Surface Contamination
What's actually on the surface determines how it comes off. These pages explain each problem, why it appears, what it does if left — and what to realistically expect from cleaning.
Diagnose before you clean
A surprising number of cleaning jobs go wrong because the problem was misidentified before anyone started. White bloom on a wall might be harmless efflorescence or it might be lime run pointing at water getting into the structure. A green wall might just need cleaning, or there might be a gutter leaking above it. A rust stain treated without dealing with the corroding fixing will simply come back.
So we identify what we're looking at, work out what's causing it, then match the cleaning system to both the contaminant and the surface it's sitting on.
Graffiti
Aerosol, marker, paint and etching — all different problems with different solutions. What determines the outcome isn't the tag, it's the surface it's on and how long it's been there.
Read moreMoss, Algae & Lichen
The North West's most common surface problem by a wide margin. Green walls, slippery paths and black lichen spotting — all caused by moisture, and all likely to return unless the water source is dealt with.
Read moreChewing Gum
Thousands of black discs across every town centre pavement. Gum is the contaminant people stop seeing until it's gone — and steam removes it without a drop of chemistry.
Read moreFly-Posting & Stickers
Posters, stickers and the adhesive they leave behind. The paper is the easy part — cured adhesive and torn layers from a cold scrape are what makes it a job.
Read morePaint
Spills, splashes, paint attacks and unwanted historic coatings. Different from graffiti — usually thicker, often larger, and frequently on a surface that was never meant to be painted.
Read moreAtmospheric Pollution & Grime
The slow, even dirtying that makes a building look tired without anyone noticing when it happened. Traffic film, carbon and, on the region's older stone, a hard sulphation crust left over from the industrial era.
Read moreOil & Grease
Engine oil on parking bays, diesel in service yards, food grease outside kitchens. Oil soaks into porous surfaces rather than sitting on them — which is why jetting alone usually makes the stain bigger, not smaller.
Read moreBird Fouling
Pigeon and gull fouling on ledges, signage, walkways and entrances. It's acidic enough to damage stone and metal, it's a genuine health risk, and cleaning it needs proper controls rather than a hose.
Read moreRust Staining
Orange-brown runs bleeding down a wall from a railing, a fixing or an embedded cramp. The stain can be treated — but unless the corroding metal is dealt with, it comes straight back.
Read moreWhite Efflorescence
The white powdery bloom on new brickwork and paving. Usually harmless, often self-correcting — and very frequently confused with lime run, which is a different problem entirely.
Read moreCarbonate Staining & Lime Run
Hard white or grey crusts running from mortar joints, cracks and soffits. Unlike efflorescence it doesn't brush off and doesn't vanish when wet — and it always means water is getting somewhere it shouldn't.
Read moreNeed graffiti gone — fast?
Call 0161 399 5247 or request a free quote. We respond within one working hour.