Soft Washing vs. Pressure Washing
It is amazing just how dirty the outside of your home can get during the course of a year. Some of the most common stains include dirt or mud splatter, algae, mold and mildew. These stains will give your home an unkempt, messy look, regardless of whether you invest a lot of time, money and care 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 home. They create allergens that can affect your family, and some, like algae, can grow directly underneath vinyl or roofing and enter into your home.
As a professional pressure washing service in Greensboro, we recommend you have your home’s exterior cleaned once every 12 months. Spring is the most popular time of the year to do an extreme home cleaning, but you can do it any time as long as the weather allows.
WHAT NEEDS PRESSURE WASHING?
All of the following home 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 method to thoroughly clean vinyl siding, brick and painted home surfaces. Now in 2021, homeowners in Greensboro have another option for exterior home cleaning: soft washing.
Like the names imply, one method is much gentler than the other, but there’s a little more to it than just that. Let’s review the features of each to help you determine which one is the right choice for your home.
WHAT IS SOFT WASHING?
The soft wash system uses much less pressure than a typical pressure washer, hence the name. The highest water pressure in a soft washing system is 500 PSI. This lighter spray is generated from a nozzle with a wider spray setting, only slightly more powerful than a standard backyard garden hose.
Soft washing uses a mixture of soap, bleach and water in some combination to get rid of organic matter from your home, roof and other surfaces. The solution used in a soft washing process can include algaecides and residual inhibitors which will deter further growth of these organisms in the future.
Because chemicals, not pressure, are responsible for cleaning the surfaces, no powerful water is necessary. This means that soft washing should be used for more fragile surfaces that would otherwise be harmed by more powerful pressure washing.
The soft wash solution is sometimes rinsed off, but not all of the time. This just depends on what type of solution is used in the process, if there’s 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 offers the advantage of getting down into small cracks and crevices to eliminate unseen organisms, meaning that its results can last longer than traditional pressure washing.
WHAT IS PRESSURE WASHING?
Pressure washing has long been the standard for cleaning home exterior surfaces. It is extremely 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 clean off stains and mildew from home exterior surfaces. The use of plain water is a major advantage to home owners that don’t want to use chemicals, whether for the sake of the environment or to avoid zoning violations.
It can be used on a lot of different materials. Home owners frequently choose pressure washing for cleaning their driveway, porches, decks, walkways and patio furniture because it is quick, more efficient and affordable.
Pressure washing uses anywhere from 1300 to 3100 PSI water pressure with water sprayed out from a small nozzle for the most power. Both organic and inorganic materials are sprayed from your home’s surface, stopping their growth and restoring the curb appeal of your home.
One drawback to pressure washing is that the water can sometimes be too powerful and lead to damaging the surfaces you’re attempting to clean. Pressure washing is strong enough to cut grooves in wood and plastic, and it can push into cracks, breaking off chunks of stone or brick.
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 for your home’s exterior, including sidewalks, driveways and more. Both of these cleaning systems can be performed by a professional company – and honestly, are more effectively done when left to the pros.
Soft washing is perfect for outdoor play equipment, yard equipment, 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 eliminates organisms that are present on the surface, and it stops future growth for longer than pressure washing can.
A disadvantage of soft washing is that it can kill plant life underneath the surface you’re cleaning. Remember to spray them down with water right before putting the soft wash chemicals on your home or roof, and it won’t be an issue.
Pressure washing is the recommended method for difficult stains, and harder surfaces like asphalt, brick and stone. Pressure washing is the recommended method for commercial properties. A professional pressure washing service in Greensboro may use a mix of chemicals and water pressure to clean offf difficult stains, but they should let you know if they are going to be spraying chemicals after your estimate.
It can be used for siding as well (and has been for decades) as long as it is done carefully. High water pressure can damage weak or small pieces of the vinyl. A local company that does pressure washing often will know how to protect fragile areas, but a first-timer might do a lot of damage.
Your home’s roof is off limits for pressure washing if you have slate, tile or asphalt shingles. The pressure of the water can ruin these materials and require you to replace your roof far faster than expected.
Choosing between pressure washing or soft washing is best left for a pressure washing service. Which method is right for your home? Give Greensboro Pressure Washing a call at 336-360-3936 and we’ll send a trained technician over to take a look!