Across the bayside and inner suburbs, the homes that need washing the most rarely look that way to the owner. South-facing rendered façades stay damp for weeks at a time through Melbourne’s cool, wet winters, and a slow film of mould creeps up from the foundations. Weatherboard cottages on tree-lined streets in Hampton and Sandringham collect cobwebs and algae faster than people realise, and homes in Brighton sit close enough to the bay that salt grime layers in alongside the organic growth. By the time a render home has gone three or four years without a wash, the buildup has worked its way into the render itself rather than sitting on top of it.
Mr Sparkle Window Cleaning is the Melbourne house washing team that doesn’t blast delicate exteriors with high pressure. We use a soft-wash approach: high water volume at low pressure, with a chemical treatment that breaks down mould, algae, and cobwebs at the source. The same industrial machine other contractors use to strip concrete is configured here for gentle work on weatherboard, render, brick, and metal cladding. We’re 95% residential, fence cleaning is typically included with the wash, and the process is built to clean the home while keeping paint, plants, and everything around it safe.
Most quotes go out within 30 minutes to an hour, and around 90% are completed remotely. Call us today on (03) 7073 2133 to get on the schedule.
House washing is priced per job, not per square metre or per hour. The final figure depends on the size of the home, the number of stories, the surface type, perimeter access, and how long it’s been since the last clean. Our typical house washing range is $800 – $1,200. Smaller single-storey homes with lighter buildup sit closer to the lower end. Larger or double-storey homes move toward the higher end, and heavily neglected render homes that need two or three treatment cycles fall higher again because of the added labour.
The factors that move pricing up or down:
To confirm the booking we take a 50% deposit online with no credit card fees. The balance is settled when the job’s finished. Pricing details for your specific home are available upon request, so call us on (03) 7073 2133 if you’d like a figure for your property.
Most house wash customers also have us clean the exterior windows on the same visit, because once the walls have been rinsed down the windows almost always need a final pass to clear water spotting and finish the look. To make the combination easy, we take $75 off when exterior window cleaning is added to a house wash. It’s offered as a natural addition rather than a hard upsell.
The quoting process itself is built for speed:
Current offers are confirmed at the time of quoting.
We wash every standard exterior found on Melbourne homes: weatherboard, render, brick, and metal cladding. Each surface gets a slightly different approach.
Weatherboard is generally the most straightforward exterior to clean. We use our standard soft-wash process: pre-rinse the surrounding vegetation, apply our SH-based detergent, allow it to dwell, then rinse the walls and eaves thoroughly. Weatherboard doesn’t hold mould and algae as deeply as porous surfaces, so a single soft-wash cycle is usually enough.
Render is the local equivalent of stucco, worth saying plainly because some homeowners aren’t sure of the term. The important point: render is more porous than weatherboard or brick, so mould and algae can embed deep into the surface. For a well-maintained render home, our standard cycle handles it. For one that’s been left for years, we may need to repeat the soap, dwell, and rinse process two or three times to lift the growth properly. We add chemistry, not pressure, until the surface is genuinely clean.
Brick exteriors fall into our standard soft-wash process: pre-rinse, apply detergent, dwell, rinse. Brick is durable and handles soft washing well. The main thing we look for is the mortar condition; if mortar is already loose or failing, we adjust the approach so the cleaning protects what’s there.
Metal cladding is the surface where our approach changes most. Sometimes a standard soft-wash cycle is enough; other times the cladding needs agitation, meaning physical brushing with a water-fed pole and a pure water rinse, similar to how we clean exterior windows. The pure water rinse helps avoid spotting on the metal. We adapt the method to the material rather than forcing one method to work on everything.
Fence cleaning is typically included as part of a house wash, not a separate paid add-on. Fences in Melbourne homes are often timber, brick, render, or the same material as the house, and they collect the same buildup as the rest of the exterior. Cleaning the fence as part of the wash keeps the property looking consistent from the street.
Some older Melbourne homes, including weatherboard cottages, period homes with original windows, and homes where seals have aged over time, may allow a small amount of water to enter during washing. Where that’s likely, we always flag it before we start and wash with extra care around vulnerable seals. We’d rather walk you through what to expect upfront than have anything come as a surprise.
