New Home Exterior Cleaning Checklist

Start With a Walk-Around Inspection

Before scheduling any cleaning, walk the full exterior of the property and look at it with fresh eyes. The previous owners' maintenance habits are not always visible from listing photos, and a slow walk-around often reveals things a quick showing did not: staining on siding, algae on a north-facing wall, dark streaking on the roofline, moss in shaded corners, or grime built up in driveway control joints.

Pay particular attention to areas that are easy to overlook: behind shrubs close to the foundation, the shaded side of any fence, under deck railings, and the area right around gutter downspouts where water discharges onto the ground or a splash block. These spots often show the earliest signs of moisture problems or buildup that has been accumulating for a while.

Gutters First

Gutters are worth checking early because what is happening in them affects everything below. Clogged or overflowing gutters send water down the siding instead of through the downspout, which speeds up staining and mildew growth on the walls beneath them, and can contribute to moisture problems at the foundation over time.

If gutters have not been cleaned recently, or you cannot tell when they last were, that is a reasonable first item to address. Gutter cleaning also includes snap-on aluminum gutter guards if you want an added layer of protection against buildup going forward, particularly useful on a property with mature trees close to the roofline, which is common in established neighborhoods around Collierville, Germantown, and Cordova.

Then Siding

Once gutters are handled, siding is next, since it is the largest visible surface and the one most likely to show mold, mildew, and algae, especially on shaded or north-facing walls. Soft washing is the right method for siding, whether it is vinyl, painted wood, or fiber cement, since it cleans effectively without the risk of forcing water behind panels or stripping paint that comes with straight pressure washing.

While siding is being addressed, it makes sense to include trim, shutters, and soffits in the same visit, since they tend to build up the same mold and mildew as the siding around them and are already being worked on as part of the same wash.

Windows

Exterior window cleaning is a natural next step once siding is done, particularly if the previous owners had sprinklers hitting the windows or if there is visible hard water spotting or general grime on the glass. Catching hard water spots early, before they have had time to bake into the glass under sun exposure, gives a better result than waiting.

Driveway, Walkways, and Patio

Flatwork is usually last in the order, partly because it is the area most likely to get walked across or driven on during a move, and there is little point cleaning it early only to have it dirtied again by moving trucks and foot traffic. Driveways, walkways, patios, and pool decks all fall under the same general pricing at 12 cents per square foot, and this is often where new owners notice the biggest visual difference, since concrete tends to hold onto years of oil staining, algae, and general grime that a simple hose rinse never touches.

If the property has a fence, that is worth including in this pass as well, particularly the shaded side, which tends to show algae staining well before the sunnier side does.

Budgeting With the $149 Minimum in Mind

Every visit carries a $149 minimum, so it is worth thinking about which services genuinely need attention now versus which can wait, and whether grouping several smaller jobs into one visit makes more sense than spreading them out. A single small walkway alone might not clear much past the minimum on its own, but combining it with a driveway and a patio in the same visit gets more done for the same trip.

Because quotes are based on photos and are free, written, and valid for 30 days, a practical approach for a new homeowner is to photograph the areas you are considering, whether that is the whole exterior or just a couple of specific concerns, and get a full picture of cost before deciding what to prioritize first. There is no obligation tied to getting a quote, and having real numbers in hand makes it much easier to plan the first few months in a new home.