Fully Insured
£5 million insurance cover, with documentation supplied on request.
Render cleaning across Bolton and the North West
We clean rendered elevations across Bolton and the wider North West. Green growth and black streaking are taken off by treatment and low-pressure rinsing, so the colour of the finish comes back without the substrate being eroded.
The problem
Why render goes green and streaky
Render holds moisture at the surface, and north-facing or shaded elevations stay damp long enough for algae to colonise the finish. The result is the familiar green cast that creeps up a wall from ground level and around anything that keeps the wall wet.
Black streaking usually has a cause you can point at: an overflowing gutter, a leaking downpipe joint, a blocked hopper or a sill with no drip. Water runs the same line down the elevation every time it rains and leaves a mark that gets darker each year.
Cleaning is only half of it. Because the streak follows a fault, we flag the gutter or detailing problem we can see while we are on the elevation — otherwise the same streak comes back on the same line.
What the service involves
Render cleaning removes the green algae, black streaking and general weathering that builds up on silicone, acrylic, monocouche and traditional render, restoring the colour of the finish across the whole elevation.
Render is cleaned by soft washing, not pressure washing. Pressure drives water into the substrate and can erode or blow the finish, so treatment and low-pressure rinsing do the work instead.
Our method
How we approach render cleaning
- 01
Assessment
We identify the render system and assess pre-clean warning signs first: cracks, loose render, flaking paint, hollow areas and old repairs. We look at bell-cast and coping detail and check the condition of sealant around openings.
- 02
Protection
Glazing, frames, vents, lighting, paths and planting are protected, and downpipes and gullies are checked.
- 03
Treatment application
A suitable treatment is applied to the elevation at low pressure and allowed to dwell on the growth.
- 04
Controlled cleaning
The render is worked section by section at low pressure, keeping the finish even and avoiding open joints.
- 05
Rinse and clean-up
The elevation and everything below it are rinsed down, and the working area is cleared.
- 06
Inspection and aftercare
We walk the elevation with you, flag any defects we noticed, and explain the continuing effect of the treatment.
Real result
Before and after
What's included
Every render cleaning visit
- Low-pressure soft-wash treatment
- Suitable for modern and traditional render after assessment
- Green and red algae treated at the root
- Windows and frames rinsed down after
- Removes green and black growth without eroding the render
- Even, streak-free finish across the elevation
- Lifts the appearance of the whole property, not just the ground floor
- Highlights cracks, failed sealant and overflow problems while they are still cheap to fix
What affects your quotation
Why we price each property individually
- The render system — silicone, acrylic, monocouche, traditional sand-and-cement or pebbledash
- How many elevations are involved and the height of the building
- Access: whether the elevation can be reached safely from ground level or needs a tower or scaffold
- The extent of streaking as against general green growth, since the two need different dwell times
- Whether gutter clearing, fascia and soffit cleaning or roof work is wanted at the same visit
Every quotation is prepared for the property in front of us. Tell us the surface, rough size and access and we will confirm the method and the price.
Guide prices
Guide prices for render cleaning
Rendered elevations are priced individually, but these typical guide ranges give you a sense of the figures before you enquire. They are ranges rather than fixed prices, and the written quotation confirms the actual figure once we have seen the elevations and the access.
- Single elevation, reachable safely from ground levelfrom £320
- Whole house, all elevations£350–£600+
- Commercial and multi-occupancy buildingsquoted per project
Height and access are the biggest variables. An elevation needing a tower or scaffold costs more than one reached safely from ground level.
Heavy black streaking needs a different dwell time from general green growth, so two similar-sized houses can quote differently.
What a good render-cleaning quotation should set out
- That the elevation will be soft washed at low pressure, not pressure washed
- Which elevations are included and how each will be accessed safely
- What protection is planned for glazing, vents, lighting and planting below
- Any condition issues seen on the render, such as cracking or previous repairs
- Public liability insurance cover and a written scope and price
- Before and after photographs of the work
Surface care
Render-care considerations
- Render is soft washed, not pressure washed: pressure drives water into the substrate and can blow or erode a thin-coat finish.
- Cracked, hollow or debonded render is a repair matter — cleaning can make it more visible rather than cause it.
- Aged, chalky or previously over-cleaned render is fragile, so it is treated with extra care or left alone.
- Efflorescence and salt bloom can reappear after cleaning; that is the masonry, not the clean.
- Rust runs, metallic staining and bitumen are not organic and are unlikely to respond to a soft-wash treatment.
How we reduce the risk
- A walk-round inspection before anything is switched on, so existing defects are noted and shown to you
- Method, pressure and nozzle selected for the substrate rather than a single setting used everywhere
- A small test area in a discreet spot where the surface is unusual, delicate or of unknown age
- Adjacent surfaces, planting, air bricks, vents and paintwork protected or avoided as appropriate
- Anything we find part-way through — a loose slab, a failed joint, a cracked tile — raised with you before we continue
Being straight with you
What cleaning cannot put right
- Cracked, hollow or debonded render
- Colour loss and chalking in an aged finish
- Damp and detailing faults behind the render
- Permanent iron, rust or bitumen staining
Keeping the result
- Fix overflowing gutters and leaking downpipes, which cause most recurring streaks
- Trim planting back from the wall so elevations dry after rain
- Clear leaf litter and standing debris through autumn — organic matter is what feeds regrowth
- Book a lighter maintenance visit before growth re-establishes rather than waiting for it to look bad again
Where a surface would genuinely benefit from protection once it is clean and dry, ask about exterior surface sealing.
