Cleaning Procedures & Standards
How Balcony Boss Pressure Washing approaches each surface. Published so you know exactly what to expect before we show up.
Every surface has a correct pressure, a correct chemistry, and a correct order of operations. Using the wrong combination is how you etch concrete, strip paint off siding, or drive water into a wall cavity. The procedures below are what we actually do on-site — not a marketing pitch.
PSI range
100 – 3,500
Soft-wash max
500 PSI
Water flow
4 – 8 GPM
Hot water to
200°F
Contents
- General cleaning standards (all jobs)
- Residential surfaces — balcony, concrete, composite, wood, stucco, siding, brick, glass
- Commercial & office — entry pads, signage, dumpster pads, graffiti
- Post-construction cleanup
- Move-in / move-out
- Quality standards & guarantee
Section 1 General cleaning standards (every job)
These apply to every job before any wand hits a surface. Skipping them is how surfaces get damaged.
- Walk-through with the customer. We identify surface types, flag pre-existing damage (cracks, loose grout, lifted boards, failed caulk, paint blisters), and photograph anything we won't be responsible for.
- Cover what doesn't get wet. Electrical outlets, HVAC intakes, light fixtures, door seals, and any painted surface we won't be cleaning. Plastic + tape, removed at end of day.
- Protect plants. Pre-wet soil and foliage with fresh water; cover with drop cloth if a soft-wash detergent is involved.
- Contain runoff. For driveways and balconies, we plan where water and debris will flow. Storm drains get a sock or diverter where required by bylaw.
- Test patch. On any surface we haven't cleaned for this customer before, we do a 1 sq. ft. test patch in a discreet area and check for damage before proceeding.
- Work top-down, back-to-front. Gravity is free. Don't fight it.
- Post-job walk-through. We walk the completed job with the customer before invoicing. Anything that isn't right gets addressed on the spot.
Hard rule: we do not pressure-wash asphalt shingles, soft-wood siding older than 30 years without a surveyor sign-off, or any surface with visible lead paint. We'll refer those out.
Section 2 Residential surfaces
Concrete balconies & patios
| Parameter | Setting |
|---|---|
| Pressure | 2,500 – 3,000 PSI · 25° nozzle |
| Water temperature | Ambient (cold) |
| Chemistry | Neutral-pH concrete cleaner for general grime; sodium hypochlorite (3–5%) for algae/mildew, dwell 5–8 min, rinse before drying |
| Technique | Surface cleaner (rotating disc) for open areas; wand 15° nozzle for edges & drains |
| Do not | Dwell wand in one spot · spray toward door seals · use acid on a coloured/stamped surface |
Composite decking (Trex, TimberTech, etc.)
| Parameter | Setting |
|---|---|
| Pressure | 1,500 PSI max · 40° nozzle · 12" standoff |
| Water temperature | Ambient — hot water voids most composite warranties |
| Chemistry | Manufacturer-approved composite cleaner (oxygenated); rinse thoroughly |
| Technique | Always spray along the grain; never perpendicular; test patch in a hidden area first |
| Do not | Use surface cleaner on embossed grain boards · bleach · pressure-wash if boards are loose or lifting |
Pressure-treated & cedar wood decks / fences
| Parameter | Setting |
|---|---|
| Pressure | 500 – 1,200 PSI · 40° fan · 12–18" standoff |
| Chemistry | Wood cleaner (sodium percarbonate) for graying; oxalic acid brightener for tannin bleed after washing |
| Technique | Soft-wash apply → dwell 10–15 min → low-pressure rinse along grain |
| Dry time before stain | 48–72 hours · moisture meter reading < 15% |
| Do not | Let the cleaner dry on the wood · mix bleach with acid brightener · skip the brightener step if staining after |
Stucco, EIFS & painted siding
| Parameter | Setting |
|---|---|
| Method | Soft-wash only — no high-pressure rinse |
| Pressure | 200 – 500 PSI at the tip; use a soft-wash gun or x-jet |
| Chemistry | Sodium hypochlorite (1–3%) + surfactant; lower on coloured stucco |
| Technique | Bottom-up apply (prevents streaks) → dwell 8–12 min → top-down rinse with garden hose or low-PSI nozzle |
| Do not | Pressure-wash stucco at full PSI (cracks and delamination are the result) · use solvents on EIFS |
Vinyl & fiber-cement siding
| Parameter | Setting |
|---|---|
| Pressure | 1,200 – 1,500 PSI · 25° nozzle · 18" standoff |
| Direction | Horizontal, angled slightly downward — never up under the laps (drives water into wall cavity) |
| Chemistry | Diluted hypochlorite for organic growth; rinse promptly — do not let bleach dry on vinyl |
| Do not | Point the wand up under siding · pressure-wash near open windows, electrical, or damaged caulk |
Brick & stone masonry
| Parameter | Setting |
|---|---|
| Pressure | 1,500 – 2,000 PSI · 25° nozzle · check mortar joints first |
| Chemistry | Masonry-safe detergent; efflorescence remover (muriatic-based) for white salt deposits, neutralized after |
| Technique | Test for loose mortar by running a key across joints before washing; skip or repoint if friable |
| Do not | Use acid near glass or metal without protection · wash 150-year-old masonry at full PSI |
Windows, railings & glass balcony panels
| Parameter | Setting |
|---|---|
| Pressure | 800 – 1,200 PSI · 40° nozzle |
| Chemistry | Mild glass cleaner; squeegee finish |
| Technique | Rinse from the top; squeegee vertical on balcony glass to avoid streak lines at eye level |
Section 3 Commercial & office exteriors
Commercial jobs add a scheduling and safety layer on top of the surface-specific rules above. A Certificate of Insurance is delivered to every commercial client at the start of the job — no exceptions. We work within the building's after-hours or low-traffic windows where required.
