Soft Washing vs. Pressure Washing

It is surprising just how dirty the exterior of your home can get over a year. Some of the most common stains include dirt or mud splatter, algae, mold and mildew. These things will give your home an unkempt, uncared for look, regardless of if you invest time, money and care into it.

Some materials, like dirt or mud, don’t do much harm, but algae and mold can be harmful to your health and your home. They produce allergens that can affect your family, and some, like algae, can even grow underneath vinyl or roofing material and enter your home.

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

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 method to properly clean vinyl, brick and painted surfaces. Now, homeowners in Durham have another option for exterior home cleaning: soft washing.

As the names imply, one method is a lot gentler than the other, but there’s a little more to it than just that. Let’s look at the features of each to help you judge which one is best for your home.

WHAT IS SOFT WASHING?

The soft wash system uses less power 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 generated from a nozzle with a wider spray option, only slightly more powerful than a backyard garden hose.

Soft washing uses detergent, bleach and water in combination to eliminate organic matter from your home, roof and other outdoor surfaces. The mixture used in a soft washing process can also include algaecides and residual inhibitors to help stop further growth of these types of organisms in the future.

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

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

Soft washing provides the advantage of reaching into cracks and crevices to kill even unseen organisms, meaning that its impact can last a lot longer than traditional power washing.

WHAT IS PRESSURE WASHING?

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

This particular cleaning system uses water only, no chemicals, to get rid of stains and mold from exterior surfaces. The use of chemical-free water is a major advantage to property owners that don’t want to use chemicals, whether for the sake of the environment or to avoid zoning violations.

The pressure washing process can be used on a lot of different materials. Home and business owners frequently prefer power washing for cleaning their driveway, patio, decks, walkways and outdoor furniture because it is quick, efficient and cost-effective.

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

One negative about power 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 deep grooves into 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 most homeowners is, “Which one should I choose?”

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

Soft washing is excellent for outdoor play equipment, yard equipment, roof shingles, decks, gutters, patios and painted surfaces because it is unlikely to damage plastic and wood. It’s also a safe and smart choice for vinyl siding.

It eliminates organisms currently present on the surface, and it prevents future growth for a lot longer than power washing can.

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

Pressure washing is considered the recommended method for severe stains, and hard surfaces like asphalt, stone and brick. Pressure washing is the recommended method for commercial surfaces. A professional pressure washing company in Durham may use a mix of chemicals and water pressure to get rid of difficult stains, but they need to let you know if they will be spraying chemicals during your consultation.

It can also be used on siding as well (and has been for several years) as long as it is done carefully. High water pressure can break fragile or small pieces of the vinyl. A local company that does power washing often are going to know how to protect weak areas, but a first-timer can do a lot of damage.

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

Choosing between pressure washing or soft washing is best left for a professional pressure washing company. Which process is right for your home? Give Durham Pressure Washing a call at 919-551-7335 and we will send an experienced technician over to take a look!