Pressure washing costs $0.15–$0.75 per square foot in 2026, with most homeowners paying $200–$450 for a typical residential job. The biggest cost drivers are surface type (siding, concrete, deck, or roof), square footage, and how much soil, mildew, or staining the crew has to deal with. Whole-house exterior cleaning is the most common service ($250–$650), driveways run $100–$300, and decks land at $200–$400 once prep is included. Soft washing — a low-pressure chemical clean used on roofs, painted siding, and stucco — has overtaken high-pressure on a lot of residential surfaces because it's safer for the substrate and lasts longer between cleanings. This guide breaks down per-surface pricing, what changes the bid, and the line items that separate honest contractors from the ones that show up with a $79 coupon and an upsell sheet.
| Service | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Whole house exterior — soft wash (1,500–2,000 sq ft) | $250–$450 |
| Whole house exterior (2,000–3,000 sq ft) | $400–$650 |
| Driveway, 2-car (~600 sq ft) | $100–$200 |
| Long driveway (~1,000 sq ft) | $150–$300 |
| Deck pressure wash (300–500 sq ft) | $200–$400 |
| Patio or walkway (per sq ft) | $0.20–$0.40/sq ft |
| Roof soft wash (typical home) | $400–$1,000 |
| Fence pressure wash (per linear ft) | $1–$3/linear ft |
| Per square foot baseline | $0.15–$0.75/sq ft |
| Concrete sealant add-on | $0.30–$1.20/sq ft |
Per-square-foot pricing is the baseline most contractors quote from. Flat-rate quotes ($250 for the whole house) bundle access, water source, soil severity, and a default surface-cleaning approach. Heavy mildew, oil stains, or rust treatment add 20–50% on top of the base bid.
Vinyl and aluminum siding handle pressure washing well at low PSI (1,200–1,500) but should be cleaned with a soft-wash chemical mix to actually kill the mildew that re-grows in two months. Wood siding, painted surfaces, stucco, and roofs require soft wash only — high pressure strips paint, splinters wood, and dislodges shingle granules. Concrete (driveways, patios, walkways) is the only surface that genuinely benefits from high-pressure cleaning with a surface cleaner attachment. Mixing surface types in one quote is normal — the cleanest contractors itemize per surface so you know what you're paying for.
Total area is the primary cost lever — a 1,500 sq ft single-story rancher costs less than a 3,000 sq ft two-story even though the work is similar. Two-story homes add scaffolding or extension-pole time and run 30–60% more per square foot than single-story. Steep yards, narrow side-yard access, and homes set back from water sources (where the crew has to run 100+ feet of hose) add 10–20%. Most contractors include water as part of the bid, but homes on a well or with a slow spigot can require a portable tank — a $50–$100 surcharge.
A routine annual cleaning is the cheapest case. North-facing siding with green/black mildew, decks with embedded dirt, driveways with oil drips and rust marks, or roofs with extensive algae streaking all require chemical pre-treatment ($75–$200 per surface) before the actual wash. Oil and rust stains may not come fully clean — most contractors will set expectations in writing rather than guarantee a perfect result. If the home hasn't been washed in 5+ years, expect a 25–50% surcharge over the maintenance rate.
Soft washing uses 60–100 PSI plus a chemical mix (typically sodium hypochlorite, surfactant, and water) to kill organic growth at the source — it lasts 3–5x longer than a high-pressure rinse because it kills mildew spores instead of just blasting the visible layer off. Soft wash is the right call for siding, painted surfaces, stucco, and roofs. High pressure (2,000–4,000 PSI with a surface cleaner) is the right call for concrete and unsealed driveways. Contractors who use only high pressure on every surface are cheap upfront but cost more long-term — substrate damage and mildew that returns in 60 days.
High-cost metros (NYC, San Francisco, Boston, Seattle) run 30–50% above national medians. Spring is peak season — book early to lock in rates. Late summer and fall are the cheapest seasons (less demand, drier weather lets crews work full days). Winter is off-season in most of the country and contractors will discount aggressively if they can work the job at all. Coastal and humid Southeast markets are the highest-volume regions for residential pressure washing because mildew growth is fastest there.
Concrete sealing ($0.30–$1.20/sq ft) is the most common upsell after a driveway or patio wash — and it's actually worth it; a sealed driveway stays clean 2–3x longer between washes. Gutter exterior brightening ($75–$200) removes the black streaks ('tiger stripes') that pressure washing alone won't touch. Rust stain removal, paint over-spray removal, and graffiti removal are specialty services priced per stain or per square foot. Beware contractors who quote a flat low rate then add 'mildew treatment,' 'access fee,' and 'eco-disposal' once they're on site — the legitimate version of those costs is in the original bid.
