Gutter Brightening, tiger stripes, gone
The black "tiger stripe" staining soft-washed off the exterior gutter faces.
Gutter Brightening — done properly
Every rain runs a thin film of asphalt residue, pollen and pollutant fallout down the outside of your gutters, and over years it oxidizes into the black vertical streaks people call "tiger stripes." A hose will not touch it and neither will a plain gutter cleaning. We apply a gutter-brightening detergent, let it dwell on the stain and oxidation, agitate the heavy sections by hand, and rinse the whole line back toward new — low pressure only, so the factory finish stays intact.
What gutter brightening is up against in the Northwest
Rain writes the stripes
Puget Sound rain runs a film of roof and road residue down the gutter face on every storm. Over a few Northwest winters it bonds into the black streaks a hose cannot move.
It finishes a house wash
Freshly washed siding above dirty gutters still reads "not done." Brightening the faces is the last step that makes the whole elevation look clean.
Detergent, not pressure
The stain is chemical, so it lifts with the right detergent and dwell time — not by blasting painted aluminum with a pressure washer.
Every job, every time
- Removes the black "tiger stripe" staining a rinse can’t touch
- Low-pressure detergent process — safe for painted aluminum
- Whole gutter line matched, faces and end returns
- Best value added to a gutter cleaning or house wash
Four steps, no surprises
Protect below
Plants, siding and walkways under the run are pre-wet so nothing is affected by the detergent.
Apply the cleaner
A gutter-brightening detergent is applied to the faces and end caps and left to dwell on the oxidation and stain.
Agitate the stripes
Heavy tiger-stripe sections are hand-agitated so the stain lifts evenly along the whole line.
Rinse & check
The faces are rinsed clean, the run is checked front and back, and everything below is rinsed down.
From $79 added to a gutter cleaning or house wash; a bit more as a stand-alone visit. Priced by linear footage and how set-in the staining is — most single-family homes run $79–$225.
Want it kept up automatically? Put it on a maintenance plan for a lower per-visit rate.
Gutter Brightening in every city we serve
Same crew, same standard, no travel fee inside the area. Pick your city for local notes on gutter brightening — conditions, neighborhoods and a free quote.
Snohomish County
- Gutter Brightening in Lake Stevens, WA
- Gutter Brightening in Everett, WA
- Gutter Brightening in Marysville, WA
- Gutter Brightening in Arlington, WA
- Gutter Brightening in Granite Falls, WA
- Gutter Brightening in Snohomish, WA
- Gutter Brightening in Monroe, WA
- Gutter Brightening in Mill Creek, WA
- Gutter Brightening in Mukilteo, WA
- Gutter Brightening in Lynnwood, WA
One crew for the whole property
Before you book
What are the black streaks on my gutters?
They are "tiger stripes" — a bonded film of asphalt residue, pollen and pollutant fallout that rain washes down the gutter face and slowly oxidizes onto the paint. A regular rinse, or even a full gutter cleaning, will not remove them; it takes a detergent made for the job.
Can you do just the gutters, or does it have to be with other work?
Either. It is most cost-effective added to a gutter cleaning or house wash since we are already set up, but we do stand-alone gutter brightening too.
Will it hurt the paint or finish on my gutters?
No — it is a low-pressure detergent process, not pressure washing. It lifts the stain and oxidation while leaving the factory finish intact. Very old, chalky gutters may not come fully back to white; we will tell you honestly after a look.
How long does it stay looking clean?
A few years, depending on how much roof and traffic pollution runs down the face. Homes on busy roads or under older roofs stripe faster — a light re-do every couple of years keeps them sharp.
Ready for gutter brightening that actually lasts?
Free, itemized quotes across 18+ cities in Snohomish & King County. Most estimates back the same day.