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PRESSURE AND SOFT WASHING
Pressure and soft washing for the north metro
Chemistry and low pressure for your house, roof and deck, and real pressure for concrete only, matched surface by surface.
Almost everything on the outside of a house is a soft wash surface: siding, soffits, roofs, decks, stucco, brick and stone. Those receive a cleaning solution and a rinse at 50 to 300 psi, comparable to a garden hose, while a typical pressure washer runs 3,000 to 4,000.
Concrete is the exception. Driveways, walks and patios can take a surface cleaner at 2,000 to 3,500 psi, and that is the only place Glass House uses real pressure. Matching the method to each surface is what keeps Ham Lake and north metro homes clean without stripped paint or damaged siding.
THE RULE WE WORK BY
We always start with the lightest mix the surface will take, and work up only if it needs it.
★ Rated 4.9 on Google · 44 reviews
Insured to $2M
Owner-operated
Based in Ham Lake
THE NUMBERS
Why force is the wrong tool on a house
Pressure washing cleans with force. Soft washing cleans with chemistry. The difference shows up in these numbers.
300 psi
or less is what our soft wash rinses at. The solution comes out much like water from a garden hose.
3,000+
psi, often up to 4,000, is where a typical pressure washer runs. That force strips paint, furs up wood and drives water behind siding.
25 to 50
year warranties cover GAF, Owens Corning and CertainTeed shingles, and each maker publishes a low-pressure cleaning method for its shingles.
1994
is the median year homes were built in Ham Lake and Andover. Builder-grade siding from the late 1990s is especially prone to chalking as it ages.
Sources: GAF, Owens Corning and CertainTeed limited shingle warranties; Point2Homes, Ham Lake and Andover demographics (U.S. Census ACS 2019-2023 5-year estimates).
START HERE
Match your surface to the right service
Start with the part of your home you want cleaned. Each service has its own page with the full details.
WHAT YOU WANT CLEANED
WHAT IS USUALLY ON IT
THE SERVICE TO BOOK
Siding, soffits, fascia and eaves
Algae, mildew, moss, cobwebs, dirt and pollen
House Washing
Roof shingles
Black streaks, moss and lichen
Roof Washing, with the Roof Washing Warranty
Deck boards, stairs and railings
Algae, mildew, pollen and grime
Deck Washing
Driveways, walks, patios and pavers
Dirt, algae, grime and organic buildup
Concrete Washing
Inside your gutters
Leaves, needles and packed debris
Gutter Cleaning
Black streaks on the gutter faces
Tiger stripes, which a house wash does not remove
Gutter brightening, on the Gutter Cleaning page
Windows, gutters and siding, all at once
A whole exterior that is due
The Works, in one visit
Orange, white, chalky or oily stains
Iron, efflorescence, oxidation or oil
Stain Removal, a specialty service
TWO DIFFERENT TOOLS
Two tools, and where each one belongs
Soft washing cleans with chemistry
A cleaning solution similar to a diluted household bleach goes on at low pressure and dwells long enough to kill the growth, then is rinsed at 50 to 300 psi. Because it kills algae and mildew at the root rather than knocking them loose, the result lasts.
Pressure washing cleans with force
At 3,000 to 4,000 psi, force strips paint, etches siding, furs up wood and drives water behind panels. It also leaves growth alive at the root, so a pressure-washed house looks clean for a season and then does not.
Real pressure belongs on concrete
Concrete is dense enough to take real pressure. We use 2,000 to 3,500 psi through a surface cleaner, a spinning attachment that lays down even passes without the stripes a wand leaves, and the combination cleans the slab and kills organic growth without etching it.
Ask what is being quoted
Nearly every surface on a house exterior is a soft wash surface, so a quote to pressure wash a house or a roof is worth asking about. On a roof, pressure strips the granules that protect the shingles, and no shingle maker's published cleaning method calls for it.
SURFACE BY SURFACE
How we clean each part of your home
Every surface receives its own mix and dwell time, meaning how long the solution stays on before rinsing. We start with the lightest mix each surface will take, because over-concentrating is how finishes are damaged.
