3 min read
Soft washing vs. pressure washing: which does your home need?
More pressure isn't always better. Here's when we use low pressure and a cleaning solution, and when we bring out the surface cleaner.
Why we wrote this: Reviewers praise crews that use a soft washing technique instead of blasting siding with high pressure.
The most common thing homeowners say after a great house wash is that the crew didn't just blast it. That's soft washing: low pressure plus a cleaning solution that does the work.
When we soft wash
Roofs, vinyl and stucco siding, painted trim, screened porches, and fences. High pressure on these can strip paint, etch stucco, lift shingles, or force water behind siding. A soft wash kills the mildew and algae at the root, so it stays clean longer.
When we pressure wash
Concrete: driveways, sidewalks, gas station pads, and flatwork. Concrete can take the pressure, and a surface cleaner lifts years of grime evenly, without the stripes you get from a wand.
The short version
Soft surfaces get a soft wash. Hard surfaces get pressure. Most homes need both, and we'll tell you which is which when we quote.