Before we start
How we plan the job on the day
The right method for the surface, not simply more pressure. Before anything is switched on we look at what we are actually cleaning: the material, the contamination on it, the condition it is already in, and whether there is cracking or earlier repair work that needs treating carefully.
We also check the practical side. An outside tap is preferred so we do not have to run hoses through your home; where an indoor tap is needed, we agree a safe hose route, take the hose out carefully and keep the connection monitored and secure. The water flow affects how quickly our equipment or water tank refills. We look at where the water will travel, whether there is a suitable drain or gully, and whether anything is likely to pool. Access, nearby walls and render, planting and delicate areas are all noted so they can be protected or worked around.
If there is no outside tap, it helps to mention it when you enquire. It is easily worked around, but it is better known in advance than found on the morning.
Photographs and existing damage
A clear record of how we found it
We often photograph the area before we begin — cracking, hollow or patched areas, previous repairs and heavy organic growth. It gives an honest record of the property's condition, and it gives you a genuine before-and-after comparison once the work is finished.
If we find a defect, we would rather point it out than quietly clean over it. We will show you what we have found, adjust the method around the weaker area where that is sensible, and if continuing could do more harm than good we will stop and talk it through. Sometimes the right advice is to have another suitable tradesperson look at it first.
We would rather work carefully around a problem than knowingly make it worse.
What to expect
Realistic results from the surface you have
Cleaning can make a very large difference, but it cannot undo age. Weathering, worn surfaces, permanent staining, previous repairs and colour variation may still be visible afterwards. What we aim for is the best sensible improvement from the existing surface, and we will say so before we start if we think the result will be limited.
Render is normally treated rather than blasted, which is why organic growth is dealt with at the root. Read how soft washing works.
Questions & answers
Common render cleaning questions
No. Render is soft washed at low pressure. Force drives water into the substrate and can blow or erode a thin-coat finish, so the treatment and dwell time do the work and the elevation is then rinsed gently.
Recurring growth is usually about conditions rather than the clean. Shade, moisture, nearby vegetation, poor drainage or water repeatedly reaching the wall from a gutter, downpipe or sill will all keep an elevation damp, and damp render greens over again.
A streak normally follows a fault: an overflowing gutter, a leaking downpipe joint, a blocked hopper or a sill with no drip. Cleaning takes the mark off, but unless the cause is dealt with the water runs the same line again and the streak returns.
No. Cracked, hollow or debonded render is a repair matter. Cleaning can make it more visible rather than cause it, and we point out anything we notice on the elevation so you can have it looked at.
Send us photos and your location, or request a quotation. Images of each affected elevation and the access around the property let us give you a realistic answer.
It depends on how many elevations are involved, the height of the building, the access available and how much streaking there is as against general green growth. The guide ranges on this page show what most rendered homes in the Bolton area fall within; they are typical ranges rather than fixed prices, and the written quotation confirms the figure for your property.
Usually, yes. Silicone, acrylic, monocouche and traditional render are all soft washed at low pressure, with the treatment and dwell time doing the work. We check the finish first, because aged, chalky or previously over-cleaned render is fragile and is treated with extra care or left alone.
Where the render is sound and the problem is organic growth or streaking, cleaning is normally the sensible first step. Where it is cracked, hollow or debonded, that is a repair matter and cleaning will make it more visible rather than put it right. We tell you honestly which of the two we think you are looking at.
Yes. Commercial, multi-occupancy and managed properties are quoted per project, because access, height, working hours and the number of elevations vary so much between sites.
Why us
Why Refresh Revive?
White Glove Standard™
The same documented standard of workmanship and finish on every single visit.
Surface-Specific Cleaning Methods
Soft washing, pure water or controlled pressure — matched to the material, never guessed.
Before & After Photography
Every job recorded so you can see exactly what changed, including work at height.
Professional Equipment & Safe Chemistry
Commercial-grade equipment and correctly dosed products, applied by trained operatives.
Honest Advice with No Pressure Selling
If a treatment isn't right for your property, we tell you — and explain why.
10 Years of Industry Experience
A decade of hands-on industry experience brought to every assessment and clean.
Local service area
Render cleaning across Bolton and the surrounding area
Bolton is our base, and a large share of our render work is within a short drive of it. We clean rendered and thin-coat elevations in Harwood, Bromley Cross, Egerton, Bradshaw, Heaton, Lostock, Horwich, Westhoughton, Smithills and Blackrod, where shaded and north-facing walls, mature trees and exposed hillside weather tend to bring the green back first.
