaning, note any existing cracks, and soft wash the walls together with the soffits and fascia above them, which collect the same algae from roof runoff.
How It Works
We walk the exterior with you and identify surface materials — stucco, block, vinyl, or painted wood — note any sensitive areas, check for loose caulk or damaged sections that require care.
Landscaping beds, plants, and ornamental shrubs near the work area are thoroughly wetted down before solution application. Windows are closed and any outdoor furniture is moved.
A biodegradable soft wash solution is applied to the exterior surfaces. The solution kills algae, mold, mildew, and biological growth on contact. On stucco, we use low pressure only — never high-pressure wands.
After the solution's dwell time, the exterior is rinsed thoroughly from top to bottom. Plants are rinsed again. We inspect every wall section for missed growth before completing the job.
Common Questions
Our soft wash process does not damage exterior paint when applied correctly. We use solutions and pressure appropriate to the paint type and surface condition. For older homes with chalky or flaking paint, we reduce solution concentration and test on a small inconspicuous area first. If the paint is already failing — flaking, peeling, or cracking — we will advise you of that before cleaning, as water entering through paint failures can cause further damage regardless of the cleaning method.
Most homes in the Fort Myers and Naples area benefit from exterior washing every 12 to 18 months. Homes under heavy tree canopy, near canals, or in shaded communities may need annual cleaning. The humidity-driven algae growth in Southwest Florida moves quickly — a home that looks clean after the spring dry season can show visible green streaking by the end of the summer rainy season. Waiting until growth is severe makes cleaning harder and allows longer contact time for the algae to cause surface damage.
Yes — but only with the correct technique. Stucco is fragile and high-pressure washing causes pitting, cracking, and surface erosion. We always use soft washing for stucco: low-pressure application of cleaning solution followed by a gentle rinse. The cleaning solution does the work, not the water pressure. This is the same principle as roof soft washing — use chemistry to kill the growth, not mechanical force to remove it.
Our soft wash solutions are biodegradable and safe for established landscaping when applied by a trained technician. We wet down plants and shrubs before applying solution and rinse them again after the house rinse as a precaution. Soft wash runoff dilutes rapidly as it moves away from the structure and biodegrades within days. We have never caused plant damage using our standard house washing process on properties with established landscaping.
House washing — specifically soft wash house washing — uses low-pressure application of a cleaning solution to kill and remove biological growth. Pressure washing relies primarily on high water pressure. For exterior walls, soft washing is preferred because it is safe for all surface types including stucco, painted surfaces, and block, and it kills biological growth at the root rather than just removing the surface layer. Pressure washing at high PSI on painted stucco or block walls causes surface damage and is the wrong tool for the job.
What Homeowners Say
"The algae on our stucco had been building up for years — dark green streaks on every wall. They soft washed the entire exterior and it looks completely different. Clean, bright, and no damage to the stucco or landscaping."
"We were nervous about the soft wash solution on our garden. They wetted everything down before and after, and all our plants were completely fine. The house looks like it did when we first moved in."
Serving Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples, Bonita Springs, and all of Southwest Florida. Most jobs quoted within 24 hours.
Rain Exterior Home Service
We Regularly Serve Homeowners in Southwest Florida: