Soft Washing vs. Pressure Washing
It’s shocking how dirty the exterior of your home can get over a year. Some of the most typical stains include dirt or mud splatter, algae, mold and mildew. These types of stains will give any home an unkempt, messy appearance, even though you invest a lot of time and care into it.
Some materials, like dirt or mud, don’t do much harm, but algae and mold can be destructive to your health and to your home. They create allergens and bacteria that can affect your family, and some, like algae, can even grow directly underneath vinyl or roofing material and enter into your home.
As a professional power washing service in Rialto, we recommend that you have your home’s exterior cleaned once every 12 months. The spring season is typically the most common time to do an intense home washing, but you can do it any time throughout the year so long as the weather allows.
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 way to thoroughly clean vinyl siding, brick and painted surfaces. Now in 2021, homeowners in Rialto have another option for exterior home cleaning: soft washing.
As the names imply, one method is a lot gentler than the other one, but there’s more to it than that. Let’s review the features of each to help you judge which is best for your home.
WHAT IS SOFT WASHING?
The soft wash process uses much less power than a typical pressure washer, hence the name. The maximum water pressure in a soft washing system is 500 PSI. This lower spray is generated from a nozzle with a wider spray option, only a little more powerful than your typical backyard garden hose.
Soft washing uses detergent, bleach and water in some combination to remove organic matter from your home, roof and other surfaces. The solution used in a soft washing process can also include algaecides and residual inhibitors to help prevent further growth of these types of organisms in the future.
Because chemicals, not water pressure, are responsible for cleaning the surfaces, no powerful water is needed. This means that soft washing should be used for fragile surfaces that might otherwise be harmed by harsher pressure washing.
The soft wash solution is sometimes washed off, but not always. This just depends on what type of solution is used in the process, if there’s plant or animal life that can be impacted by the runoff, and if the solution itself is strong enough to damage surfaces over time.
Soft washing provides the advantage of reaching down into cracks to eliminate even unseen bacteria, meaning that its results can last a lot longer than power washing.
WHAT IS PRESSURE WASHING?
Pressure washing has always been the standard for cleaning exterior surfaces. It is highly effective and fast, which is why many home and business owners still prefer it.
This cleaning process uses water only, there are no chemicals, to get rid of stains and organisms from exterior surfaces. The use of plain water is a major advantage to home and business owners who 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 owners frequently choose power washing for cleaning their driveway, patio, decks, sidewalks and outdoor furniture because it is fast, efficient and affordable.
Pressure washing uses anywhere from 1300 to 3100 PSI water pressure with water sprayed out from a tiny nozzle for the most power. Both organic and inorganic materials 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 is sometimes too powerful and lead to damaging the surfaces you want to clean. Pressure washing is strong enough to cut deep 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 most homeowners is, “Is pressure washing or soft washing better?”
Both soft washing and pressure washing are good for your home’s exterior, including sidewalks, driveways and more. Both cleaning systems can be done by a professional – and truthfully, are more effectively done when left to the experts.
Soft washing is great for outdoor play sets, yard equipment, shingle roofs, 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 eliminates organisms currently present on the surface, and it stops future growth for a lot longer than power 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 applying the soft wash solution on your home or roof, and it won’t be a problem.
Pressure washing is considered the best method for difficult stains, and harder surfaces like concrete, stone and brick. Pressure washing is the recommended choice for commercial properties. A professional pressure washing service in Rialto might use a mix of detergents and water pressure to get rid of problematic stains, but they should tell you if they will be spraying chemicals during your consultation.
It can be used on siding as well (and has been for decades) so long as it is done correctly. Powerful water pressure can damage fragile or small pieces of vinyl. A local service that does power washing often are going to know how to protect vulnerable pieces, but a first-timer might do a lot of damage.
Your home’s roof is off limits for power washing if you have slate, tile or asphalt shingles. The pressure of the water can ruin these materials and cause you to replace your home’s roof a lot faster than expected.
Deciding between pressure washing or soft washing is best left for a professional pressure washing service. Which process is right for your home? Give Rialto Pressure Washing a call at 909-235-5665 and we will send a trained technician over to take a look!