What does a pressure washing business do?
A pressure washing business cleans outdoor surfaces with pressurized water, cleaning solutions or both: house siding, driveways, sidewalks, patios, decks, fences, roofs and storefronts. Residential work is the easiest place to start, because the jobs are small, the equipment is affordable and homeowners book every year or two.
Most new companies offer some mix of these services:
- House washing. Vinyl, fiber cement, stucco or brick siding, cleaned with low pressure and a cleaning solution, then rinsed.
- Flatwork. Driveways, sidewalks, patios and pool decks, cleaned with a rotary surface cleaner for an even finish without stripes.
- Decks and fences. Wood and composite, cleaned gently and often brightened so they are ready to stain or seal.
- Roof cleaning. Removing the black streaks caused by algae with a soft wash solution, not pressure.
- Commercial work. Storefronts, dumpster pads, drive-throughs and parking areas, often at night and on a recurring schedule.
Pressure washing or power washing?
People use the words interchangeably, and a power washing business does the same work as a pressure washing business. Some contractors use "power washing" for machines that heat the water, which helps with grease, oil and gum. Pick the term your local customers search for (check what competitors and your Google Business Profile categories use) and mention both on your website.
Is it a good business to start?
It can be. The work is visible (before and after photos sell it), startup costs are lower than most trades, and one person can run it. The trade-offs: the work is physical, much of it is seasonal in cold climates, and a careless operator can damage property, plants or waterways. The rest of this guide covers how to handle each of those.
How to start a power washing business, step by step
Choose your services, set up the business legally, insure it, buy the equipment, decide how you will handle wash water, set your prices and line up your first jobs. You can do all of it in a few weeks, and you can start with one machine and a pickup truck.
- Choose your first services. House washing and flatwork cover most residential demand. Leave roofs and commercial grease cleaning until you have practiced on easier jobs.
- Register the business. Pick a structure, register your name and get an EIN. Our guide to an LLC for a cleaning business walks through the structure decision, and it applies to exterior cleaning too.
- Check local licenses and permits. Most places only require a general business license, but some cities and states add contractor registration or rules for discharging wash water. The steps in our guide to cleaning business licenses show how to check with your city, county and state.
- Buy insurance before your first job. General liability at a minimum, plus commercial auto if you tow a trailer or carry equipment. Details below.
- Buy your equipment. Start lean, then upgrade once your schedule is full.
- Plan your wash water. Learn your city and state rules and buy drain covers or berms before you need them.
- Set prices and write a simple plan. Time practice jobs on your own home, a friend’s driveway or a family deck, then build your price list from those times.
- Get your first ten jobs. Photos, neighbors and referrals usually beat paid ads at the start.
For the parts every service business shares (bank account, bookkeeping, a first budget), our guide on how to start a cleaning business covers them in order.
What equipment do you need, and what does it cost?
You need a commercial-grade pressure washer (about 4 gallons per minute), a surface cleaner, enough hose to reach the back of a house, a soft wash setup for siding and roofs, chemicals and safety gear. A lean setup usually lands at a few thousand dollars before a vehicle. A trailer rig with a water tank costs far more and can wait.
Flow (GPM) matters more than pressure (PSI) for professional work: more water rinses faster, and most surfaces do not need maximum pressure. Prices below are rough 2026 retail ranges for new equipment, so check current dealer prices and consider good used gear.
| Item | What it is for | Rough cost |
|---|---|---|
| Gas pressure washer, about 4 GPM and 4,000 PSI, triplex pump | Flatwork, rinsing, most cleaning | About $1,200 to $2,000 from professional brands |
| Surface cleaner (16 to 20 inch) | Even, stripe-free concrete cleaning | A few hundred dollars |
| High-pressure hose (150 to 200 feet), garden hose, quick connects, nozzles | Reaching the whole property | A few hundred dollars |
| Soft wash pump, tank and reel, or a downstream injector to start | Applying solution to siding and roofs at low pressure | Under $100 for an injector, several hundred dollars or more for a pump setup |
| Chemicals: sodium hypochlorite, surfactant, degreaser, wood brightener | Siding, roofs, oil stains, decks | A recurring cost, usually built into each job price |
| Ladder, extension wand, drain covers or berms, a wet vac or recovery unit | Reach, plus wash water control | A few hundred dollars and up |
| Safety gear: eye protection, chemical-resistant gloves, boots, respirator for chemicals | Protecting you and your crew | Under $200 per person |
Two ways to start
- Lean start. One gas unit, a surface cleaner, hoses, an injector or small pump, chemicals and safety gear in a pickup bed or a small utility trailer. This is enough for most houses and driveways.