High-cost metros
$0.35–$1.00/sq ft
New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston
Mid-size cities
$0.20–$0.60/sq ft
Chicago, Denver, Atlanta, Dallas
Smaller cities & rural
$0.10–$0.40/sq ft
Rural Midwest, rural South, smaller towns
Regional ranges are approximate and vary by city, neighborhood, and individual contractor.
It depends on the surface. Concrete, brick, and unpainted stone tolerate (and benefit from) high-pressure cleaning with a surface cleaner attachment — that's true pressure washing. Siding (vinyl, painted wood, fiber-cement, stucco), roofs, and decks should be soft washed: 60–100 PSI plus a sodium hypochlorite and surfactant mix that kills mildew at the spore level. High pressure on siding can drive water behind it, strip paint, and void siding warranties. The clean lasts 3–5x longer with soft wash because the underlying mildew is dead, not just rinsed off the visible layer. A reputable contractor will quote both methods in one bid for a typical home (soft wash the house, high-pressure the driveway and walkways).
It can — and the damage is usually not obvious until weeks later. Vinyl siding can be pushed off its J-channel by direct high-pressure spray. Painted wood will lose paint flakes that look fine wet but show as bare patches once dry. Wood decks lose surface fibers and can splinter; if the deck was sealed, the seal is now gone. Asphalt shingle roofs lose granules to high pressure — granules are what protect the asphalt from UV, so a 'free pressure wash' can take 3–5 years off the roof's life. The fix is matching method to surface: high pressure only on concrete and brick; soft wash everything else. Reputable contractors carry $1M+ liability insurance specifically because misapplied pressure washing causes real damage that a homeowner would otherwise eat.
Most homes benefit from a soft wash of the siding every 1–2 years, depending on regional humidity and tree cover. Concrete driveways and patios show dirt buildup faster — annual cleaning keeps them looking new and prevents deep staining. Decks should be cleaned and re-sealed every 2–3 years. Roofs need attention only when algae streaking is visible (typically 5–7 year intervals in humid climates, longer in dry ones). Homes in heavily wooded or coastal areas at the high end of these ranges; arid climates at the low end. The signs you've waited too long: visible mildew lines under siding J-channel, green or black streaking on the north side, and oil stains becoming permanent on driveways.
Renting equipment ($75–$150/day) and doing it yourself can save $150–$300 on a small job and is reasonable for concrete driveways, patios, and walkways. The two big DIY traps: (1) using too much pressure on siding and decking — the rental gun's tip choices make it easy to damage substrates; (2) skipping the chemical step — you'll get a visible 'clean' that re-grows mildew in 4–8 weeks instead of 12+ months. For siding, soft washing requires a 12V or gas pump and dilution-rate knowledge most homeowners don't have, so the labor savings disappear if you have to redo it. For roofs, never DIY pressure wash — the combination of slick wet roof, electric pressure washer, and granule loss is the most common cause of homeowner pressure-wash injuries and roof-warranty claims.
Asphalt shingle roofs (granule loss), painted brick (paint failure), older wood siding (water intrusion behind), stucco with cracks (water gets behind and freeze-thaws), and any electrical fixture, vent, or AC unit (water in motors, shorted contacts). Lead-paint surfaces (pre-1978 homes) require lead-safe practices; a casual pressure wash creates regulated waste and an EPA exposure violation. Cars and trucks tolerate pressure washing only at low pressure with proper detergent — high pressure can damage clear coat and force water into door cavities. Windows can crack from sudden temperature differentials in winter. The general rule: if you don't know whether a surface tolerates pressure washing, soft wash or hand-wash it instead.
A standard job includes site setup (water hookup, hose runs, sometimes plant covering), pre-treatment chemicals where needed (mildewcide for north-facing siding, degreaser for driveways), the actual wash, a final rinse, and basic cleanup of debris and chemical residue. What's usually NOT included: minor repairs (loose siding, missing caulk discovered during the wash), sealing of concrete after the wash, gutter exterior brightening (separate service), interior gutter cleaning (different scope entirely), and roof cleaning (separate quote because of equipment and risk). Higher-end contractors include a written before/after photo report and a 'satisfaction walk' at the end of the job — both are signs of a professional operation.
Get 2–3 quotes for any first-time service or any home over 2,500 sq ft. Each quote should specify: scope per surface (house siding, driveway, deck, etc., listed separately), method per surface (soft wash vs. high pressure), pre-treatment chemistry where applicable, water source and hose run distance, plant and pet protection, debris haul-away, and insurance certificate (general liability + workers' comp — fall risk is real on multi-story siding work). Recurring-service discounts of 10–20% are standard for annual contracts. Beware quotes well below local range — they almost always skip soft-wash chemistry, blast everything at the same PSI regardless of substrate, and leave the homeowner to deal with damage claims uncovered by the contractor's (often nonexistent) insurance.
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