Beyond improving your property to make it stand out, the cladding on your or any commercial building does more than just deliver good looks – it protects it from weather, pollution, and the general buildup of dirt. In the South West, there are plenty of environmental and industrial conditions that can all accelerate dirt buildup and material degradation, making regular cladding cleaning essential.

Professional cladding cleaning is vital to maintaining your building’s good looks – and its functionality and value – throughout the year. But how often should you be scheduling your cleaning? Every six months would be the average, but your schedule will depend on the building type, its location, and its cladding materials to help make sure your cladding stays in top condition while avoiding unnecessary costs.

Why regular cladding cleaning matters

Cladding cleaning isn’t just for the sake of looking good – it’s essential for protecting your building and preventing any long-term damage. In the South West, especially in Cornwall and Devon, commercial buildings can face coastal moisture, pollution buildup, and biological growth. Without regular professional cleaning services, your cladding can quickly take a turn for the worse, which could bring costly repairs and reduced lifespan. If you’ve noticed visible signs your cladding may need attention, it might be time to schedule a professional clean.

Cladding is your building’s first line of defence against the elements. Without regular or scheduled cleaning, it might not give the protection your building needs. A lack of cladding cleaning can cause one or more issues, including:

Cladding staining or discolouration
Algae, moss, mould, and other organic growth
Material rust or corrosion
Water ingress leading to structural damage
Reduced lifespan of the cladding system

By investing in regular cladding cleaning services, as a property owner, you can protect your building, extend the life of materials, and avoid expensive repairs.

How often should you get your commercial cladding professionally cleaned?

Every property is different, but settling on the right cladding cleaning frequency will depend on a mix of the building’s location, use, and cladding material, including metal and commercial cladding, painted or unpainted render, and brick, stone, or concrete. Below are guidelines and recommendations for using professional cladding cleaning services for commercial buildings across the South West:

Coastal properties (every 6-12 Months)

Buildings in the coastal areas of Devon and Cornwall get exposed to salty sea air, direct salt spray, high humidity, and strong winds. The salt in all this will cause corrosion on metal cladding and can stain composite or uPVC cladding finishes. Damp coastal conditions can also encourage algae, lichen, and mould growth, which can spread if not controlled.

You should schedule professional cladding cleaning every 6 months for buildings within a mile of the coastline, and at least once a year for properties further inland. This regularity will prevent salt build-up, protect coatings, and keep façades looking clean and professional.

Urban properties (every 12 months)

In larger cities like Plymouth, Exeter, and Truro, traffic pollution, industrial contaminants, and general dirt and grime buildup are the main culprits. Dark streaks, staining, and residue will often cling to metal, composite, and glass-panelled façades, making it look like the cladding and the whole building aren’t looked after.

A full clean once a year is usually enough to fix these issues and prevent pollutants from bonding to the surface. But high-visibility, premium properties, like shopping centres or office blocks, would benefit from having a twice-yearly clean to keep the building looking sharp.

Rural properties (every 12-18 months)

Inland buildings across mid-Cornwall, Devon, and Somerset are less affected by pollution but face more challenges in other areas. Moss and algae growth, leaves, debris, and other biological and organic buildup can all trap moisture against the cladding, damaging seals and joints if left untreated. Bird droppings can also cause damage.

A regular schedule of cladding cleaning every 12-18 months for most rural commercial properties is OK. In areas with heavy tree coverage or where bird activity is high, a shorter cycle or seasonal spot cleans will help preserve your building’s façade.

Industrial properties (every 3-6 months)

It’s not just the effects of bad weather that can cause problems. Industrial factories, warehouses, and production sites can get dust, extractor residues, and heavy vehicle traffic pollution buildup, causing surface contamination and safety risks. In food production sites, pests are also attracted to dirty cladding, which can affect health and hygiene standards.

Schedule a quarterly or bi-annual clean every 3-6 months, depending on how quickly any of these issues build up. A regular schedule will protect the cladding and help meet compliance requirements for hygiene, health, and safety.

Choosing the right cladding cleaning services

Professional cladding cleaning definitely isn’t a one-size-fits-all service for every building. With the comprehensive range of cladding and façade cleaning services available from Prestige Professional, our team will start by carrying out a complete site assessment. This process takes into account factors like the height of your building, cladding material sensitivity, and environmental exposure – all to understand the most effective method and equipment for cleaning your building.

Soft washing for standard or delicate surfaces

Soft washing is a mild yet highly effective cleaning method that uses low-pressure water spray mixed with specialised cleaning fluids to remove algae, dirt, and any biological growth. It’s ideal for almost all surfaces, including rendered, painted, or older cladding (that could be damaged by high-pressure washing), as well as metal, aluminium, and timber cladding.

Power washing for tough surfaces

Power washing (pressure washing) is different and uses high or ultra-high pressure water to remove stubborn grime, graffiti, and stains from concrete areas or maritime ship holds, without any chemicals. It delivers instant results, but it’s usually only used on durable industrial surfaces that can handle it and where damage isn’t an issue.

At Prestige Professional, we only use high or ultra-high pressure power washing on surfaces that can really handle it, reserving either soft washing or DOFF steam cleaning (or a mix of both) for all other cladding materials.

High-level access

Many commercial and retail buildings in the South West are multi-storey and have cladding in hard-to-reach areas. Experienced technicians like our team at Prestige Professional use mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs), truck-mounted cherry pickers, and specialist access decks to ensure all areas are thoroughly cleaned without compromising safety, whatever the building height.

Protect your building with cladding cleaning from Prestige Professional

It’s easy to overlook or put off any cladding cleaning at first, but small issues can easily escalate into big repairs with high costs. Whether you’re a commercial or industrial property owner or facilities manager across Devon, Cornwall, and the South West, your building will definitely benefit from a regular cleaning schedule best-suited to your cladding material.

Whether you have a coastal hotel in Cornwall, a commercial site in Devon, or a shopping centre in Bristol, all cladding cleaning services from Prestige Professional are customised to your environment and materials.

Looking for expert cladding cleaning services in the South West? Contact us today to arrange a site assessment to keep your building looking its best and protect it from long-term damage. For more information on all our cleaning services, contact the team today, or call 01752 424873 or email info@prestigeprofessional.co.uk.