Power washing in Struthers, Ohio.

Struthers homes sit close together on smaller lots, which shapes the whole job. There is less room to stage, less room for overspray, and often a shared driveway or a neighbor’s car within arm’s reach of the wall we are washing. We work tight lots constantly and it is not a problem, it just requires shielding and a slower pace than an open acre.

The housing is older on average, a lot of it with painted wood, aluminum siding and concrete porches and steps. Aluminum in particular is worth mentioning: high pressure chalks and streaks it permanently, which is why we never bring pressure to it. A correct soft wash brings it back without touching the finish.

Concrete steps, walks and porches take the most obvious jump here. Decades of organic staining come off and the original color surprises people.

A typical Struthers job is a full house wash plus the porch, steps and walk, and the steps are usually where the biggest change shows. Decades of organic staining on concrete treads comes off completely, and the original color underneath surprises most homeowners.

Working here means working close. We stage off the street where we have to, keep hoses out of the shared drive, and shield anything of a neighbor’s that sits within reach of the spray. If a car needs to be moved we will knock rather than work around it and hope.

Seasonally, spring is when the shaded walls and the salt on the walks both become obvious, and late fall is the window for gutters. Roof work goes on any time there is a run of dry days, which in this part of the valley usually means late spring through October.

Older concrete deserves a word of warning. Some of the steps and walks in this town were poured decades ago and have scaling or spalling already underway, where the top surface flakes off in thin layers. Cleaning does not cause that, but it does reveal how far along it is. We will point it out before we start so nobody is surprised when a clean walk shows its age.