SURFACE
HOW WE CLEAN IT
WHAT TO KNOW
Vinyl siding
Soft wash with a light mix, a 5 to 10 minute dwell, then a low-pressure rinse
Chalk that wipes off on a hand is oxidation, a separate service
Painted siding and trim
The gentlest mix of all, and a dwell of only 3 to 5 minutes
Too strong a mix damages paint, and unsealed or failing finishes can discolor
Stucco
Soft wash with a light mix, left 5 to 15 minutes, until the growth changes color and dies
A low-pressure rinse keeps water from being driven where it does not belong
Brick and stone
A stronger mix than siding, because porous masonry needs it, and a longer dwell
Rinsed thoroughly, so no chemical is left behind to discolor it
Asphalt shingle roofs
A stronger mix with surfactant so it clings; often the rain does the rinsing
Never pressure washed, because pressure strips the protective granules
Wood and composite decks
A light mix, 10 to 15 minutes on wood and 1 to 5 on composite, then a gentle rinse
An unsealed finish can discolor; a proper seal protects the wood
Cedar
The lightest mix of all, then a brightener, then a sealer
Too strong a mix fuzzes the fibers and strips the wood's natural oils
Concrete and pavers
Real pressure: 2,000 to 3,500 psi with a surface cleaner
Never on concrete less than 2 years old
HOW WE SOFT WASH
Rinse, apply, rinse, and rinse again
Plants come through a soft wash well because of the order in which things happen, and the sequence is never skipped.
TELL US ABOUT SPECIAL SURFACES
Dark metals, dark or specialty woods, cedar, powder-coated or aluminum finishes and prized landscaping all change the mix. Point them out before we start, and the application will be adjusted for them.
01
Walk-around first
Every online quote is verified in person. Carson checks each surface so the right mix goes on the right material, and raises anything of concern with you before the work starts, so a course of action is agreed in advance.
02
Rinse everything first
Plants, windows and anything not being cleaned are soaked with water before any solution goes on. Drift that lands on a wet surface is diluted to the point of being harmless.
03
Apply the lightest mix that works
The solution goes on at low pressure and dwells only long enough to kill the growth. If a surface needs more, it is reapplied rather than started strong, because an over-concentrated mix can damage a finish permanently.
04
Keep rinsing the surroundings
Plants and windows are rinsed again during and after the wash, not only at the start. That constant rinsing, more than any single step, is the reason landscaping comes through a soft wash well.
05
Rinse the surface thoroughly
Everything put on the wall either stays there or comes down, and bringing it down takes a great deal of water. Each surface is rinsed until nothing is left behind to discolor it.
OUR EQUIPMENT
Built to use less water, not more
11 gallons a minute
The soft wash system puts out 11 gallons per minute of mixed solution or fresh water. That high flow lets us apply and rinse efficiently instead of working a surface for an hour, so we use less water overall than a pressure washer or a smaller machine.
85 feet of reach
The system reaches about 85 feet up or across, so almost everything on a house is washed from the ground, with no ladder leaning against the siding. Where a property has no outside water, a water tank can be brought to the site.
Surfactant where it belongs
Surfactant is an additive that makes a mix cling, and a clinging mix takes far more water to rinse. It is left out of most house washes and saved mainly for roofs, where the goal is for the mix to cling while the rain does the rinsing.
A homeowner's machine typically puts out 2 to 3 gallons a minute, which makes rinsing a whole house slow. A hand pump and a brush are fine for a small, low spot, but high-up algae is not a DIY job.
HONEST EXPECTATIONS
What washing can and cannot do
About 90 percent, not perfection
Soft washing targets roughly 90% improvement on normal organic buildup. We will not risk damaging your property to chase the last few percent, and we tell you what is realistic before any of the work starts.
Roofs keep brightening
Roof washing typically lands at 70 to 90% improvement on the day. The growth keeps dying and releasing for several weeks, so the roof continues to brighten after we leave, especially as rain reactivates the treatment.
Cedar is its own project
Cedar turns grey under any strength of bleach-based mix. That is the chemistry, not a mistake, which is why cedar restoration is a separate process: wash, brighten to restore the finish, then seal. Cedar is the only wood we seal.
Wood is washed, never stained
Decks and other wood surfaces are washed with a light mix and a gentle rinse. Staining and sealing wood is not a service we offer, outside of cedar restoration, and a properly sealed finish is what protects wood from rot and weather.
New concrete waits
Concrete less than two years old has not finished curing, and cleaning it would permanently etch the surface. No one should clean a slab that young. If yours is newer than that, the answer is not yet, and that is a complete answer.
Faded color stays faded
Old vinyl chalks as sunlight breaks down its surface. Washing removes the chalk but cannot restore color that has faded out of the material, so siding can come out clean and still look uneven. We say so before the job, never after.
