Soft Washing vs. Pressure Washing
It is amazing how dirty the siding, wood or brick of your house can get during 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 house an unkempt, messy look, even though you invest time and maintenance into it.
Some of these materials, like dirt, don’t do much harm, but algae and mold can be harmful to both your health and your house. These contaminants produce allergens that can affect your family, and some of them, like algae, can even grow underneath vinyl or roofing and enter into your house.
As a professional power washing company in Redmond, we recommend you have your home’s exterior cleaned once every 12 months. The spring season is the most popular time to do an extreme home exterior cleaning, but you can do it any time as long as the weather allows.
WHAT NEEDS PRESSURE WASHING?
All of the following 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 surfaces. Now in 2021, homeowners in Redmond have a second option for exterior house cleaning: soft washing.
Like the names suggest, one method is a lot gentler than the other one, but there’s a little more to it than that. Let’s look at the features of each to help you judge which one is best for your house.
WHAT IS SOFT WASHING?
The soft wash method uses less power than a typical pressure washer, hence the name. The maximum 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 a backyard hose.
Soft washing uses a mixture of detergent, bleach and water in combination to get rid of organic matter and debris from your home, roof and other outdoor surfaces. The mixture used in a soft washing system can include algaecides and residual inhibitors to help stop further growth of these types of organisms in the future.
Because chemicals, not pressure, are key to cleaning the exterior surfaces, no powerful water pressure is necessary. This means that soft washing can be used for more delicate surfaces that might otherwise be damaged by harsher pressure washing equipment.
The soft wash chemicals are sometimes cleaned off, but not all of the time. This just depends on the type of chemicals are used, if there is plant or animal life that can be impacted by the solution runoff, and if the solution itself is strong enough to harm surfaces over time.
Soft washing offers the distinct advantage of reaching down into small cracks and crevices to eliminate even unseen bacteria, meaning that its effects can last a lot longer than standard power washing.
WHAT IS PRESSURE WASHING?
Pressure washing has always been the standard for cleaning exterior surfaces. It is highly effective and efficient, which is why many home and business owners still prefer it over soft washing.
This particular cleaning method uses water only, no chemicals, to remove stains and mold from exterior surfaces. The use of chemical-free water is a significant advantage to home owners who don’t want to use chemicals, whether for the sake of the environment or to avoid zoning violations.
It can be used on many different materials. Home and business owners prefer power washing for cleaning their driveway, patio, decks, sidewalks and patio furniture because it is quick, more efficient and cost-effective.
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 blasted from your home’s exterior surface, prohibiting their growth and restoring the curb appeal of your house.
One negative about power washing is that the water is sometimes too powerful and can damage the surfaces of your home you want to clean. Pressure washing is strong enough to put 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 homeowners is, “Is pressure washing or soft washing better?”
Both soft washing and pressure washing are good for your home’s exterior, including sidewalks, driveways and more. Both of these cleaning systems can be done by a professional company – and truthfully, are more correctly done when left to the experts.
Soft washing is perfect for outdoor play sets, gardening equipment, roof shingles, decks, gutters, patios and painted surfaces because it is less likely to harm plastic and wood. It’s also a safe and smart choice for vinyl siding.
It removes organisms currently present on the exterior surface, and it stops future growth for a lot longer than power washing can.
A disadvantage of 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 solution on your house or roof, and it won’t be a problem.
Pressure washing is the preferred method for difficult stains, and harder surfaces like concrete, brick and stone. Pressure washing is the recommended process for commercial surfaces. A professional pressure washing company in Redmond might use a mixture of detergents and water pressure to remove tough stains, but they should let you know if they will be spraying chemicals after your consultation.
It can be used for siding as well (and has been for decades) as long as it is done safely. High water pressure can damage fragile or smaller pieces of vinyl. A local service that does power washing often are going to know how to protect weak pieces, but a first-timer could do a lot of harm.
Your home’s roof is off limits for power washing if there are slate, tile or asphalt shingles. The extreme pressure of the water will likely damage these materials and cause you to replace your roof much faster than expected.
Choosing between soft washing or power washing is best left for a pressure washing company. Which process is right for your house? Give Redmond Pressure Washing a call at 425-272-6378 and we’ll send an experienced technician over to take a look!