[Laker14]

I have a stucco home which is old enough to have been painted at least once.
The stucco is in good shape, no algae or stains, just the typical grime that accumulates, and occasional mud dauber nests to remove.

I have my own pressure washer, and don't mind doing the job myself, a little at a time.
After researching it extensively on the net, I have learned that with stucco, it's the cleaning solution that you want to do the heavy lifting, and for the most part you want the pressure washer to rinse the cleaning solution and dirt off.

The cleaning solutions I have come across all seem to have warnings about possible damage to the stucco, especially stucco that's been painted, and a lot of the videos deal with really badly stained, or algae covered stucco that needs a more aggressive approach.

For you DIYers, any recommendations for a gentle, yet effective cleaning solution to use on painted stucco?

For you non DIYers, I already have the names and numbers of several reputable companies I could call if I wished to, so I'm good there.
Thanks, all.

[Topspinmo]

I just water down windex about half and half in the pressure washer cleaner jug. Spray it on with soap nozzle in sections small enough so won’t evaporate, then, with widest spray nozzle (at least 40 degree nozzle or more) rinse off 3 or 4 foot from wall. Works for me. IMO one of good things with stucco it don’t get moldy, at least mine never does. The draw back are you have seal and surface cracks so moisture won’t get behind stucco. About ever vinyl house I see has mold especially on north sides.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by Laker14

I have a stucco home which is old enough to have been painted at least once.
The stucco is in good shape, no algae or stains, just the typical grime that accumulates, and occasional mud dauber nests to remove.

I have my own pressure washer, and don't mind doing the job myself, a little at a time.
After researching it extensively on the net, I have learned that with stucco, it's the cleaning solution that you want to do the heavy lifting, and for the most part you want the pressure washer to rinse the cleaning solution and dirt off.

The cleaning solutions I have come across all seem to have warnings about possible damage to the stucco, especially stucco that's been painted, and a lot of the videos deal with really badly stained, or algae covered stucco that needs a more aggressive approach.

For you DIYers, any recommendations for a gentle, yet effective cleaning solution to use on painted stucco?

For you non DIYers, I already have the names and numbers of several reputable companies I could call if I wished to, so I'm good there.
Thanks, all.

Confession, I just finished doing my drive and walk. Excuse to let my back recover. Most cleaners have instructions that suggest rate of dilution. We know few people read instructions or follow them. You want to be sure the product you buy will not kill your landscaping. The major ingredient is ammonia. It is cheap. It is good for cutting oily dirt and it quickly evaporates and it is a cheap source of nitrogen. I used to use it to kick off my compost heap

Stucco is painted cement. Our house, is stucco, which is a skin coat of cement over blocks. Far as I know they are all like that. We had a hornets nest. Typical, wife put enough insecticide on it to kill the entire state of Vermont. The cause or not? I took one of those pressure wands, far less power than a pressure washer. I did wash off the nest but also the paint down to the primer.

Far as my drive and a house. Sometimes things are better off left alone. Wife? I've tried,
sure help me to do it does not seem to work.

[New Englander]

I don't have a Stucco home. But if I did and wanted to wash it myself I would use a product called Simple Green. Of course I would dilute it. Simple Green can be used to clean many different things. It is fairly gentle, yet effective.

[villagetinker]

Be real careful adding NON pressure washer rated cleaners to your pressure washer, you may do a lot of damage to the unit.

[Laker14]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

Be real careful adding NON pressure washer rated cleaners to your pressure washer, you may do a lot of damage to the unit.

Thanks. Do you have any specific recommendations for me, so I can avoid that? I didn't know this was an issue.

[Bandb875]

What do you use to seal the cracks?

[Malsua]

Originally Posted by Laker14

I have a stucco home which is old enough to have been painted at least once.
The stucco is in good shape, no algae or stains, just the typical grime that accumulates, and occasional mud dauber nests to remove.

I have my own pressure washer, and don't mind doing the job myself, a little at a time.
After researching it extensively on the net, I have learned that with stucco, it's the cleaning solution that you want to do the heavy lifting, and for the most part you want the pressure washer to rinse the cleaning solution and dirt off.

The cleaning solutions I have come across all seem to have warnings about possible damage to the stucco, especially stucco that's been painted, and a lot of the videos deal with really badly stained, or algae covered stucco that needs a more aggressive approach.

For you DIYers, any recommendations for a gentle, yet effective cleaning solution to use on painted stucco?

For you non DIYers, I already have the names and numbers of several reputable companies I could call if I wished to, so I'm good there.
Thanks, all.

