Can you clean K-rend?

Yes. K-rend is soft washed with biocide and rinsed at low pressure — never pressure washed, since the coloured finish is thin enough to be damaged by force.

Do you clean brickwork as well as render?

Yes, we clean brick alongside render using soft washing and steam, particularly for black streaking and ingrained staining, and we adjust pressure to protect older lime mortar.

How often does render need cleaning?

It depends on aspect and exposure — shaded, north-facing or coastal-exposed elevations tend to need attention more often than sheltered, south-facing ones. Most properties do well with a clean every couple of years, sometimes longer.

Do you offer a free quote?

Yes — send a few photos or ask for a site visit and we'll give you a proper quote based on render type, size and access, with no obligation.

My render has cracks — can you still clean it?

We'll look at the cracking before we start. Minor hairline cracks aren't usually a problem for a soft wash, but we'll flag anything that looks like it needs attention beyond cleaning rather than working over it.

Is soft washing safe for older brick and lime mortar?

Yes — low pressure and steam are both gentler on lime mortar than a pressure washer would be, which matters on older brickwork where the pointing is softer than modern cement-based mortar.

Algae, Lichen & Black Streak Removal — Rickleton

Algae and black streaking removed from render and brick in Rickleton using biocide soft washing, never pressure washing. Call 07501 060609 for a free quote.

City of Sunderland · NE38 · 1.9 miles south-west of our Washington base

Green algae streaking down a render elevation, black fungal spotting creeping across pebbledash, lichen crusting onto exposed brick — render and brickwork in Rickleton take a battering from damp, shade and salt-laden air, and pressure washing, the instinct of most contractors, cracks and blows render coats that were never built to take it.

Brickwork gets the same care. Steam or soft washing lifts black streaking and algae without eroding old lime mortar joints, which is where a pressure washer does most of its damage on older brick properties.

Soft washing is the correct method: biocide does the cleaning, low pressure just rinses it away, and the render coat itself is never put under the kind of force a pressure washer generates.

Covering Rickleton and the wider Washington area

Rickleton sits close to Washington, and we treat the two as one coverage area rather than drawing a hard line between them — render and brick cleaning is booked the same way whichever side of that boundary you're on.

Homeowners

Render and brick cleaning for homeowners

Green streaks down the render or a brick wall gone dull and dark aren't just cosmetic — they're a sign of active algae and lichen growth that keeps spreading if it's left. A soft wash treatment deals with it properly: biocide kills the growth, a gentle rinse clears it away, and Rickleton homes look cared for again without any risk to the render coat itself.

Render and brick cleaning costs, including common extras

Our quotes are always based on what we actually find on site, not a generic price list — established lichen, difficult access or a full portfolio of buildings all shift the number, so treat the ranges below as a starting point.

Standard soft wash, single storey	typically £180–£280
Two-storey property, all sides	typically £350–£550
Additional steam treatment (heavy staining)	add around £60–£120
Gable end / hard-to-reach elevation	add around £40–£90

Rinse water and runoff

Rinsing is done at controlled low pressure, which means less runoff overall than a pressure wash produces, and what does run off is mostly water rather than a heavy chemical load, since the biocide has already done its job by the time we rinse.

Soft washing vs pressure washing: why it matters

Pressure washing forces water directly at the render surface, and on K-rend, monocouche and pebbledash that can crack the coating, blow sections off the wall entirely, or strip the texture back to bare aggregate.

Soft washing does the opposite. Biocide does the actual cleaning work, and the rinse afterwards is at low pressure — just enough to carry the dead algae and lichen away without stressing the render or the brick pointing underneath. The result looks the same on the day either way, but only one of those methods leaves the coating intact a year later.

Render & Brick Cleaning (Soft Wash) near Rickleton

A straightforward, owner-run service

Run by Trevor
Direct contact, not a call centre — 07501 060609 goes straight through.
Biocide trained (2024) and fully insured
Properly qualified to do the job, not just equipped for it.
We look after you and your property
Not just a line — it's how every job is approached, from protecting planting to leaving the site tidy.

Render & Brick Cleaning (Soft Wash) in Rickleton — common questions

Based in Washington and covering the area around Rickleton, we bring a soft wash and steam approach to render and brick cleaning built around not damaging the surface we're cleaning. Call Trevor on 07501 060609 to book.

Ready when you are

Algae and lichen only get more established the longer they're left — the sooner it's treated, the less work it takes to put right. Book your soft wash now.

Render & Brick Cleaning (Soft Wash) in Rickleton — the elevation part-way through treatment, on a Tyne and Wear local street

Render & Brick Cleaning (Soft Wash) in Rickleton — the finished render drying in the sun, on a NE38 property