Overview: Pressure & Power Washing
Once the snow is gone, the damage shows. Salt crust on the walkway, sand packed into the paver joints and a grey film on the siding all come from winter, and they're what most spring pressure washing jobs are about. The season is short, so good crews fill their calendars early.
Frost makes the method matter more here. Water blasted into brick, stone or soft mortar stays inside, and when it freezes it pushes the surface apart. A careless wash late in the fall can mean flaking brick by spring. Siding, stucco, cedar and shingles get soft washing instead: low pressure, a cleaner left to work, then a gentle rinse.
Ask where the dirty water goes. Toronto's sewer bylaw says only rain and melted snow belong in the catch basins on your street, because they drain straight to rivers, streams and the lake. Your own city's rules are worth a look before a crew aims the runoff at the curb.
Our listings show what each washing company states on its own website: the surfaces it names, whether estimates are free, its hours, and what customers say in public reviews. The province and city lists lead to companies in your area.
What exterior washing costs in Canada
Match the surface, cleaning method and area. Washing, stain treatment and sealing should be priced separately.
| Service | Planning budget | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete driveway cleaning | C$0.25–C$0.45per sq ft of surface | Accessible concrete with light routine soiling, measured by the surface actually washed.For a small job, the minimum booking can exceed area × rate. Ask for the complete price including travel, pretreatment and cleanup.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Surface washing; Routine setup and rinse Budget separately or confirm: Specialist oil or rust treatment; Sealing or pavement repair |
| Concrete wash minimum booking | C$100–C$280per standalone visit | Minimum payable for a small concrete cleaning visit in the normal service area.This is a minimum order amount, not an extra fee to add to the area-based total. Decks can have a higher minimum. Apply the contractor’s minimum only if it exceeds the calculated charge; do not add the minimum on top.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Ordinary setup and attendance; Cleaning within the agreed minimum scope Budget separately or confirm: Extra travel or specialist stain work; Sealing |
| Single-storey siding wash | C$250–C$550per house | One-storey house; exterior wall faces, cladding, area and suitable cleaning method agreed.Specify every wall face to be cleaned. Heavy growth, damaged finishes or limited access can change the method and total.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Specified exterior wall wash; Ordinary access and rinse Budget separately or confirm: Roof, window and gutter cleaning; Oxidation restoration or coating removal |
| Two-storey siding wash | C$450–C$900per house | Two-storey house; exterior wall area, cladding and access agreed.Confirm whether reaching the upper walls needs equipment beyond the quote. A third storey or unusual access requires its own price.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Specified exterior wall wash; Agreed access and rinse Budget separately or confirm: Roof, window and gutter cleaning; Oxidation restoration or coating removal |
| Routine wood deck washing | C$0.45–C$0.55per sq ft of measured wood surface | Accessible wood decking with light soiling; cleaning method and measured surfaces agreed.Standalone deck minimums can be C$100–C$425, so area × rate may not be the bill. Confirm rails, steps, spindles and furniture moving.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Routine washing and rinse; Standard cleaning products Budget separately or confirm: Stripping, sanding or recoating; Repairs and specialist stain treatment |
| Oil or rust stain treatment | Scope-based quoteper specified treatment area | Separate treatment of identified staining on a suitable surface.Agree the test area, treatment price and realistic improvement before proceeding; complete removal of an absorbed stain may not be achievable. Oil and rust treatments depend on the surface, stain cause, affected area and trial results. Send close-up and wider photos, surface material and stain history; request a test area and the separate treatment price. Add this only when it is needed and is not already included in the agreed package.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Agreed stain treatment Budget separately or confirm: Guaranteed full stain removal; Sealing |
What changes the price
- Surface material and condition rather than pressure alone
- Minimum visit charge, water access and equipment setup
- Height, obstacles and specialist stain treatment
Ask before accepting a quote
- What is the complete minimum payable for my listed surfaces, including travel and setup?
- Which method and result are included for each material, and which stains need a separate treatment?
- Does the measured area include rails, steps and all wall faces, and are stripping or sealing separate?
Check the full bill before multiplying by area
- A minimum order replaces a smaller area-based price; it is not automatically added on top.
- List all surfaces for one combined quote, then separate washing from stain treatment, stripping and sealing.
Canadian context
Ask how the contractor handles runoff and whether local water-use restrictions affect the planned work.
Planning amounts in Canadian dollars. Published tax treatment varies; confirm applicable taxes and the final total in your written quote. Rows can be different services, alternative packages or separately priced extras. Add only work that is needed and not already included in your quote.
Frequently asked questions
What is soft washing, and when is it used?
It's cleaning with low pressure and a solution that stays on long enough to kill what's growing, followed by a gentle rinse. It's the right method for vinyl and painted siding, stucco, roofs and fences. A product sold to kill moss or algae is a pesticide in Canada. Its label should carry a registration number under the Pest Control Products Act, so ask to see the jug.
Which surfaces should never take high pressure?
Cedar and other soft woods, vinyl and painted siding, asphalt shingles, stucco, soft old mortar, and the seals around windows and doors. Anything with a gap lets water in behind it. In a Canadian winter that water freezes, so a joint that looked fine in the fall can crack open by spring. A crew that can't tell you what it refuses to blast hasn't thought about it.
Is it worth sealing concrete after the spring wash?
Often, yes. Clean, dry concrete takes a penetrating sealer well, and the sealer slows the water and salt that soak in over winter. Freeze and thaw plus de-icing salt is what flakes the top layer off driveways and front steps. Ask which product the crew uses and how long the surface has to dry first. Pavers need their joint sand topped up before any sealer goes on.
Can pressure washing stir up lead from old paint?
It can, if the house is old enough. Health Canada warns that older homes were often painted with lead-based paint, and it advises against sanding that paint because of the dust. A hard wash that strips peeling paint scatters chips into the garden beds around the house. Ask how the crew plans to catch those chips, or have the paint tested before anyone starts.
What goes wrong on a driveway or patio?
Stripes are the classic mistake, left when someone walks a bare wand across concrete instead of using a surface cleaner. Etching comes next, where too much pressure cuts into soft pavers or old concrete. Then there's the sand between pavers, which washes out. Joints left empty over winter let water in, and frost heaves the stones out of line. Ask whether refilling the joints is in the quote.