I'm in the middle of a reno of our CYV and will be painting my stucco house with an airless sprayer soon.

We bought a quart of ARC approved paint color(we've submitted the ARC application) to see if we liked the color.

When I touched the surface of our paint, it was very chalky.

I tried just washing it with water and my 3300psi pressure sprayer and there was no improvement. I then tried the 1 gallon bottle of ZEP pressure washer concentrate. Access Denied

While it didn't remove the chalk entirely it really cleaned it nicely. The chalk was substantially reduced, but not gone. You shoot it on with the low pressure wash setting, it all foams and you let it set for 15 minutes or so then rinse. I realize it's concentrate and you can mix it with water. I put it in the soap thing undiluted. I wanted the full monty and we're painting the whole place, so who cares if it melts the paint clean off . I didn't see any degradation of the paint, but if I were worried about that, I would dilute it down.

For chalk apparently I need to use TSP and water and hand apply it with a mop or such. I'll give that a whirl when the time comes.

[DaleDivine]

Originally Posted by New Englander

I don't have a Stucco home. But if I did and wanted to wash it myself I would use a product called Simple Green. Of course I would dilute it. Simple Green can be used to clean many different things. It is fairly gentle, yet effective.

Worked best for me...

[eeroger]

Originally Posted by Laker14

I have a stucco home which is old enough to have been painted at least once.
The stucco is in good shape, no algae or stains, just the typical grime that accumulates, and occasional mud dauber nests to remove.

I have my own pressure washer, and don't mind doing the job myself, a little at a time.
After researching it extensively on the net, I have learned that with stucco, it's the cleaning solution that you want to do the heavy lifting, and for the most part you want the pressure washer to rinse the cleaning solution and dirt off.

The cleaning solutions I have come across all seem to have warnings about possible damage to the stucco, especially stucco that's been painted, and a lot of the videos deal with really badly stained, or algae covered stucco that needs a more aggressive approach.

For you DIYers, any recommendations for a gentle, yet effective cleaning solution to use on painted stucco?

For you non DIYers, I already have the names and numbers of several reputable companies I could call if I wished to, so I'm good there.
Thanks, all.

When we had our home painted by Steve Kling's company, he told us to use pressure washing companies that use Simple Green. So, I would imagine a dilute solution of Simple Green will be OK for a DIY job.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by Bandb875

What do you use to seal the cracks?

Stucco crack patch.

Access Denied

[rrman77]

We have used a company that used a low pressure wash system, using a citrus solution. It did an amazing job, even on windows covered with screens. The smell was wonderful as well! We left TV 3 years ago and I don’t have the name of the company. Good luck!

[Sunflower33]

Originally Posted by Laker14

I have a stucco home which is old enough to have been painted at least once.
The stucco is in good shape, no algae or stains, just the typical grime that accumulates, and occasional mud dauber nests to remove.

I have my own pressure washer, and don't mind doing the job myself, a little at a time.
After researching it extensively on the net, I have learned that with stucco, it's the cleaning solution that you want to do the heavy lifting, and for the most part you want the pressure washer to rinse the cleaning solution and dirt off.

The cleaning solutions I have come across all seem to have warnings about possible damage to the stucco, especially stucco that's been painted, and a lot of the videos deal with really badly stained, or algae covered stucco that needs a more aggressive approach.

For you DIYers, any recommendations for a gentle, yet effective cleaning solution to use on painted stucco?

For you non DIYers, I already have the names and numbers of several reputable companies I could call if I wished to, so I'm good there.
Thanks, all.

You are right. Most pressure washer solution has bleach in it and after awhile it fades your paint. When Steven Kling came to pressure wash house before painting he used simple green. Good cleaner no bleach. I found a company who still uses simple green. Really cleans well with no fading to your paint. It costs a little more but saves you money in tge long range of things

[FUSSY LADY]

What is the name of the company that uses Simple Green?

[villagetinker]

Originally Posted by Laker14

Thanks. Do you have any specific recommendations for me, so I can avoid that? I didn't know this was an issue.

You will need to read the manual, if you no longer have it, then the stores that sell pressure washers have solutions specifically designed for this use. As I recall bleach (chlorine) is specifically NOT recommended. I wish I could recall the name, but the one I typically use is a purple colored liquid, works very well. I need to get some soon.
The other thing that works very well is snow cap, which is a powder that you put into a garden sprayer and spray on the walls. It does a great job of removing the stains from irrigation water. I typically do this first that go over with the regular pressure washing.