Facade cleaningWithout aerial work platforms or scaffolding
We clean the facades of offices, hotels and commercial buildings with technology controlled from the ground, such as drones and robotics, choosing the most efficient approach for each building. Nobody works at height, and disruption around the building is limited to the area we are working on at that moment.
Every clean is planned, tracked and reported on the OPPY platform, our client portal, so you can see for each building what has been cleaned and when the next visit is due.
How drone facade cleaning works
- 01
Intro call
In a 30-minute call you tell us about the building: the type of facade, its height, the soiling and anything that has been tried before.
- 02
Facade assessment
During a site visit or a remote assessment we look at the surface, the access and where the safety perimeter will go. You then receive a quote.
- 03
Authorisation and scheduling
Cleaning by drone falls under the specific category: the EU category for drone operations that need an operational authorisation, issued in Belgium by the Directorate-General Aviation of the FPS Mobility and Transport (Federal Public Service). We prepare the authorisation file and schedule the work with you, zone by zone.
- 04
Cleaning
The drone applies the product, then rinses with purified water, using softwash at low pressure or pressure washing up to 200 bar depending on the surface. In rain or strong wind we don't fly, and we reschedule.
- 05
Report
Once the job is done, the report is on the platform, with before and after photos and findings marked where they are on the facade.
Purified water, the right product and the right pressure
With softwash, a product suited to the surface loosens the dirt, and we then rinse at low pressure. A pressure washer removes dirt by force, and that force can damage mortar joints, render and the top layer of cladding panels. So we choose per surface: softwash where the facade is sensitive, pressure washing up to 200 bar where the surface can take it and the dirt calls for it.
Purified water
Water purified by reverse osmosis, with the minerals removed. It dries without streaks or limescale marks, including on the glass in the facade.
Enzymatic and chemical products
Enzymatic products keep breaking down organic dirt after a single application. Where the dirt or the surface calls for it, we use chemical products.
Products for industrial facades
For sandwich panels and metal cladding we use specialised products.
Which facades
The method is designed for the facade materials you find on offices, hotels and commercial buildings. We confirm the product and approach for each facade after the assessment.
Brick
Brickwork and mortar joints, cleaned at a pressure that doesn't strain the joints.
Render
Render copes poorly with high pressure, which is exactly where a gentle approach with the right product pays off.
HPL and Trespa
Cladding panels where dust and green growth take hold, often most on the north side.
Glass and aluminium
Window cleaningWindows and frames in the facade are rinsed with purified water. Glass facades, canopies and atriums have their own service.
Sandwich panels and metal cladding
Facade cleaning for industryIndustrial cladding, cleaned with products made for coated metal.
Drone, aerial work platform, rope access or gondola
There are four ways to clean a facade: by drone, from an aerial work platform (a cherry picker or boom lift), by rope access (technicians abseiling down the facade) or from a gondola. A gondola hangs from a BMU (building maintenance unit), a permanent rooftop installation found on some tall buildings.
No method is best everywhere. A drone doesn't fly in rain or strong wind, and thick crusts or graffiti sometimes need another technique. When that is the case, we'll tell you.
Facade cleaning: drone compared with traditional methods
| Drone | Aerial work platform | Rope access | Gondola (BMU) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who works at height | Nobody: the pilot stays on the ground | An operator in the basket | Rope access technicians | An operator in the gondola |
| What the site needs | A clear area at the foot of the facade | Firm, level ground and room for the machine | Anchor points on the roof | Its own installation, which needs maintenance and inspection |
| Disruption around the building | A marked-out area that moves with the work | Car park, entrance or lane occupied while the machine is in place | A marked-out area below the ropes | A marked-out area below the gondola |
| Reporting | Before and after photos and findings on the platform | Depends on the contractor | Depends on the contractor | Depends on the contractor |
What does facade cleaning cost?
What cleaning your facade costs depends on the factors below.
Compare the total cost as well, not just the price per m². With an aerial work platform or scaffolding, hire, transport and sometimes a permit to occupy the road come on top of the cleaning itself.
Area in m²
How much facade we clean. On a larger area, the set-up cost is spread over more square metres.
Height and reach
How tall the building is and how freely the drone can work around the facade, given nearby trees, cables or canopies.
Type and degree of soiling
Dust and soot call for a different approach from green growth or dirt that has built up over years.
Surface material
Brick, render, HPL or metal: each material gets its own product and approach.
Access and safety perimeter
How much space there is at the foot of the facade, and whether we need to cordon off a car park, entrance or pavement for a while.
Frequency and contract
A one-off clean or a maintenance contract with fixed intervals.
The result, building by building on the platform
After every clean, the report is waiting on the OPPY platform, our client portal. You see before and after photos, findings marked where they are on the facade and the full history of the building. For your maintenance plan or ESG reporting, you export it all as PDF or CSV.
Instead of scattered emails and photos, you have one record per building that you can hand to a colleague or your board as it is.
Questions about facade cleaning
How much does facade cleaning cost per m²?
The price for your facade depends on its area, its height, the kind of soiling, the material and the space around the building. On a maintenance contract, frequency also plays a part. After a call and an assessment of the facade, you receive a quote with a price per m².
How often should a facade be cleaned?
It depends mostly on orientation and material, so we don't give a single figure. A north-facing wall under trees turns green faster than an open south-facing one, and a facade on a busy road greys faster than one on a quiet street. After the first clean, we propose an interval for each facade. On the platform you can see when the next clean is scheduled and what the facade looked like last time.
Is drone cleaning safe for my facade?
Yes, provided the method suits the surface, which is why we assess every facade first. We choose per material between softwash at low pressure and pressure washing up to 200 bar, and work with purified water and a product intended for that material. If we spot failing joints, cracked render or loose elements, we tell you before we start. If you are unsure about the condition of the facade, a drone inspection can settle it first.
What about the windows in the facade?
We rinse them as part of the job. Water and product running off the facade end up on the glass, so we rinse the windows with purified water at the end. It contains no minerals and dries without streaks or limescale marks. If you want the glass properly cleaned or treated with a dirt-repellent coating, we can plan the facade and the windows together.
Do we need to close anything while you work?
Only the area beneath the drone. At the foot of the section being cleaned, we mark out a safety perimeter that moves along with the work. Which entrances, parking spaces or terraces need to close for a while is agreed with you beforehand, zone by zone, so the rest of the building stays accessible.
Talk to us about your facade
In 30 minutes we go through your building, the surface and what drives the price. Photos or drawings of the facade help, but there is nothing you need to prepare.