We are often asked where we came up with the concept for our company, House Shampoo. In 2013 we bought a property that had a case of roof algae, but at the time we didn’t know where to find a company that could help us. After all, if the roof had to be replaced, it would be an expensive improvement. Fortunately,my partner Gary Rogers, has an exhaustive background in the roofing and exterior trades, and he knew the problem could be resolved with a solid roof cleaning. We decided to combine his diverse exterior expertise and my business management and development background to launch House Shampoo, Inc., to deliver solutions and processes for this diverse exterior cleaning services start-up.
Initially, we had to really understand the dynamics of all the naturally occurring growth plaguing just about every exterior property feature. Properties located on or near the water, in wooded areas or near golf courses can supply a constant source of food and moisture for algae, lichen, moss and mildew. Their appearance can be subtle or heavy, with color variations from black to green and yellow, depending the extent of the infestation and its location. This condition is the enemy of exterior construction materials, because it typically anchors itself to its host, causing structural damage and rapid decomposition. Mold, mildew and bacteria are also a health hazard, especially to those with upper respiratory issues.
Previously, the power-washing service industry always owned this space, simply because there were no feasible alternatives. Roofing and siding materials are built to last 30 or more years, but can be easily damaged by the common practice of power washing. We knew we needed to develop a safer, more thorough, low-pressure solution cleaning. process that did a better job of cleaning without the risks.
The House Shampoo solution cleaning process has a specialized equipment and delivery system that respects the vulnerabilities of roofing, siding, decking and other sensitive materials. Our solutions are custom-crafted to the target we are cleaning. The process fully and gently saturates the area with algaecide that kills 100% of the unwanted growth. The process fully and gently saturates the area with algaecide that kills 100% of the unwanted growth, and it’s 4 to 5 times more effective than power washing, even though we only use pressure equal to that of a garden hose. Of course, we don’t want to dismiss power washing. In fact we use it all the time! But we keep it reserved for hard, rugged materials like stone, pavers, concrete and other tough surfaces. The truth is, there isn’t a single exterior feature that doesn’t benefit from our solution process, whether we’re using low or high pressure. Either way, the results are simply stunning.
As we all navigate the Covid-19 pandemic, we are working as an “essential trade” —cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting customer properties knowing this will soon be a distant memory. Whether you live on or off the water, are a buyer or a seller, have an average-size home or a complex, exclusive lake property, the House Shampoo staff has built a “Best in Class” reputation for delivering a great service experience for all our customers. Nearly half of our projects are in the Lake Geneva lakes area, with the remainder of our project work is located predominantly in the northwest suburbs of Chicago.
We are grateful for our faith, our tremendous dedicated staff, and our incredible customers, all of which continue to build and support this unique and growing business that we value so much.
“If it needs cleaning, House Shampoo has THE solution!”
House Shampoo
815.585.4745
houseshampoo.com
By: Monica M. Zylinski
