Is your exterior render looking dirty and stained? Has green algae growth ruined that beautiful colour that was so fresh when the render was first applied? Are the surfaces unsightly and grimy with nasty stains?
While the render looks fantastic when new, it can suffer over time to become dull and grimy. But don't worry, Uniwash Team will soon freshen it up and restore it to its full colour again with our professional render cleaning service!
Applying render to your property is an excellent way of improving its appearance and adding an extra layer of insulation to your walls. Most renders are long-lasting, with a lifespan of between twenty and forty years!
The trouble is that our climate in the UK encourages algae, mould, lichen, and moss growth that clings to render, spoiling its look with black, green, yellow, or red stains. This is often more likely when the property is close to nearby trees, as the spores can easily drift across.
Atmospheric pollution adds to the problem, causing black stains on that once-beautiful coloured render.
Efflorescence (also known as lime bloom) causes chalky white deposits due to salts in the building materials used.
Nesting birds can also contribute to the problem as they leave a coating of corrosive guano (bird droppings) down the wall that will eat into the rendered surface.
Finally, the anti-social blight of graffiti can ruin the aesthetics of any building if not dealt with promptly.
Uniwash Team recognises all of these issues and has the ideal tools, skills, and methods to put things right.
To put it simply: if you want the best results, use a professional render cleaning company.
You could try cleaning it yourself, but this isn't always successful. To begin with, you'll need to reach those higher parts of the wall, which is difficult and hazardous without the right equipment.
Secondly, it's hard work, especially if you're relying on a scrubbing brush, detergent, and a bucket of water to freshen up that huge expanse of wall. While it's quite easy, to begin with, most people lose enthusiasm after a short while.
Thirdly, it's unlikely that you'll ever achieve the same results as a professional render cleaning company, like Uniwash Team. That's because we have the right tools, training, and experience to restore rendered surfaces to like-new condition!
Finally, if you get it wrong you could damage the render, resulting in a costly repair bill. Some types of coloured render can't be patched up easily, meaning that the entire wall will have to be re-rendered.
At Uniwash Team, we use a selection of different cleaning methods and techniques to achieve our goals. Each one is designed to remove algae, moss, lichen, and stains of all kinds from a variety of surfaces, including rendered walls.
Here are a few methods that we use in our render cleaning projects:
This versatile machine was developed specifically as a non-abrasive method of cleaning older masonry without damaging the delicate surface. Water is pumped into a hot box where it is rapidly heated to 150º c and sprayed onto the surface through a special nozzle at low pressure, where the super-heated steam dissolves any contaminants before evaporating away to leave a perfectly clean finish.
This method is suitable for render cleaning as it doesn't cause thermal shock and the low-pressure stream won't do any harm.
It is also eco-friendly as it uses less water and energy than more traditional methods or high-pressure washing.
TORC cleaning is similar to DOFF (manufactured by the same company) but it mixes fine granulate particles with water (and sometimes mild cleaning solutions for stubborn stains). This mixture is forced through a specially-designed nozzle that creates a swirling vortex that cleans the surface gently but effectively.
This method uses a soft wash machine that sprays a mixture of water and a special render cleaning solution onto the surface at low pressure.
The solution typically contains diluted sodium hypochlorite (bleach), surfactants (chemicals that separate the dirt from the render surface), scent masking agents, and mild soap.
Although concerns are raised about the use of bleach, soft washing solutions have been cleared for use by the UK Health & Safety Executive as the sodium hypochlorite is diluted and deemed safe. Every precaution is taken to reduce any risk when our cleaning specialists use soft washing, and once the surfaces are dry they will be completely safe for children and pets.
This mixture cleans render safely and efficiently, removing stains and killing spores that cause organic growth. The water pressure is lower than you'd get from your garden hose, so there's no danger of damaging the render surface.
Render cleaning is just one of the services that the Uniwash Team is proud to offer, and it's an area in which we excel. Although each cleaning project differs in some way, there is a basic schedule that our cleaning technicians follow:
When you engage Uniwash Team to treat your exterior render, we will inspect your walls to ascertain their condition and to discover what kind of contamination we are dealing with.
This helps us to select the best method of cleaning to ensure optimum results, but more importantly, it allows us to check for damage. We will never go ahead if the render is cracked or flaking; remedial repairs must be completed before cleaning the render.
During the inspection, we will also perform a risk assessment and enact any appropriate safety measures.
Depending on the height of the property, special equipment - such as scaffolding or mobile platforms - will be used to reach the upper levels, and these will be put in place before work begins.
Any obstacles will be removed if possible, and dust sheets will be used to cover anything that may be affected by the work.
The wall surfaces are brushed down to remove loose dirt and debris, after which the Uniwash Team cleaning technicians will apply the chosen cleaning method.
As a rough guide, it will usually take a whole day to clean a three-bed semi.
However, the actual working time depends on the size of your property as well as the age and condition of your walls. If your home is badly affected by organic matter and a variety of heavy stains it might extend the length of the project.
Likewise, an older property (such as a listed building) will need extra-careful handling, so our team will not rush the work.
A commercial building will usually take longer due to its size and height. Please get in touch for a more detailed answer on timings.
