professional pressure cleaning in sarasota

Algae is one of the most common exterior problems in Florida. It often appears as green, dark brown, or black discoloration on driveways, pavers, pool decks, stucco, screen enclosures, sidewalks, fences, and other damp or shaded surfaces.

It thrives where moisture lingers—especially around irrigation, landscaping, shaded sides of homes and pool areas.

Beyond appearance, heavy algae growth can make concrete and pavers extremely slippery when wet. Proper treatment is important because simply blasting the visible layer away may not provide the same result as appropriately treating the organic growth and then cleaning/rinsing the surface.

Common locations: pavers • concrete • pool decks • stucco • lanais • screen enclosures • sidewalks

Efflorescence is the white, powdery or crystalline material that sometimes appears on concrete, masonry and pavers. Moisture travels through the material, dissolves naturally occurring salts, and carries them toward the surface. When the water evaporates, the salts remain behind.

That means efflorescence isn't simply dirt sitting on top of the paver.

Heavy pressure alone may therefore not solve the underlying problem, and aggressive cleaning can unnecessarily damage joints or surfaces. Depending on the material and severity, specialized treatment may be necessary.

Looks like: white haze • chalky residue • white patches or streaks

Common locations: end of driveway • brick pavers • concrete • retaining walls • masonry

 This is another very recognizable Florida problem.

Iron in irrigation/well water or rusting metal can produce orange, reddish-brown or yellow staining on driveways, sidewalks, walls, curbing and pavers.

Once deposited, these stains often won't disappear simply because someone puts a stronger pressure washer on them. Rust is a chemical stain, so appropriate chemistry may be necessary to break down the discoloration.

Common causes: well-water irrigation • sprinkler overspray • metal furniture • fertilizer • rusting hardware

Common locations: driveways • sidewalks • stucco • curbing • pavers • pool decks

Florida's hard water and irrigation systems can leave mineral deposits behind as water repeatedly evaporates.

You may see white crust, cloudy staining, rings or hardened deposits around pool areas, fountains, walls, pavers, stone and areas repeatedly hit by sprinklers.

Unlike ordinary dirt, mineral scale can chemically bond to the surface and become progressively harder to remove. The correct treatment depends heavily on the material because products suitable for concrete may damage certain natural stones or finishes.

Common locations: pool coping • tile • pavers • fountains • stone • walls exposed to irrigation

Florida's warm, humid environment encourages fungal and other organic growth on exterior surfaces. Homeowners often use “mold” or “mildew” as a catch-all term for dark spotting or staining, although appearance alone isn't always enough to identify exactly what organism is present.

It commonly develops in shaded, poorly ventilated and consistently damp areas, including exterior walls, soffits, gutters, lanais and pool enclosures.

This is also a good example of why more pressure isn't necessarily better. Stucco, painted siding, screens and other delicate materials can be damaged by excessive pressure. Appropriate low-pressure/soft-wash methods and cleaning agents may be preferable depending on the surface.

Common locations: stucco • siding • soffits • gutters • pool cages • screens • shaded concrete