Hello! I’m Caleb Houvener, the proud owner and one of the operators of Washington Softwash. We are a licensed, bonded and insured roof and gutter cleaning company. At Washington Softwash, we prioritize trust and making sure our customers are fully satisfied. When you reach out, you will work directly with me.
I was born and raised in Snohomish County. I started my first roof cleaning company in 2017 in northern WA to support my family, following in the footsteps of my brother who owned a popular roof cleaning company and taught me the ropes. After receiving hundreds of 5-star reviews, I sold the company and moved on to other ventures. Eventually, I made my way back into the industry and started Washington Softwash! I now run this as a smaller, owner-operated business. In total, I have personally worked on or overseen the management of my previous teams in completing over 1,900 roofs. I love my business andbelieve that you will enjoy working with my trustworthy company. We look forward to serving you!
Roof cleaning not only enhances your home’s appearance but also prevents a host of problems. “Soft wash” roof cleaning is the industry standard for safely eliminating all contaminates without pressure, recommended by roofing manufacturers. Learn more by visiting our FAQ’s down below.
Cleaning your gutters stops overflow, erosion, corrosion, water backflow, ice dams, sagging gutters, and moisture damage. Regular gutter cleaning saves you from expensive repairs. We hand-scoop gutters and use an air blow to clear them, ensuring downspouts are clog-free; we disassemble or power clean if needed.
Routine siding cleaning shields your home from mold, mildew, and dirt buildup, preventing deterioration and loss of curb appeal. Our gentle methods remove grime without harming your siding, using eco-friendly detergents and low-pressure washing to keep your home in top shape with a spotless finish.
Simply using high pressure to clean your driveway causes etching and removes the top “cream coat” layer, as well as any sealants. We use a specially formulated solution paired with low pressure to gently kill and remove all contaminates from the surface, ensuring your driveway remains safe, and visually appealing.
We have a proven track record of providing the best service and experience on Yelp and Google.
We have cleaned 1700+ roofs. We use state of the art processes and have invested heavily into proper equipment.
We keep our prices very competitive and run efficiently; no on-site sales reps or receptionists to run up the costs.
No pressure washing, wire brushing, scraping or chemicals that will harm your roof or the environment.
To get a quote, you can click below, text us, or give us a call. We will reach out to you as soon as we can, usually within hours. We will view photos of your home and diagrams of the floorplan on the county assessors website and send you the quote from there.
Once you are ready to move forward with the quote, we will schedule you at our earliest availability, in accordance with your schedule. You are not required to be there at the time of service. Please have all windows shut, cars pulled away from the edges of the home, and one working water faucet.
We will seamlessly get the job done and send you an invoice within 24 hours of completing the job. Easily pay your bill online using the payment link included in the invoice email. We use the trusted and secure Quickbooks payment platform and do not charge card fees.
I can’t speak more highly of the customer service and experience with Caleb and the team! Scheduling was a breeze, tech showed up on time and job went smoothly! Give them a call!
Caleb’s work is top notch. Came in on time, educated me about softwash, and gave me a great price. Wouldn’t go with anyone else!
Incredible experience with these guys! Great to find a company as knowledgeable and professional as Wa Softwash. Caleb and the team do excellent work!
We service Snohomish, Skagit, and King Counties. Our technicians are trained professionals and ready to safely and effectively clean your roof and gutters!
We offer very fast and free online quotes. Once the quote is given, there are no hidden fees or upcharges. We do this by viewing the home layout and photos on the assessor website, helping keep our prices lower than in-person quoting companies. Whether you have a lot of moss or just a little, the cleaning process takes us roughly the same amount of time, which is why we can give exact quotes based on online imagery and information alone. We have quoted thousands of homes this way.
Because our overhead is low, our quotes typically save homeowners 20-30% versus other roof and gutter cleaners, while delivering equal or better results. We simply offer a good service at a good price and don’t inflate our prices.
We use the industry-standard roof cleaning method called “soft washing” which safely removes all contaminates, without using pressure. We brush the largest clumps of moss off of the roof before spraying a biodegradable solution onto the roof that kills all moss, algae, black streaks and other organic growth, leaving your roof perfectly clean after the killed growth weathers away within 2-6 months after the treatment (guaranteed). This is the recommended method by the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) and roofing manufacturers.
We recommend avoiding detailed brushing, scraping, and pressure washing methods, which removes excessive roofing sand/granules.
Yes, we are licensed, bonded, insured and registered. Our registration number is HOUVEEL762MT (L&I) and our UBI number is 604-129-285 (DOR).
