Exterior Cleaning Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ
Please reach us at sales@xtxltd.co.uk if you cannot find an answer to your question.
We offer a wide range of exterior cleaning services and are constantly evolving to suit our customers' needs. We currently clean roofs, patios, driveways, render, walls, gutters, soffits and fascias etc. If a service you require is not listed please ask. If we don't offer the service we may be able to put you in touch with somebody who does.
We are based in Worcester in the West Midlands and we try and work locally if we can. Doing this means we are able to offer the highest quality service and aftercare for our customers. If we spread ourselves too far and wide there is a risk we won't be able to offer the level of service we strive for.
We cover Worcester and the surrounding area, such as Martley, Hallow, Rushwick, Droitwich, Clifton, Bransford, Crowle, Broadheath and Malvern.
Yes, we are fully insured for the work we carry out. We have £2 million public liability insurance. We are covered for working up to 10m off the ground and 3m below ground.
We have also had City&Guilds accredited biocide training for the chemicals we use for exterior cleaning.
We generally price our jobs based on the square metreage of the area to be cleaned, ensuring an exact price with no hidden costs. We do have minimum charges for most of our services because of the logistics and overhead costs involved.
We can give a rough estimate of costs for most jobs remotely, by using online measuring tools but we prefer to visit your property to measure up properly, discuss your requirements, check access and the water pressure etc.
Our van has an onboard water tank, but it's a buffer tank. We connect a hose from your garden tap (or an inside tap if there's no outside tap) to this buffer tank. This keeps the tank filled while our powerful pressure washer uses the water. Professional pressure washers need a steady supply of water, and your garden tap might not be able to provide enough on its own. This system ensures a consistent water flow for a thorough clean.
The cost of the water used for pressure washing and rinsing down an average sized patio or driveway is typically very low. For most cleaning jobs, you can expect to use around £8 worth of water if you are on a water meter (this cost is based on the combined water and wastewater price from Severn Trent). If you are not on a water meter than it won't cost you any extra.
Generally, we use industry-standard chemicals to ensure a professional high-quality finish.
High-pressure water alone cannot always effectively remove black spot, tough stains and lichen.
We can offer a chemical-free option, but you may need to lower your expectations of how well the surface will be cleaned.
There are also some eco/environmentally friendly products on the market, which we can offer.
Most of the industry-standard chemicals we use are rinsed off after they have helped clean the surface. The treatments that are left on are generally child and pet-safe once they are dry.
We will email you an invoice on completion, which is payable within 7 days
The invoice email has the option to pay by bank transfer (our preferred method) or by card.
We do accept cash but it gets processed through our books for tax purposes.
We do not accept payments by cheque or postal order.
We also accept Klarna on jobs over £300.
At XTX Limited, we strive to provide excellent service to all our clients. To ensure the smooth and efficient operation of our business, we may require a deposit in certain circumstances.
- For larger or multi-day bookings: Deposits help protect us from the financial impact of late cancellations, which can result in lost earnings and additional costs incurred for booked labour and equipment. We understand that unforeseen circumstances may arise, and we will always work with you to find a mutually agreeable solution whenever possible.
- For jobs requiring significant materials: Deposits are required to secure necessary materials such as specialist chemicals, jointing compounds, and scaffolding etc. Many of these materials are custom-ordered and cannot be returned or refunded without significant costs.
Once we have begun preparing for your job by purchasing materials, booking extra labour, hiring access equipment, etc., the deposit becomes non-refundable. However, you will retain ownership of any materials already purchased for your project.
For smaller jobs that utilise our existing stock, a deposit is generally not required.
This deposit policy ensures fair treatment for all our valued clients and allows us to effectively manage our resources and schedule projects efficiently.
Yes we offer maintenance packages, where we treat your surfaces with an HSE approved biocide to keep moss and algae at bay for extended periods.
We can discuss customised maintenance plans tailored to your needs to keep your exterior spaces looking pristine year-round. It is often more cost-effective to maintain a cleaned surface than it is to clean it from scratch each time.
Our normal working hours are typically between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.
We can however work outside these hours to work around your business hours, planned shut-downs or school holidays etc.
We will usually bag up any waste for you to dispose of.
Alternatively, it can be placed in your garden waste bin for the council to collect.
Organic waste makes great compost. It can be spread in your flower beds or hedgerows.
If required, we can arrange for waste to be collected by a waste removal company. This will incur an additional cost.
Sadly there is no way prevent weeds from growing out of your patio/driveway. Birds and the wind spread seeds and they soon take hold. The only way to get rid of them is to either pull them up or spray them with a weedkiller.
The short answer is no.
We offer a maintenance package, where we treat your surfaces with an HSE approved biocide to keep moss and algae at bay for extended periods. Although biocides can damage or kill plants, they are not a weed killer, nore do they prevent weed growth. If you want to control weeds you will need to use a dedicated weed killer or manually remove them.
No, but sealing your driveway can slow down their return. Weed seeds are blown onto your patio/driveway or deposited on them by birds. A properly applied sealer can make it more difficult for seeds to take root but it is not a guaranteed way to prevent weed growth.
Yes and no. Depending on the surface the oil has been spilled onto, how long the oil has been allowed to soak into the surface and the type of oil, will depend on how effective an oil removal treatment will be. The less porous the surface and the quicker the surface is treated, the better the results will be.
Oil can damage tarmac surfaces to the point where the stained section of tarmac will need to be replaced, so it is best to treat it straight away.
If you spill oil on your driveway/patio pour some sand on the oil as quickly as you can to soak the oil and then book a treatment and clean right away.
Rust stains are fairly common on exterior surfaces. They are usually caused by metal patio furniture, builder's skips etc. The good news is it is possible to treat rust stains and either completely remove them or significantly reduce the severity of the stains. It depends on the surface and how deep the stain is.
If your period property has been painted with modern paints there is a good chance you will have damp issues unless the paint is removed and the building is allowed to breathe.
The good news is there are number of ways we can tackle the paint removal, depending on the surface and type of paint. We can use chemical paint strippers, steam and in extreme cases it may need media blasting or DOFF to remove the paint.
We can remove graffiti from multiple surfaces, including bricks, painted surfaces, glass, metalwork, plastic etc. Graffiti can usually be removed without damaging the surface or coating it has been sprayed onto, which means you won't need to repaint or powdercoat your surfaces.
Yes, we are DBS checked for your peace of mind. We can provide a copy of our Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate if required. The used to be known as the CRB check.
We are based in Worcester, Worcestershire in the UK.
We work in roughly a 10 mile radius around Worcester, which includes Droitwich, Kidderminster, Malvern, Bromyard and the surrounding villages like Martley, Hallow, Rushwick, Kempsey, Clifton, Bransford, Crowle, Broadheath, Fernhill Heath etc.
We will consider work outside this area but it will need to a big enough job justify the travel time and expenses.
If you would like something cleaned in Bristol or Bath, I can recommend Matt from Onyx Exteriors
https://www.onyx-exteriors.co.uk/
If you would like something cleaned in Manchester, I can recommend Steve Heaton
