House Washing Melbourne — Locinda Street, Highett

The weatherboards carried a season's worth of road dust, airborne grime and cobwebs rather than any heavy organic staining. On painted timber that build-up holds moisture against the surface after rain and dulls the finish, so the house reads tired even where the paint is sound. Window glass had the same film inside and out, which cuts light through the rooms and becomes obvious once the walls are clean.

Soft washing was used on the weatherboards: low pressure with a cleaning solution lifts dust and cobwebs without driving water behind the boards or stripping paint, which high pressure will do on timber cladding. Work ran top down so run-off never dried back onto cleaned sections. Windows were washed inside and out afterwards, with frames and sills wiped so nothing rinsed back onto the glass.

• Soft wash of weatherboard cladding on all elevations
• Removal of cobwebs from eaves, corners and window surrounds
• Exterior window glass, frames and sills washed
• Interior window glass cleaned
• Surrounding paths rinsed down after washing

• Weatherboards clean and even in colour across all elevations
• Cobwebs and dust removed from eaves and window surrounds
• Clear glass inside and out, with noticeably more light through the rooms