Move-In & New Construction Pressure Washing in Collegedale & Apison, TN

Oct 30

3 min read

New neighborhoods keep popping up around Collegedale and Apison, and plenty of families are moving into resale homes here too. Either way, the keys usually come with a little extra: builder dust on the siding, red clay on the driveway, tire tracks from the moving truck, or a few years of the last owner's mildew on the north wall. A good exterior wash is one of the easiest ways to make a new place feel like yours. Here's what to clean, what to wait on, and how we approach move-in and new construction homes.

Clean concrete driveway and brick home with white garage door, move-in pressure washing Collegedale TN by JimmyDew

What a brand-new home collects

Even a home that was finished last month can look tired by closing day. On new construction we usually see:

Fine construction dust and sanding grit settled on vinyl siding, soffits, and window trim.
Red clay and mud tracked across the driveway, walkways, and front steps by trucks and crews.
Muddy splash lines along the foundation and the bottom row of siding after rain on bare dirt.
Footprints, scuffs, and tire marks on fresh concrete from deliveries and the moving truck.

Most of this rinses away with the right approach. Some things are better handled by your builder, and we'll be upfront about those. Dried mortar or grout splatter, paint overspray, and stains that soaked into the concrete before it was sealed don't always come out with water alone, so we'll tell you what to expect before we start.

Wait on new concrete

This is the big one. Fresh concrete needs time to cure before it sees a pressure washer. Many concrete contractors suggest waiting about a month, and your builder or finisher can tell you exactly what they recommend for your pour. Washing too soon can scar the surface. In the meantime, a gentle hose rinse and a soft broom will keep clay from setting in. When it's ready, we clean driveways and walks with a surface cleaner for an even finish. See our driveway pressure washing page and winter concrete care guide for what comes next.

Moving into a resale home? Start fresh

Buying an existing home in Collegedale or Apison? The outside often needs more attention than the inside got. Shady sides of the house may have green or black mildew, gutter faces can be streaked, fences and decks may be gray, and the driveway might have oil spots where the last owner parked. A move-in wash gives you a clean baseline, so you know what's really dirt and what might need repair.

For siding, we use a low-pressure house soft wash instead of blasting, which protects vinyl laps, seals, and fresh caulk. Our siding cleaning guide explains how we handle vinyl, brick, and fiber cement.

Clean white vinyl siding on the side of a home after a soft wash, new home exterior cleaning Apison TN

Your move-in wash checklist

Here's what we usually include, or what you can pick and choose from:

Siding, soffits, and front porch with a soft wash.
Driveway, sidewalks, and front steps, once any new concrete has cured. Tough spots are covered in our driveway stain removal guide.
Patios and pavers. See the patio and paver cleaning guide.
Wood or vinyl fences. See fence pressure washing.
Decks and stairs. See our deck cleaning guide.

Timing it around moving day

If you can, schedule the wash a few days before the furniture arrives. You won't be tracking clay into new carpet, and the porch and garage are clean for unloading. If the moving truck leaves tire marks or the last bit of landscaping work leaves mud behind, a quick touch-up afterward takes care of it. Before we come out, our house wash prep checklist covers closing windows, moving boxes off the porch, and keeping pets inside. Curious about pricing? Here's what to expect from a pressure washing quote.

Landlords and sellers, too

The same wash helps when a rental turns over or a house is about to be listed. A clean exterior photographs better and gives the next family a good first impression. Landlords can find more tips in our rental property pressure washing guide.

Serving Collegedale, Apison, and nearby towns

JimmyDew Pressure Washing is based in Ooltewah, licensed and insured, and handles house soft washing, driveways, walkways, patios, fences, and decks in Ooltewah, Collegedale, Apison, Harrison, East Ridge, Cleveland, McDonald, Hixson, and Soddy-Daisy, TN. Learn more about our work in Collegedale and Apison. Send us a few photos of your new place and your move-in date, and we'll get you a free quote. Welcome home, neighbor. We'll Dew the dirty work.