Power Washing & Pressure Washing
in Chicago’s North Shore
Minimum visit $150. Prices are published below.
Driveways, walkways, patios, decks, fences and concrete. The pressure is matched to the surface, and you never pay more than the written estimate.
Price Your Job
Enter what you want cleaned and you will see the price before you call. This is the same number our office quotes, not an estimate range.
Enter a square footage above to see your price.
- Surfaces$0
- Add ons$0
- Bundle discount$0
Heavy oil staining, rust, or years of built up algae can add 10 to 30 percent. If that applies we tell you before we start, not after.
Book Online Or email it insteadWhat It Costs
Most companies in this market will not put a number on a page. You get a free estimate and a callback. These are our published prices.
| Area | Price | Typical property |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 800 sq ft | $240 | Most single car and two car driveways |
| 801 to 1,200 sq ft | $310 | Two car driveway plus walkways and a patio path |
| 1,201 to 1,800 sq ft | $390 | Circular drive, or a three car apron |
| Over 1,800 sq ft | Quoted on site | Estate drives, courtyards, motor courts |
| Front walk or steps only, up to 150 sq ft | $150 | Our minimum visit |
| Square footage | 100 to 299 | 300 to 499 | 500 to 699 | 700+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No railings | $210 | $320 | $400 | $460 |
| Add railings | +$50 | +$90 | +$120 | +$140 |
Decks and patios over 1,200 sq ft are quoted on site.
You never pay more than the written estimate. The price we give you before the crew arrives is the price on the invoice. If we find something that changes the job, we stop and call you first. We do not adjust the number after the work is done.
Three Things That Move the Price
How long it has been
A driveway on a yearly schedule cleans in one pass. Eight years of embedded algae and oil takes pre treatment and two. Heavily neglected surfaces run 10 to 30 percent above the table.
Oil, rust and tannin
Rust from sprinkler water, tannin bleed under oaks, and old oil drips need a targeted chemical rather than more pressure. Spot treatment is priced by the stain, not the square foot.
Access
Beds planted tight to the surface, no outdoor spigot, or a courtyard the hose has to be walked through all add time. We need an outdoor spigot and, on long jobs, an outlet.
Bundle discount. Book power washing in the same visit as window cleaning or gutter cleaning and take $50 off the visit. One crew, one trip, one invoice.
Washing siding, brick or stucco instead? That is house washing, priced by stories and sides rather than square footage, from $295 for a one story home. See house washing and siding cleaning
What We Clean, and How
Nearly every power washing horror story comes from one of three mistakes. Too much pressure, the wrong chemical, or nothing covering the plants.
Concrete driveways and walkways
Surface cleaner attachment rather than a wand. That is what keeps the finish even instead of leaving the zebra striping you see on half the driveways in the neighborhood. Oil and rust get pre treated before the first pass.
Pavers, bluestone and natural stone
Lower pressure and a controlled angle so the joint sand stays where it belongs. If sand does get displaced we flag it before starting and re sand after. Reduced pressure and a stone safe cleaner. Bluestone will spall and flake if it is hit hard, and once the face lifts it does not come back.
Wood and composite decks
Low pressure with a deck safe solution and a consistent pass pattern. Too much pressure raises the grain and leaves the boards furry, which then has to be sanded. Trex, TimberTech and similar boards have a capped surface that gouges permanently and voids the warranty if it is hit hard.
Brick steps, porches and retaining walls
Pressure dialled down and kept off the mortar joints. A lot of North Shore housing stock is pre 1960 with soft lime mortar that a full pressure tip will cut straight out.
Fences
Wood, vinyl and aluminum, adjusted per material. Staining is a separate service. See fence cleaning and staining.
Garage floors and aprons
$90 added to a driveway done in the same visit. The garage has to be completely empty before we arrive. We do not move belongings out and we do not put them back, and a crew that arrives to a full garage cannot do the work.
Hot Water Pressure Washing
Most residential pressure washing around here is done with cold water. We run hot water equipment as well, and on the right surface it is the difference between a floor that looks better and a floor that looks clean.
Heat is what breaks the bond between grease and concrete. Cold water and a detergent lift what is sitting on top. Hot water goes after what has soaked in. On a garage floor with ten years of drips, an apron under a parked car, or a restaurant pad, that is the whole job.
It costs extra, and the price is confirmed before we schedule you. We do not add it to the invoice afterwards. If your surface does not need heat, we say so.
Where heat is worth paying for
- Garage floors and aprons with oil or tire marks
- Oil and grease stains anywhere on concrete
- Trash and dumpster enclosures
- Restaurant pads, drive throughs and loading docks
- Heavy tannin bleed under mature oaks
Where it is not
- Siding, brick and stucco
- Wood and composite decks
- Paver and bluestone patios
- A driveway with ordinary dirt and algae
What We Will Not Pressure Wash, and Why
This matters more than the list above. Getting talked into the wrong service is how people end up with a repair bill.
- Asphalt shingle roofsPressure strips the granules off the shingles and voids most manufacturer warranties. Roof algae and black streaking is treated with roof soft washing, not pressure.
- Cedar shake siding and cedar roofsSplits and fuzzes under pressure. Soft washed or hand treated only.
- Old or peeling painted woodPressure removes the paint along with the dirt and drives water into the substrate. If the paint is already failing, washing accelerates it. We tell you on site rather than take the job.
- Stucco and Dryvit or EIFSCracks and hairline gaps let pressurised water into the wall assembly. Low pressure soft washing only.
- Windows, screens and skylightsPressure blows out failed seals and forces water past weatherstripping. These are hand cleaned. See window cleaning.
