Exterior Cleaning Services in Downtown Madison

Yes — and historic limestone is one of our most-requested services in the downtown core. The non-negotiables are pH-neutral chemistry (never acidic, never alkaline), low-pressure soft-wash technique at 400 PSI or below, and patient dwell time on biological growth so the chemistry does the work rather than the pressure. We also test in an inconspicuous area first to confirm the substrate's response. On lime-mortar joints common on pre-1900 buildings, we hand-rinse to avoid dissolving the mortar. Most downtown limestone we clean is from the 1900s-1920s commercial era and responds beautifully to a soft-wash approach.

We pre-arrange access with the property manager or storefront tenant before scheduling. For State Street and the Capitol Square loop, we typically schedule between 7 AM and 9 AM on weekdays to clear the work before retail foot traffic peaks, or after 6 PM on weeknights for restaurant facades. We use compact equipment that fits in a single parking space, and we coordinate with city parking rules so we never block a delivery zone. For Mansion Hill row homes, we work from the alley where alley access exists, otherwise from the curb with cones marking our equipment footprint.

Yes — most State Street and Mansion Hill buildings are mixed-use, with commercial ground-floor and residential above, and we coordinate window cleaning, facade washing, and gutter work for both. We notify tenants 24-48 hours ahead through the property manager so windows are closed and any balcony items are moved. For multi-story facade washing we use rope-access or boom techniques rated for the building height. Our $2M general liability covers tenant-occupied properties.

Faster than anywhere else in our service area. Foot-traffic-facing glass on State Street can show visible film within two weeks during summer, and storefront facades collect diesel exhaust residue measurable within 30 days. Most of our downtown commercial accounts are on a monthly or six-week schedule for windows, and a quarterly or semi-annual schedule for facade washing. Residential Mansion Hill and First Settlement buildings can go six to twelve months between full washes because the residential side faces less direct traffic exposure.

Soft washing only — never power washing on State Street brick. Most of the brick on State Street is pre-1920 cream brick or pressed brick laid in lime or soft Portland cement mortar. Aggressive pressure dissolves mortar joints and over time spalls the brick face itself. We use a soft-wash approach with pH-neutral surfactant and rinse at 400 PSI or below, hand-brushing decorative band courses and cornices.

Yes — exhaust grime on State Street restaurants is one of our most common downtown jobs. The work is in two passes: first a degreaser pre-treatment to break the grease and exhaust film, then a soft-wash rinse with mild surfactant to clean the underlying surface. We've cleaned 14+ State Street restaurant facades since 2021 and the difference between cleaned and uncleaned ground-floor brick is dramatic.