What pressure washing actually removes
Most exterior dirt isn't dirt. It's airborne oil from traffic, mineral deposit from hard water, and biological growth that roots into porous surfaces. Rinsing moves it around. Removing it takes the right combination of water temperature, detergent dwell time and pressure, matched to the material underneath.
Why one pressure setting ruins property
Concrete tolerates 3,000 PSI and more. Stucco starts failing around 1,500. Roof tile should never be pressure-washed at all. Companies that run one setting all day are the reason people end up with etched driveways and stripped paint.
A flat price, fixed before we start
One number confirmed before any work begins and unchanged when we finish. No hourly meter, no surprise add-ons, no upsell once the truck is in your driveway.
We walk it with you at the end
Wet concrete looks uniformly dark and hides imperfections, which is exactly why so many companies leave while it's still wet. We walk the property with you before we go and correct anything missed on the spot.
Pressure washing and soft washing are not the same service
Most people searching for a pressure washing company need both, and do not know there is a difference. Pressure washing uses force: high-pressure water physically removes contamination from dense, structurally sound surfaces. Concrete driveways, sidewalks, paver patios, block walls and industrial slabs.
Soft washing uses chemistry. A cleaning solution is applied at low pressure, left to dwell long enough to break down organic growth, then rinsed. It is the correct method for stucco, painted siding, wood, roof tile and shingle, and most natural stone.
A company running one pressure setting all day will clean your driveway well and damage your house on the same visit. The distinction is not a technicality — it is the single most useful thing to understand before you hire anyone.
Which service do you actually need?
Driveways, walkways, patios and concrete — oil, tire marks, rust and grey film. Hot water and a surface cleaner for an even finish. Driveway cleaning in Los Angeles.
House exteriors — stucco, siding and brick, cleaned by soft washing. Usually the answer when a house looks like it needs repainting. House washing in Los Angeles.
Roofs and gutters — black streaking is algae, and it is removed with low pressure and chemistry, never force. Roof cleaning in Los Angeles.
Patios, decks and pool surrounds — the slick film on a shaded patio is biological growth and a genuine fall risk. Patio and deck cleaning.
Commercial property — storefronts, lots, dumpster pads and drive-thrus, cleaned off-hours with COI available. Commercial pressure washing.
What drives the price
Nobody in this trade answers this honestly, so here it is. Four things move the number: square footage, surface type, condition, and access.
Square footage is the obvious one, but it is less decisive than people expect. A thousand square feet of open driveway is fast. The same thousand split across a narrow walkway, three steps, a side yard and a garage apron is slow, because edges and transitions have to be finished by hand and a surface cleaner cannot reach them.
Surface type changes the method. Stucco needs soft washing with dwell time, which takes longer than running a surface cleaner over flat concrete. Roof work needs access equipment and slower application.
Condition matters more than almost anything. Organic staining that has been setting for five years needs multiple passes and stronger chemistry than the same stain at one year. Deferring a cleaning genuinely costs more later, which is not a sales line — it is why a first visit on a neglected property takes longer than a maintenance visit.
Access is the one people forget. Steep driveways, no street parking, water sources that do not work, and hillside properties with limited turnaround all add time before any cleaning starts.
We do not publish a rate card, because a flat per-square-foot number would be wrong for most properties. The calculator on this page asks the questions that actually matter and returns a real figure in under a minute, free and with no obligation.
How to choose a pressure washing company in Los Angeles
Useful whether or not you hire us. Ask what pressure they use on stucco. If the answer is a high number, or they cannot answer, they will damage your house. This one question eliminates most of the market.
Ask whether they use hot water. Oil, grease and gum need heat to release. No amount of pressure substitutes for it, which is why cold-water operators underperform on exactly the stains people care about most.
Get a flat price in writing before work starts. Hourly pricing with no cap means the meter runs and you have no control. A quote that changes once the crew is on site is a bait tactic.
Ask whether they will walk the property with you at the end. Wet concrete looks uniformly dark and hides imperfections, which is exactly why so many companies leave while it is still wet. A company willing to walk it with you before leaving is a company confident in the result.
Confirm they are insured and can produce proof. For commercial work a certificate of insurance is normally a hard requirement.
How the process works
You get a price first. Use the calculator on this page and you will have a flat, all-in figure in about a minute without speaking to anyone, or call and we will work it out with you. No estimator visit, no waiting two days for a call back.
Then scheduling. Same-day slots are often available for smaller residential work. Larger jobs and commercial properties get a window that suits the property rather than the crew.
On the day we walk the property with you first, confirm the scope and the price, and point out anything we can see that may not clean fully. Surfaces are protected, then cleaned to the method each one requires.
At the end we walk it with you again, while we are still there. Anything missed gets corrected on the spot rather than scheduled for a return visit. The price you were quoted is the price you pay.
Homes and businesses, across Los Angeles
Residential work runs from a single driveway to a full exterior before a sale. Commercial work runs from a single storefront to a multi-property schedule with certificates of insurance and overnight servicing. Both are core business rather than one being a sideline.
We cover Los Angeles County across the San Gabriel Valley, the San Fernando Valley, the Westside, the South Bay, Central and Southeast L.A. Each area page covers the local climate and the specific problems properties there deal with — see all service areas or start with Pasadena, Santa Monica, Sherman Oaks or Long Beach.
Common questions
What is the difference between pressure washing and soft washing?
Pressure washing uses force and suits dense, sound surfaces — concrete driveways, sidewalks, pavers, block walls. Soft washing applies a cleaning solution at low pressure and lets chemistry do the work, which is correct for stucco, siding, wood, roof tile and shingle, and most stone. Using the first method where the second is required is how houses get damaged.
How much does pressure washing cost in Los Angeles?
It depends on square footage, surface type, how long it has been, and access. Edges and transitions take longer than open area, so two properties with identical square footage can differ substantially. Rather than publishing a rate card that would be wrong for most properties, the calculator on this page asks what actually matters and returns a flat figure in under a minute, free.
How do I know it will not damage my property?
Because pressure is matched to the surface rather than set once for the day. Stucco, roof tile, painted wood and stone are soft washed at low pressure. Concrete takes full pressure with a surface cleaner for an even finish. Ask any company you call what pressure they use on stucco — the answer tells you most of what you need to know.
Do you do both homes and businesses?
Both, and neither is a sideline. Residential ranges from a single driveway to a full exterior before a sale. Commercial ranges from one storefront to a multi-property schedule with certificates of insurance and overnight servicing.
How soon can you come out?
Same-day slots are often available, particularly for smaller residential work like a driveway. Larger jobs and commercial properties are scheduled to suit the property. Submit the quote form or call and we will tell you honestly what is open this week.
Do you give a price before starting?
Always, and it is flat. You get a number before we arrive, it is confirmed on site during the walkthrough, and it does not change when we finish. No hourly meter, no add-ons discovered mid-job.