How Much to Charge for Soft Washing a House
Soft washing a house typically runs $0.15–$0.40 per square foot of wall area, or roughly $250–$600 for an average single-story home, scaling with stories, siding type, and how heavy the mildew or algae growth is. A two-story home prices above a one-story of the same footprint because of reach and setup, and heavy organic staining is a premium over a routine maintenance wash.
Base pricing by wall area
$0.15–$0.40 per square foot of wall area covers most homes, landing around $250–$600 for an average single-story house. Stories, siding, and growth level move the number within that range.
Height is a real cost
A two-story home is more than twice the work of a one-story of the same footprint — more wall area, more reach, more setup with ladders or extension gear. Price the second story as its own factor, not a rounding error.
What siding changes
- Vinyl / painted — the straightforward baseline.
- Stucco / brick — more absorbent and detailed; can need more product and time.
- Delicate painted wood — extra care and a gentler mix, sometimes a small premium.
The growth premium
A house with heavy green or black staining isn’t a routine maintenance wash. It needs more product and dwell time, so quote the badly stained north side as a step up from a house that just needs a freshen-up.
Frequently asked questions
Do I price by footprint or wall area?
Wall area is more accurate since that's what you're actually cleaning — a tall two-story has far more surface than its footprint suggests. Many operators keep a simple per-square-foot rate on wall area and adjust for height.
Does siding type change the price?
It can. Vinyl and painted surfaces are straightforward; stucco, brick, and delicate painted wood need more care and sometimes different chemical mixes, which can carry a small premium.
Why charge more than a pressure-washing guy?
Soft washing uses a chemical treatment that kills mildew and algae at the root rather than just blasting the surface, so it stays clean longer and won't damage siding — a longer-lasting result worth more than a quick rinse.