Exterior Painting in Indianapolis
House washing and power washing in Indianapolis
Green streaks on the north wall, chalk on aluminum siding, or a gray deck before staining. Washing is the step that decides whether paint and stain stick, and too much pressure does real damage.
- Phones answered 24/7
- Soft wash for siding
- Pressure matched to the surface
Quick answer
Power washing in Indianapolis uses low-pressure soft washing with a cleaning solution for siding and roof edges, and higher pressure only on concrete and sound masonry. Decks and fences get a cleaner and a moderate rinse to lift gray fibers without furring the wood. Washing is done before any exterior paint or stain job, and on its own as seasonal maintenance.
What the job involves
Why pressure is the wrong tool for most of a house
Updated September 2026
High pressure drives water behind lap siding, strips paint, etches soft brick and gouges wood. Most of a house is cleaned with a soft wash instead: a detergent and mildewcide applied at low pressure, left to dwell, and rinsed. The solution does the cleaning, not the force.
We save higher pressure for concrete, pavers and sound masonry, and we match nozzle and distance to each surface. Washing is always the first step of our exterior painting and deck staining jobs.
What is included
What a washing visit includes
- Surfaces identified and pressure set for each material
- Plants pre-wetted and rinsed again after washing
- Outlets, fixtures and vents covered
- Soft wash with mildewcide on siding and eaves
- Surface cleaner on concrete, not a bare wand
- Deck cleaner and brightener where staining follows
- Downspouts and shade sources noted if they cause regrowth
Local context
How this work runs around Indianapolis
Exterior walls around Indianapolis are a mix of brick, stucco, aluminum, vinyl and cedar, and each takes a different wash. Aluminum needs its chalk removed, vinyl and fiber cement need only a soft wash, cedar can be furred by too much pressure, and older soft brick should never see a pressure wand. We set the wash for the material on each wall rather than one setting for the whole house.
Variations of this job
The power washing jobs we get called for
Soft wash for siding
Vinyl, aluminum, painted wood and fiber cement siding are soft washed: a cleaning solution with a mildewcide is applied from the bottom up at low pressure, allowed to dwell so it breaks down algae and dirt, and rinsed from the top down. Plants are wetted before and after so the solution does not burn them, and outlets, fixtures and vents are covered. On aluminum siding, the wash also removes the chalky oxidized layer that would otherwise stop new paint from bonding.
Deck and fence wash
Gray, weathered wood has a layer of dead fibers on the surface, and stain applied over it peels with those fibers. We apply a wood cleaner or a sodium percarbonate solution, let it lift the gray, and rinse at moderate pressure with a wide fan tip held at a distance that does not raise the grain. A brightener follows to restore the wood's color and balance the pH before staining. The wood then dries for a couple of days before any stain goes on.
Concrete and driveway
Driveways, walks, patios and garage aprons take full pressure with a surface cleaner, which spins two jets under a hood and cleans evenly without the zebra stripes a wand leaves. Oil stains are pretreated with a degreaser. Rust and fertilizer stains need a specific cleaner and do not come out with pressure alone, however high it is set. Concrete is rinsed toward the lawn or storm drain as the site allows, and joints and cracks are left intact rather than blasted open.
Mildew and algae removal
Black and green growth on shaded walls, under eaves and on the north side of the house is mildew and algae, and it comes back quickly if it is only blasted off. A soft wash with a mildewcide kills it at the root and slows regrowth. We check the source of shade and moisture as we go, such as a downspout emptying onto the siding or shrubs touching the wall, and point it out, since those are what keep the growth returning each year.
From your call to the final walk-through
How a wash visit runs
- 01
Call and describe the surfaces
Siding type, deck, fence and concrete to be cleaned.
- 02
Walk-around
We check surfaces, plants, outlets and water access.
- 03
Protect
Plants wetted, outlets and fixtures covered, furniture moved.
- 04
Apply solution
Cleaner and mildewcide at low pressure, bottom up.
- 05
Dwell
The solution works on growth and dirt for the time the product needs.
- 06
Rinse
Top down on siding, surface cleaner on concrete.
- 07
Final check
Walls, deck and paving checked with you before we leave.
What moves the price
What moves the price of power washing
No sourced figure is quoted here; washing is priced by surface area and type.
- House size and stories Siding area and height set the soft wash time.
- Surface types Siding, decks, fences and concrete are each washed differently.
- Growth and staining Heavy mildew and algae need longer dwell and a second pass.
- Deck brightening Cleaner plus brightener before staining adds a step.
- Concrete area Driveways and patios are priced by square footage.
- Special stains Oil, rust and fertilizer stains need specific treatments.
- Access Steep lots and tight side yards slow setup.
Doing it yourself vs. calling us
Renting a pressure washer versus calling us
| Step | Doing it yourself | When we do it |
|---|---|---|
| Siding | High pressure up close | Low-pressure soft wash with a mildewcide |
| Decks | Narrow tip, furred and gouged wood | Cleaner, wide tip at distance, brightener |
| Concrete | Wand stripes | Surface cleaner for even results |
Rinsing a small patio is fair DIY. Siding, soft wood and anything above the first floor are where rented washers do damage.
FAQ
Questions we hear on this job
On siding, more so. The solution kills growth that pressure only blasts off.
Not with a soft wash. High pressure can force water behind lap siding.
Usually every year or two, sooner on shaded walls.
We wet plants before and after so the solution is diluted and rinsed.
Always. Paint over chalk, mildew or dirt does not bond.
Often, with a degreaser pretreatment; old stains may only lighten.
Related services
Other exterior painting work we handle
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Wood siding, fiber cement siding and more.
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Steel garage doors, exterior shutters and more.
Garage & Entry Door PaintingWrought Iron & Metal Railing Painting
Wrought iron porch and stair railings, rusted railings and bases and more.
learn about wrought iron & metal railing paintingStucco Painting
Traditional cement stucco, crack repair before paint and more.
Stucco Painting in IndianapolisReady when you are
Tell us what needs washing and we will set the visit
Describe the siding, deck and concrete and we will book the wash on the call, any hour.
Faber Paint & Blinds service office
3053 Stillcrest Ln, Indianapolis, IN 46217