Interest Custodian emblem: a whale and wave beneath the Washington Monument Interest Custodian Community Cleaning
The Francis Scott Key monument fountain on a Baltimore plaza, rendered in deep blue

Baltimore, Maryland

Clean blocks. Stronger futures.

Interest Custodian brings the power of professional pressure washing to the places our communities live, gather, build, and belong—at no cost to neighbors who need it most.

Restoring pride, visibility, and possibility—one surface at a time.

Legal status
Maryland nonprofit corporation
Tax status
501(c)(3) charitable organization
Service area
Baltimore City neighborhoods
Current stage
Grant application phase
Cost to neighbors
No cost where the need is greatest

Why we exist

We treat every block like it matters. Because it does.

Clean public spaces are not a luxury. They signal care, strengthen neighborhood pride, and help small businesses, residents, and community groups feel seen.

Interest Custodian is a pressure-washing nonprofit built around that belief. We mobilize volunteers, partners, and professional equipment to remove grime, restore high-traffic spaces, and make our city’s everyday places feel welcoming again.

A block that looks cared for is a block that gets cared for.

Read our story and meet the team

What we do

Water, pressure, and care—applied where it changes how a block feels.

Program 01

Corridor Care

Storefront sidewalks, transit stops, and main-street corridors washed on a recurring schedule so small businesses and shoppers arrive to a block that looks open for business.

  • Sidewalk and curb washing
  • Gum, grease, and stain removal
  • Bus stops, benches, and trash-can pads

Program 02

Block Restore

Resident-requested cleanups for rowhouse steps, alleys, dumpster pads, and shared walkways—the surfaces neighbors touch every day.

Program 03

Civic & Sacred Spaces

Churches, schools, rec centers, community gardens, monuments, and memorials cleaned with surface-appropriate methods and respect.

Program 04

Graffiti & Grime

Soft washing and targeted removal that lifts marks without damaging brick, stone, or paint.

Program 05

Stewardship Pathways

Training and crew experience for returning citizens, veterans, women, and neighborhood residents.

Program 06

Partner Cleanups

Joint days of service with neighborhood associations, CDCs, business districts, and faith communities.

See how each program works

Our commitment

Clean, welcoming public spaces support dignity, neighborhood pride, local businesses, and safer everyday life.

We bring practical care to the places people use every day—sidewalks, alleys, storefront corridors, and public spaces—while creating meaningful community-stewardship pathways for returning citizens, veterans, women, and neighborhood residents.

The places we serve

We care for the places that hold our communities together.

Monuments and fountains. Transit platforms. Marble steps and corner storefronts. The waterways that give this city its name. These are the surfaces where Baltimore meets itself every day.

Public squares where neighbors gather, marked by weather and time.
Monuments and plazasPublic squares where neighbors gather, marked by weather and time.
Station stairs, platforms, and passageways used by thousands of riders a day.
Transit corridorsStation stairs, platforms, and passageways used by thousands of riders a day.
Facades and steps mid-repair, where care is most visible.
Rowhouse blocksFacades and steps mid-repair, where care is most visible.
Historic masonry and open ground overlooking the city.
Waterfront landmarksHistoric masonry and open ground overlooking the city.
Moving water at the edge of the city—the resource our work depends on.
The fallsMoving water at the edge of the city—the resource our work depends on.
The city keeps moving after dark, and so do the surfaces we care for.
Late shiftsThe city keeps moving after dark, and so do the surfaces we care for.

How a cleanup happens

Simple to request. Documented from start to finish.

Request

A resident, business, congregation, or association tells us what needs attention and where.

Walk the site

We assess surfaces, water access, safety, and the right pressure and method for the material.

Schedule the crew

We confirm a date, notify the block, and pair trained crew with volunteers where it helps.

Document and follow up

Before-and-after photos, hours worked, and square footage cleaned—shared with the block and our funders.

Impact in progress

Results we will share openly.

We are in our grant application phase and have not begun operations, so we are not publishing numbers we haven’t earned. As projects begin, our impact page will document before-and-after work, neighborhood partnerships, and measurable community benefit.

See what we will measure

Three ways to move this forward

Partner

Bring us to your block

Neighborhood associations, business districts, congregations, schools, and CDCs can request recurring corridor care.

Volunteer

Join a cleanup day

No experience needed. We train on equipment, safety, and surface care.

Fund

Underwrite equipment and crew

Grants, sponsorships, and in-kind support put water and hours on the ground.

Start a conversation

Let’s care for Baltimore together.

Tell us about a corridor, a set of steps, an alley, or a public space that deserves better—and we will tell you exactly what it would take.