Soft Washing vs. Pressure Washing

It’s shocking how dirty the outside of your house can get throughout the course of a year. Some of the most typical stains include dirt or mud splatter, algae, mold and mildew. These stains will give any house an unkempt, messy look, even though you invest time and maintenance into it.

Some materials, like dirt, are harmless, but algae and mildew can be damaging to your health and your house. These contaminants create allergens and bacteria that can impact your family, and some, like algae, can even grow directly underneath vinyl or roofing and enter into your house.

As a professional pressure washing company in Inglewood, we recommend that you have your home’s exterior cleaned once a year. The spring season is typically the most common time of the year to do an extreme home exterior washing, but you can really do it any time throughout the year so long as the weather allows.

WHAT NEEDS PRESSURE WASHING?

All of the following home surfaces need to be cleaned from time to time:

• Vinyl siding
• Rock and stone
• Brick
• Concrete and asphalt

Power washing used to be the only way to thoroughly clean vinyl siding, brick and painted home surfaces. Now, homeowners have a second option for exterior house cleaning: soft washing.

As the names imply, one method is much gentler than the other one, but there’s a little more to it than that. Let’s cover the features of each method to help you decide which is the right choice for your house.

WHAT IS SOFT WASHING?

The soft wash system uses less pressure than a typical pressure washer, hence the name. The maximum water pressure in a soft washing system is 500 PSI. This lighter spray is produced from a nozzle with a wider spray setting, only slightly more powerful than your backyard garden hose.

Soft washing uses soap, bleach and water in some combination to eliminate organic matter from your home, roof and other exterior surfaces. The cleaning solution used in a soft washing system can include algaecides and residual inhibitors which will stop further growth of these types of organisms in the future.

Because chemicals, not pressure, are responsible for cleaning the exterior surfaces, no powerful water is needed. This means that soft washing should be used for fragile surfaces that could otherwise be damaged by more powerful pressure washing.

The soft wash solution is sometimes rinsed off, but not always. This just depends on the type of solution is used in the process, if there is plant or animal life that might be affected by the solution runoff, and if the solution itself is strong enough to damage surfaces over time.

Soft washing provides the distinct advantage of getting into small cracks and crevices to eliminate even unseen organisms, meaning that its results can last longer than traditional pressure washing.

WHAT IS PRESSURE WASHING?

Pressure washing has long been the gold standard for cleaning home exterior surfaces. It is very effective and efficient, which is why many home and business owners still prefer it.

This cleaning system uses water only, no chemicals, to eliminate stains and mildew from home exterior surfaces. The use of chemical-free water is a significant advantage to home and business owners that don’t want to use cleaning chemicals, whether for the sake of the environment or to avoid zoning violations.

The pressure washing process can be used on several different materials. Home owners frequently choose pressure washing for cleaning their driveway, porches, decks, walkways and outdoor furniture because it is fast, efficient and affordable.

Pressure washing requires anywhere from 1300 to 3100 PSI water pressure with water being sprayed out from a small nozzle for the most power. Both organic and inorganic materials are blasted from your home’s exterior surface, prohibiting their growth and restoring the curb appeal of your house.

One negative about pressure washing is that the water can sometimes be too powerful and can damage the surfaces of your home you’re attempting to clean. Pressure washing is strong enough to cut deep grooves into wood and plastic, and it can push into cracks, breaking off chunks of brick or stone.

IS PRESSURE WASHING OR SOFT WASHING BETTER?

The real question for homeowners is, “Which one should I choose?”

Both soft washing and pressure washing methods are good choices for your home’s exterior, as well as sidewalks, driveways and more. Both cleaning systems can be performed by a professional – and honestly, are more correctly done when left to the pros.

Soft washing is perfect for outdoor play equipment, gardening tools, shingle roofs, decks, gutters, patios and painted surfaces because it is less likely to damage plastic and wood. It’s also a safe choice for vinyl siding.

It kills organisms currently present on the exterior surface, and it stops future growth for longer than pressure washing can.

A disadvantage of soft washing is that it can kill plants under the surface that you’re cleaning. Remember to spray them with water right before spraying the soft wash chemicals on your house or roof, and it won’t be a problem.

Pressure washing is the recommended choice for difficult stains, and hard surfaces like concrete, brick and stone. Pressure washing is the recommended process for commercial properties. A local pressure washing company in Inglewood may use a mix of chemicals and water pressure to get rid of problematic stains, but they need to tell you if they will be using chemicals after your estimate.

It can also be used on siding too (and has been for several years) so long as it is done carefully. High water pressure can damage weak or small pieces of vinyl. A local company that does pressure washing all the time will know how to protect weak areas, but a amateur might do a lot of damage.

Your home’s roof is off limits for pressure washing if there are slate, tile or asphalt shingles. The pressure of the water might ruin these materials and require you to replace your roof a lot earlier than expected.

Deciding between soft washing or pressure washing is best left for a pressure washing company. Which process is right for your house? Give Inglewood Pressure Washing a call at 424-233-1822 and we will send an experienced technician over to take a look!