Home › Blog › Power Washing Cost in Metro Detroit
Published July 10, 2026 · By PowerWashingExpert Field Team · ~9 min read
Quick answer: Power washing in Metro Detroit runs about 0.10 to 0.50 dollars per square foot for standard cleaning, and 0.35 to 0.77 for hot-water power washing, in 2026. By job, budget roughly 170 to 360 dollars for a house, 170 to 300 for a driveway, and 80 to 240 for a deck. Commercial work starts around 500 and scales with size. Most companies carry a service minimum near 250 to 400 dollars, so bundling surfaces on one visit lowers the rate.
Metro Detroit is hard on outdoor surfaces. Winters coat driveways in road salt, spring pollen yellows everything, summer humidity feeds green algae and black mildew on north-facing siding, and vehicle traffic grinds oil into concrete year round. When it is time to clean it off, the first question is always the same: what does this cost? Here is a straight 2026 breakdown by surface, along with the factors that move the number, so you can budget before you call.
Pricing is quoted two ways: by the square foot for larger flat surfaces, and by the job for whole-house or whole-driveway work. Both are useful, and the figures below reflect 2026 pricing for the Metro Detroit market, in line with national cost data published by HomeGuide.
| Job | Typical 2026 range |
|---|---|
| Standard pressure washing (per sq ft) | $0.10 to $0.50 |
| Hot-water power washing (per sq ft) | $0.35 to $0.77 |
| House exterior (whole home) | $170 to $360 |
| Driveway (typical 2-car) | $170 to $300 (near $240 for 40x20 ft) |
| Deck or patio | $80 to $240 |
| Commercial (buildings, lots, fleet) | $500 to $1,200+ |
| Service minimum (small jobs) | $250 to $400 |
Those are starting ranges. What pushes a job up or down within them, and sometimes past them, is what the rest of this guide covers.
Cleaning a home exterior in Metro Detroit typically runs 170 to 360 dollars for an average house, with larger and multi-story homes costing more. The price tracks square footage, the number of stories, and how much organic growth has taken hold. A north-facing wall shaded by trees grows algae and mildew faster and needs more solution and dwell time than a sunny south wall.
Most siding, whether vinyl, aluminum, brick, or painted wood, should be soft washed, not blasted. Soft washing uses low pressure and a cleaning solution that kills the algae and mildew at the root rather than just spraying it off, and it avoids driving water behind the siding or stripping paint. We break down the method choice in our guide to soft wash versus power wash. Paying for a house wash and getting high-pressure damage instead is the most expensive mistake in this category.
A typical Metro Detroit driveway runs 170 to 300 dollars, or about 0.25 to 0.35 dollars per square foot, and a standard two-car driveway near 40 by 20 feet lands around 240 dollars. Concrete and asphalt take high pressure well, so a flat surface cleaner does most of the work quickly and evenly.
What raises the price is what is on the surface. Oil and grease need a degreaser, dwell time, and hot water to lift. Rust stains need a specialty treatment. And in this region, road salt residue is its own line item after winter, because chloride works into the concrete pores and needs proper cleaning rather than a quick rinse. We cover that seasonal problem in our guide to cleaning road salt off Michigan driveways. A driveway that is cleaned on a regular schedule stays at the low end of the range because stains never set deep.
Deck and patio cleaning runs 80 to 240 dollars for a typical residential surface, around 0.35 dollars per square foot. Wood decks need care: too much pressure gouges soft wood, raises the grain, and leaves permanent wand marks. A proper deck wash uses lower pressure and the right cleaner, and is often paired with brightening before a reseal. Composite decking and paver or concrete patios tolerate more pressure. Matching the technique to the material is what separates a clean deck from a damaged one.
Commercial jobs start around 500 dollars and climb with square footage and scope. Building exteriors, sidewalks, entryways, dumpster pads, drive-throughs, and parking lots each have their own rate, and large or recurring jobs are often priced at 0.15 to 0.50 dollars per square foot or by the hour for big projects. Parking lots have their own frequency and compliance considerations, which we detail in our parking lot cleaning service. For commercial property managers, the value is a clean, safe, presentable property, and a recurring plan almost always beats one-off emergency cleanings on price.
Two quotes on the same-size surface can differ, and it is not random. These are the levers:
The most reliable quote comes from square footage plus a look at the actual condition. A reputable Metro Detroit company will ask what surfaces you want cleaned, roughly how big they are, how dirty, and whether there is oil, rust, or algae, then give you a written estimate rather than a vague phone number. Bundling surfaces, scheduling before grime sets, and choosing a recurring plan for commercial or rental property are the three most reliable ways to keep the price down. If you want to understand what you are actually paying a professional for, our guide to hiring a pro covers the equipment, chemicals, and compliance that a DIY rental cannot match.
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Most residential power washing runs about 0.10 to 0.50 dollars per square foot, or roughly 0.35 to 0.77 for hot-water power washing. By job, expect around 170 to 360 dollars for a house, 170 to 300 for a typical driveway, and 80 to 240 for a deck or patio. Commercial jobs start around 500 and climb with size. Most companies carry a service minimum near 250 to 400 dollars.
Washing a house exterior in Metro Detroit typically runs 170 to 360 dollars for an average home, depending on square footage, number of stories, and how much mildew or algae has built up. Most homes are soft washed rather than blasted, using low pressure and a cleaning solution that kills organic growth without driving water behind the siding.
A typical Metro Detroit driveway runs about 170 to 300 dollars, or roughly 0.25 to 0.35 dollars per square foot. A standard two-car driveway around 40 by 20 feet lands near 240 dollars. Heavy oil staining, rust, and deep-set road salt residue add to the price because they need pretreatment, degreaser, and hot water to lift.
Square footage is the base, but the big movers are surface type, how dirty it is, access and height, and whether it needs hot water or special chemicals. Oil, rust, gum, and heavy algae cost more than light dirt. Two-story homes and steep or hard-to-reach areas add labor. A service minimum applies to small jobs, so bundling several surfaces on one visit lowers the effective rate.
The price is usually similar per square foot; the difference is the method, not the cost. Soft washing uses low pressure and a cleaning solution for delicate surfaces like siding, roofs, and painted wood, while high-pressure washing suits concrete and masonry. Using the wrong method can cause damage that costs far more than the wash, so the surface should decide the technique.
Yes. A surface that is cleaned on a schedule never builds up a full season of grime, so each visit is faster and cheaper than a one-time deep clean of a neglected surface. Commercial properties and rental portfolios in Metro Detroit usually save the most by locking a per-visit rate and a set frequency rather than calling for emergency cleanings.
PowerWashingExpert is a Metro Detroit commercial and residential cleaning company serving property managers, restaurant operators, homeowners, and facility leads across Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne counties. Our crews run hot water units, flat surface cleaners, soft-wash systems, and water reclamation equipment so every surface gets the right method and stays compliant with stormwater rules. Free quotes, written estimates, flat pricing. Call us at 248-254-6412 or request a quote online.