Soft Wash vs Pressure Wash
When planning to clean exterior surfaces on your property it is good to know whether soft washing or pressure washing is the best solution. In this blog post, we break down what each term means and when to use each one.
Soft washing and pressure washing seem self-explanatory, but truly require a bit of knowledge to implement properly. It is best to know when to use each type to avoid property damage from high pressure or chemicals.
What Is Pressure Washing?
Pressure washing is the more commonly known between the two and is probably something you are semi-familiar with. It requires the use of a specialized machine with a high-pressure pump. This unit relies on pressurizing the water to anywhere between 3000-4000psi. This is generally what a pro will use to clean various surfaces on your property, but is not a one size fits all tool. The machine has a wand and various tips hooked to a high-pressure hose to blast away dirt and algae.
What Is Soft Washing?
Soft washing is another high-quality option for cleaning exterior surfaces. This type of cleaning is focused less on the use of a pressure washer and more reliant on specialty cleaners to clean your home. This technique is often used by professionals to wash more delicate surfaces.
The use of soft washing will not do the same damage that high-pressure machines may inflict on your home. Although the use of chemicals carries its own risks. When an inexperienced company uses the wrong solutions you risk damage to your house and surrounding vegetation.
Which Method Is Right For Your Property?
Both methods listed above have a time and place for use. The misuse of either can risk severe damage to your home. Soft washing is ideal because it does not have the risk of physically blasting siding off your home or ripping into soft composite decking materials. However, there are certain situations where a pressure washer is certainly needed to clean harder surfaces. Soft washing is generally not going to work on concrete and other tough surfaces.
It is only recommended to use pressure washing when cleaning hard surfaces that are tough. This helps to avoid damage and leaves you with high-quality results. A professional cleaning company will know when to fire up the pressure washer and blast away at grime. With a well-trained pro, you know you are in good hands.
When choosing to pressure wash your home it is important to know what cleaning agent to use and at what dilution. If you are too strong with your product you can damage, and too weak will not get good cleaning results. When you have the proper cleaner chosen it is time to apply it and let it dwell on the surface. Once you have let it sit you must rinse thoroughly to remove all cleaning product from the surface.
Soft washing requires the use of professional-grade cleaners. Make sure to get just the right dilution ratio to avoid property or plant damage. On top of using a pro-grade cleaner, you must know which one to use on what surfaces to avoid damage. Ensure that you do tons of research and seek professional advice.
Now What?
Whether you are looking to wash your home or driveway it is recommended to reach out to a professional reliable business for guidance. Pressure washing at the right pressure is great for cleaning pavers, concrete, and treated lumber. It is also recommended before a painting as a way to prepare the surface for adhesion.
Soft washing is best to remove algae and mildew from your home’s softer surfaces. This method allows for the removal of the contaminants while brightening up your home exterior.
At the end of the day, it is best to keep up on your exterior maintenance with the proper technique. When you keep up on cleaning your homes building materials will last longer and look great. If you have any questions or would like to defer the work to a pro please consider reaching out to us at Exterior Revival. With hundreds of properties cleaned a year we have the proper experience to do what’s best in each situation.
