Specialist Cleaning
A standard pressure washer will clean most things. But point it at a Grade II listed church and you’ll damage stonework that’s stood for centuries. Use it on chewing gum and you’ll spread the mess rather than remove it. Blast graffiti off a painted wall and you’ll take the surface with it.
Some jobs need a different approach. The right equipment, the right method, and a team that understands why the difference matters.
Centuries of dirt. Zero damage.
Listed buildings, churches, monuments, and historic stonework can’t be cleaned with conventional pressure washing. High-pressure water forces moisture into the stone, damages mortar joints, erodes carved detail, and can cause long-term structural problems. The wrong method does more harm than leaving the building dirty.
GJB uses DOFF steam cleaning. Superheated steam at low pressure removes dirt, biological growth, carbon deposits, paint, and atmospheric staining without touching the surface beneath. The temperature does the work, not the pressure.
Suitable for sandstone, limestone, marble, granite, brick, terracotta, and most other masonry types. It’s the approach specified by conservation officers, heritage bodies, and architects working on listed and protected buildings.
Who this is for: heritage property managers, church wardens, conservation trusts, diocesan bodies, local authorities, architects, estate managers.
What to expect: a site visit to assess the stonework and agree the method, a clear quote, and a cleaning schedule that works around the building’s use. Documentation and method statements provided as standard.
The gum comes off. The area gets cleaned.
Chewing gum doesn’t respond to standard pressure washing. It just gets spread around and partially flattened into the surface. Removing it properly requires specialist equipment that heats and lifts the gum without damaging the paving, tarmac, or concrete underneath.
We remove chewing gum from school playgrounds, town centre pavements, shopping precincts, retail forecourts, pub and restaurant outdoor areas, and any hard surface where gum has built up over time.
And here’s the practical bit: once we’re on site with the equipment, it makes sense to clean the whole area rather than just the gum spots. Most customers take us up on that.
School work: weekends & holidays only. Never during term time.
Who this is for: school business managers, council procurement officers, retail park managers, pub and restaurant owners, FM firms managing public-facing sites.
Pavements, precincts, and public spaces.
We carry out street cleaning for councils and FM firms. Pavements, pedestrianised areas, shopping precincts, and public spaces. Often delivered as part of a wider area maintenance contract alongside gum removal and graffiti work.
If you’re managing public-facing spaces and need a single contractor to handle the lot, we can cover street cleaning, gum removal, and graffiti removal under one agreement.
Before you call.
Is DOFF cleaning safe for listed buildings?
Yes. DOFF steam cleaning is approved by the National Stone Heritage and is the method specified by conservation officers for cleaning protected stonework. It uses superheated steam at low pressure, so the temperature removes the dirt without the pressure damaging the stone.
What accreditations do you hold for heritage work?
Our DOFF steam cleaning equipment is approved by the National Stone Heritage. We provide method statements and documentation for every heritage job, and we’re used to working within the requirements set by conservation officers, heritage bodies, and architects.
Can you remove chewing gum from tarmac, paving, and concrete?
Yes. We remove gum from all common hard surfaces including tarmac, block paving, flagstone, concrete, and imprinted concrete. The method heats and lifts the gum without damaging the surface underneath.
Do you carry out school work during term time?
No. All school site work is carried out at weekends, during evenings, or during holiday periods when the building is empty. No disruption to the school day.
How quickly can you respond to graffiti?
For urgent removal (offensive or targeted graffiti), we respond as quickly as possible. Call us directly and we’ll get someone to the site at the earliest opportunity. For non-urgent graffiti, we’ll schedule it within a few days.
Do you work with councils?
Yes. We work with local authorities on gum removal, graffiti removal, street cleaning, and heritage cleaning. We carry our own water supply and power supply, so we can work anywhere without needing mains connections. We can provide the compliance documentation, method statements, and insurance certificates that council procurement teams require.
Can you clean the whole area at the same time as gum removal?
Yes, and most customers do. Once we’re on site with the equipment, it makes practical and financial sense to clean the whole area rather than just the gum spots. We’ll quote for both so you can decide.