Whitby was developed from the late 1960s onwards, with winding streets built over hills and gullies above the Pāuatahanui Inlet. Its trees and bush reserves are a big part of why people live here. They're also why Whitby houses go green, gutters fill with leaves, and decks get slippery.
Classic Cleaners is based just over the hill in Plimmerton.
Shade, trees and slopes
Most of the dirt on a Whitby house comes from the trees and the slope, more than the sea.
Shaded walls. Houses built into a hillside often have one wall that hardly sees the sun. Algae and mould grow there first, along with green on the window frames. A soft wash kills the growth so it takes longer to come back.
Leaves in gutters. Native and exotic trees drop leaves all year round. Blocked gutters overflow onto walls and decks and rot the fascia over time. We clear them and check the downpipes run.
Moss on the roof. Roofs under trees stay damp. Concrete tiles and older metal roofs grow moss and lichen, which hold water against the roof. We can clean the roof now or treat it so the growth dies back over the following weeks.
Decks and stairs. Lots of Whitby homes have big decks and timber stairs facing the view. In the shade they go slimy, and that's a slip risk. A deck wash at the right pressure takes the growth off without tearing up the timber. We also clean fences and paths and driveways.
The houses themselves
Whitby has a lot of 70s and 80s weatherboard and brick homes, many with timber or stained cedar features, and newer plaster and fibre-cement houses in the later stages. We work out the cladding before we start and wash it to suit. The full process is on our Wellington house washing page.
Whitby FAQ
Do you need access to the back of the house? Yes, to wash all sides.
Should I clean the deck before oiling or staining? Yes. Oil won't soak into timber covered in algae and grime. Wash it, let it dry for a few days, then oil.
Can you do the gutters and the house wash together? Yes. It's best to do the gutters first, so nothing falls onto a freshly washed wall.
Nearby
We're also in Plimmerton, Porirua and Tawa.
Ring 027 303 8398 or email sales@classiccleaners.co.nz.