Soft Wash Roof Cleaning
The specialist method for cleaning tiled roofs across the South East. We use low pressure and professional biocide, and every job carries 5-year regrowth protection. Prices start from £250 for a bungalow.
What is soft wash roof cleaning?
Soft wash roof cleaning uses a low-pressure spray of biocide instead of force. The biocide is usually based on sodium hypochlorite, and it kills the living moss, algae and lichen on your tiles. As a result, the growth dies back rather than needing a jet to blast it off.
Rain then washes the dead growth away over the following weeks. Because the treatment targets the living growth, it should last longer than a quick rinse. That said, no method stops moss for ever. The RHS notes that many mosses favour damp, shady conditions, and growth can return if those conditions persist.
Why we avoid pressure washing
Jet washing looks quick and cheap, yet it carries real risks for tiled roofs. The tile maker Wienerberger advises against high-pressure jet washers. It says the spray can damage the tile finish, strip colour from concrete tiles and push water into the interlocks and headlaps.
The National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC) makes a similar point. It warns that power washing, combined with unnecessary foot traffic, often leads to cracked or broken tiles. For that reason, we avoid walking on your tiles and work from ground level and roof ladders instead.
Does your roof need cleaning?
Moss is not always urgent. The NFRC says moss on roof tiles is rarely a problem, and that it only needs removing if it blocks gutters, outlets and other drainage points. We agree that a light covering can wait.
However, we do recommend a clean when growth is heavy, when it clogs your gutters, or when the roof looks tired and you want it cared for. Our free survey tells you which case applies, and we will say so if your roof can wait. Our post on how often a roof needs cleaning goes into more detail, and whether softwashing is safe for roof tiles covers the tile question.
Before you budget for a clean, you may also want to read our article on whether home insurance covers roof cleaning.
What's included in every job
- Free pre-job survey and fixed-price quote
- Manual moss scraping where required
- Soft wash biocide application across the entire roof
- Gutter clearance of fallen moss debris
- Final rinse and tidy-up
- Before/after photo report
- Written 5-year regrowth protection guarantee certificate
How long does it take?
Most domestic roofs take a single day for a two-person team. Larger detached homes, commercial buildings and roofs that need manual scraping first may take two days. We give you a firm timing in your quote, so you can plan around it.
How long does the result last?
The answer depends on shade, damp and nearby trees, because those conditions feed regrowth. A shaded, north-facing roof under trees will green up sooner than an open, sunny one. That is why every job carries our 5-year regrowth protection guarantee, and why we offer a discounted top-up treatment for homes in damp or wooded spots.
Safety and the environment
Sodium hypochlorite is highly toxic to aquatic life, according to the University of Hertfordshire pesticide properties database. For that reason we control how much we apply and rinse with care. GOV.UK guidance says only clean water belongs in a surface water drain, so we plan the rinse to keep run-off out of them where we can.
Working at height is the other risk. HSE figures show falls from height were the leading cause of fatal workplace accidents in Great Britain in 2025/26. This is one reason we use long-reach lances from the ground wherever the roof allows it.
Where we clean
We cover Kent, Surrey, East Sussex and West Sussex. For example, we offer roof cleaning in Maidstone, roof cleaning in Guildford and roof cleaning in Brighton. You can also see the full list of our services if you want gutters or walls done on the same visit.
Pricing
| Property type | From |
|---|---|
| Bungalow | £250 |
| Terraced (mid) | £275 |
| Semi-detached | £350 |
| Detached | £450 |
| Large / period property | £700+ |
| Commercial | POA |
Your final price depends on roof size, pitch, access and moss coverage. Prices can vary by area, so see our UK cost guide for what drives a quote.
Ready for a fixed-price quote?
We reply to every quote request as soon as we can. The survey is free, so you can compare us with other firms.
Get my free quoteFrequently asked questions
Is soft washing safe for my tiles?
It is much gentler than jet washing, because we spray at low pressure and let the biocide do the work. Tile makers such as Wienerberger advise against high-pressure washing since it can damage the tile finish. No method is risk-free on an old or brittle roof, so we check the tiles at survey and tell you what we find.
Will it damage my plants or the surrounding garden?
We take care around planting, because sodium hypochlorite is toxic to aquatic life. Before we start, we wet nearby plants, and we rinse any overspray straight away. Tell us at survey about ponds, pets or a rainwater tank, and we will plan around them.
Do I need to be home during the work?
No. We just need access to an outside tap, and we work entirely outside. Most customers go to work as normal and come home to a cleaner roof.
What about scaffolding?
Most homes need no scaffolding, because we use telescopic soft wash lances from ground level and our own roof ladders for closer work. HSE guidance says ladders suit low-risk, short-duration tasks, and it recommends other equipment if you would stay on a leaning ladder for more than 30 minutes. For tall or complex homes we may use a cherry picker or scaffold tower, and we include that cost in your quote.
What's your guarantee?
5-year regrowth protection comes as a written guarantee against significant moss, algae or lichen regrowth. If your roof needs re-treatment within the guarantee period, we re-treat it free of charge. The written certificate is part of every job.
How does this compare to pressure washing?
Pressure washing is faster and often cheaper upfront, but it carries a higher risk of damage to the tile surface. Because it does not treat the growth left behind, moss can return sooner. Our softwash vs pressure washing comparison sets out the detail.
Get a free, no-obligation quote
We reply to every quote request as soon as we can. There is no pressure and no obligation.