14 May 2026

Soft washing, steam or blasting: which cleaning method suits your facade?

The method makes the difference between a facade like new and a facade damaged for good. How to choose — and why the pressure washer is not an option.

Start with what is on the facade. Green algae and moss are organic: tackle those with soft washing — low pressure and a cleaning agent that kills off the growth, after which the facade dries up clean. Black grime, soot and grease sit deeper in the surface: that is where steam cleaning works, hot water at low pressure. Both fall under a regular cleaning visit at € 8 to € 18 per m².

Paint layers, coatings and deeply ingrained soiling won't wash off. That calls for blasting: a blasting medium that takes the layer off, at € 15 to € 35 per m². But blasting is the heaviest tool — on soft handmade brick or historic work it can damage the brick skin beyond repair. A serious company therefore always lays a test patch in an inconspicuous spot and shows you the result before the whole facade is treated.

And the pressure washer from the shed? Don't. A hard water jet washes out the joints, damages the stone's surface and drives litres of water deep into the wall — damage you only see months later, when damp patches appear inside or the joints start sanding. If the pointing is already worn, have it repaired before any water is involved.

So choose your professional by the questions they ask, not the machine they bring: whoever looks at stone, joint and grime first and offers a test patch is on the right track. Then compare the quotes per method via the price index — you will see straight away whether a low per-m² price is secretly the wrong technique.