Local knowledge helps on render because the finishes vary street by street — newer silicone and monocouche estates behave differently from older sand-and-cement or previously painted walls, and each needs a different dwell time and rinse. We also cover the wider North West, so if you are just outside those towns, ask and we will tell you honestly whether we can schedule it sensibly.
Choosing a contractor
How do I compare render cleaning companies in Bolton?
There is no official register for exterior cleaning, so it is worth comparing contractors on method and paperwork rather than on price alone. These are the questions that separate a considered quotation from a guess.
- Ask what method they will use on render. Low-pressure soft washing is the normal approach; anyone proposing to blast render at high pressure is taking a risk with the coating.
- Ask whether they inspect for cracks, hollow sections, failed coatings and previous repairs before starting, and what happens if they find them.
- Ask for the quotation in writing, itemised, with the elevations and access arrangements set out.
- Ask for evidence of public liability insurance and the cover level.
- Ask how planting, windows, doors and drainage are protected, and how run-off is controlled.
- Ask what result is realistic for your wall. An honest answer will describe the sensible improvement achievable rather than promising a perfect finish.
What Refresh Revive provides
- Render is cleaned by low-pressure soft washing, chosen for the surface rather than defaulting to more pressure.
- The wall is assessed for cracks, loose render, failed coatings and previous repairs before work starts, and findings are reported with photographs.
- Free written quotations, confirmed before any work is booked.
- £5 million insurance cover and 10 years of industry experience.
- Based in Bolton, covering Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Lancashire and the wider North West.
Where we work
Render cleaning from our Bolton, Greater Manchester base
We cover Cheshire, Lancashire, Greater Manchester and the wider North West for homes and commercial premises of every type, with much of our multi-service work in the premium Cheshire and south Manchester areas below. Check the towns we cover or ask if you are just outside them.
We have written up how this work is planned in one area in particular — render cleaning in wilmslow.
From the journal
Streaking or green cast on your walls?
Our guide explains why rendered and thin-coat elevations discolour in the North West, and what should be checked before any cleaning starts. Read why rendered walls go green.
Maintenance guide
Black Staining on Rendered Walls: Causes and How It Is Cleaned
Why rendered walls go black or green, why pressure alone is usually the wrong answer on render, how low-pressure soft washing works, and where cleaning cannot help. Read about black staining on rendered walls.
Related work
Often booked at the same visit
Driveway cleaning
Block paving, Indian sandstone, porcelain, concrete and tarmac restored with rotary surface cleaning and hand-lanced detail.
Read more →Patio cleaning
Patios brought back to their original colour, with jointing and planting protected throughout the clean.
Read more →Roof cleaning & moss removal
Moss removed from tiles and slate by hand, then soft washed with an appropriate treatment or soft-wash treatment. No high pressure is used on your roof covering.
Read more →Soft washing
Low-pressure soft washing for rendered and painted elevations — algae, lichen and black streaking treated at the root. For render and walls, not roofs; roof moss removal is a separate service.
Read more →Gutter clearing
Gutter cleaning and clearing: gutters and downpipes cleared by high-reach vacuum, with camera evidence of every run before and after.
Read more →Gutter, fascia & soffit cleaning
UPVC gutter faces, fascias and soffits washed down using pure water and soft brush heads.
Read more →Pure Water Window Cleaning
Professional exterior window cleaning using a purified-water reach-and-wash system for a clear, streak-free finish across glass, frames and sills. Safe high-reach cleaning from ground level, with no harsh detergents and no ladders resting against the property.
Read more →Stone & paving cleaning
Natural stone, flagging, York stone, limestone and porcelain cleaned with the care each material needs.
Read more →Conservatory cleaning
Conservatory roofs, frames, finials and box gutters cleaned so the light comes back into the room.
Read more →Decking cleaning
Timber and composite decking cleaned at the right pressure to lift algae without furring the grain.
Read more →Wall & brick cleaning
Brickwork, stone walls and boundary walls cleaned of algae, staining and atmospheric grime.
Read more →Pressure washing
Controlled high-pressure cleaning for hard surfaces that can take it — paths, steps, yards, forecourts and walls.
Read more →Swimming Pool Surround Cleaning
Pool surrounds, coping and surrounding paving cleaned and de-slimed. This service covers the surround only — not pool water, liners, filtration or internal pool systems.
Read more →Commercial exterior cleaning
Car parks, forecourts, cladding, signage and shopfronts cleaned out of hours, with RAMS supplied on request.
Read more →Quotation journey
How quotations work
- 01
Choose how to enquire
Use the Get a Free Quote journey or the Send Photos on WhatsApp option.
- 02
Share useful details
Describe the surface, condition, access and the work required. Photos can help show the area.
- 03
Confirm the scope
The suitable approach and your quotation are based on the information available and the work required.
The final quotation can depend on size, surface, condition, access, treatment required, complexity and additional services.
Next step
Get a free quote for render cleaning
Send us a few clear photographs, your location, the surface or area you want cleaned and a short description of the problem. We normally respond within one working day with the method we would use and the price. Where a job needs a closer look, we say so rather than guess.
Prefer email? Send your photographs and details to info@refreshrevivecleaning.co.uk or call 07549 064190.