Rhode Island's capital has some of the oldest and most varied housing in New England, from historic homes on the East Side to multi-family streets in neighborhoods across the city. Sunday Power Washing serves Providence homeowners and property owners with careful soft washing and pressure washing.
Older homes deserve a careful approach
Providence has a lot of older homes, many with painted wood clapboard, detailed trim and porches. These surfaces need a gentle hand. High pressure can damage old wood, strip loose paint and force water where it shouldn't go. Soft washing, low pressure plus a cleaning solution, is the safer choice for most older exteriors.
If paint is already peeling or failing, washing won't solve that, and we'll tell you honestly rather than make it worse. Houses built before 1978 may have lead-based paint, so peeling paint on an older home is a job for a painter, not a pressure washer.
Salt air and humidity at the head of the bay
Providence sits at the head of Narragansett Bay, so parts of the city get more humidity and a touch of salt in the air than towns further inland. Add the city's mature street trees and close-set houses, and you get prime conditions for mildew and algae on shaded walls, fences and porch ceilings. Regular washing keeps that film from building up and helps surfaces last.
Multi-family and rental properties
Two- and three-family homes are common across Providence. Tall walls and stacked porches mean a lot of surface area that rarely gets cleaned. For owners and landlords, a soft wash on the siding and a pressure wash on steps and walkways is an efficient way to refresh a building before a new lease or when listing it for sale.
City patios, steps and walkways
Brick and stone walks, concrete steps and small backyard patios are everywhere in Providence. They collect city grime, moss in shady corners, and winter sand and salt. Pressure washing, with the pressure matched to the surface (older brick needs care), brings them back and makes them safer underfoot. Driveways get their own approach. See driveway cleaning.
Brick, stone and older hardscapes
Providence has plenty of brick walkways, granite steps and older stone, materials that can last for generations if they're treated well. Old brick and soft mortar can be damaged by aggressive pressure, so we take a more careful approach on older hardscapes, using lower pressure where needed and letting cleaning do more of the work.
If you're not sure what your walkway or steps are made of, or how old they are, just send a photo with your quote request. We'll tell you how we'd clean them, or let you know if a surface is better left to a mason.
Questions from Providence homeowners
Is soft washing safe for an older painted house?
Soft washing is the gentler method and generally the right choice for older exteriors. If we see failing paint, loose clapboard or soft wood, we'll point it out and won't wash it in a way that makes it worse.
Do you cover all Providence neighborhoods?
Providence is in our service area. Include your neighborhood or street with your quote request and we'll confirm.
Can you clean old brick walkways?
Often, yes, with a careful, lower-pressure approach to protect the brick and mortar. Send a photo with your quote request and we'll let you know.