Domestic jet washing in Bristol and Bath
Jet washing is the right tool for a narrow set of surfaces and the wrong tool for most of the rest of a house. This page is about where it genuinely belongs, because the single most common exterior cleaning mistake in Bristol is a jet wash pointed at something that needed a soft wash.
Where jet washing is the correct method
- Concrete block paving — with a rotary surface cleaner at a controlled height, never a wand at close range
- Poured concrete drives and hardstandings
- Dense stone paving such as Pennant sandstone flags
- Brick paviours in sound condition
- Garden walls in hard engineering brick, where the mortar is sound
Where it is not
Bath stone and other soft limestone. Painted render and painted masonry. K-Rend and silicone render. Pebbledash. Lime render and lime mortar. Roof tiles of any kind. Timber decking, unless you accept it will raise the grain. On all of those, the correct method is a soft wash — and the difference is not cosmetic, it is whether the surface survives.
Rotary head versus wand: the whole difference
A rotary surface cleaner runs at a fixed height and cleans evenly. A wand held close cuts. The striping people point at on their neighbour's driveway is a wand, every time. It is faster in the moment and it is why so many drives in Bristol look worse after cleaning than before.
What a proper driveway job includes
- Surface identified and the method confirmed before we start.
- Rotary clean at a controlled distance, worked in overlapping passes so the finish is even end to end.
- Slurry and waste removed off site to a licensed disposal route, not swept into your borders or the road gully.
- Joints re-sanded on block paving — cleaning takes the sand out, so putting it back is part of the job.
- Optional polymeric jointing and an aftercare biocide, both of which extend the interval before the next clean.
- Photo handover, and a 7-day rework window.
Cost
Driveway and patio cleaning starts from £180. Area, surface, condition and access set the final figure. What driveway cleaning costs in Bristol · All prices.
Frequently asked questions
Will jet washing damage my drive?
Not with a rotary head at a controlled distance on a sound surface. It will with a wand held close, and it will on any surface that should have been soft washed instead.
Do you re-sand afterwards?
Yes, on block paving, as standard. Kiln-dried sand is included; polymeric jointing is a priced upgrade and usually worth it.
Where does the dirty water go?
Off site, to a licensed disposal route. Not into your planting and not into the road gully.
Can you do the patio at the same time?
Yes, and it is cheaper as one visit than two. Tell us the surface type for the patio as well, because it is often different from the drive.
Related
Driveway & patio cleaning · Soft washing vs pressure washing · Hot washing · Prices