A soft wash house cleaning on a typical single-story Cape Coral home (around 2,000 square feet of living space) costs about $275–$450, and a two-story home about $400–$650. It takes two to four hours. We apply a diluted cleaning solution that kills the mildew, let it work, then rinse at low pressure. Nothing is blasted off the wall.
Why stucco needs a soft wash, not a pressure wand
Most Cape homes are concrete block finished in painted stucco. That finish has texture, small hairline cracks and, on older houses, a few coats of paint of different ages. A narrow high-pressure tip drives water into the cracks and behind trim, etches the texture and can peel paint in sheets. It also only removes what it can see; the mildew roots in the pores stay put and the wall greens over again within months.
Soft washing turns that around. The solution does the cleaning and kills the growth down in the texture, so the rinse only has to carry it away. The wall stays clean for much longer, and the paint stays on.
What a house wash covers
- Every exterior wall, from the foundation line up to the soffit
- Soffits and fascia, where spiders and wasps set up under the overhang
- Gutter faces, including the black "tiger stripes" that run down them
- Window frames and sills (we rinse glass, but this is not a window-cleaning service)
- Front entry, garage door and the lanai walls outside the screen
Plants along the house get watered down before and after, so the solution never sits on leaves. Outlets, light fixtures and the AC unit are rinsed around, not sprayed into.
The north wall problem
On almost every house we look at in the Cape, one side is far worse than the rest. It is usually the north or shaded face, the side next to a hedge, or the wall that faces the canal. Those surfaces stay damp after the afternoon rain and never get the sun long enough to dry. That is where we spend the most time, and it is why a single quote for "the house" can vary: a home with a heavily shaded side takes longer than one sitting on an open corner lot.
Painting soon? Wash first
Painters in Lee County generally want walls cleaned before they prime. If a repaint is on the calendar, tell us the date and we will schedule the wash so the stucco has a couple of dry days before the painter arrives. Washing after a fresh coat is fine too, once the paint has cured; we will ask what product and how long ago.
What house washing costs
| Job | Estimated price | What moves it |
|---|---|---|
| Single-story home, about 2,000 sq ft of living space | $275–$450 | Shaded walls, height of the eaves, how long since the last wash |
| Two-story home | $400–$650 | Ladder or extension-wand work on the upper level |
| Wall area, priced by size | $0.20–$0.35 / sq ft of wall | Measured on the wall surface, for odd-shaped or very large homes |
| Add the driveway the same visit | $150–$250 | Two-car concrete; see driveway pricing |
Estimates only. House-wash figures above are estimates for planning only. The price we put in writing depends on the size of the home, how much growth is on the shaded sides, and whether there is a second story to reach. See every price.
House washing questions
Is soft washing safe for my plants?
Yes, when it is done properly. We soak the beds with fresh water before we start, keep the mix away from foliage and rinse the plants again when we finish. Delicate plants can be covered.
Will soft washing remove rust stains on the wall?
No. Orange marks from sprinkler water are iron, not mildew, and need a separate rust treatment. We can do both on the same visit. How rust stain removal works.
How long does a clean house stay clean?
Most walls in full sun stay clean for a year or more. Shaded and canal-facing walls start to green up sooner, which is why many owners book a yearly wash before the rainy season.
Want a firm price?Send a few photos or book a look. You get the number in writing before we start.
Call (239) 510-1496Last reviewed October 8, 2026.