A few items get covered, worked around carefully, or in rare cases declined:
We’d rather pause a job than risk something we can’t put right, and we’ll always explain what we’re doing and why.
Replying quickly is the bare minimum of respect for someone’s time. Most homeowners booking a house wash are juggling work, kids, and weekend planning, and the last thing they want is to chase a quote across three days. Our office handles inquiries quickly so you can move on with your day rather than waiting on a price.
Many homeowners ask for “pressure washing” because they don’t know there’s another option; they just want the home clean without paint damage. Soft washing solves that problem. The chemistry does the actual lifting, and the equipment is set up specifically to keep paint and delicate surfaces intact while organic growth comes off cleanly.
We use SH (sodium hypochlorite, also known as bleach) because it’s the industry-standard agent for breaking down mould, algae, and cobwebs on exterior surfaces. It’s the same chemistry exterior cleaners across the country rely on, used at the dilution and dwell time the surface actually needs.
Plants and landscaping get more attention than the home itself during a wash. Vegetation is rinsed before any chemical is applied, again partway through to dilute any drift, and once more after each section is finished. We come to your home to make things better, and the plant rinse routine is the foundation of that promise.
We tell homeowners upfront if their home is older and might have water intrusion through aged window seals. We pause a job if there’s unsealed stained timber that needs more protection than we can offer on the day. And we explain candidly what to expect when a render home has been left for a decade: two or three treatment cycles are likely, and what that means for time and cost. Most homeowners haven’t had a contractor bring up the realities before they bill for them, and it stands out.
We’re one of the most-reviewed and highly rated exterior cleaning companies in our area, with a consistent five-star rating. Every review came from a real Melbourne homeowner who got the result they were promised, and that’s the only way reputation actually gets built.
We carry public liability insurance up to $20 million as the backstop on every job. Combined with our walkthrough satisfaction process, free returns for missed spots, and money-back promise, you’re protected on multiple fronts before, during, and after the wash. The detail on each of these sits in the Guarantees section below.
Our process is built around two things: getting the exterior properly clean and protecting everything around it. The actual house wash works section by section, because chemical that dries on a surface before it can be rinsed leaves marks and uneven results.
During business hours we reply within one to five minutes, usually within one. We ask a short list of discovery questions, then review the property remotely using Google Earth, Street View, and real estate listing photos. Around 80% of Melbourne properties have listing photos available; for the rest we ask the homeowner to send a few photos, or come out in person free of charge. Most quotes are sent within 30 minutes to an hour.
Once you accept the quote, we lock in your preferred time and take a 50% deposit online with no credit card fees. You’ll receive a booking confirmation immediately, then a reminder 24 hours before service, which is also when we remind you to close the windows and keep pets inside on the day.
We arrive on time, park for direct access to the home, introduce ourselves, and confirm the scope of work. We give the standard reminders (windows closed, pets inside) and for older homes we explain upfront what to expect around aged window or door seals. Then we walk the perimeter to plan the strategy: which side to start, where access is tight, where vegetation needs extra care, and where any sensitive electricals need covering.
Our machine puts out around 30 litres per minute, so we connect hoses to the on-site water supply on arrival. The 200-litre truck tank wouldn’t last seven minutes on its own, which is why water access is required for every job. While the tank fills, we cover any sensitive exterior electricals with plastic and tape, then flag any unsealed stained timber that needs to be covered or worked around carefully. The wash starts only once everything around the home is properly protected.
Before any chemical touches the home, surrounding vegetation gets a thorough soak rinse. Then we apply our SH-based soft-wash detergent to the first two sides of the house, working two sides at a time so the chemical never dries before it’s rinsed. The detergent starts breaking down mould, algae, cobwebs, and exterior grime so a controlled rinse can lift it all cleanly.
The detergent dwells for 5 to 15 minutes depending on how dirty the home is. During the dwell, we go back through the vegetation with another rinse to dilute any drift onto plants. Once dwell time is up, we rinse the walls, eaves, and exterior surfaces very thoroughly. The rinse isn’t rushed; it’s where the actual cleaning happens.