We prefer checks or Venmo. We also accept cards, cash, WECU transfers, and money orders. There is no processing fee for paying with cards or bank accounts online. Bank bill-pay is not preferred as it can take 1-2 weeks for it to be delivered by the bank.
If you are not home at the time of service, we will send you an invoice within 24 hours of completing the job. You can easily pay your bill online using the payment link included in the invoice email. We use the trusted and secure Quickbooks payment platform and do not charge card fees.
No, it’s not necessary for you to be on-site at the time of service. Please close all windows, pull cars away from the edge of the home, and have one outdoor faucet working.
If you can see any moss/algae/black-streaks/mold on your roof, it’s time to get a softwash roof cleaning. These contaminates quickly build up and lead to shingle granule loss, roof leaks, increased heat absorption, and make a beautiful home look unsightly. Softwashing completely removes all of these contaminates (within 2-6 months; see “What roof cleaning methods do you use?”).
When quoting, we always take into account that up to half of the roof will not be as heavily infested as the other half, if at all. Homes often have one side of their roof in the sun, leading to less organic growth on that side. Regardless, we always spray all areas of the roof. We do not quote for partial roof cleanings and do not recommend it due to quick re-contamination, cost effectiveness, and for the fact that there is almost always more moss starting to grow on the roof than you can see from the ground.
If moss or algae is visibly growing, we recommend having it removed immediately to prevent further damage, moisture retention and moss rooting. There is no preferred season of the year for moss removal. We clean roofs every month of the year, rain or shine. The only time in which we need to reschedule a roof cleaning is when there is snow or heavy ice on the roof. If there is downpouring rain, we will do the majority leg-work of getting the roof and gutters prepared and return a different time for the quicker and final softwash solution-application portion.
If you have solar panels, we will clean the roof underneath of the perimeter of the panels. If you would like the panels cleaned as well, let us know when requesting a quote and we will include a line item for that.
Zinc products like zinc sulfate powder or zinc strips prevent moss by releasing zinc ions which are toxic to moss, disrupting its cellular process. Zinc powder works as a great preventative, but it has very hit-or-miss results for removing existing moss and it does a very poor job at removing algae/black staining. If you have existing moss, we recommend our softwash roof cleaning process, which includes spraying a different chemical that kills the moss immediately. Zinc powder is a cost efficient option for yearly moss prevention after roof cleaning, before any new moss is visible.
Zinc strips are a semi-permanent option for moss prevention, but it comes at a cost that far outweighs yearly powder application. For example, applying zinc powder may cost around $90 a year, while zinc strips could cost $600+ for labor and materials. More than this, it requires nails to be driven into the roof which can void your roof warranty and significantly increase opportunities for leaks. They also quickly lose their effectiveness as the metal corrodes in the weather. With all of that said – we can install them, but don’t recommend them!
Yes, our industry-standard process is safe for the environment. Our detailed roof cleaning process, “softwashing”, uses sodium hypochlorite which quickly breaks down into salt, water and oxygen as it comes into contact with organic matter and UV rays. The solution should be neutralized on the roof within 1-4 hours after application. If sodium hypochlorite reaches aquatic areas, it can reduce the amount of available oxygen for fish which is a concern; this is not a problem though due to it’s rapid half-life, dilution rates, and run-off rates. This is only a concern when roof-runoff goes directly into a pond, for example.
Zinc is a less environmentally friendly option for moss prevention as it can be toxic to fish at high concentrations.
All in all, roof cleaning is important for reducing the frequency of roof replacements, benefitting the environment, and we use the most gentle + effective + environmentally friendly method available to increase the longevity of your roof.
Yes, our process is safe for pets. Please keep your pets indoors during the cleaning, and for extra safety you could choose to keep them indoors the hours following the cleaning. We spray our solution in a controlled manner, rinse down surrounding areas and the solution (sodium hypochlorite) neutralizes within 1-4 hours. The only concern is getting solution sprayed in the eyes which won’t happen if you stay indoors during the cleaning and stay away from drip edges during the hours following the cleaning.
Typical Washington rain does not hinder our process. We heavily dilute our chemical with water, so if it’s raining, we simply increase the concentration. Results are 100% guaranteed. If it is a downpour, we will do the prep work (roof scrubbing and gutter cleaning) which takes a majority of the time and come back for the quicker and final solution-application portion at a later time or date. If there is ice or snow on the roof, we will schedule for a different date.
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Lic#: HOUVEEL762MT (L&I)