To boost curb appeal, pressure wash your driveway and front walkway first. They sit closest to the street, so they shape the first look at your home. However, if you plan to clean everything, start at the roof and work your way down.
At Top Down Exterior Cleaning, we have cleaned Lakeland homes since 2010. So we hear this question a lot. Below, we cover what to clean first, the right order, and which surfaces should never see high pressure.
What Should You Pressure Wash First If You Can Only Pick One Thing?
Pick the driveway and the front walkway first. Concrete turns dark slowly, so most people don’t notice how gray it got. After a good cleaning, the whole front yard looks brighter. Our driveway cleaning is often the first job a new customer books.
Not sure the driveway is your worst spot? Then try the street test. Stand at the curb and look at your home for five seconds. Whatever your eye lands on first is the surface to clean first.
Do you have a paver driveway? Then cleaning is step one. After that, paver sealing helps lock in the color you just got back.
In Lakeland, the street test usually points to one of these:
- A driveway with black mildew, rust, or tire marks
- A front walkway that looks green and feels slick
- Roof shingles or tile with black streaks
- A green or gray film on the front wall or by the entry
What Order Should You Pressure Wash Your Whole House In?
Clean from the top down. Dirty water runs downhill, so the roof comes first and the concrete comes last. Otherwise, runoff from the walls lands on a driveway you just cleaned.
- Roof. Rinse water from the roof drains onto everything below it.
- Gutters. Clear them next, so they don’t spill dirt down clean walls.
- Walls and trim. Wash from the eaves down to the ground.
- Fences and screens. These catch spray from the house, so they come after the walls.
- Driveway, walkways, and patio. Flat surfaces go last because they catch everything from above.
That order is right there in our name. It is also how we plan our pressure washing in Lakeland, FL when a homeowner wants the whole property done.
Should You Wash the House or Pressure Wash the Driveway First?
Wash the house first. Wash water from the walls carries dirt and cleaner down onto the concrete. So if you clean the driveway first, you end up rinsing it twice.
However, real life doesn’t always line up that way. Maybe you can only book one job this month. In that case, start with the driveway for the fast curb appeal win. Then give it a quick rinse after the house gets its turn.
Which Surfaces Should You Never Pressure Wash for Curb Appeal?
Never use high pressure on your roof, your walls, or your fence. These surfaces need a soft wash. A soft wash uses a cleaning mix and a gentle rinse, so the cleaner does the hard work.
- Roofs. High pressure can crack tile and strip the granules off shingles. That is why our roof cleaning never uses a pressure washer.
- Stucco and siding. Too much pressure can chip paint and scar stucco. Instead, our house washing uses a low-pressure soft wash.
- Fences. We soft wash wood and vinyl fences, because a hard blast can leave marks.
- Screens. High pressure can tear the mesh on a porch or pool cage.
Concrete is different. Driveways, sidewalks, and patios can take real pressure. As a result, that is where a pressure washer does its best work.
What Should You Pressure Wash First Before You Sell Your Home?
Before you sell, clean what a buyer sees from the car first. That means the driveway, the front walk, the entry, and the front wall. Listing photos show these spots before anything else.
Next, look up. Black streaks can make a roof look older than it is. So add the roof to your list if you see dark stains from the street.
Also, a wash does more than help your photos. The National Association of Home Builders says a periodic cleaning improves the look of your home’s exterior. In many cases, it also helps siding last longer.
What Curb Appeal Spots Do Most Homeowners Miss?
Most homeowners miss the small spots near the front door. They clean the big driveway and stop. However, these details change how finished the home looks:
- The sidewalk in front of the house
- Gutter faces with dark drip stripes
- The front steps and the entry pad
- The side of the fence that faces the street
- The strip of concrete along the garage door
For example, a bright driveway next to a green sidewalk still looks half done. So walk the path a guest takes, from the curb to the front door. Then clean every surface along it.
How Do You Keep Curb Appeal After You Pressure Wash in Florida?
A few small habits keep your home clean longer. No cleaning lasts forever here, because heat, rain, and humidity bring the green back. Still, you can slow it down.
- Trim branches. Shade keeps roofs and walls damp.
- Aim your sprinklers. Heads that hit the wall or driveway feed mildew and leave rust stains.
- Rinse off leaves. Wet leaves stain concrete fast.
- Seal your pavers. Sealer helps them hold their color and shed stains.
- Act early. Book a cleaning when you first see streaks return.
Want Help Deciding What to Pressure Wash First?
You don’t have to guess. Top Down is family owned and insured, and we have served Lakeland since 2010. We have also earned the Angie’s List Super Service Award five times.
Contact Top Down Exterior Cleaning today for a free estimate. You can also call us at (863) 904-8956. We will come out, look at your property, and tell you what will make the biggest difference.