Pressure washing or soft washing? Pressure washing is for the hard, horizontal surfaces you walk and drive on. Soft washing is for the things you live inside of. Siding, stucco, cedar shake and roofs are washed at low pressure with a solution that kills algae at the root.
If you are not sure which one your surface needs, send a photo. We would rather tell you it is the other service than damage something.
See the Difference
Drag each slider to compare. Real work on the North Shore.
A Recent Job, With the Actual Numbers
One job from this season, with the numbers.
Patio and sidewalks
| Surfaces | patio and sidewalks |
|---|---|
| Area washed | about 1,500 sq ft |
| Crew | Mike M |
| Price | $640 |
“Power washing was amazing. Our patio looks like it is brand new and the service man that did it was kind and efficient.”
How It Works
You get a price
Use the calculator above, text a photo, or call. A person picks up and gives you a number in minutes, not a callback window. Most jobs are priced without a site visit.
We confirm the date
Same day service is often available. You get a confirmation and a reminder, and we tell you the day before if rain is going to move it.
We protect, then wash
Beds tarped, plants rinsed, pressure set for the surface. You do not need to be home. We bring biodegradable detergents rated safe for lawns, beds and pets.
You look before you pay
Walk the work with the crew if you are home. The invoice matches the written estimate.
Fourteen days to tell us it is not right. If any surface we washed is not what you expected, call within 14 days and we come back and redo it at no charge. No forms, no argument, no partial credit.
What Our Customers Say
“Excellent work, well priced, they went above and beyond also offering power washing and removing an item in my backyard. Couldn’t recommend them enough.”
“We were very pleased with our power washing service from Sparkle. They came as scheduled and confirmed the appointment ahead of time. Everything looks like new!”
“Sparkle service went above and beyond cleaning my windows, gutters and power washing pavers, garage and other areas in my home. Ivan was very careful and polite when working indoors and left absolutely no dirt or debris upon completion of work. Highly recommend them!”
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does power washing cost in Northbrook and the North Shore?
A standard two car driveway runs $240. Larger driveways with walkways run $310 to $390. Decks and patios start at $210, plus $50 to $140 for railings. Our minimum visit is $150. House and siding washing is priced separately, from $295.
Will the final price change once you are here?
No. The written estimate is what you pay. We do not adjust the number after the work is finished.
Do you offer hot water pressure washing?
Yes, and it costs extra. We run hot water equipment for grease, oil and tannin. See where heat is worth paying for. The surcharge is confirmed with you before we schedule the job, never added afterwards.
Is power washing the same as pressure washing?
In everyday use, yes. The two words are used interchangeably and we answer to both. Strictly, power washing uses heated water and pressure washing uses unheated.
Will it damage my deck, pavers or landscaping?
Not when the pressure is matched to the surface and the beds are covered. Damage comes from one of three things. Too much pressure, the wrong chemical, or no protection on the plants. We tarp beds before starting, rinse plantings before and after, and use detergents rated safe for lawns and pets.
Can you get oil stains out of my driveway or garage floor?
Most of them, and it depends on age. Oil stain removal is priced as an add on, because it needs a targeted degreaser and usually a hot water pass rather than more pressure. Fresh oil comes up well. Oil that has been soaking into unsealed concrete for a decade has penetrated below the surface and will lighten rather than disappear. We tell you which one you have before we quote it, and the add on price is confirmed before we schedule you.
Do you re sand and seal pavers after washing?
If washing displaces joint sand, yes. We flag it before starting and re sand after. Sealing pavers holds the color, keeps weeds down, and makes the next wash easier. We pair it with polymeric re sanding, since the joints need to be locked before the sealer goes on. We do not seal poured concrete.
Polymeric sand and sealing are quoted separately.
Will you pressure wash my roof or my siding?
Not with pressure. Roofs are treated with low pressure roof soft washing, because pressure strips shingle granules and voids most warranties. Siding, stucco and cedar shake are cleaned with house washing.
How fast can I get a price?
Usually within a few minutes. A person answers the phone during business hours. You can also use the calculator on this page and have your number immediately.
When is the best time of year to power wash, and how often?
April through October. Detergents need surface temperatures above about 50 degrees to work properly, and concrete needs to dry to cure the result. Spring is the natural time on the North Shore because road salt and winter grime come off together.
Once a year for most properties, in spring, to get road salt off. Surfaces under mature oaks or maples, north facing walks that stay damp, and properties near the lake or the Skokie Lagoons hold moisture longer and grow algae faster. Those often want cleaning every eight to ten months.
Is staining or sealing included with a deck wash?
Staining is a separate service. Washing opens the grain, which is exactly when stain takes best. Staining within a few days of a wash gives a noticeably better result than staining a dirty deck. See deck staining and maintenance.
What happens if it rains?
We reschedule, usually to the next open slot, and you hear from us the day before rather than waiting on the crew. Light rain does not affect the result on concrete.
What if I am not happy with the result?
Call within 14 days and we come back and redo it at no charge. No forms, no argument, no partial credit.
Is there a discount for booking more than one service?
Yes. Power washing booked in the same visit as window or gutter cleaning takes $50 off the visit. Customers on a service plan pay less per visit again.
Towns We Serve
We run the North Shore daily out of our Northbrook office on Woodhead Drive. Same crews, same published prices. The housing stock changes town to town, and so does the work.
Commercial power washing. Parking lots, sidewalks, dumpster pads, drive throughs, building facades and storefronts, scheduled outside your business hours so we are gone before you open. Property managers and HOAs are quoted per building or per portfolio, and we invoice on terms.
Annual and recurring service. Most North Shore properties want washing once a year, in spring. Customers on a recurring plan get priority scheduling in April, pay less per visit, and never have to remember to call.