Soft Washing vs. Pressure Washing
It is amazing just how dirty the outside of your house can get during the course of a year. Some of the most common stains include mud or dirt, algae, mold and mildew. These things will give any house an unkempt, uncared for appearance, even though you invest time, money and maintenance into it.
Some of these materials, like dirt, don’t do much harm, but algae and mold can be harmful to your health and your house. These contaminants create allergens that can affect your family, and some, like algae, can even grow directly underneath vinyl or roofing material and enter into your house.
As a professional power washing company in Hialeah, we recommend that you have your home’s exterior cleaned once a year. The spring season is the most common time of the year to do an extreme home exterior washing, but you can really do it any time 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
Pressure washing used to be the only option to properly clean vinyl, brick and painted home surfaces. Now, homeowners have a second option for exterior house cleaning: soft washing.
As the names suggest, one method is a lot gentler than the other one, but there’s a little more to it than just that. Let’s cover the features of each method to help you judge which is the right choice for your house.
WHAT IS SOFT WASHING?
The soft wash process uses much less power than a typical pressure washer, hence the name. The highest water pressure used in a soft washing system is 500 PSI. This lighter spray is produced from a nozzle with a wider spray option, only a little more powerful than a standard backyard garden hose.
Soft washing uses detergent, bleach and water in some combination to remove organic matter from your home, roof and other surfaces. The cleaning mixture used in a soft washing process can also include algaecides and residual inhibitors which will prevent further growth of these types of organisms in the future.
Because chemicals, not pressure, are key to cleaning the exterior surfaces, no powerful water is needed. This means that soft washing should be used for more delicate surfaces that could otherwise be damaged by more powerful pressure washing.
The soft wash chemicals are sometimes rinsed off, but not all of the time. This just depends on what type of chemicals are used, if there’s plant or animal life that might be impacted by the solution runoff, and if the chemicals are strong enough to harm surfaces over time.
Soft washing provides the distinct advantage of reaching into cracks and crevices to eliminate even unseen bacteria, meaning that its impact can last much longer than standard power washing.
WHAT IS PRESSURE WASHING?
Pressure washing has always been the standard for cleaning home exterior surfaces. It is very effective and quick, which is why most home and business owners prefer it.
This cleaning process uses water only, no chemicals, to remove stains and mildew from home exterior surfaces. The use of chemical-free water is a major plus to home and business owners that don’t want to use cleaning chemicals, either for the sake of the environment or to avoid zoning violations.
It can be used on several different materials. Home and business owners frequently prefer power washing for cleaning their driveway, patio, decks, sidewalks and patio furniture because it is fast, more efficient and cost-effective.
Pressure washing uses anywhere from 1300 to 3100 PSI water pressure with water being sprayed out of a tiny nozzle for maximum power. Both organic and inorganic materials are sprayed from your home’s exterior surface, preventing their growth and restoring the curb appeal of your house.
One drawback to power washing is that the water can sometimes be too powerful and can harm the surfaces you want to clean. Pressure washing is strong enough to put grooves in wood and plastic, and it can get into cracks, breaking off chunks of stone or brick.
IS PRESSURE WASHING OR SOFT WASHING BETTER?
The obvious question for most homeowners is, “Is pressure washing or soft washing better?”
Both soft washing and pressure washing methods are good for your home’s exterior, including sidewalks, driveways and more. Both of these cleaning systems can be done by a professional – and honestly, are more effectively done when left to the pros.
Soft washing is excellent for outdoor play sets, gardening equipment, roof shingles, decks, gutters, patios and painted surfaces because it is unlikely to harm wood and plastic. It’s also a safe choice for vinyl siding.
It kills organisms currently present on the exterior surface, and it stops future growth for much longer than power washing can.
A problem with soft washing is that it can kill plants under the surface that you’re cleaning. Remember to spray them with water before spraying the soft wash chemicals on your house or roof, and it shouldn’t be an issue.
Pressure washing is considered the best method for difficult stains, and harder surfaces like asphalt, stone and brick. Pressure washing is the preferred choice for commercial properties. A local pressure washing company in Hialeah may use a mix of detergents and water pressure to remove difficult stains, but they need to tell you if they will be spraying chemicals after your consultation.
It can also be used for siding too (and has been for decades) so long as it is done safely. Powerful water pressure can break weak or smaller pieces of the vinyl. A local company that does power washing often are going to know how to protect vulnerable pieces, but a amateur could do a lot of harm.
Your home’s roof is definitely off limits for power washing if there are slate, tile or asphalt shingles. The pressure of the water will likely damage these materials and cause you to replace your home’s roof far earlier than expected.
Deciding between soft washing or power washing is best left for a professional pressure washing company. Which process is right for your house? Give Hialeah Pressure Washing a call at 786-244-7402 and we will send an experienced technician over to take a look!