Look at roofs across Orlando and you will see the same thing: black streaks running down from the ridge, dark patches spreading across the shingles. Those streaks are not dirt and they are not age — they are a living algae called Gloeocapsa magma, and it thrives on Florida roofs. A roof soft wash removes it without the damage that high-pressure washing causes.
Here is the rule every homeowner should know: never let anyone pressure wash your shingle roof. High pressure strips the protective granules off asphalt shingles, shortens the roof's life, and can void the manufacturer's warranty. The industry-approved method is soft washing: a detergent applied at low pressure that kills the algae, followed by a gentle rinse.
What Those Black Streaks Actually Are
Gloeocapsa magma is a blue-green algae that feeds on the limestone filler used in modern asphalt shingles. It arrives as airborne spores, settles on the roof, and spreads into the dark streaks you see running down from the ridge line. The streaks almost always start on the north-facing slopes, which stay damp longer after rain, and spread from there.
The algae is more than ugly. The dark color absorbs extra heat, which makes your attic hotter and your air conditioner work harder — a real cost in Orlando summers. The algae also holds moisture against the shingle surface, which speeds up wear. Left alone for years, it gives way to lichen and moss, which lift shingle edges and create real damage.
How Roof Soft Washing Works
Roof soft washing uses the same principle as "house soft washing" — chemistry instead of pressure — with a mix tuned for roofs. The detergent is a sodium hypochlorite solution with a surfactant that helps it cling to the roof slope. It is applied at low pressure, around 100 PSI or less, from the ground with an extension wand or carefully from a ladder — nobody walks on your shingles unless the roof type allows it.
Dwell time on a roof is longer than on siding: 15 to 20 minutes, sometimes with a second application on heavy growth. The algae dies on contact and the streaks often visibly fade while the solution sits. Then comes a low-pressure rinse from the ridge down, washing everything toward the gutters. Plants and landscaping below the eaves get the same pre-wet and post-rinse protection as a house wash, since roof runoff carries detergent.
One thing to know: the roof may not look perfect the day we leave. Heavy lichen and deep staining sometimes take a few rain cycles to fully release after the growth is dead. The roof is clean — the remaining discoloration fades on its own. We will tell you what to expect based on what we see up there.
Shingle, Tile, and Metal Roofs
Soft washing works on all three common Orlando roof types, with adjustments for each. Asphalt shingles are the most common and the most delicate — low pressure only, always. The granules on shingles are the roof's UV shield, and anything that strips them shortens the roof's life. Soft washing removes the algae without touching the granules.
Tile roofs — barrel tile and flat concrete tile, common across Central Florida — handle a bit more pressure than shingles but still get the soft wash treatment. Walking on tile roofs cracks tiles, so the work is done from ladders and the ground with long wands. Cracked or slipped tiles get flagged during the inspection before we start. Metal roofs are the toughest of the three and clean up beautifully with a soft wash, though we take care around fasteners and seams.
HOA Roof-Cleanliness Rules in Orlando
Many Orlando-area HOAs have rules about roof appearance — and plenty of homeowners first learn about roof cleaning from a violation letter. Communities around Orlando commonly require roofs to be free of visible algae, mold, and streaking, with deadlines to fix it once cited.
If you got a letter, a roof soft wash is exactly what the HOA wants to see, and we can usually schedule quickly enough to meet the deadline. Tell us about the letter when you "request your quote" so we can prioritize your job. For more on how HOA rules work, see our "HOA pressure washing rules guide".
What Affects the Price of a Roof Wash
Roof cleaning is priced mainly by roof size and how bad the growth is. A small single-story ranch with light streaking is the fastest job. A large two-story with heavy algae on every slope, lichen colonies, and difficult access takes longer and uses more detergent. Steep roofs and roofs with limited ladder access add time because every section has to be reached safely from the ground or a ladder.
Roof type matters too. Tile roofs take more care than shingles because of the no-walking rule and the need to work around fragile tiles. Most homeowners bundle the roof wash with a house wash and "gutter brightening" — the crew is already set up with ladders and detergent, so bundling usually costs less than three separate visits.
As a rough range, cleaning a typical Orlando shingle roof often falls in the mid hundreds of dollars, with large, steep, or heavily stained roofs running higher. These are ranges for planning, not fixed prices. Our "Orlando cost guide" has more detail, and every job gets a free written quote before work begins.
Our Roof Cleaning Process
It starts with your "free quote request" — tell us your roof type, stories, and what you are seeing. We may ask for photos of the roof so we can price accurately. On the day, we inspect the roof from the ground and ladders, confirm the written price, and protect the landscaping below the eaves.
The detergent goes on slope by slope, working from the bottom of each section up so nothing dries out. After the dwell time, everything gets rinsed from the ridge down into the gutters, and we flush the gutters and downspouts so detergent does not sit in them. Plants get their final rinse, and we walk the property with you to review. Most roof washes take two to four hours. There is nothing you need to do to prepare — just make sure we can access the yard and an outdoor spigot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will soft washing damage my shingles?
No — soft washing is the method shingle manufacturers recommend. The pressure is about the same as a garden hose, and the detergent kills the algae without touching the protective granules. High-pressure washing is what damages shingles, which is why we never use it on a roof.
How long does a roof cleaning last?
In Orlando, most roofs stay clean for 2 to 4 years after a soft wash. The algae will eventually return — the spores are in the air everywhere in Florida — but killing the growth at the root buys you years, not months. Homes with heavy tree cover or north-facing slopes may need it sooner. See our "Florida washing frequency guide" for the full schedule.
Can you clean my roof if it has lichen or moss?
Yes. Lichen and moss die with the same treatment, though they take longer to release from the surface than simple algae streaks. The growth is dead after the wash; the remaining spots usually wash away over a few rain cycles. We will set expectations based on what your roof looks like.
Do you walk on the roof?
Not on shingle or tile roofs — walking risks cracking tiles and scuffing shingles, so we work from ladders and the ground with extension wands. The soft wash method is designed to work without anyone standing on the roof.
My HOA sent a violation letter about my roof. Can you help?
Yes — this is one of the most common reasons Orlando homeowners call us. Tell us about the deadline when you request your quote and we will schedule to meet it. A roof soft wash is exactly the fix HOAs want to see.
Will the detergent hurt my gutters or downspouts?
No. We flush the gutters and downspouts during the rinse so detergent does not sit in them. If your gutters have tiger striping on the outside, ask about adding "gutter brightening" — it is a natural add-on while we are up there.