Exterior Cleaning

Concrete Tile Roof Soft Wash & Gutter Clean

Gold Coast

Charcoal concrete tile roof restored from heavy black mould and lichen staining via soft wash biocide treatment and low-pressure rinse, followed by a full gutter clean to clear all flushed debris and organic matter. The two-stage approach delivers both a clean roof finish and a properly functioning gutter system in a single visit.

Before & After

Before and after of a charcoal concrete tile roof — heavy black mould and white lichen staining across the tiles on the left, fully restored to clean uniform charcoal grey on the right with a suburban streetscape visible in the background — Heavy mould and lichen staining on charcoal concrete tiles (left) restored to clean, even grey finish via soft wash, with gutters fully cleared (right)

What We Did

Roof inspection & access setup

Inspected tile condition for cracked or slipped tiles, checked ridge capping mortar, and verified the existing gutter system was structurally sound. Confirmed soft wash plus follow-up gutter clean was the correct two-stage approach for this property.

Surrounds & gutter protection

Set up to manage runoff during the roof clean phase, with awareness that the gutters would need clearing afterwards regardless. On a heavily lichen-stained roof, the volume of flushed organic matter can be significant — gutter clearing is genuinely necessary, not optional.

Biocide application

Applied a specialised soft wash biocide solution at low pressure across the entire tiled surface, including ridge capping and the most heavily stained sections. The solution kills mould, algae, and lichen at the spore level — particularly important for lichen, which physically grips into porous concrete tile and won't release under pressure alone.

Dwell & treatment

Allowed the biocide to dwell across all stained sections, breaking down embedded organic growth before the rinse stage.

Low-pressure rinse

Rinsed the entire roof at controlled low pressure, working with the slope to flush dead organic matter, dislodged lichen, and biocide residue toward the gutter line. High-pressure cleaning on tile roofs risks dislodging tiles, breaking ridge mortar, and forcing water under the tile line — soft wash plus controlled rinse avoids all of those risks.

Gutter clean — flushed debris removal

Cleared the full gutter line of all flushed material from the roof clean — dead lichen, mould residue, dislodged moss, accumulated leaves, and dirt. A roof clean without a follow-up gutter clean leaves the gutters loaded with the contamination that just came off the roof, which causes blockages, overflow, and potential water damage to fascia and eaves.

Final inspection

Walked the roof to confirm uniform clean finish across all tiles, verified gutters were clear and downpipes were running freely, and removed all protective coverings.

The Result

The roof was restored from heavily mould- and lichen-stained to a clean, even charcoal grey finish, and the gutter system was fully cleared of all flushed debris. The two-stage approach means the property leaves the visit with both a clean roof and a properly functioning drainage system — not just one or the other.

Soft wash roof treatments typically resist mould and lichen regrowth for 2–4 years in South East Queensland conditions. Gutter cleaning is recommended every 6–12 months independently of roof cleaning, particularly for properties with overhanging trees.

Suitable For

Concrete tile roofs

Terracotta tile roofs

Charcoal & grey-toned tiles

Cement tile & slate-look roofs

Properties with heavy lichen growth

Roofs requiring follow-up gutter work

Any roof clean involving heavy mould or lichen contamination should include a follow-up gutter clean — the volume of flushed organic matter ends up in the gutters whether you plan for it or not. Booking the two services together is more efficient than treating them as separate visits, and ensures the roof clean doesn't create a gutter problem.

This suburban property had a charcoal concrete tile roof carrying years of accumulated black mould and white lichen staining — a common pattern across South East Queensland’s humid climate, where the porous surface of concrete tiles holds moisture long enough for biological growth to colonise the entire roof line. The before image shows the extent of contamination clearly: heavy black mould across the bulk of the tiles and the distinctive pale lichen spots that can’t be cleaned with pressure alone.

The roof itself was handled via soft wash — the appropriate method for any tile roof, terracotta or concrete. A specialised biocide solution was applied at low pressure across the entire roof, allowed to dwell to break down the embedded organic growth, then rinsed with controlled low-pressure water. This method matters specifically for tile roofs: high-pressure cleaning risks dislodging tiles, cracking ridge mortar, stripping protective sealer, and forcing water under the tile line. Soft wash kills the contamination at the spore level, releases the lichen’s grip on the tile surface, and delivers a finish that lasts years rather than months.

The second stage of the job — the gutter clean — is the part many cleaners skip but that genuinely needs to happen. When a heavily contaminated roof is cleaned, the volume of dislodged lichen, dead mould, moss, and general debris that flows into the gutters during the rinse is significant. Leaving that material sitting in the gutters causes blockages, overflow during rain, and potential water damage to fascia and eaves — effectively converting a roof problem into a gutter problem. Clearing the full gutter line as part of the same visit means the property leaves with both a clean roof finish and a functioning drainage system, which is how the work should be delivered.