Your Spring Exterior Cleaning Checklist

Spring exterior cleaning in the Portland area comes down to five jobs: clear the gutters, soft wash the moss off your roof, rinse the winter film off your siding, lift the moss and algae out of your concrete, and clean the deck before you seal it. Late March through June is the sweet spot, once the heaviest rain breaks.

Why spring cleaning hits differently in the Pacific Northwest

In most of the country, spring cleaning is about pollen and dust. Here it is about biology. Our wet, mild winters — months of drizzle with temperatures that rarely freeze hard — are close to perfect growing conditions for moss, algae and lichen. By March, north-facing roof slopes, shaded siding and any concrete sitting under a fir canopy have all picked up a living layer that keeps spreading unless something removes it.

That is the real argument for a spring clean. You are not just tidying up before the barbecues start — you are resetting the growth clock before summer sun bakes the staining in, and before next October’s rain restarts the whole cycle.

The checklist, in the order we’d actually do it

Work top down. Anything you clean below the roofline gets dirty again if the roof comes last.

• Roof. Look for moss clumps, especially on north slopes and anywhere branches hang overhead. A soft wash lifts moss and algae at the root without stripping shingle granules.
• Gutters and downspouts. Clear fir needles, moss chunks and shingle grit, then run water through to confirm the downspouts still carry it away from the foundation.
• Siding. A low-pressure house wash removes the grey-green winter film, cobwebs and the dirt band that builds up under the eaves.
• Trim, soffits and window frames. Mildew hides in the corners; catch it while the siding is being rinsed.
• Driveway, walkways and patio. Surface-clean the concrete to lift moss, algae and the winter slime that makes walkways genuinely slippery.
• Deck and fence. Clean first, then let the wood dry completely before sealing or staining. Sealing over damp wood traps the moisture inside.

Start with the roof — and keep the pressure off it

Moss is the one item on this list that costs real money if you ignore it. It holds water against the shingles, works under the edges and lifts them, and over a few seasons that turns into shortened roof life and leaks. Spring is a good time to handle it because the moss is still soft and saturated, which makes it release more easily.

Method matters more than timing, though. Pressure washing a composition roof blasts off the protective granules and can void a manufacturer warranty. Soft washing — low pressure plus a biodegradable cleaning solution — kills the growth at the root and lets the rain carry the residue off over the following weeks. If your roof looks rougher than you expected, our fall roof and gutter prep guide walks through the same warning signs from the other end of the year.

Gutters are not optional here

Douglas fir and cedar shed year-round, so Portland-metro gutters clog faster than the once-a-year rule most homeowners grew up with. Clear them in spring even if you did it in fall — winter storms drop a surprising volume of needle debris, and a gutter that overflows during a June downpour sends water straight down the siding and into the foundation.

Siding and concrete: the fastest curb-appeal wins

A house wash is the single biggest visual change most homes get in a day. That dull, chalky look on vinyl or painted lap siding is usually not faded paint at all — it is a thin film of algae and road grime that rinses right off. Concrete tells the same story: a driveway that looks permanently stained is often just moss and organic buildup sitting on the surface.

Two cautions worth repeating. Do not pressure wash vinyl siding at close range or angled upward, or you will drive water behind the panels. And on concrete, a surface-cleaner attachment gives an even finish — a hand-held wand leaves stripes you will notice every single time you pull into the driveway.

When to book in the Portland metro

Late March through June is the window most homeowners want, which makes it the busiest stretch of our year. A few scheduling notes:

• Roof soft washing can be done in light rain, so you do not have to wait for a dry week.
• Deck and fence work should have a few dry days behind it so the wood can dry before sealing.
• Listing your home? Book three to four weeks before photos so there is room to move around weather.

We cover the full Portland metro out to about 40 miles, including outlying towns like Canby, and we have cleaned more than 1,000 Pacific Northwest homes since 2015. If you are not sure what your house actually needs this spring, ask for a walkthrough — it is usually fewer items than people expect. Get a free instant quote and take 30% off your first service.