About the Power Washers of North America
Founded in 1992, PWNA sets industry standards for exterior cleaning through education, compliance, advocacy, and networking.
Power Washers of North America
Founded September 1992
The Power Washers of North America is a non-profit trade association and the leading organization dedicated to advancing standards across the exterior cleaning industry — pressure washing, soft washing, roof cleaning, window cleaning, and the surface cleaning trades built around them. Founded in 1992, PWNA has spent more than three decades setting the national standard for professional education, safety awareness, and certification training, serving contractors, technicians, and vendors throughout the United States and Canada.
From pressure washing and soft washing to kitchen exhaust cleaning, fleet washing, and concrete restoration, PWNA serves the full spectrum of the exterior cleaning industry — supporting everyone from solo operators earning their first certification to multi-crew enterprises managing compliance across an entire team. To date, PWNA has issued 7,000+ certifications, trained 1,500+ employees, and logged 15,000+ hours of training video views across the industry.
MISSION STATEMENT
The Power Washers of North America is a non-profit organization and is the recognized leader in developing and communicating the highest standards in ethical business practices, environmental awareness, and safety through continuing education and active representation of the membership. PWNA educated and trained contractors raise the level of professionalism and value to their customers.
PWNA BYLAWS
Our bylaws govern how PWNA operates and reflect our commitment to transparency and accountability within the association.
A Non-Profit Built By the Industry, For the Industry
PWNA is a non-profit trade association — not a pressure washing company, and we don't perform cleaning work ourselves. We're the industry's certifying body and professional home, governed by a Board of Directors made up entirely of working exterior cleaning professionals who understand the trade from the ground up, not outside administrators looking in.
As a non-profit, our purpose isn't generating profit for owners or shareholders — it's establishing what "Certified," "trained," and "compliant" actually mean in the power washing industry, and building the courses, standards, and community that get contractors there. Every credential we issue, every safety standard we set, and every course we build exists to answer one question: how does this industry earn the trust of the customers and communities it serves?
THE 4 PILLARS OF PWNA
Since 1992, PWNA has stood on four pillars that define what it means to be a serious, credentialed professional in this industry. Back then, exterior cleaning had no shortage of skilled operators — but it lacked a shared standard, a common voice, and a way for customers to tell the difference between a trained contractor and someone who bought a pressure washer last week. PWNA was built to close that gap.
These four pillars aren't a marketing framework — they're the actual structure behind everything the association does, from the courses we build to the policy conversations we're part of. Education gives contractors real, standardized skill. Networking connects them to people who've already solved the problems they're facing. Compliance keeps them ahead of the regulations that could otherwise shut a business down. And advocacy makes sure the industry has a voice in rooms contractors don't have time to sit in themselves. Together, they're why PWNA membership carries weight — and why the contractors who earn it stand apart from the ones who don't.
Education
Standardized Training, Not Trial and Error
PWNA was founded on the belief that this industry deserves real, standardized training — not trial and error learned the hard way on someone's property. We deliver industry-recognized certifications and continuing education through our annual convention and a trusted network of education partners, so every contractor who wears the PWNA name has earned it.
Networking
A Network You Don't Have to Build Alone
PWNA exists to connect contractors who'd otherwise be figuring this industry out alone. From residential soft washing crews to teams running large-scale commercial and industrial accounts, our members learn from each other — the kind of hard-won knowledge that doesn't show up in a manual.
Compliance
Staying Ahead of the Regulations That Govern This Industry
Part of PWNA's mission is keeping this industry ahead of the regulations that govern it. We keep members current on the OSHA, DOT, and EPA rules that affect exterior cleaning businesses, so contractors operate with confidence instead of finding out the rules the hard way.
Industry Advocacy
A Clear Voice for the Power Washing Industry
As the recognized association for exterior cleaning, PWNA advocates on behalf of contractors across North America — representing this industry's value to lawmakers, regulatory agencies, and the public. The more contractors who stand behind that voice, the stronger and more respected this industry becomes.
34 Years
Non-Profit Organization
1,500+
Employees Certified
7,000+
Certifications Issued
15,000+
Hrs of Training Videos Viewed
PWNA Mobile App & LMS
Behind every certification, compliance course, and training video is PWNA's proprietary Learning Management System — built specifically for exterior cleaning, not repurposed corporate software. It's the engine behind everything from your first certification to company-wide compliance tracking, all in one place.
- Sharpen your operations with standardized, field-tested training that cuts down on costly mistakes and rework.
- Add new service lines — solar, window cleaning, wood restoration, and more — without hiring outside trainers.
- Stay compliant, automatically with OSHA, DOT, and EPA-aligned coursework that holds up if you're ever audited.
- Train your whole team from one dashboard, so growth never means losing track of who's certified on what.
- Boost your profit margin — trained crews work faster and command higher prices than uncertified competitors.
About PWNA — Frequently Asked Questions
PWNA has been the professional home for exterior cleaning contractors since 1992 — but "non-profit trade association" doesn't always explain what that actually means day to day, or why it matters to your business. Below, we answer the questions people ask most about who PWNA is, what the association actually does for the industry, and what membership means once you're part of it.
What is PWNA?
The Power Washers of North America is a non-profit trade association founded in 1992, serving as the exterior cleaning industry's professional home. We're built by contractors, for contractors, with a mission centered on education, compliance, networking, and industry advocacy.
What does PWNA actually do for the industry?
PWNA sets and communicates the highest standards in ethical business practices, environmental awareness, and safety through continuing education. We also represent the exterior cleaning industry to lawmakers and regulatory agencies, helping shape policy that affects how contractors operate.
Who is PWNA for?
PWNA serves the full spectrum of the exterior cleaning industry — pressure washing, soft washing, kitchen exhaust cleaning, fleet washing, concrete restoration, and more. Whether you're a solo operator or running a multi-crew operation, PWNA membership is built to support you at every stage.
Is PWNA a for-profit company or a trade association?
PWNA is a non-profit organization, not a for-profit business. Our structure reflects our mission — we exist to raise professional standards across the industry, not to generate returns for owners or shareholders.
How long has PWNA been around?
PWNA was founded in September 1992, making it one of the longest-standing professional organizations in the exterior cleaning industry — over three decades of setting training and safety standards.
What's the difference between PWNA membership and PWNA certification?
Membership is what makes you part of the association — it gives you access to networking, industry advocacy, compliance resources, and course pricing. Certification is specific, credentialed training (like House Wash or Roof Cleaning) that you complete as a member to prove expertise in a given service line.
Where can I read PWNA's official mission statement?
PWNA's mission statement outlines our commitment to developing and communicating the highest standards in ethical business practices, environmental awareness, and safety through continuing education and active representation of our membership.
Does PWNA have governing bylaws?
Yes. PWNA's bylaws govern how the association operates and reflect our commitment to transparency and accountability to the membership. They're available to download directly from this page.
How is PWNA governed?
PWNA is led by a Board of Directors, made up of experienced professionals from across the exterior cleaning industry who help guide the association's direction, standards, and advocacy efforts.
Can my whole crew get certified?
Yes. Under a Contractor membership, each technician can enroll in courses individually at the per-class rate. Under Enterprise Membership, your entire team gets unlimited access to every certificate course with no per-class fees, making it easy to get every technician credentialed as they're hired.