- Full rig. A trailer with a water tank, hose reels, a larger soft wash system and possibly a hot water unit. Buy it when the lean setup is limiting how many jobs you can finish, not before.
Add your first year of insurance, registration fees, a basic website and printed marketing to get your real startup budget. The cleaning business profit calculator helps you see how many jobs a month cover those costs.
Pressure washing vs soft washing: which surfaces get which?
Use pressure on hard surfaces like concrete and use soft washing (low pressure plus a cleaning solution) on siding, roofs and anything that can be dented, etched or stripped. Many operators run a soft wash business inside their pressure washing company, because house and roof washes are some of the best-paying residential jobs.
| Surface | Usual method | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete driveways, sidewalks, patios | Pressure with a surface cleaner, pre-treat and post-treat as needed | Stripes from a wand, etching from too close a nozzle |
| Vinyl, fiber cement and painted siding | Soft wash, then a gentle rinse | Water forced behind siding, peeling old paint, oxidation that wipes off chalky |
| Asphalt shingle roofs | Soft wash only | Damaged granules, slippery footing, runoff onto plants |
| Wood decks and fences | Low pressure with a fan tip, cleaner and brightener | Raised grain and furring from too much pressure |
| Brick and stone | Low to moderate pressure, or soft wash | Loose mortar and older, softer brick |
Why roofs are soft washed
The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association’s guidance on algae discoloration is blunt: do not use a power washer, brush or broom on the roof. It describes lightening the stains with a solution of household bleach (sodium hypochlorite) and water, leaving it on for 15 to 20 minutes, then rinsing gently, and it notes that mixing directions vary by shingle manufacturer. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for the roof you are cleaning.
Soft washing safely
- Wet down plants and lawns before you spray and rinse them again after, and cover delicate plants.
- Never mix bleach with acids or ammonia-based products, because the mixtures release toxic gases.
- Read each product’s label and safety data sheet, and wear eye protection and chemical-resistant gloves.
- Close windows, cover outlets and light fixtures, and move cars, cushions and toys out of the overspray zone.
- Stay off wet roofs. Treated shingles are slippery, so work from a ladder or the ground with the right equipment whenever you can.
How much to charge for pressure washing
Charge by the job, built from how long it takes you, what you pay in labor, chemicals and fuel, your overhead and a profit margin, with a minimum charge for every visit. Prices vary a lot by region, so use your own timed jobs rather than a number from another market.
Pick a unit for each service
| Service | Common pricing unit | What adds time |
|---|---|---|
| House wash | Flat price by size and number of stories | Heavy mildew, third story, tight landscaping, oxidation |
| Driveways and patios | Per square foot | Oil stains, rust, pavers with joint sand, slope |
| Decks and fences | Per square foot or per linear foot | Brightening, railings, stairs, stain prep |
| Roofs | Per roof square (100 square feet) or flat by size | Pitch, height, heavy growth, access |
A worked example (hypothetical numbers)
Say a two-story house wash takes a two-person crew 3 hours each, including setup and cleanup.
- Labor: 6 hours at $22 an hour = $132
- Chemicals and surfactant: $25
- Fuel for the machine and the drive: $20
- Direct cost: $177
If you want 25% of each price to cover overhead (insurance, equipment wear, marketing, phone, software) and 20% to be profit, the direct cost has to be 55% of the price. $177 divided by 0.55 is about $322, so you would quote $325. If the house has about 2,000 square feet of siding, that works out to roughly 16 cents a square foot, a number you can reuse for similar homes once you have timed a few.
Set a minimum and sell bundles
- Minimum charge. Loading, driving and setting up take the same time for a small patio as for a big driveway. A minimum keeps small jobs worth doing.
- Bundles. House wash plus driveway plus walkway in one visit saves you a second setup, so you can offer a package price and still earn more per hour.
- Recurring plans. Annual house washes and twice-yearly storefront cleaning smooth out your calendar.
Put every quote in writing with the surfaces, square footage and what is not included. A cleaning estimate template works for exterior jobs too.
Pressure washing business insurance: what you need and what it costs
Start with general liability, add commercial auto if you use a vehicle or trailer for the business, and add workers’ compensation when you hire employees (most states require it). Pressure washing companies paid an average of $73 a month for general liability through Insureon.
