Client: Saleen National School (Principal: Denise O’Sullivan)
Location: Saleen, Co. Cork
Project Date: July 2026
Sector: Commercial & Educational Facilities Maintenance
Lead Specialist: Keith Sheehan (Architectural Technologist & Exterior Cleaning Specialist)
Services Provided: Low-pressure softwash render cleaning, full exterior building wash, pure-water window cleaning, hard-surface path cleaning, biological spore treatment, and photographic building-fabric condition logging.
Initial Building Condition & RAMS Governance
Observed Pre-Clean Defects: Widespread red and green algae staining, dark atmospheric soiling, biological growth at pavement junctions, localized brown rust staining below a wall-mounted fixture, and fine surface cracking/crazing across sections of the rendered finish.
Site-Specific RAMS: Comprehensive Risk Assessment and Method Statement approved by the school board prior to equipment deployment.
Safety & Site Control: Executed under the direct supervision of Keith Sheehan, carrying active SafePass and IPAF (Mobile Elevating Work Platforms) credentials for safe working at height.
Visual Maintenance Disclaimer: Biosoft’s visual observations are recorded as practical maintenance logs made during cleaning operations and are not presented as a formal structural survey or specialist building pathology report.
Rather than treating the campus as a uniform surface with a standard pressure washer, Biosoft selected specific cleaning methodologies based on substrate type, surface vulnerability, biological load, and structural condition:
1. Low-Pressure Softwash Render Cleaning Because pre-wash inspections revealed fine surface cracking (crazing) across rendered elevations, high-pressure washing was strictly ruled out to prevent water ingress into cavity walls or coat lifting. Low-pressure softwashing techniques were deployed using DAFM-registered biocides to eliminate biological spores at the cellular level without applying mechanical aggression to fragile render.
2. Controlled Hard-Surface & Path Restoration Surrounding footpaths and concrete walkways were cleaned using calibrated mechanical powerwashing. Water volume and pressure were precisely adjusted to remove slick algae and dark weathering, restoring safe, slip-resistant footways for staff and pupils.
3. Window & Detail Preservation Glazing, window frames, sills, and rainwater goods were cleaned using 100% de-ionised pure water reach-and-wash systems. Technicians took extreme care around render junctions, external fixtures, and drainage lines, ensuring zero chemical or detergent runoff onto fresh elevations.
4. Photographic Building-Fabric Audit Cleaning heavy contamination revealed underlying surface conditions that were previously hidden by biological growth. Biosoft logged a step-by-step visual record tracking:
Biological Growth → Staining → Surface Weathering → Visible Crazing → Localised Maintenance Observations
"The objective is not simply to make the building look clean. It is to clean the building appropriately, understand the surfaces being treated, document relevant observations, and avoid unnecessarily aggressive cleaning methods."
The completed works removed heavy biological contamination, dark staining, and atmospheric grime, restoring the visual presentation of Saleen National School while preserving substrate integrity.
Where visible maintenance observations were identified—including sections of render crazing and rust staining beneath external wall fixings—Biosoft formally compiled and reported these findings to Principal Denise O’Sullivan and the Board of Management. This provided the school with an actionable visual record for long-term maintenance planning.
Principal's Testimonial:
"Thank you for doing such a great job. The building and path looks amazing."
— Denise O’Sullivan, Principal, Saleen National School