Yes, definitely! We guarantee that you will be astonished by how amazingly clean your exterior rendered walls will look when we finish your cleaning project.
We will select an appropriate method that will deal with any issue, including the following:
Our render cleaning methods make short work of organic material like red algae, black algae and green algae, black mould, mildew, moss, and fungi. Even better still, most of our render cleaning methods destroy pollen, moss, lichen, and algae spores, meaning that your outside walls stay clean for much longer as regrowth is less likely.
Few sights are as unwelcome to home and business owners as a wall defaced by graffiti. Exterior surfaces everywhere are vulnerable to the effects of antisocial behaviour, but urban areas are disproportionately affected. When you encounter this type of vandalism, don't despair - Uniwash Team can clean your rendered wall and gently remove stains of all kinds, including graffiti from spray paints and marker pens.
Pollution in the air settles on render surfaces and will eventually build up to cause black, sooty stains. This forms a crust that causes the render to flake after a while, so it's vital that this is cleaned properly before the damage occurs. The best way to deal with this is to book
Bird droppings are not only acidic, they can also harbour nasty diseases. And when it's plastered all over your beautifully rendered walls it looks very unappealing! The Uniwash Team expert wall cleaning team will shift this unsightly matter and leave your walls looking as if the render had just been applied.
Please note: when bird droppings are left in place on a rendered surface (especially on painted render) for long periods, they may bleach or discolour the render. When it is eventually cleaned off, there may be light patches. This highlights the importance of dealing with the problem as soon as possible.
As specialist render cleaners, Uniwash Team understands that there are several different types of render, and it's important that we identify which one we are working with as some will require a different approach when it comes to cleaning.
Developed over the last few decades, these products are ideal for improving the exterior walls of your home or commercial building. They can boost kerb appeal, add value and increase the insulating properties, helping you to save money on energy bills.
Originating in France (hence the name - monocouche means 'one coat' in French), this cement-based render is applied in two layers that set to form a single, durable, flexible layer. Monocouche is through-coloured, meaning that the colour stays bright and vibrant for many years, making it one of the most popular choices in the UK.
A cement-based render with the addition of polymers to increase its strength, breathability, and water resistance. It's a great low-maintenance option that makes your property stand out from the rest.
Acrylic render is a premixed product that's applied in a thin coat. The addition of plastic (acrylic) strengthens the mix and makes it flexible as well as improving its adhesive qualities.
The addition of silicone makes this render hydrophobic, meaning that it actively repels water. These types of render are described as self-cleaning, but they will still require attention to keep them completely free from stains and organic growth.
Some of these have been around for hundreds or even thousands of years!
Cheap and easy to apply, but not as durable or effective as modern renders.
A decorative cement render with the addition of gravel or small pebbles. It is rustic, hardwearing, and usually found on older residential properties.
One of the oldest types of render, this is made from heated limestone and water to create a breathable skin. It is generally found in houses made before 1800.
Similar to lime, local clay is used instead. However, it's not really suitable for use in the UK due to our wet climate.
When it comes to keeping exterior walls in fantastic condition, Uniwash Team render cleaning services have the know-how, experience, and passion required to get the very best results. Our highly-trained team offers a wide range of cleaning services, including driveways, patios, playgrounds, roofs, and industrial buildings.
That's why it makes good sense to contact us when your rendered walls need attention!
As an added extra, here are a few FAQs to guide you:
Ideally, rendered surfaces need deep cleaning about once a year. It doesn't matter too much if you go over this by a few months, but environmental factors will affect how dirty your walls will get so you'll need to take this into account.
In our professional opinion, soft washing, DOFF, and TORC systems are all great methods of cleaning rendered walls. General dirt can be washed away fairly easily with a sponge and mild detergent when required, but a deep clean using one of these methods is recommended once in a while to keep it at its best.
You can, but it's not advisable. In the right hands, a pressure washer is a useful cleaning method. However, jet washing and pressure washing can cause severe damage to render, and should never be used on old lime renders.
No, it doesn't, but only if it is undertaken professionally and correctly! Unqualified or inexperienced cleaning contractors rarely perform to a high standard and may damage your rendered walls. It's important to use a name you can trust, like Uniwash Team.
If there's anything else you'd like to know, give us a call and we'll be happy to answer your questions and provide a free quote for your render cleaning.
Contact us today and find out how we can transform your property, restoring your render to its original colour!
As a service provider, we feel that frequent render cleaning is critical since it not only improves the aesthetic appeal of your building but also extends its longevity. Dirt, algae, and moss can deteriorate the render over time, causing it to crack or discolour if not properly maintained.
We have the knowledge and tools to clean any sort of render, including sand and cement render, lime render, and through-coloured render. To ensure a successful and safe cleaning process, each type necessitates a distinct method.
While our render cleaning services are quite efficient at removing dirt, moss, algae, and most typical stains, some severe or long-standing stains may be impossible to remove. However, we constantly attempt to obtain the best possible outcomes and to restore the render as much as possible to its original appearance.
Our render cleaning procedure includes the use of a biocide treatment, which aids in the inhibition of the growth of algae, moss, and other biological materials, thereby extending the cleanliness and overall longevity of your render. However, environmental conditions may have an impact on future growth, and regular cleaning may still be required.
