Cleaning the interior of a building is often prioritised over cleaning the exterior. It is somewhat understandable, as people typically spend much more time inside a building than outside, whether it is a home, business, or public property.

However, the importance of building cleaning outside of the property cannot be overlooked. It has a direct impact not just on the appearance of the building, but also its long-term durability, especially when dealing with an older, historical building.

The Importance of Building Cleaning

Perhaps the most obvious reason to clean the outside of a building is to improve its overall appearance. Both modern and historic buildings face the full brunt of the outside elements, with everything from the weather to environmental substances altering its appearance.

Over time, buildings will appear much less clean, with build ups of various substances like grime, dirt, and natural growth across the surface materials. This can make the building look dated and unclean, which is something most people want to avoid, especially business owners seeking to make the right first impression.

Moreover, the impact of these substances on building materials can cause various issues for the building that may require extensive and costly repairs.

For example, if organic growth is left on certain stonework, it leads to moisture retention that could irreparably damage the building.

With a modern building, this means expensive repairs are needed much sooner than if the building was regularly cleaned and maintained. With a historic building, it could mean losing an important landmark that showcases the heritage and culture of the area.

By cleaning buildings regularly, you ensure that their appearance is best maintained while minimising the risk of future damage. You can even use building cleaning to restore old and disused buildings, giving them a new lease of life.

Building Cleaning for Modern Buildings

Modern buildings are made from a wide range of materials, meaning various cleaning methods may be required.

For example, brickwork can be cleaned using acid diluted in water, while low-pressure, high-temperature steam cleaning is used for various types of building masonry.

These cleaning techniques differ from those used to clean cladding used on modern industrial properties.

Facades for these buildings are usually made from metal or composite plastics like uPVC, making them suitable for high pressure cleaning. These materials are far more durable so can handle more abrasive cleaning methods.

Timber cladding, common on many modern buildings, requires a unique approach to cleaning. Pressure washers can be used, but need to be at the appropriate pressure setting, while it is important to use an appropriate cleaning agent that doesn’t damage wood.

In fact, each material use din modern buildings requires a specific cleaning material, especially when removing organic growth.

Building Cleaning for Historic Buildings

Historic buildings are much more susceptible to damage from abrasive cleaning, meaning a much gentler approach is needed.

Also, these buildings are typically built from older stone materials, that are already damaged to some extent, so a safer approach is required to avoid further damage and help restore the building’s appearance.

As a result, more complex cleaning processes are usually implemented when cleaning a historic building. For instance, the ‘jos’ cleaning system uses a combination of air, fine granules, and minor amounts of water to safely remove dirt, grime, and carbon from older buildings.

Using too much water when cleaning could cause moisture retention that will seriously damage the stonework, highlighting the importance of using appropriate cleaning methods