Gutter face brightening

What actually causes gutter tiger stripes

The dark vertical stripes running down the front of your gutters are called tiger stripes. They're not dirt — they're an electrostatic bond of airborne pollutants, pollen, and mild acids that stick to the oxidized layer on the outside of an aluminum gutter.

That's why a normal house wash rinse doesn't remove them. The soft-wash solution I use on siding lifts biological growth (algae, mildew), but tiger stripes need a mild oxalic-acid brightener plus a soft brush pass to break the bond and rinse the pigment off.

What's included

• Outside (front) face of all accessible gutter runs
• Downspout front faces
• Brightener applied, brushed, and rinsed thoroughly
• Landscaping pre-rinsed and post-rinsed
• Honest read on any run that won't fully brighten (see limits below)

What this service is NOT

It's worth being clear about scope so there are no surprises. Gutter brightening cleans the outside face of the gutter — the part you see from the street. It does not include:

• Interior cleanout (leaves and debris scooped out of the trough) — that's a different service I don't offer.
• Downspout flushing — I don't run a hose down the inside of a downspout.
• Gutter guard installation or repair.
• Repainting — brightening reveals the color under the stains; it does not add paint.

When brightening works — and when it doesn't

Most tiger stripes brighten dramatically. A few situations set a lower ceiling on what the process can do:

• Right call: typical 3–10 year old aluminum gutters with visible vertical staining on painted or unpainted surfaces.
• Managed expectation: heavily oxidized gutters (20+ years, chalky to the touch) may improve but not return to like-new.
• Managed expectation: gutters with old sealant runs or peeling paint won't brighten uniformly — the brightener can't reach under lifted paint.
• Not this service: copper or galvanized steel gutters — different chemistry, different process.

Bundling it into a wash

The most cost-effective way to add this is to bundle it with a house wash. I'm already set up, already on the ladder for soffits and fascia, and the plants are already tarped. Adding brightening at that point is $40 and takes a few extra minutes per elevation.

As a standalone visit it hits the $75 minimum, which is why I usually recommend pairing it with siding, driveway, or deck work you already had in mind.