Spring Exterior Cleaning Checklist for Capital Region Homes
What to clean outside your Albany-area home each spring, in what order, and how to undo a Capital Region winter of salt, grit, mildew and moss.
A Capital Region winter leaves a very specific mess behind: road salt and sand on the driveway and lower siding, a green-gray mildew film on the shaded north side, moss creeping into roof valleys, and joint sand washed out of the pavers by the plow. Spring is when all of that comes off — and doing it in the right order saves you from cleaning the same surface twice. Here is the checklist we run for homes in Albany, Schenectady, Troy, Saratoga Springs and the surrounding towns.
Do It in This Order
Gravity decides the sequence. Everything you clean drains downward, so top-down is the only order that does not create rework. Roof first, then gutters, then siding, then hardscape, then sealing last once everything is clean and dry.
- 1. Roof — soft wash moss and black algae streaking
- 2. Gutters — clear winter grit, shingle granules and leftover leaf pack
- 3. House wash — soft wash siding, soffits, trim and the shaded north face
- 4. Windows and screens — after the house wash, never before
- 5. Decks and patios — clean and brighten before staining season
- 6. Concrete and pavers — remove salt residue, moss and winter staining
- 7. Re-sand and seal hardscape — last, on a clean, fully dry surface
What Winter Actually Did to Your Exterior
Road salt is the big one. Plow spray throws a salt-and-sand slurry onto the lower two or three feet of siding, onto garage aprons, and across the front walk. Salt is hygroscopic — it holds moisture against the surface — and on concrete it accelerates surface scaling through repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Getting it off in early spring is genuine maintenance, not just appearance.
The second issue is biological. Snow cover and months of low sun leave the north and east faces of the house damp for weeks at a stretch, which is exactly what mildew and algae want. That is why one side of a house often looks noticeably darker than the other by April.
The third is hardscape. Freeze-thaw heaving plus plow blades pull joint sand out of paver walkways and patios. If it goes unaddressed, pavers start shifting, then weeds establish in the open joints.
Timing: When Is It Warm Enough?
Soft washing siding and roofs can start as soon as overnight temperatures stay reliably above freezing — usually early-to-mid April in the Capital Region. Cleaning concrete and pavers works in the same window.
Sealing is different. Most concrete and paver sealers need surface temperatures above roughly 50°F, with dry conditions for 24 hours before and after. That realistically means May through early October here. Trying to seal too early in spring is the most common cause of hazing and poor adhesion.
Spring Roof Check: Moss vs. Algae
After a wet winter, look at the north slope and any area shaded by trees. Flat black vertical streaking is Gloeocapsa magma algae. Raised green clumps sitting in the shingle courses is moss, and moss is the more urgent of the two — it holds water directly against the shingle and lifts the courses as it grows.
Neither should ever be pressure washed. Soft washing removes the organism at the root without stripping the granules that protect the shingle, and it is the method shingle manufacturers accept.
Bundle the Spring Visit
Most of the cost of any exterior job is mobilization — travel, setup, water, and staging. Doing the roof, house wash, gutters and driveway across four separate visits pays for that four times.
Bundling the whole spring checklist into one visit typically saves around 10%, and it means the top-down order actually gets followed instead of being spread out over a season.
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FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I start exterior cleaning in the spring in Albany?
Once overnight lows stay above freezing, usually early-to-mid April. Soft washing and surface cleaning can start then; sealing needs to wait for surface temperatures above about 50°F, generally May onward.
What order should I clean the outside of my house?
Top-down: roof, gutters, siding, windows, decks and patios, then concrete and pavers, and sealing last on a clean, dry surface.
Does road salt damage concrete and siding?
Yes. Salt holds moisture against the surface and accelerates freeze-thaw scaling on concrete. On siding it leaves a gritty film that traps dirt and speeds up mildew growth on the lower courses.
How do I get rid of green mildew on the shady side of my house?
A soft wash with the right cleaning solution kills the mildew and algae at the root rather than just rinsing the surface, so it stays clean far longer than a pressure rinse.
Should pavers be re-sanded every spring?
Not every spring, but they should be checked. Plowing and freeze-thaw pull joint sand out, and open joints let pavers shift and weeds establish. Re-sanding is done after cleaning and before sealing.