Soft Washing vs. Pressure Washing

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

Some materials, like dirt, are harmless, but algae and mildew can be damaging to both your health and your house. They produce allergens that can impact your family, and some, like algae, can even grow underneath vinyl or roofing material and enter into your house.

As a professional pressure washing company in Warwick, 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 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

Power washing used to be the only method to thoroughly clean vinyl siding, brick and painted home surfaces. Now in 2021, 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 review the features of each method to help you judge which one is the right choice for your house.

WHAT IS SOFT WASHING?

The soft wash process uses much 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 generated from a nozzle with a wider spray option, only slightly more powerful than a standard backyard lawn hose.

Soft washing uses soap, bleach and water in some combination to remove organic matter and debris from your home, roof and other surfaces. The mixture used in a soft washing process can include algaecides and residual inhibitors which will prevent 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 necessary. This means that soft washing should be used for delicate surfaces that might otherwise be harmed by more powerful pressure washing.

The soft wash solution is sometimes cleaned off, but not all of the time. 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 runoff, and if the solution itself is powerful enough to harm surfaces over time.

Soft washing provides the advantage of getting into small cracks and crevices to kill even unseen bacteria, meaning that its impact can last much longer than traditional pressure washing.

WHAT IS PRESSURE WASHING?

Pressure washing has always been the standard for cleaning home exterior surfaces. It is highly effective and fast, which is why most home and business owners prefer it.

This cleaning process uses water only, there are no chemicals, to eliminate stains and mold from home exterior surfaces. The use of plain water is a significant plus to home and business owners that don’t want to use chemicals, whether for the environment’s sake or to avoid zoning violations.

The pressure washing process can be used on several different materials. Home and business owners choose pressure washing for cleaning their driveway, porches, decks, sidewalks and outdoor furniture because it is quick, efficient and cost-effective.

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

One negative about pressure washing is that the water is sometimes too powerful and lead to damaging the surfaces you’re attempting to clean. Pressure washing is powerful enough to put grooves in wood and plastic, and it can get into cracks, breaking off pieces of brick or stone.

IS PRESSURE WASHING OR SOFT WASHING BETTER?

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

Both soft washing and pressure washing 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 effectively done when left to the experts.

Soft washing is excellent for outdoor play sets, yard tools, roof shingles, 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 eliminates organisms that are present on the exterior surface, and it prevents future growth for much longer than pressure washing can.

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

Pressure washing is the best choice for severe stains, and harder surfaces like asphalt, stone and brick. Pressure washing is the recommended choice for commercial surfaces. A professional pressure washing company in Warwick might use a combination of detergents and water pressure to eliminate tough stains, but they need to tell you if they are going to be using chemicals after your estimate.

It can be used on siding too (and has been for several years) so long as it is done safely. Powerful water pressure can break off weak or smaller pieces of the vinyl. A local company that does pressure washing all the time will know how to protect these areas, but a amateur can do a lot of harm.

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

Deciding between soft washing or pressure washing is best left for a professional pressure washing company. Which method is right for your house? Give Warwick Pressure Washing a call at 401-208-2570 and we’ll send an experienced technician over to take a look!