Why Algae Shows Up
Algae plays favorites. It wants damp and shade, so it hits the same spots on every house before it spreads anywhere else.
- The north-facing walls that never catch much sun
- Roof tiles, where those dark streaks start
- Shaded sections of the driveway and walkways
- Pool deck corners under the screen cage
- Fences and the lanai where air doesn't move much
- Anywhere the sprinklers hit the same spot daily
If you want to know whether algae's getting started, check the shadiest, dampest corner of the property. It'll be there first.
Why Scrubbing Doesn't Cut It
Here's the frustrating part. You can scrub a wall till your arm gives out and it'll be green again in a few weeks.
That's because algae isn't just sitting on the surface. It roots into the pores of stucco, concrete, and tile. When you scrub or blast the top, you knock the green off, sure, but the roots stay put. And roots regrow. Fast, in this climate. So you've done all that work for a result that doesn't last the month.
Plain pressure has the same problem. It looks great the day of. Then it comes right back, because water alone doesn't kill anything. It just moves it around.
How the Pros Actually Remove It
The fix is killing the algae, not just rinsing it. That's soft washing.
Soft washing uses a cleaning solution that gets into the pores and kills the algae down to the root, then rinses it clean. The growth dies instead of relocating, so it stays gone a whole lot longer than a plain blast ever manages. That's the real difference between a wash that lasts and one that's green again by next month.
It's also safer for the house. A few surfaces around a home can't take high pressure:
- Stucco, which cracks and chips under a hard wand
- Roof tiles, which lose their coating or break
- Older paint, which peels right off
- Window screens and pool cage mesh, which tear easily
Low pressure plus the right solution cleans all of it without the damage. You get the algae gone without trading it for a repair.
Keeping It From Coming Back
Removal is half of it. Staying ahead is the other half.
Trimming back landscaping that shades the walls helps a lot, since algae needs that damp shade. Pointing sprinklers away from the house instead of soaking the walls daily makes a real difference too. And a yearly wash keeps new growth from ever getting a foothold. On sealed surfaces, that green has a much harder time taking root in the first place.
Clearing the Algae in Bonita Springs
If your home's gone green and you're tired of it coming back no matter what you try, soft washing is what actually keeps it gone. At Under Pressure Cleaning & Sealing Services, we remove algae from homes, roofs, and hardscapes all over Southwest Florida. Give us a call and let us get yours clean for good.
