Soft washing for salt-weathered siding, driveways, and decks — from a local owner-operator just down the road in Millsboro.
Lewes sits right where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic, and everything about that location is hard on exteriors. Salt air drifts in off the water and leaves a dull haze on siding and windows. Bay humidity keeps surfaces damp long enough for algae and mildew to take hold, especially on north-facing walls that never see full sun. In the older, tree-lined parts of town, shade and leaf litter speed the process up; in the newer communities off Route 1 and Gills Neck Road, fresh vinyl siding shows the first green streaks surprisingly fast.
Round Robin is based in Millsboro, about twenty minutes away, and I've spent plenty of time washing exteriors in this kind of coastal environment. I'm the owner, I do the work myself, and I'll always tell you honestly what your home actually needs.
For siding, soft washing is the only method I trust. Instead of blasting vinyl with high pressure — which can crack panels and drive water where it doesn't belong — I apply a low-pressure cleaning solution that breaks down the algae, mildew, and salt film, then rinse it away gently. It's safer for the home, and because the growth is killed rather than smeared around, the results last longer. I soft wash Lewes homes up to two stories, including trim, soffits, and gutter exteriors.
Concrete around Lewes takes a beating from sandy grit, damp shade, and steady foot and tire traffic during the beach season. I clean driveways, sidewalks, and entry walks with a rotary surface cleaner that scrubs the whole slab evenly, so the finish comes out uniform instead of streaked. Stubborn spots like rust, tannin stains from leaves, and oil drips get individual attention before the main wash.
A gray, slippery deck is practically a Lewes tradition — but it doesn't have to be. I wash wood decks with careful low pressure that lifts the weathered grime without tearing up the grain, soft wash composite decking and vinyl fences to pull mildew out of the texture, and clean paver and concrete patios so they're safe underfoot again. It's a great project before staining, sealing, or summer company.
I take on washing work throughout the Lewes area — the historic streets of downtown Lewes, the Villages of Five Points along Route 9, and the communities off Gills Neck Road including Wolfe Pointe, Senators, and Hawkseye. Whether your home is a century old or brand new, the approach gets tailored to the surface in front of me.
Round Robin is a one-man operation based in Millsboro, minutes from Lewes. The person you talk to on the phone is the person who quotes the job and the person holding the wand on wash day. No sales crew, no subcontractors, no upselling — just free, straightforward quotes and careful work on your property.
Because of the salt air and bay humidity, most Lewes homes do best with a soft wash every one to two years. Homes close to the water, the canal, or under heavy tree cover often need it annually, while sunnier inland properties can sometimes stretch longer. I'm happy to take a look and give you an honest read.
Not at high pressure — that's how panels crack and water ends up behind the siding. Soft washing is the safe way: the cleaning solution does the heavy lifting and the rinse stays gentle. It's the method siding manufacturers themselves recommend, and it's the only way I wash houses in Lewes.
Usually, yes — with extra care. Lewes has plenty of older homes with painted wood or cedar, and those call for lower pressure, milder solutions, and a test spot first. If a surface is too fragile to wash safely, I'll say so up front rather than risk your home.