Alright folks, buckle up because today I'm spilling the beans on what it's actually like hiring those fence cleaning folks. My backyard fence? Yeah, it had seen better days. Years of weather, grime, green stuff growing – it sucked.

The Great Fence Disaster

Looked out the window one Tuesday morning, coffee in hand, and just groaned. The wood looked sad. Really sad. Tried spraying it myself with the garden hose last summer – totally useless. That green slime? Stuck fast. So, I bit the bullet. Started searching online.

Finding Someone Who Didn't Sound Sketchy

Searched "fence cleaning near me" – simple enough. Got tons of hits. Kicked the tires on a few websites. Called three places that actually answered the phone. Asked the basics:

• "What exactly do you do?" (Because some were weirdly vague!)
• "Got any pics of your actual work?" (One guy just said "trust me" – hard pass.)
• "How much?" (Prices were all over the place, needed ballpark figures.)

Settled on one company that sent a guy out fast for a "look-see". No fancy suit, just muddy boots, which honestly felt right.

The Day the Clean Crew Showed Up

Two dudes rocked up in a beat-up truck with a big pressure washer and some weird tanks. Here's the blow-by-blow:

1. Pre-Spray Goblin Juice: First thing? They sprayed this clear liquid all over the fence, especially on the thick green patches and nasty bird poop spots. Guy called it a "biodegradable cleaner" – basically loosens the gunk.
2. Letting the Juice Do Its Thing: They sat back for like 15-20 minutes, sipping coffee, letting that liquid soak in and eat away the crud.
3. Power Wash Time (The Fun Part): Then out came the pressure washer with this special wide spray tip. They started at the top, moving steadily down. Didn't blast too close or too hard – said that rips up the wood. You could see the brown grime and green crap just washing away. Like magic, honestly. Water went everywhere, muddy puddles formed. Looked chaotic, but they knew their moves.
4. Rinse & Reveal: Switched to just clean water and rinsed the whole thing down, washing away the dirty water and leftover cleaner. This part revealed the actual wood color underneath. Was kinda shocking how much lighter it looked!
5. Cleanup Duty: They sprayed down the muddy puddles a bit and packed up. Took maybe 2 hours for my whole back fence.

So... Was it Worth It?

Honestly? Yes. Totally. That fence looks like I replaced it. The wood grain is visible again, no more slippery green stuff, smells better. Feels like I got five extra years out of it. Didn't have to bust my back, no messing with hoses and chemicals myself, just handed them coffee and watched the transformation happen.

What did I learn? Hiring pros isn't just laziness (okay, maybe a little!), it's knowing they have the right gear and the know-how to not wreck your fence while cleaning it. Money well spent in my book. Fence looks mint, backyard feels brighter. Happy homeowner over here!