Soft Washing vs. Pressure Washing
It is shocking just how dirty the siding, wood or brick 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 types of stains can give any home an unkempt, messy appearance, even though you invest a lot of time, money and maintenance into it.
Some of these materials, like dirt or mud, are harmless, but algae and mildew can be destructive to your health and your home. They create allergens and bacteria that can impact your family, and some of them, like algae, can grow underneath vinyl or roofing and enter into your home.
As a professional pressure washing service in Nashville, we recommend that you have your home’s exterior cleaned once every 12 months. The spring season is the most common time of the year to do an extreme home washing, but you can really do it any time so 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 thoroughly clean vinyl, brick and painted surfaces. Now, homeowners have another option for exterior home cleaning: soft washing.
As the names suggest, 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 method uses much less pressure 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 option, only slightly more powerful than a standard backyard hose.
Soft washing uses soap, bleach and water in combination to eliminate 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 prevent further growth of these organisms in the future.
Because chemicals, not water pressure, are responsible for cleaning the surfaces, no powerful water is necessary. This means that soft washing should be used for more delicate surfaces that might otherwise be damaged by more powerful pressure washing.
The soft wash solution is sometimes rinsed off, but not every time. This just depends on the type of solution is used in the process, if there’s plant or animal life that could be impacted by the solution runoff, and if the solution itself is powerful enough to damage surfaces over time.
Soft washing offers the distinct advantage of getting down into small cracks to eliminate unseen bacteria, meaning that its impact can last much longer than standard pressure 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 most home and business owners still prefer it.
This cleaning method uses water only, there are no chemicals, to get rid of stains and organisms from exterior surfaces. The use of plain water is a significant advantage to home owners that don’t want to use chemicals, whether for the environment’s sake or to avoid zoning violations.
It can be used on several different materials. Home and business owners often prefer pressure washing for cleaning their driveway, patio, decks, sidewalks and outdoor furniture because it is fast, more efficient and affordable.
Pressure washing uses somewhere 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 blasted from your home’s surface, prohibiting their growth and restoring the appearance of your home.
One drawback to pressure washing is that the water can sometimes be too powerful and lead to damaging the surfaces of your home you want to clean. Pressure washing is powerful 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 obvious question for homeowners is, “Is pressure washing or soft washing better?”
Both soft washing and pressure washing are good for your home’s exterior, as well as sidewalks, driveways and more. Both of these cleaning systems can be performed by a professional company – and truthfully, are more correctly done when left to the pros.
Soft washing is excellent for outdoor toys, gardening tools, roof shingles, decks, gutters, patios and painted surfaces because it is less likely to damage wood and plastic. It’s also a safe choice for vinyl siding.
It kills organisms that are present on the surface, and it prevents future growth for much longer than pressure washing can.
A disadvantage of soft washing is that it can kill plants underneath the surface that you’re cleaning. Remember to spray them down with water before spraying the soft wash solution on your home or roof, and it probably shouldn’t be a problem.
Pressure washing is the best choice for severe stains, and hard surfaces like concrete, brick and stone. Pressure washing is the preferred choice for commercial properties. A professional pressure washing service in Nashville might use a combination of chemicals and water pressure to get rid of tough stains, but they should let you know if they are going to be spraying chemicals during your estimate.
It can be used on siding too (and has been for several years) so long as it is done correctly. High water pressure can damage weak or small pieces of vinyl. A company that does pressure washing often are going to know how to protect weak pieces, but a first-timer might do a lot of damage.
Your home’s roof is definitely off limits for pressure washing if there are slate, tile or asphalt shingles. The high pressure of the water can ruin these materials and require you to replace your roof far faster than expected.
Deciding between soft washing or pressure washing is best left for a professional pressure washing service. Which process is right for your home? Give Nashville Pressure Wash Plus a call at 615-880-9705 and we’ll send a trained technician over to take a look!