These are average premiums for pressure washing businesses that bought through Insureon, from its pressure washing insurance cost page:
| Policy | Average per month | Average per year |
|---|---|---|
| General liability | $73 | $879 |
| Business owner’s policy (BOP) | $142 | $1,699 |
| Workers’ compensation | $147 | $1,761 |
| Commercial auto | $262 | $3,143 |
| Commercial umbrella | $76 | $906 |
| Janitorial bond | $9 | $112 |
Your own price depends on your state, payroll, claims history, limits and the work you do. Before you buy, ask the agent these questions:
- Does the policy cover damage from chemicals and overspray, such as dead plants or spotted car paint?
- Does it cover water that gets into a home through a window, vent or siding?
- Are roof work or jobs above a certain height excluded?
- Is there a care, custody or control exclusion for property you are handling?
- Is my equipment covered on the trailer and at job sites?
Our cleaning business insurance guide explains each policy in more depth. This is general information, so confirm coverage with a licensed agent.
Where can your wash water go?
Not into the storm drain. Wash water picks up dirt, oil, metals and detergent, and storm drains usually carry it straight to creeks and lakes without treatment. Under the Clean Water Act and state and local rules, you generally have to block it, collect it, send it to a sanitary sewer with permission, or let clean water soak into the ground where that is allowed.
Ohio EPA’s fact sheet on mobile power washing is a clear example of how states treat it. It calls power washing wastewater industrial wastewater, says you cannot discharge it into storm drains, and says that using biodegradable soap does not change that. Its options include getting permission from the local treatment plant to discharge to a sanitary sewer, or collecting the water and arranging disposal. Rules differ by state and city, so call your city’s stormwater or public works office before your first job.
What this looks like on a job
- Find every storm drain near the work area before you start, and cover or block it.
- Sweep loose debris first so less of it ends up in the water.
- Use berms or booms to steer water toward a collection point, then pick it up with a wet vac or recovery unit.
- Ask the property owner about a utility sink or floor drain connected to the sanitary sewer, and get permission from the local sewer authority.
- Treat oil stains and commercial grease jobs as the strictest cases: collect that water every time.
Doing this well is also a selling point. Commercial clients and HOAs ask about it, and few small competitors can answer.
A one-page pressure washing business plan
A pressure washing business plan can fit on one page: your services, your prices, your monthly costs, how many jobs you need to break even and where those jobs will come from. The math matters more than the format.
- Services and area. List what you will offer this season and the towns you will drive to.
- Average job. Estimate your average ticket from your price list. A house wash plus a driveway is a common residential job.
- Monthly fixed costs. Insurance, vehicle and equipment payments, phone, software, marketing.
- Break-even jobs. Divide monthly fixed costs by the profit left over from an average job after its direct costs.
- Season plan. Count the months you can work outdoors. In cold climates, plan a heavy spring and fall, and decide what you will do in winter.
- Marketing plan. Which three channels you will use first and how many quotes a week you need.
A quick break-even example (hypothetical)
If your fixed costs are $900 a month and an average $350 job leaves $160 after labor, chemicals and fuel, you need about 6 jobs a month to break even. Everything after that is paying you. If you want $5,000 a month on top of that, you need about 31 more jobs, roughly 7 or 8 a week in season.
For a fuller plan with financials, the free business plan template works for exterior cleaning companies as well.
How to find your first pressure washing clients
Pressure washing sells on before and after photos, so show your work everywhere: on your Google Business Profile, on neighborhood social media and on the street where you just finished a job. Then ask every happy client for a review and a referral.
- Google Business Profile. Free to set up. Add photos from every job, list each service and the towns you serve, and ask for reviews.
- Door hangers around each job. Neighbors see a clean driveway next to their dirty one. Leave a hanger on nearby doors with a photo and a limited-time price for the same street. The flyer template is a quick start.
- Realtors and property managers. Listings, move-outs and rental turnovers all need curb appeal fast.
- HOAs and small businesses. Common-area sidewalks, entrance signs, storefronts and dumpster pads can become recurring contracts.
- House cleaners and other trades. Cleaning companies, painters, landscapers and window cleaners hear clients ask for exterior work. Trade referrals.
- Reminders. Text last year’s clients when the season starts. Repeat work costs nothing to win.
For more channels, scripts and a plan by week, see how to get clients for a cleaning business.
As you grow, simple scheduling and invoicing software keeps quotes, recurring reminders and payments in one place. BroomBook is built for residential cleaning businesses; if you run house cleaning alongside exterior work, you can compare plans on the pricing page.