Entry pads, walkways, and parkade entrances
- Surface cleaner at 3,000 PSI for broad concrete; hot water (180°F) where grease/food spill is present
- Degreaser pre-treat (alkaline) for service entrances, dwell 10 min
- Barricades and wet-floor signage up before starting; drying fans available on request
Storefront signage, canopies, awnings
- Soft-wash only — 200–500 PSI
- Specialty detergent for vinyl awnings; test patch before full-scale
- Mask LED/backlit signage electrics
Dumpster pads, garbage enclosures, loading docks
- Enzyme-based cleaner first (breaks down organic load), dwell 15 min
- Hot water surface clean at 3,000 PSI
- Sanitize pass with quaternary disinfectant on request for food-service clients
- Wastewater collection via reclaim mat where storm-drain discharge isn't permitted by municipal bylaw
Graffiti removal
- Method depends on substrate: solvent-based for porous brick/concrete; peelable coating for repeat-hit surfaces; baking-soda blast for heritage stone
- Never solvent on painted or sealed surfaces without client sign-off — it will strip the finish
- Photo before + after + final walk-through
Bylaw: in Calgary, commercial wastewater containing detergents or hydrocarbons must not enter the storm system. We run reclaim + vacuum recovery on those jobs and dispose at a sanitary drain under permit.
Section 4 Post-construction cleanup
Post-construction is detail-heavy, not volume-heavy. We expect to spend more time prepping and touching surfaces by hand than running wide-pressure patterns.
- Protective coverings down. Pull painter's plastic, window film, floor protection. Bag and dispose.
- Gross debris sweep. Shop-vac drywall dust, wood scraps, nails, and banding. Magnet-sweep concrete for metal fragments before pressure-washing.
- Adhesive & mortar spot-treat. Mortar droppers get a non-acid mortar cleaner where on colour-sensitive surfaces. Construction adhesive on concrete gets a citrus solvent + scrape, not a pressure pass.
- Paint overspray. Test safe removal method (mineral spirits, dedicated overspray remover) by substrate; never use a pressure wash alone — it rarely works and can damage surfaces.
- Final wash. Surface-appropriate pressure from Section 2 rules; windows last.
- Punch-list walk. With GC or owner. Sign-off before invoice.
Scope we typically cover
- New concrete driveways, walks, and pads (after 28-day cure)
- Deck/patio installs (stain-ready surfaces)
- Siding wash after re-clad or new construction
- Exterior window wash (ground-level + second-floor; above that is referred to a qualified high-rise cleaner)
Cure times: fresh concrete must cure 28 days minimum before pressure wash. New exterior paint needs 14 days. Stain/sealer needs 48–72 hours. We enforce these — they exist for a reason.
Section 5 Move-in / move-out exterior prep
Move-in/move-out is about making the property photograph-ready for listing or hand-over. We work a checklist rather than a creative brief — consistency is the point.
Standard move-out checklist (exterior)
- Driveway & walkway pressure wash
- Front steps + porch + railings
- Garage floor (if concrete)
- Siding soft-wash (front + street-facing sides minimum)
- Exterior window wash (ground-level + second-floor)
- Balcony / deck cleaning
- Fence line cleaning (where applicable)
- Final walk-through with owner, agent, or property manager
Move-in add-ons
- Disinfectant pass on balcony & entryway (quaternary disinfectant, food-safe-adjacent)
- Before-photos for new-owner records
- Sealer recommendation for concrete if photos show visible wear
Turnaround standards
| Property size | Typical turnaround |
|---|---|
| Condo / townhouse (balcony + patio only) | Half-day, same-day delivery |
| Detached home, ≤2,500 sq.ft. exterior surfaces | Full day, delivered same day |
| Detached home, > 2,500 sq.ft. or multi-storey | 1–2 days, photos next business day |
| Acreage / commercial property | Custom quote, 2–5 days |
Section 6 Quality standards & guarantee
This is how we decide whether a job is "done." If it doesn't meet these, we don't invoice.
Pass / fail criteria
- Visible result: surface is meaningfully cleaner than when we arrived, photographed before/after.
- No new damage: no etch marks, no lifted boards, no broken seals, no chipped paint, no cracked mortar.
- No collateral mess: plants, outdoor furniture, neighbour's property, and vehicles are as we found them.
- Runoff contained: no visible detergent in storm drains or onto public sidewalks.
- Customer walk-through complete: customer has signed off verbally or in writing before we leave.
Our standing behind the work
- If any part of the job isn't right, we come back at no charge within 7 days to fix it.
- If it still can't be fixed, we refund the portion of the invoice that covers the affected work.
- If we damage something on the job, we fix it or pay to fix it. A Certificate of Insurance is provided to every client at the start of the job, before any work begins on their property.
What we measure internally
Callback rate
< 3% target
Same-day turnaround
> 90%
Damage claims
0 per quarter
Repeat customers
> 40%
This document is kept up-to-date by Shane and reviewed quarterly. Last revision: April 2026.
Questions about your specific surface?
We're happy to explain what we'd do on your property before you book. No pressure, no upsell.
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