HOW PRICING WORKS
Quoted by your home and its surfaces
YOUR WASHING SERVICES, AT A GLANCE
QUOTE FIRST
House washing
From $450
Siding, soffits, fascia and eaves, soft washed
Roof washing
From $800
No-pressure soft wash, backed by the Roof Washing Warranty
Deck washing
From $500
Wood or composite deck, stairs and railings
Concrete washing
From $300
Surface cleaner at 2,000 to 3,500 psi
Walk-around first
Included
The right mix for each surface, confirmed in person before we start
Priced by your home and its surfaces
Quote first
Each wash is quoted by the size of your home and the surfaces involved, and every online quote is confirmed in person with a quick walk-around. House Washing and Roof Washing list their typical ranges on their own pages. Booking three projects together saves 10%.
WAYS TO SAVE
Fall Promo, through November 30
Free gutter cleaning with a house washing or a roof washing, applied automatically. One offer per quote, so it does not combine with the flash sale; you get the bigger one.
Service Plan members
25% off any other work, holiday lighting included
Preferred day
Another 5% off on top of any other saving, up to 25% in all
Veterans
10% off any service
Seniors 65 and older
$50 off
Same-day neighbors
15% off for both households
Three projects together
10% off
Discounts don't combine — you receive whichever single saving is largest. Then a Preferred day can take another 5% off, up to 25% in all (Service Plan members aren't capped).
This season’s flash sale is shown at the foot of every page.
GUARANTEES
What backs each wash, word for word
These are printed word for word on your quote, your work order and your invoice.
ON: HOUSE WASHING
Honest Results Standard
Soft washing targets roughly 90% improvement on normal organic buildup. We won't risk damaging your property to chase the last few percent — and we'll always tell you what's realistic up front.
ON: HOUSE WASHING AND ROOF WASHING
Satisfaction Guarantee
If we are not satisfied with the outcome of your window cleaning, gutter cleaning, house washing, or roof washing, you will not be charged.
ON: ROOF WASHING
Roof Washing Warranty
If treated organic growth returns within the first year, we re-wash the affected areas free. If it returns within two years of service, we re-wash at half cost.
ON: EVERY WASH, AND EVERY QUOTE
Workmanship Standard
If we miss an area or leave normal cleanable residue, tell us and we'll re-clean or touch it up. Our guarantees cover the cleaning result — not repairs, replacements, permanent stains, or conditions that can't be safely corrected through cleaning.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
What our washing includes and leaves out
Soft washing for the house and roof, and real pressure only for concrete. These lists show what each one covers.
INCLUDED
In every wash
• Soft wash for siding, trim, stucco, brick, roofs and decks
• Surface cleaner pressure for driveways, walks and patios
• The lightest mix each surface will take
• Plants and windows wet down before, during and after
• A water tank brought in if there is no outside water
• Before and after photos with your receipt
NOT INCLUDED
Quoted separately, or not something we do
• Specialty stains: iron, oil, oxidation and efflorescence
• Color that has faded out of vinyl
• Pressure on concrete under two years old
• Staining or sealing wood, except cedar restoration
• Repairs of any kind
EQUIPMENT AND METHODS
Two tools, each in its place
Siding, roofs and decks go to the soft wash system, which runs at 50 to 300 psi with a sodium hypochlorite mix at the lightest strength each surface will take. Concrete alone goes to a surface cleaner at 2,000 to 3,500 psi: the slab is pre-treated, surface-cleaned and then post-treated so the tone comes out even. A heated machine is available on special request when a job calls for hot water, although it does not come to most jobs.
SAFETY AND CARE
The safety rules behind both tools
Both methods put water and chemistry around your home. These rules keep the house, the yard and the people in it safe.
CHEMISTRY
Bleach and acid never meet
House wash mixes are sodium hypochlorite, and rust removers are acidic. The two are never mixed and never used back to back without a full rinse and dry in between, because together they release chlorine gas. That is also why a homeowner should never follow a bleach wash with a rust remover.
CONCRETE
Runoff and finishes watched
Runoff from concrete cleaning is diluted heavily and kept away from lawns as much as the site allows. Sealed or stamped concrete is tested on a corner first, and because hypochlorite can leave a slab's tone uneven, the whole slab is cleaned uniformly so it matches.
LADDERS
Ladders set with care
Most washing happens from the ground. Where a ladder is needed, it carries padded standoffs so nothing marks the exterior and levelers for soft ground, and it is set at a 4 to 1 angle and tied off above two stories.
