The 2025 Pressure Washing and Soft Washing Industry Report

QuickQuote
Jan 6
5 min read

Pressure washing scene with worker on roof, equipment, and text "The 2025 Pressure Washing & Soft Washing Industry Report." Graph shows growth. Powered By QuickQuote

Why 2025 Was a Turning Point for the Exterior Cleaning Industry

The pressure washing and soft washing industry did not slow down in 2025. It matured.

Demand remained strong, competition increased, and the gap between contractors with real systems and those relying on hustle widened. Customers became more informed, more selective, and less patient with unclear pricing or slow response times.

This report breaks down what actually happened in 2025 using market data, equipment sales trends, business formation statistics, and real world industry signals so contractors, suppliers, and manufacturers can plan forward with clarity.

Industry Snapshot

In the 2024 Industry Report, QuickQuote identified several core benchmarks that framed expectations going into 2025.

The US soft wash equipment market was estimated at $350 million in 2024.

The North American soft wash house cleaning services market was estimated at $3.5 billion.

The US pressure washing services market was estimated at approximately $1.2 billion annually.

Those numbers did not reverse in 2025. Instead, the market became more competitive and more system driven.

Equipment Market Growth Year Over Year

The clearest measurable growth from 2024 to 2025 came from equipment sales.

Published market research estimates show the US pressure washer equipment market at approximately $584 million in 2024, growing to $606.5 million in 2025.

That represents roughly 3.8 percent year over year growth in a mature equipment category.

This growth signals continued reinvestment by contractors upgrading rigs, expanding into commercial work, adding soft wash capability, and preparing for higher job volume.

Chart Explained

US Pressure Washer Equipment Market

2024: $584M

2025: $606.5M

This visually reinforces that equipment demand is still rapidly trending upward, not stagnating.

What Equipment Growth Means for Soft Washing

While soft wash specific equipment data is harder to isolate publicly, soft washing benefits directly from overall equipment growth.

Contractors continue adding roof cleaning, siding washing, HOA maintenance, and long term service agreements. All of these rely on low pressure chemical systems rather than high PSI cleaning alone.

Manufacturers focusing on safety, consistency, chemical control, and workflow efficiency continue to outperform those selling raw power.

Services Market Stability and Demand

The pressure washing services market remains stable and durable.

Industry research continues to estimate the US pressure washing services market at approximately $1.2 billion annually, with additional billions represented across soft washing, roof cleaning, paver sealing, gutter cleaning, solar panel cleaning, and commercial exterior maintenance.

The key shift in 2025 was not explosive demand growth. It was how contractors captured revenue.

Growth increasingly came from bundling services rather than selling single jobs.

Bundling Became a Revenue Strategy

In 2025, bundling moved from optional to necessary.

Contractors offering multiple services under one brand increased average ticket size, improved advertising efficiency, and reduced seasonality.

Common bundles included:

• House wash plus roof wash

• House wash plus gutters

• Roof wash plus maintenance plans

• HOA and commercial exterior service packages

Bundling also reduced price shopping because customers compared fewer line items and focused more on outcomes.

New Contractor Growth and Market Saturation

There is no single dataset that captures exactly how many pressure washing or soft washing contractors entered the market in 2025. Many operate as sole proprietors or file under general service categories.

However, US Census Bureau Business Formation Statistics show continued strength in new business applications throughout 2025, with service related categories maintaining consistent month over month growth.

This aligns with real world industry signals:

More startup rigs.
More first time equipment buyers.
More new competitors entering local markets.

The barrier to entry remains low, which increases competition but also raises the standard for professionalism.

Workforce and Business Count Reality

In the 2024 Industry Report, the US pressure washing market was estimated to include 32,000+ active businesses supported by approximately 42,000 technicians. Those figures aligned with broader service trade data and equipment sales volumes.

In 2025, the overall structure of the workforce did not contract, but it did continue to expand at the edges.

Business formation data from service based sectors shows low single digit growth year over year, suggesting the total number of exterior cleaning businesses likely increased into the 33,000 to 35,000 range nationally, driven primarily by sole proprietors and small crews entering local markets.

At the same time, labor dynamics shifted.

Most pressure washing and soft washing companies continue to operate with 1 to 3 technicians, and payroll expansion remains conservative. Rising labor costs, insurance requirements, and scheduling complexity pushed many owners to focus on productivity per technician rather than headcount growth.

What changed most in 2025 was how work was handled, not how many people were hired.

More contractors adopted structured quoting systems, clearer pricing communication, and automated follow up processes to support higher job volume without increasing labor. Operators using these systems were able to handle more leads per week, close jobs faster, and reduce time spent on manual estimating and admin work.

Contractors who did not make these shifts increasingly relied on longer hours, owner involvement, and reactive scheduling to maintain the same revenue levels.

The market did not reward size alone in 2025. It rewarded operational efficiency.

Consumer Behavior Shifted Further in 2025

Customers Want Information Before Contact

Homeowners expect pricing context, service explanations, and proof of credibility before speaking with a contractor. Websites that provide clarity convert higher quality leads. Websites that hide pricing lose them. In all service industry businesses its becoming common for customers to buy online.

Trust Became the Differentiator

In crowded markets, trust signals outperform discounts. Reviews, insurance visibility, safety practices, and clear scopes of work influence buying decisions more than low pricing.

Speed and Systems Win

Contractors who responded quickly with structured quotes and clear next steps won more jobs. Customers increasingly expect professionalism from the first interaction.

2024 vs 2025 Market Comparison

Here is a simplified comparison using the most defensible public benchmarks.

US Soft Wash Equipment Market 2024: $350M
North American Soft Wash Services Market 2024: $3.5B
US Pressure Washer Equipment Market 2024: $584M
US Pressure Washer Equipment Market 2025: $606.5M

Chart Explained

2024 Equipment Market vs 2025 Equipment Market

This reinforces steady growth rather than volatility.

What This Means for Contractors Planning for 2026

Contractors preparing for 2026 should focus less on generating more leads and more on converting the leads they already earn. Focus on prior years customer base and continue to create loyalty.

Clear pricing ranges, structured quoting workflows, bundled services, visible trust signals, and consistent follow up are now baseline expectations for scalable businesses.

What This Means for Suppliers and Manufacturers

Suppliers and manufacturers benefit when contractors succeed long term.

Education driven marketing, workflow based product bundles, and dealer enablement that helps contractors sell outcomes instead of parts will continue to outperform transactional sales models.