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Operative DOFF steam cleaning a stone facade. A Star Decorators

DOFF · abrasive · chemical · jet & softwash facade cleaning

Heritage safe facade cleaning, matched to the substrate.

DOFF superheated steam, controlled abrasive, chemical and jet wash cleaning for facades and cladding across the UK. We match the method to the material first. Run off contained, cleaning record on handover.

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DOFF + abrasive

Delivered by our Stonehealth specialist

Heritage

Safe by default

CHAS

Accredited delivery

Fast

Quick survey booking

Working with

Uplands RetailR.G. CarterMorris & Spottiswood

In environments

PrimarkTescoM&SMorrisons

What you get

H&S compliance firstPhoto handoverNo-snag policyDirector led

Quick answers

Straight answers, before you enquire.

What is DOFF cleaning?
DOFF is a superheated steam system that cleans masonry, stone, brick and listed facades at low pressure without abrading the substrate. The steam reaches around 150°C at the gun but the operating pressure is comparable to a kettle, so there is no risk of substrate erosion. We run a test panel first on every job.
Is DOFF safe for listed and heritage buildings?
Yes. DOFF is the preferred cleaning method for listed and heritage stone, brick and masonry precisely because it is low pressure and needs no chemicals. Heritage and conservation approvals vary from one project to the next, so we run the test panel and confirm the chemistry before any chemical application.
Who carries out the DOFF and abrasive cleaning?
Our DOFF and specialist abrasive cleaning is delivered by a Stonehealth Rosette approved specialist, working under the A Star project RAMS. You get one contractor managing the package, the RAMS and the handover, with a Rosette approved operator on the gun.
How is DOFF different from jet washing?
DOFF uses superheated steam at low pressure, gentle on the substrate; jet washing uses cold water at high pressure, which can erode soft stone or brick. We match the method to the substrate, not the schedule. Softwash and chemical clean are also available where neither extreme is right.
How much does DOFF cleaning cost?
We price DOFF cleaning from a site survey, not a rate card, because the substrate condition drives both the method and the cost. Heritage and listed work needs a test panel and chemistry confirmation first. We do not quote DOFF blind.

01 / service

When the facade is dirty but sound, and a wrong call on the method would cause damage.

  • The facade or cladding is soiled but structurally sound.
  • The substrate is heritage stone, brick or something pressure sensitive.
  • Cleaning is the preparation stage before a coating or restoration.
  • Run off must be contained and disposed of compliantly.

02 / method matters

Why the cleaning method is the whole job.

Get the method wrong and you damage the substrate or strip the finish. We sample clean a test area first. The chemistry is fixed before anything touches the elevation.

01

Pressure damage

High pressure washing on soft stone or heritage brick erodes the surface and leaves it open to weathering.

02

Wrong chemistry

A chemical that suits one substrate etches or stains another. The chemistry matches the material. Not the price, not the deadline.

03

Uncontrolled run off

Cleaning chemicals reaching drains or planting is an environmental breach. Run off is contained and disposed under the spec.

04

Stripped coatings

An over aggressive regime removes paint and protective finishes you meant to keep. We match the regime to the substrate, not the worst case scenario.

03 / process

Test patch first. Then the full elevation.

01

Survey

Walk the elevation, identify the substrate and the soiling, and agree the method and chemistry with you. On a heritage or listed building we run a test panel and confirm the result before anything else is committed.

02

Specification

Method matched to the material: DOFF superheated steam at low pressure for heritage stone and brick, controlled abrasive cleaning for stubborn carbon staining, chemical, jet or softwash where those suit better. Run off containment and disposal confirmed in the specification.

03

RAMS

Project RAMS and COSHH pack written for the elevation, covering chemical handling, run off containment and access. Our Stonehealth Rosette approved cleaning partner delivers the DOFF and controlled abrasive work under that RAMS. Pack issued before mobilisation.

04

Delivery

Containment up first, then cleaning in controlled sections, with neutralisation where the chemistry requires it. Surrounding glass, seals and finishes protected throughout. Phased around trading where the building stays open.

05

Handover

Cleaning record and before and after photographs per elevation. Where the clean is preparation for coating, the surface is signed off as paint ready before the next stage starts.

Ready to scope the works?

Request a site survey

04 / sectors

Method chosen for the building, not the schedule.

Heritage & listed

DOFF superheated steam at low pressure lifts soiling from stone and brick without abrading the surface. Test area first, every time.

Retail & commercial

Shopfront, facade and entrance cleaning around live trading, on its own or as preparation before restoration work.

Industrial & cladding

Jet and softwash for metal cladding and hard surfaces, often the preparation stage before a coating system.

Estates & FM

Planned cleaning cycles across managed estates. Access and containment scoped site by site.

05 / how the package is delivered

A Star manages the package. A Stonehealth specialist runs the DOFF and abrasive cleaning.

DOFF and controlled abrasive cleaning are specialist methods, so we deliver them with a dedicated partner rather than as a general crew. Our Stonehealth Rosette approved cleaning specialist runs the steam and gentle abrasive work under our project RAMS. You deal with one contractor for survey, RAMS, delivery and handover.

What A Star owns

  • Survey, method selection and the test panel sign off
  • Project RAMS and COSHH pack, issued before mobilisation
  • Access planning, containment and run off disposal
  • Coating works where the clean is preparation for a finish

Delivered with our specialist partner

  • DOFF superheated steam cleaning of stone, brick and masonry
  • Controlled abrasive cleaning for carbon staining
  • Stonehealth Rosette approved operator on the gun
  • Heritage and listed substrates handled to conservation expectations

Scope · included

  • DOFF system steam cleaning
  • Chemical specification per substrate
  • Run off containment and compliant disposal
  • Cleaning record on handover

Scope · not included

  • Coating application (separate specification)
  • Stone repair
  • Pointing and regrouting
DOFF steam cleaning preparing a facade for coating

Recent work

Primark Stevenage · DOFF render cleaning

DOFF superheated steam cleaning of the render, with window putty treatment and trial sandblasting of carbon stained concrete panels, delivered within the A Star facade package under R.G. Carter and around live retail trading. Sample tested first, run off contained throughout.

Read the case study →

Frequently asked

Answers before the survey, not after the quote.

Is DOFF safe for heritage stone?
Yes. Superheated steam at low pressure removes the soiling without abrading the substrate. We sample clean a test area first.
What happens to the run off?
Contained, captured and disposed under the chemical specification. It's set out in the RAMS pack.
Will it damage the paintwork?
The cleaning regime is matched to the substrate. We won't strip paint unintentionally.
Can it be done at height?
Yes. MEWP or scaffold, chosen at survey to suit the elevation and access.
How much does it cost?
Substrate dependent. We won't quote without a site visit because the chemistry is too sensitive to price from a description.
Is the DOFF work done in house?
The DOFF and controlled abrasive cleaning is delivered by a Stonehealth Rosette approved specialist, under our project RAMS. A Star owns the survey, the RAMS, the access and the handover, so you have a single point of contact for the whole package.
Can you clean a facade before you redecorate it?
Yes, and it is one of the most common reasons to call us. Cleaning is the preparation stage before a coating or restoration. We hand the surface over as paint ready and then carry the coating works through under the same contract.

“RAMS in our hands 48 hours before mobilisation, supervisor on site every morning, and the snag list closed within a working week. That's the loop we expect from a tier-1 and rarely get from a decorator at this scale.”

Estate Manager · Multi store retail estate · Active framework

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Tell us about the facade.

Substrate, what's soiling it, access and whether it's leading into coating works. We typically reply within one working day with a site survey window.

077 6178 1304 · mobileoffice@astardecorators.com

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