ON THE DAY
Kids, pets and wasp nests
Kids and pets are welcome at home, and we ask only that they are not underfoot. Keep everyone off freshly washed areas for at least 3 hours afterward. An active wasp or hornet nest stops work in that spot, and we tell you exactly what was skipped.
THE OWNER
Why Carson matches the method to the surface
Glass House is owned and run by Carson Brenny, with no crews, subcontractors or handoffs. He grew up in Ham Lake, went to Blaine High School and has worked full-time in exterior cleaning since 2020. He quotes the job, holds the wand himself and walks the finished work with you.
A wash should never leave behind wand marks, lifted paint or water trapped behind the siding. Matching the method to each surface takes more thought and a great deal more water on the plants, and Carson considers that care part of the job on every home he washes.
IN CARSON'S WORDS
“It's my neighbors' homes: their biggest investment, one of the places they spend the most time, and where the people they care about most live. It's something everyone should enjoy, and I believe that.”
Carson Brenny, owner
✓
Soft wash for siding, roofs and decks
✓
Surface cleaner for concrete only
✓
The lightest mix that will do the job
MINNESOTA TIMING
When to wash what
SPRING
Wash off the winter
Salt spray, sand and road film come off, with pollen close behind. Our exterior season opens March 1, the natural start for washing.
SUMMER
Prime washing season
Heat makes the chemistry work and dry faster, so surfaces are pre-wet and washed in sections instead of being left to dry.
FALL
Before November 15
Roofs, siding and decks before the cold sets in. Gutters after the leaves drop and before the first hard freeze.
WINTER
No washing
Water on a surface in the cold turns to ice. Spigots are winterized, and washing waits until the season reopens on March 1.
How often: a house wash every year or two, and every year on a lake lot, where growth returns faster, including homes on Coon Lake, Crooked Lake and the Rice Creek Chain of Lakes. A roof soft wash every few years, sooner under trees or near water. Lake lots cost the same.
WHERE WE WORK
Pressure and soft washing across the north metro
Glass House is based in Ham Lake and washes homes, roofs, decks and concrete throughout Anoka County and the Twin Cities north metro, lake lots included.
Each city page lists every service offered there. The surrounding north metro is served as well, and we travel farther for a small trip fee.
WASHING QUESTIONS
Pressure and soft washing FAQ
What is the difference between soft washing and pressure washing?
Pressure washing cleans with force, at around 3,000 to 4,000 psi. Soft washing cleans with chemistry and rinses at 50 to 300 psi, comparable to a garden hose. Houses, roofs and decks are soft washed, because force damages them. Concrete is the one surface that receives real pressure, through a surface cleaner at 2,000 to 3,500 psi.
Do you pressure wash houses or roofs?
No. On a house, force strips paint, etches siding and drives water behind it. On a roof, it strips the granules that protect the shingles, and no shingle manufacturer's published cleaning method calls for it. Both receive a soft wash instead: a cleaning solution that does the work, rinsed at 50 to 300 psi.
Is soft washing safe for my plants?
Yes. Plants and anything we are not cleaning are soaked with water before, during and after the wash, so any drift lands on a wet surface and is diluted to the point of being harmless. Point out prized plants or a pond before we start, and we will take extra care around them.
Why not pressure wash the algae off?
Because pressure does not kill algae at the root, so it grows right back, and the force risks etching or stripping the surface underneath. That is why a pressure-washed house looks clean for a season and then does not. A soft wash kills the growth itself, so the result lasts longer.
How can I tell the soft wash worked?
Watch the color of the growth. Carson's field rule is that algae that turns brown is coming down, and algae that turns black is going to come back. Green algae usually fades right away, and a washed roof keeps brightening for several weeks as the growth releases.
Do you stain or seal decks?
No. We wash wood, but we do not stain or seal it. The one exception is cedar restoration, a separate process of washing, brightening and sealing, because any bleach-based wash turns cedar grey. For other wood, a properly sealed finish protects it from rot and weather and helps the stain last longer.
Can you clean my new driveway?
Not if it is less than two years old. Concrete that young has not finished curing, and cleaning it can permanently etch the surface, so no one should clean it yet. After two years, we clean driveways with a surface cleaner at 2,000 to 3,500 psi, which gives an even finish without etching.
What does it cost?
Every wash is quoted by the size of your home and the surfaces involved, then verified in person with a quick walk-around. House Washing and Roof Washing list their typical ranges on their own pages, and booking three projects at once takes 10% off the total.
