Low-pressure exterior cleaning for Dunwoody homes and businesses in DeKalb County
Dunwoody is a prosperous, well-established city in northern DeKalb County, known for its premier public schools, extensive park system, and some of the most valued residential real estate in the metro Atlanta market. The neighborhoods that make up Dunwoody — Dunwoody Club, Georgetown, Kingsley, Wynterhall, and Branches — were largely developed between the late 1960s and the early 1990s, producing a housing stock dominated by traditional two-story colonials, split-levels, and ranch homes with brick, wood, and early vinyl construction. These homes sit on mature, heavily wooded lots where the tree canopy that makes Dunwoody beautiful also accelerates the biological growth that soft washing addresses.
Rare Earth Ltd provides professional soft washing throughout Dunwoody and the surrounding northern DeKalb County communities. We apply professionally formulated biodegradable solutions at low pressure — eliminating algae, mold, mildew, and bacteria at the biological level — to produce results that protect your home's exterior and last significantly longer than pressure washing alone.
Dunwoody's defining aesthetic feature is its urban tree canopy. The city has invested in canopy preservation through its tree ordinance, and the result is that the vast majority of residential lots are shaded by mature hardwoods — oaks, hickories, sweetgums, and poplars that have been growing on these properties for 40 to 60 years. This canopy is an asset in every sense except one: it dramatically accelerates the biological growth that accumulates on exterior surfaces.
A shaded rooftop in Dunwoody receives far less UV radiation than an open rooftop, and ultraviolet light is the primary natural inhibitor of algae growth on shingle surfaces. Homes under heavy canopy develop Gloeocapsa magma black streaking on shingles within two to four years of installation or cleaning, compared to six to eight years on a well-exposed roof. The same principle applies to siding: north-facing elevations and walls in shade develop visible green algae within a single humid summer season.
Additionally, Dunwoody's abundant tree cover deposits significant organic matter — leaves, pollen, seed pods, and broken-down bark — on rooftops and in gutters year-round. This organic material provides a nutrient base for mold and algae growth, compounding the problem. Soft washing eliminates both the existing organisms and the biofilm that feeds future growth, delivering cleaner results that last longer on Dunwoody's shaded properties.
Soft washing is the cleaning method of choice for any exterior surface that cannot safely withstand high-pressure water impact. The process works in two stages:
Application: A low-pressure delivery system — operating at 40 to 200 PSI, similar to a residential garden hose — applies a biodegradable cleaning solution to the target surface. The solution contains surfactants that penetrate the biofilm protecting organic colonies, and antimicrobial compounds that destroy cellular membranes, killing organisms completely. Dwell time allows the chemistry to work through the depth of the growth layer.
Rinse: After the solution has completed its action, a low-pressure water rinse removes all dead organic material, solution residue, pollen, dirt, and environmental contamination from the surface. The rinse is thorough but gentle — there is no mechanical scrubbing or abrasive impact at any point in the process.
Dunwoody's well-established neighborhood associations maintain strict exterior appearance standards, and soft washing is frequently a required or recommended maintenance activity under HOA covenants. We work directly with HOA boards and property management companies to schedule community-wide soft washing programs at contracted rates. Our MBE/DBE certification from a DeKalb County base makes us an ideal partner for institutional and community contracts throughout the Dunwoody area.
Rare Earth Ltd is a minority-owned, MBE/DBE-certified property services company based in Stone Mountain, GA. Dunwoody is in our home service territory — we operate throughout northern DeKalb County daily. Our crews carry $2 million in general liability coverage and are trained in the surface-specific protocols required by Dunwoody's varied housing stock. We provide free estimates within 24 hours.
Serving all Dunwoody neighborhoods and DeKalb County.