Pressure washing is one of the highest-impact, lowest-cost ways to refresh the exterior of an Ottawa home — restoring driveways, siding, decks, fences, and walkways to near-new appearance for a fraction of the cost of replacement. Ottawa's freeze-thaw climate and salt-heavy winters accumulate dirt, road salt, algae, and mildew on every exterior surface, making annual or biennial pressure washing a standard maintenance practice. This page covers what professional pressure washing services do, the soft-wash vs pressure-wash distinction (critical for siding and roofs), 2026 Ottawa pricing, season...
Professional pressure washing in Ottawa covers far more than driveways. A full-service crew restores almost every exterior surface, matching pressure and chemistry to each material so nothing gets damaged in the process.
This is the most common Ottawa request. Concrete, asphalt, interlock pavers, and natural stone all benefit from annual cleaning to remove road salt, oil stains, leaf tannins, and algae, typically costing $0.20-$0.45 per square foot. Interlock cleaning often includes re-sanding the joints with polyme...
Vinyl, aluminum, fibre cement, brick, and stone exteriors clean up for roughly $0.25-$0.60 per square foot of wall area, but vinyl and aluminum require soft-wash, not high pressure. Wood decks and cedar fences run $0.45-$1.00 per square foot (a great pre-stain prep) and $1.50-$3.50 per lineal foot r...
The defining skill of a professional exterior cleaner is knowing which technique each surface needs. Pressure washing uses high water pressure (1,500-4,000 PSI) to blast dirt off durable surfaces such as concrete, brick, stone, and treated wood. Soft washing uses low pressure (under 500 PSI) combined with biodegradable cleaning solutions — surfactants and algaecides — to dissolve and rinse biological growth off delicate surfaces like vinyl and aluminum siding, stucco, painted wood, and roof shin...
A professional job is methodical: inspect surfaces and identify materials, protect landscaping and cover delicate features, pre-treat stains and biological growth with the appropriate solution and dwell time, clean in controlled passes, rinse thoroughly, and do a final walk-through. Pros run commercial 4-gallon-per-minute machines with surface cleaners for even driveway results, telescoping soft-wash wands for two-storey siding, and downstream chemical injectors for consistent solution mixing. M...
A homeowner rental delivers raw pressure but lacks a flat-surface cleaner, hot-water capability, and downstream chemical injection — the three things that produce even, streak-free results. Pros also adjust nozzle tips and stand-off distance by material, switching from a wide 40-degree fan on siding...
Pricing follows surface and access. Per square foot in 2026: driveway $0.20-$0.45, siding (soft-wash) $0.25-$0.60, deck $0.45-$1.00, roof (soft-wash) $0.30-$0.60.
Typical Ottawa projects run: a driveway $150-$350, full house siding $500-$1,800, a deck with prep $200-$500, and a roof soft-wash $600-$1,500. A whole-property bundle — driveway, walkways, siding, deck, and fence together — usually lands at $800-$2,500 and offers the best value because the crew mob...
Ottawa's environment is hard on exteriors. Heavy winter road salt and sand splash onto siding and pool on driveways, accelerating concrete scaling and corroding aluminum and metal trim. Freeze-thaw cycles drive salt-laden moisture into concrete and mortar, and the city's humid summers grow algae, mildew, and lichen on shaded north and east elevations and under tree canopy in neighbourhoods like Alta Vista, Old Ottawa South, and the Glebe. Annual or biennial cleaning removes the salt and organic ...
By March, most Ottawa driveways and lower siding carry a chalky film of road salt and sand that holds moisture against the surface through every freeze-thaw cycle. On concrete this accelerates surface scaling; on aluminum and painted trim it promotes corrosion and chalking. Shaded elevations under m...
The pressure washing season runs mid-April to late October, while overnight temperatures stay reliably above freezing — wet surfaces and equipment cannot be worked safely in frost. The strongest windows are late April to early May for post-winter salt and grime removal, late May to mid-June ahead of summer entertaining, late August to September for deck restoration and staining prep, and mid-October for a pre-winter cleanup that removes leaf tannins before the snow flies. Avoid scheduling within...
Time your cleaning to the work that follows it. Driveways should be pressure washed and fully dried before sealing — ideally a warm, dry stretch in May or September — and decks need 24-48 hours of drying after cleaning before stain or sealer is applied. Booking the cleaning and the finishing as a se...
Per square foot: driveway $0.20-$0.45, siding (soft-wash) $0.25-$0.60, deck $0.45-$1.00, roof (soft-wash) $0.30-$0.60. Typical projects: driveway $150-$350, full house siding $500-$1,800, deck with prep $200-$500, roof soft-wash $600-$1,500. A whole-property bundle runs $800-$2,500.
Pressure washing uses high pressure (1,500-4,000 PSI) on durable surfaces like concrete and brick. Soft washing uses low pressure (under 500 PSI) plus biodegradable chemicals on delicate surfaces like vinyl siding, painted wood, and roofs. Using high pressure on the wrong surface causes damage, including hidden mould inside walls.
Mid-April to late October, while overnight temperatures stay above freezing. Peak windows are late April to early May (post-winter salt), late May to mid-June (pre-summer), late August to September (deck restoration), and mid-October (pre-winter cleanup). Avoid scheduling within 48 hours of rain or during high winds.
Yes, if done wrong. Excessive pressure can strip paint, force water behind vinyl siding and cause mould, gouge wood, etch concrete, erode mortar joints, void roofing warranties, and kill landscaping through chemical overspray. Hire a service that knows soft-wash versus pressure-wash by surface and carries $1M+ liability insurance.
It's a reasonable DIY job. Rent a 2,500-3,000 PSI gas washer ($80-$140 per day) or buy one ($400-$900), keep the nozzle 12-18 inches from concrete to avoid etching, and pre-treat oil stains with a degreaser. For siding, roofs, and elevated work, hire a pro with the right equipment and chemistry.