Cladding Cleaning

Keeping your building in top condition is not always an easy job. Issues such as pollution, graffiti and simple wear and tear can cause buildings to quickly appear shabby and uncared for and whether you are a private client or a business owner it is important to maintain good condition and appearance of your property.

Cladding is often a solution to improving the appearance of buildings, especially commercial properties, office blocks and flats. This does help protect the structure and improve the appearance but even this can become discoloured and damaged over time.

Cladding does not only have to be for exterior use. It is also often used for interior use such as in warehouses or offices and although interior cladding does not have such a tough time of it when compared to exterior cladding, it still requires cleaning and maintenance.  After all interior cladding is very noticeable and dirty wall and ceiling coverings will just make your premises look like a health risk!

Cladding does not have to just be for commercial properties either. Many new homes are protected by laminate cladding such as weather boarding which looks very stylish but not so good once it requires cleaning.

Once cladding becomes dirty and discoloured, it creates an unsightly appearance bringing your whole care and professionalism into question. If your residents, customers or your staff operates out of a dirty uncared for looking building, it does not say much for the quality of your company!

If you live in a house with dirty or discoloured cladding, you will bring the whole tone of the neighbourhood down!  And no matter how neat your garden or attractive your property, you cannot hide the fact that your home essentially looks shabby and dirty.

Cleaning the cladding is not a difficult job but it does require specialised equipment and training. So the best way to manage your cleaning requirements is to call in a professional commercial cladding company to clean on a regular basis so that your property always stays in good condition. In addition, regular cleaning will protect your cladding and maintain it for longer so that you don’t have to consider costly replacements.

Ways to clean commercial cladding

The best way to clean commercial cladding is with steam cleaning. Although pressure washing can be effective too, there is always a risk of causing damage to the surface. Cladding can be manufactured from various materials including wood laminates, so the best option is to go for steam cleaning as this is safe and effective for most materials.

Steam cleaning works in a similar way to a pressure cooker. The water is heated to boiling point and is then expelled via the nozzle or cleaning brush as pressurised steam. The vapour kills bacteria, dirt and grime and will even remove graffiti although this may require the use of additional chemicals too.

When you call in a commercial cladding cleaning company, the consultant will first test the materials of the cladding and will be able to suggest the solution that is right for you.

In some cases pressure cleaning is appropriate so this may be an option. In addition, you may find that the use of products is the best solution. With experience and all the necessary equipment, a commercial cleaning company will tailor the right course of cladding cleaning treatment for your needs.

Traffic film remover

Traffic film remover (TFR) is a product that is specifically designed to remove the layer of dust, grime and oil pollutants that often discolours cladding in busy built up areas. There are numerous products on the market but they tend to fall into two categories; wax safe and non wax safe.

A wax safe TFR removes all grime and pollutants but does not affect wax finishes.

A non wax safe TFR removes everything including wax.

TFR products are effective. They generally contain solvents and other chemicals so they do require care when handling or they could pose a risk to health.  Although you may have concerns about using solvents, these are the only chemicals that can remove traffic film effectively.

How to clean cladding yourself

If you are a homeowner you may wish to clean your own cladding but unless you live in a one story building or bungalow, there is an issue with operating the cleaning machinery at height.

A commercial cladding cleaning company will be able to clean your cladding from ground level by use of extendable water fed poles. This delivers the steam cleaning nozzle and brushes direct to your cladding without the need for erecting scaffolding or ladders.

If you are a business owner, looking to clean factory or office buildings, a commercial cladding cleaning company will be able to work from the ground inside and outside your building.  The level of reach will depend on the company you use but unless you are proposing to clean the cladding on a high rise building, much of this maintenance can be carried out at ground floor level.

A commercial cladding cleaning company can be used for other purposes.

You may want to just clean your cladding but if it is time for repainting the area, a commercial cladding cleaning company can help. As we all know the first step to painting is always preparation so cleaning your cladding before painting is a vital part of the process.

Pre paint spraying your cladding will ensure that once you come to painting it, results will be as best as possible so you won’t even need to think about this again for the next few years.

Call in a commercial cladding cleaning company

Whether you are a business owner or a home owner, if your property has cladding you do need to ensure that this is maintained. Calling in the services of a commercial cladding cleaning company will ensure that your property always looks as good as possible.  This vital maintenance is not just about cosmetic appeal. Regular cladding cleaning will help you keep costs down because you won’t have to pay out for costly replacement or repairs in the future.