How Washzilla Was Born

About Washzilla: Reinventing Pressure Washing Through Science

We're not your typical pressure washing company. We're nerds about cleaning chemistry, obsessed with surface science, and on a mission to prove that understanding molecular interactions matters more than owning the biggest pressure washer.

How It All Started

Washzilla began with YouTube videos and curiosity.

I'm Joshua Taylor-Gates, and like many great business ideas, this one started with falling down an internet rabbit hole. I was watching pressure washing videos—you know the satisfying ones where years of grime disappear in seconds—and I noticed something: everyone was doing the same thing. High pressure, lots of water, temporary results.

But the comments section told a different story. "Looks great but it'll be green again in six months." "Damaged my patio doing this." "Wish it lasted longer."

That's when the question hit me: What if we're solving this problem the wrong way?

I started researching the science behind surface contamination. Turns out, that green slime on your driveway isn't just dirt—it's a complex biofilm of algae, cyanobacteria, and fungi. The black spots on your render? Aspergillus niger and Stachybotrys mould species that penetrate deep into porous substrates. The white staining on your brickwork? Calcium carbonate efflorescence that requires acid-base chemistry to dissolve.

Every contamination problem is a chemistry problem. And chemistry problems require chemistry solutions—not just brute force.

The Lightbulb Moment

The pressure washing industry has been doing the same thing for decades: blast it with high pressure and hope for the best. But this approach has three fundamental flaws:

  1. It damages surfaces: Excessive pressure erodes mortar, splinters timber, and drives water into substrates where it causes long-term deterioration
  2. It only cleans the surface: Mechanical force can't reach root systems, spores, or subsurface organisms—so they grow back quickly
  3. It's environmentally wasteful: Using thousands of litres of water to compensate for poor chemistry is neither efficient nor sustainable

I realised there was a better way: let chemistry do the heavy lifting, not pressure.

Use targeted biocides to kill organisms at the cellular level. Apply surfactants to break molecular bonds. Select pH-appropriate solutions for each substrate type. Allow proper dwell time for reactions to complete. Then use controlled pressure just for rinsing—not as the primary cleaning mechanism.

This wasn't revolutionary science. Industrial cleaning, conservation work, and laboratory protocols have used chemistry-led approaches for decades. But somehow, the residential pressure washing industry missed the memo.

So I decided to change that.

Why We're Different

We're Nerds About Chemistry

While other companies compete on pressure ratings and flow rates, we compete on understanding quaternary ammonium compounds, chelating agents, and oxidation-reduction reactions. We know the difference between anionic and cationic surfactants. We calculate optimal dwell times based on temperature and substrate porosity. We select biocides based on target organism cellular structure.

Does this make us nerds? Absolutely. Does it make us better at cleaning your property? Also absolutely.

We Prioritise Surface Safety

High pressure is easy. Controlled chemistry is hard. We use the minimum pressure necessary to rinse away contamination that our chemical treatments have already broken down at the molecular level. This means:

  • No eroded mortar joints on your brickwork
  • No splintered timber on your decking
  • No damaged render on your walls
  • No water driven deep into substrates where it causes freeze-thaw damage

Your property looks better and lasts longer because we're not attacking it with excessive mechanical force.

We Deliver Long-Lasting Results

When you kill biological growth at the cellular level and remove subsurface contamination, surfaces stay clean 3-5 times longer than traditional pressure washing. Our clients typically go 3-5 years between treatments instead of 6-12 months.

This isn't magic—it's just proper application of biocidal chemistry and understanding organism life cycles.

We're Environmentally Responsible

All our cleaning agents are biodegradable, pH-balanced after treatment, and safe for surrounding vegetation and wildlife. We use less water than traditional pressure washing because chemistry is more efficient than brute force. We don't dump harsh chemicals into storm drains—everything is neutralised and properly managed.

Being nerds about chemistry means understanding environmental impact, not ignoring it.

Our Mission: Reinventing the Industry

The pressure washing industry hasn't fundamentally changed in decades. We're here to change that by proving that:

  • Science beats brute force: Understanding contamination at the molecular level produces superior results
  • Education matters: Clients who understand the chemistry behind our methods appreciate why our results last longer
  • Specialisation wins: Different surfaces and contamination types require different chemical approaches—one-size-fits-all doesn't work
  • Long-term value trumps low prices: Cleaning that lasts years costs less over time than cheap cleaning that lasts months

We're not trying to be the biggest pressure washing company. We're trying to be the best—and that means being nerds about the science.

What Started With YouTube Videos...

...has become a mission to reinvent an entire industry.

From watching satisfying cleaning videos to researching biofilm formation, from learning about quaternary ammonium compounds to building a business around chemistry-led cleaning—Washzilla represents what happens when curiosity meets expertise.

We're Joshua Taylor-Gates and the Washzilla team, and we're here to prove that understanding the science of cleaning produces better results than just owning a powerful pressure washer.

Because at the end of the day, your driveway doesn't care about PSI ratings. It cares about whether the algae is actually dead or just temporarily blasted away.

And we're nerds about making sure it's actually dead.

Ready to Experience the Difference?

If you're tired of pressure washing companies that deliver temporary results and potential surface damage, try the chemistry-led approach instead.

We serve properties across the UK with our science-based cleaning methods. Contact us today for a free quote and discover what happens when you combine pressure washing with actual cleaning science.

Welcome to Washzilla. Where chemistry meets clean.