Soft washing your roof and siding — without blasting off a single granule.
Low-pressure chemical wash that kills gloeocapsa magma, mildew, and algae at the root. Safe for asphalt shingles, Hardie siding, gutters, and windows. Done by a roofer — because we know what your roof can and can’t take.
Those black streaks aren’t just ugly. They’re eating your roof.
The dark vertical stains on Houston roofs are gloeocapsa magma — a cyanobacteria that feeds on the limestone filler in asphalt shingles. It literally consumes your roof’s UV-protective granules. Left untreated, it shortens shingle life by 20–40%. On Hardie or vinyl siding, mildew feeds on trapped humidity and slowly discolors the finish. Both are Houston problems. Both are fixable in an afternoon.
Gloeocapsa magma streaks
The signature black streaks. Feeds on shingle limestone, spreads by airborne spores from tree to tree, and is essentially universal in humid Gulf Coast cities like Houston.
Green mildew & algae
The green cast on north-facing siding, shaded gables, and around irrigation zones. Hardie and vinyl are non-porous, so it lives on the surface — perfect for soft washing.
Lichens & moss
Older, wetter roofs pick up crusty lichens and thick moss. Both hold water against the shingle mat and dramatically accelerate rot. Soft wash chemistry lifts them off cleanly.
Dirt, pollen, cobwebs
Slower and less destructive, but the layer of grime, oak pollen, and dirt drift on Houston homes dulls the paint, stains the trim, and gives spiders a place to build.
The wrong crew with a pressure washer will destroy your roof.
Pressure washers push 2,500–4,000 PSI at the surface. Aim that at an asphalt shingle and you blast off the granules the roof depends on for UV protection. That’s why every asphalt-shingle manufacturer — including GAF, Owens Corning, and CertainTeed — voids the shingle warranty on pressure-washed roofs. Their recommendation, following the ARMA (Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association) guideline, is a low-pressure chemical soft-wash under 60 PSI.
Soft washing swaps pressure for chemistry. A diluted sodium-hypochlorite mix with a surfactant kills gloeocapsa magma, mildew, algae, and lichens at the cellular level. A gentle rinse — not a blast — carries the dead organic matter off the roof. Your granules stay in place. Your warranty stays intact.
Purpose-built soft-wash chemistry. Ratio-mixed on your driveway.
There are two ways to clean a Houston roof: rent a pressure washer and hope for the best, or run a professional soft-wash rig with the chemistry mixed to the surface you’re standing on. We do the second. Here’s the system.
Sodium hypochlorite, a purpose-built surfactant, and a low-pressure diaphragm pump.
The active ingredient is sodium hypochlorite — the same chemical every asphalt shingle manufacturer names in its recommended cleaning method — diluted from a 12.5% commercial base to a surface-specific ratio between 1% and 4%. Roof shingles want it stronger. Hardie and vinyl siding want it weaker. Painted wood weaker still.
Mixed in with the SH is a professional siding-safe surfactant — a soap-like additive that lets the chemistry cling to a vertical wall or a shingle slope long enough to kill the bacteria at the root. Without it, the mix runs off before it can work. With it, dwell time is 10–20 minutes.
The whole system runs off a 12V low-pressure diaphragm pump that tops out at around 60 PSI at the tip — soft enough that you could safely hold the wand against your palm. It’s the opposite of a pressure washer in every measurable way.
Live soft-wash in action — low-pressure fan-spray application on a Houston asphalt shingle roof. Chemistry does the work, not the water.
Diluted from a 12.5% commercial base to a surface-specific concentration. Roof stronger, Hardie weaker, painted wood weakest.
Pressure at the nozzle stays under the ARMA-recommended maximum for asphalt shingles. Rinses debris, doesn’t blast granules.
The surfactant holds the chemistry on vertical walls and roof slopes long enough for the SH to kill algae and mildew at the cellular level.
Purpose-built soft-wash trailer with a 100-gallon poly tank, 12V diaphragm pump, and 300 feet of hose — no truck-mount blaster in sight.
Roof soft wash + house soft wash — one call, one crew, one afternoon.
Most Houston homeowners book both. The chemistry is the same category (mixed at different concentrations), and doing both in one visit means one setup, one truck fee, one afternoon of disruption. You can book either service standalone if that’s all the house needs.
Asphalt shingle roof cleaning
Full-roof soft wash targeting gloeocapsa magma streaks, moss, lichens, and general roof grime. Chemistry mixed to ARMA-recommended dilution, applied at low pressure, rinsed with a gentle stream. Your shingle warranty stays intact.
- TargetBlack streaks, moss, lichens, mildew
- Pressure at surface< 60 PSI (ARMA guideline)
- ChemistrySodium hypochlorite + surfactant blend
- Time on-site2–4 hours typical
- Results-inStreaks visibly gone within 24–72 hrs
- Regrowth window4–6 years typical in Houston
Siding, soffit & fascia wash
Same low-pressure chemistry adapted for exterior siding. Safe on James Hardie fiber cement, vinyl, stucco, brick, painted wood, gutters, soffit, and fascia. Removes green algae, mildew, oak pollen, spider webs, and dirt drift — restores the color you paid for.
