Soft Washing vs. Pressure Washing

It’s shocking just how dirty the siding, wood or brick of your home can get throughout the course of a year. Some of the most typical stains include mud or dirt, algae, mold and mildew. These types of stains will give any home an unkempt, messy appearance, even though you invest a lot of time and care into it.

Some materials, like dirt, don’t do much harm, but algae and mildew can be harmful to both your health and to your home. These contaminants create allergens and bacteria that can impact your family, and some, like algae, can grow underneath vinyl or roofing material and enter your home.

As a professional pressure washing company in Huntsville, we recommend you have your home’s exterior cleaned once a year. Spring is typically the most popular time to do an extreme home cleaning, but you can really do it any time so long as the weather permits.

WHAT NEEDS PRESSURE WASHING?

All of the following surfaces need to be pressure washed from time to time:

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

Pressure washing used to be the only option to properly clean vinyl, brick and painted surfaces. Now, homeowners have another option for exterior home cleaning: soft washing.

Like the names suggest, one method is much gentler than the other one, but there’s a little more to it than just that. Let’s review the features of each method to help you judge which one is best for your home.

WHAT IS SOFT WASHING?

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

Soft washing uses a mixture of soap, bleach and water in some combination to get rid of organic matter and debris from your home, roof and other surfaces. The solution used in a soft washing system can include algaecides and residual inhibitors to help deter further growth of these types of organisms in the future.

Because chemicals, not pressure, are responsible for cleaning the surfaces, no powerful water is required. This means that soft washing should be used for delicate surfaces that could otherwise be damaged by harsher pressure washing equipment.

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

Soft washing offers the distinct advantage of reaching down into cracks and crevices to eliminate unseen organisms, meaning that its impact can last longer than pressure washing.

WHAT IS PRESSURE WASHING?

Pressure washing has long been the standard for cleaning exterior surfaces. It is very effective and quick, which is why a lot of home and business owners prefer it over soft washing.

This cleaning system uses water only, there are no chemicals, to remove stains and organisms from exterior surfaces. The use of plain water is a big advantage to home and business owners who don’t want to use chemicals, either for the environment’s sake or to avoid zoning violations.

It can be used on many different materials. Home owners choose pressure washing for cleaning their driveway, patio, decks, sidewalks and outdoor furniture because it is fast, efficient and affordable.

Pressure washing needs somewhere from 1300 to 3100 PSI water pressure with water being sprayed out from a tiny nozzle for maximum power. Both organic and inorganic materials are sprayed from your home’s surface, prohibiting their growth and renewing the appearance of your home.

One drawback to pressure washing is that the water is sometimes too powerful and can harm the surfaces you’re attempting to clean. Pressure washing is powerful enough to cut deep grooves into wood and plastic, and it can push into cracks, breaking off pieces of stone or brick.

IS PRESSURE WASHING OR SOFT WASHING BETTER?

The ultimate question for most homeowners is, “Is pressure washing or soft washing better?”

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

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

It removes organisms that are present on the surface, and it prevents future growth for longer than pressure washing can.

A problem with soft washing is that it can kill plants underneath the surface you’re cleaning. Remember to spray them down with water before putting the soft wash chemicals on your home or roof, and it won’t be a problem.

Pressure washing is the recommended choice for severe stains, and hard surfaces like asphalt, stone and brick. Pressure washing is the preferred method for commercial properties. A local pressure washing company in Huntsville might use a mix of chemicals and water pressure to clean offf tough stains, but they need to tell you if they will be spraying chemicals during your consultation.

It can also be used for siding too (and has been for decades) so long as it is done correctly. Powerful water pressure can damage fragile or smaller pieces of vinyl. A company that does pressure washing all the time are going to know how to protect vulnerable areas, but a first-timer could do a lot of harm.

Your home’s roof is off limits for pressure washing if there are slate, tile or asphalt shingles. The extreme pressure of the water will likely ruin these materials and cause you to replace your roof far sooner than expected.

Deciding between pressure washing or soft washing is best left for a professional pressure washing company. Which process is right for your home? Give PRO Huntsville Pressure Wash a call at 256-252-3092 and we will send a trained technician over to take a look!