Before we move to the next section, vegetation gets a third thorough rinse, the finishing pass for that area. Then we repeat the full cycle on the next two sides. For render homes that have been left for years, we may run additional cycles on the same section to lift growth that’s embedded deep into the porous surface.
We do our own walkthrough first, looking for inconsistent patches or missed spots, and fix anything we find on the spot. Then we walk you through. If you’re not home, we record a video walkthrough so you can review the result yourself. The day after or the week after, our office team gives you a “happy call” to confirm everything is to standard.
We don’t leave a house wash until you (or your video walkthrough) confirms you’re happy. If anything needs touching up before we go, we touch it up on the spot.
If you notice something after we’ve left, whether a missed area on the back wall or a corner of the eave that needs another pass, we come back and fix it free of charge. There’s no callout fee and no fine print.
In the rare case you’re genuinely unhappy with the service, we refund you. The whole business is built around getting the result right and keeping the relationship simple.
We carry public liability insurance up to $20 million as a quiet trust signal. Insurance is the backstop; careful preparation, plant protection, surface assessment, and pausing work where needed are what keep problems from happening in the first place.
A few honest boundaries every homeowner should know upfront:
We’d rather have these conversations upfront than at the end of a job. Specific guarantee terms are confirmed at the time of booking.
Our typical house washing range is $800 – $1,200. Final pricing depends on the size of the home, the number of stories, the surface type, accessibility around the perimeter, and how long it’s been since the home was last washed. Larger homes, double-storey homes, or heavily neglected render homes sit toward the higher end.
We don’t use traditional high pressure on house exteriors. We use soft washing: the same industrial machine configured for high water volume and low pressure, paired with a detergent that breaks down mould and algae. The chemistry does the lifting, not the pressure, so paint, render, weatherboard, and other delicate surfaces stay intact.
We use SH (sodium hypochlorite, also known as bleach), the industry-standard agent for breaking down mould, algae, and cobwebs on exterior surfaces. Dwell time runs 5 to 15 minutes depending on how dirty the home is, and we work two sides at a time so the chemical never dries on the surface.
We rinse vegetation thoroughly before any chemical is applied, again during dwell to dilute any drift, and once more after each section is finished. Three rinse passes per section, every job. Sensitive exterior electricals are also covered with plastic and tape before we start.
Most house washes take a few hours, depending on home size, number of stories, and condition. We work two sides of the home at a time and move section by section. Heavily neglected render homes can take longer because we may run two or three treatment cycles on the same section.
Yes. These are common. Render is porous, so mould and algae often embed deeply into the surface. We may need to repeat the soap, dwell, and rinse process two or three times on the same section to lift the growth properly. We add chemistry, not pressure.
Yes. Fence cleaning is typically included as part of a house wash, using the same soft-wash method on timber, brick, render, or metal fences. It keeps the property looking consistent from the street rather than leaving a dirty boundary fence next to clean walls.
Some older Melbourne homes have window or door seals that have aged over time, which can allow a small amount of water to enter during washing. We always flag this with the homeowner before we start and wash carefully around vulnerable seals.
Around 90% of our quotes are handled remotely using Google Earth, Google Street View, real estate listing photos, or photos you send through. You don’t need to be home for the wash either. If you’re out, we record a video walkthrough so you can review the result yourself, and if you spot anything afterwards we come back and fix it free of charge.
We do a walkthrough before leaving and fix anything that needs touching up on the spot. If you notice something after we’ve left, we come back free of charge. If for any reason you’re still not satisfied, we refund your deposit and make it right.
Whether you’re after a one-off house wash before family visits, a refresh before listing the home for sale, or a soft wash bundled with exterior window cleaning for a finished look, we can have a quote in your inbox within the hour.
You’re booking with a fully licensed and insured Melbourne team. Public liability cover up to $20 million sits behind every job, alongside a satisfaction-first walkthrough, free return visits for missed spots, and a money-back promise that backs the whole result.
Call us today on (03) 7073 2133 to get on the schedule. If you’d rather, you can request a quote through the website and we’ll be in touch within minutes during business hours.
