Gentle method used to clean historic federal building in Chattanooga

Side-by-side: One face of the Joel W. Solomon Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse (left) was cleaned using the soft-washing process, while the other side of the building still had many decades’ worth of dirt, mold and grime to remove.

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The Joel W. Solomon Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Chattanooga, Tennessee, shines like new after the historic building received a much-needed cleaning using a minimally invasive and more thorough technique.

A staple of downtown Chattanooga, the Solomon Building was built in 1932, but over the decades, grime, dirt and mildew growth left the building looking out-of-place in the city’s vibrant business district.

After the city opened a new park and recreation area right across the street, Brandon Brown, a federal property manager in GSA’s Knoxville Field Office, recognized that the need to spruce up the building’s exterior and began researching different cleaning methods.

“The Solomon not only had a dirt problem but also had visible weathering from mold, mildew, algae and bacteria,” said Brown. “Pressure-washing services can only achieve a visual clean, but it doesn’t address the real problem of micro-organisms which will continue to grow in large green and black swaths.”

Rather than solicit the services of a pressure washer, which could potentially damage a building’s façade, Brown researched a technique called ‘soft washing,’ a method of exterior cleaning using low pressure and biodegradable detergents.

The chemicals used during the soft-washing process remain active for several days, so buildings cleaned using this method will continue to brighten after the initial application. Since soft washing provides a more thorough cleaning, the Solomon Building should keep its clean appearance longer than pressure washing (thus saving on future cleaning costs) while using significantly less water.

Brown said the building’s tenants have reacted very positively to the newly polished look, adding, “the tenants here at the Solomon take pride in this building—a true ownership.”

Public Buildings Service Regional Commissioner Kevin Kerns praised Brown’s efforts to clean the Solomon Building, noting that it will create a lasting impression among the citizens of Chattanooga.

“When many people think of the federal government, they think of the courthouses and federal buildings serving their respective communities,” said Kerns. “As taxpayers, they deserve to see these buildings as a source of community pride. Brandon has done an outstanding job stoking that feeling in Chattanooga.”