- TargetMildew, green algae, pollen, cobwebs
- Pressure at surface< 60 PSI, adjusted per surface
- Safe onHardie, vinyl, brick, stucco, wood
- Time on-site1–3 hours typical
- Results-inImmediate visible restoration
- Plant protectionLandscaping pre-wet & rinsed after
The single number that separates a real soft-wash from a warranty-voiding one.
Every asphalt-shingle manufacturer publishes a maximum surface pressure for cleaning. Most cap it at 60 PSI. A standard pressure-washer at the tip delivers 40–70× that. Anyone who tells you they can “pressure wash your roof safely” doesn’t understand the physics — or doesn’t care about your warranty.
Surface pressure, by cleaning method.
Soft washing gets its cleaning power from the chemistry, not the water. The nozzle is a fan-spray tip attached to a low-pressure diaphragm pump — the same category of pump used in agricultural spraying. It rinses. It doesn’t blast.
- DC Pines soft wash< 60 PSI
- Garden hose (no nozzle)~50 PSI
- Standard pressure washer2,500–4,000 PSI
- Commercial pressure washer4,000+ PSI
If a contractor won’t quote you the surface PSI they’ll be using on your roof — or worse, says “we just adjust the pressure down” on a 3,500 PSI unit — walk away. That’s how granules end up in your gutters.
Three things a proper soft wash always includes.
A good soft wash is more than aiming a wand. It’s a three-step job that protects your landscaping, hits the right chemistry ratio, and rinses without runoff damage. When one of these gets skipped, the front lawn or the neighbor’s driveway pays the price.
Pre-wet the landscaping
Before a single drop of chemistry mixes, we soak every shrub, bed, and lawn zone within 15 feet of the house. Wet foliage dilutes any drift instantly and prevents the leaves from taking up the cleaning solution.
Mix chemistry to the surface
Roof, Hardie, vinyl, brick, and painted wood each want a different dilution ratio. A one-size mix either doesn’t kill the algae (too weak) or damages the finish (too strong). We calibrate on-site, per surface, per job.
Rinse & re-rinse
After the soak dwell-time, we rinse the roof and siding at low pressure, then rinse the landscaping again to carry any residual chemistry off the leaves and into the soil where it neutralizes on contact.
DC Pines soft wash vs. the pressure-washer guy.
| Feature | DC Pines Soft Wash | Pressure Washer | Bleach + Hose Rental |
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Low-pressure chemistry | High-pressure water | Household chemistry |
| Surface PSI | < 60 PSI (ARMA spec) | 2,500–4,000 PSI | ~50 PSI |
| Shingle warranty safe | ✓ Yes | ✗ Voids it | ✓ Yes |
| Kills algae at root | ✓ Yes | ~ Surface only | ~ Sometimes |
| Regrowth window | 4–6 yr | 6–12 mo (surface only) | 1–2 yr |
| Landscaping protection | ✓ Pre-wet & rinsed | ✗ Not typically | ✗ Not typically |
| Safe on Hardie / vinyl | ✓ Ratio-adjusted | ~ Can damage finish | ✓ Yes |
| Ladder / height safety | ✓ Ground-based wand | ✗ Ladder / roof required | ✗ Ladder required |
| Owned by a roofer | ✓ Yes | ✗ Usually not | ✗ No |
| Insurance / liability | ✓ Fully insured | ~ Varies | ✗ You’re liable |
We know the difference between a stain and a real roof problem.
While we’re on your roof soft washing, we can tell you honestly what we see. Lifted shingles. Missing granule zones from hail. Failing flashing. Rotted decking around penetrations. A soft-wash guy from a franchise won’t spot those — or worse, won’t know what he’s looking at.
You get a soft wash and a free roof condition report. If something needs attention, we tell you. If it doesn’t, we tell you that too.
Four steps from booking to a spotless house.
Free walkthrough & quote
Text or call us a photo of your roof and worst siding wall. Same-day flat quote for roof only, house only, or the full bundle. No sales visit required for most jobs.
Pre-wet & setup
We arrive, walk the perimeter, close all windows, pre-wet the landscaping, and set up the rig on the driveway. Your kids and pets stay inside — we’re outside working.
Apply, dwell, rinse
Chemistry applied at low pressure, worked in with the surfactant, dwells 10–20 minutes, then gently rinsed. Roof first, siding second. Landscaping re-rinsed at the end.
Walkthrough & roof report
Before we leave, we walk the property with you, point out what’s now clean, and hand you a free roof condition report noting anything we spotted while we were up there.
What most Houston homeowners want to know.
Isn’t soft wash just spraying bleach on my house?
Will it kill my grass, plants, or trees?
How long does it last? Will the streaks come back?
How much does a roof + house soft wash cost?
How soon can you get out here?
Do I need to be home during the service?
Can you clean my gutters and driveway at the same time?
Will soft wash void my roof warranty?
Ready for a house that looks like new again?
Text us a photo of your roof or siding — we’ll send a flat quote back the same day. Free roof condition report included with every soft wash.