Exterior Cleaning in Little Italy, Chicago

Exterior Cleaning in Little Italy

Little Italy is ten minutes from our shop. It's a neighborhood of rowhouses with masonry frontage and rear decks. The housing stock is a mix of older rowhouses and newer townhome construction. The exterior maintenance needs are straightforward, but the masonry frontage needs a careful touch.

The masonry frontage on the rowhouses needs a soft wash, not high pressure. The brick and stone are older, and high pressure blows out the mortar joints. We pressure wash with a sodium hypochlorite mix at low pressure. The detergent kills the algae and lifts the grime. The masonry gets clean and the mortar stays intact.

The rear decks are the biggest job here. The rowhouses all have them, and they need deck staining every two to three years. We do full restoration. Strip, wash, dry, sand, two coats. The decks take weather from all sides because they're exposed on the rear of the rowhouses.

We clean the gutters on the rowhouses. The gutters fill with leaves from the mature trees on the blocks. We also flush the downspouts because the leaves compact and block the flow.

Window washing is a regular job. The rowhouses have tall window lines on the front and rear. We use a water-fed pole for the exterior. The interior glass needs a crew that works around the homeowner's schedule.

We do exterior house painting on the frame portions of the rowhouses. Some have wood siding on the upper floors or wood trim around the windows. We prep, prime, and paint with a quality exterior latex.

We also do roof washing on the flat roofs that develop algae from standing water. We soft wash with a sodium hypochlorite mix. Never high pressure on a roof.

In winter, we do snow removal for the sidewalks and stoops. We also do lawn care for the small front yards. Call (217) 722-5379 for a free estimate.

What I See Working in Little Italy

The masonry frontage on the rowhouses is the first thing we look at. The brick and stone are older, and the mortar is soft lime in some buildings. High pressure blows out the mortar joints. We soft wash with a sodium hypochlorite mix at low pressure. The detergent does the work. We let it dwell, then rinse. The masonry gets clean and the mortar stays intact.

The rear decks are the biggest job. The rowhouses all have them, and they're exposed on the rear of the building. They take weather from all sides. We do full restoration every two to three years. Strip the old finish, pressure wash, let it dry, sand, then two coats of commercial-grade stain.

The gutters fill with leaves from the mature trees on the blocks. We clean them twice a year. We also flush the downspouts because the leaves compact and block the flow. If a downspout is clogged, we snake it clear.

Services Available in Little Italy

Full exterior maintenance. One crew, twelve services. Click any service for process details and pricing.

• Pressure Washing
• Window Washing
• Deck Staining
• Holiday Lighting
• Lawn Care
• Snow Removal
• Roof Washing
• Gutter Cleaning
• Driveway Sealing
• Polymeric Sanding
• Exterior House Painting
• Real Estate Sign Hanging

Neighborhoods in Little Italy

Little Italy is bordered by the Eisenhower Expressway to the north, the Chicago River to the east, and the railroad tracks to the west. The rowhouse blocks run along Taylor, Roosevelt, and Polk. The commercial strip along Taylor Street has restaurants and shops. The area near the UIC medical campus has a mix of residential and institutional buildings.

Little Italy Service Area Map

Nearby Service Areas

We also serve these nearby neighborhoods and suburbs:

• University Village
• Pilsen
• West Loop