Why is stained wood harder to wash than painted siding?
Stain soaks into the wood rather than sitting on top of it, so there is no paint film to protect the fibres. Hit it with high pressure and the soft summer growth between the grain lines is cut away, leaving a fuzzy, furred surface that looks worse than the mildew did.
On Rosemary Beach's dark-stained shingles, shutters and balconies we keep the pressure low and let a wood-safe cleaner do the work. The goal is to remove the grey film and the green in the shaded corners while leaving the stain colour intact.
How do you clean boardwalks, courtyards and pool areas?
The town's boardwalks and private walkways take constant foot traffic, sand and salt. We clean them with a surface cleaner held at an even height, following the boards, so there are no stripes or gouges. Any board that is already soft gets flagged rather than washed harder.
Stone and paver courtyards get a separate treatment. Soft stone is cleaned at moderate pressure and rinsed thoroughly so no cleaner is left in the joints. Pool decks are washed last, after the rest of the property, so nothing runs back onto them.
- Stained shingles, shutters and balconies — wood-safe cleaner, low pressure
- Boardwalks and wood walkways — surface cleaner along the grain
- Stone courtyards and pavers — moderate pressure, full rinse
- Carriage houses and garages — washed with the main house on the same visit
What should owners know before booking?
Rosemary Beach has a town architect and design standards. A plain wash leaves the look unchanged, but restaining or sealing does change it, so confirm those with the review process first.
Main house plus carriage house is usually a 4 to 6 hour visit. For rentals we work the changeover day, and for second homes we can schedule while you are away and send before-and-after photos.