Soft Washing vs. Pressure Washing

It is shocking just how dirty the siding, wood or brick of your home can get throughout a year. Some of the most typical stains include mud or dirt, algae, mold and mildew. These stains will give any home an unkempt, uncared for appearance, regardless of whether you invest a lot of time, money and care into it.

Some materials, like dirt, are harmless, but algae and mildew can be damaging to your health and to your home. They create allergens and bacteria that can affect your family, and some, like algae, can grow directly underneath vinyl or roofing material and enter your home.

As a professional power washing company in San Antonio, we recommend that you have your home’s exterior cleaned once every 12 months. Spring is the most popular time of the year to do an extreme home cleaning, but you can really do it any time throughout the year as long as the weather permits.

WHAT NEEDS PRESSURE WASHING?

All of the following home 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, brick and painted home surfaces. Now in 2021, homeowners in San Antonio have another option for exterior home cleaning: soft washing.

As the names imply, one method is much gentler than the other, but there’s more to it than just that. Let’s cover the features of each method to help you decide which one is the right choice for your home.

WHAT IS SOFT WASHING?

The soft wash system 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 lighter spray is created from a nozzle with a wider spray option, only a little more powerful than a standard backyard hose.

Soft washing uses soap, bleach and water in combination to remove organic matter and debris from your home, roof and other surfaces. The cleaning mixture used in a soft washing process can include algaecides and residual inhibitors which will deter further growth of these types of organisms in the future.

Because chemicals, not water pressure, are responsible for cleaning the surfaces, no powerful water pressure is needed. This means that soft washing should be used for more delicate surfaces that could otherwise be harmed by higher pressure washing equipment.

The soft wash solution is sometimes rinsed off, but not every time. 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 solution runoff, and if the chemicals are powerful enough to harm surfaces over time.

Soft washing offers the distinct advantage of reaching down into small cracks and crevices to eliminate unseen bacteria, meaning that its impact can last much longer than traditional power washing.

WHAT IS PRESSURE WASHING?

Pressure washing has long been the gold standard for cleaning home exterior surfaces. It is highly effective and fast, which is why most home and business owners prefer it.

This cleaning system uses water only, no chemicals, to clean off stains and mold from home exterior surfaces. The use of plain water is a significant plus to home and business owners that don’t want to use cleaning chemicals, either for the environment’s sake or to avoid zoning violations.

It can be used on many different materials. Home and business owners prefer power washing for cleaning their driveway, porches, decks, walkways and outdoor furniture because it is fast, more efficient and affordable.

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

One negative about power washing is that the water is sometimes too powerful and can damage the surfaces of your home you’re attempting to clean. Pressure washing is powerful enough to cut deep grooves into wood and plastic, and it can push into cracks, breaking off pieces of stone or brick.

IS PRESSURE WASHING OR SOFT WASHING BETTER?

The ultimate question for homeowners is, “Is pressure washing or soft washing better?”

Both soft washing and pressure washing are good choices 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 pros.

Soft washing is excellent for outdoor toys, gardening equipment, shingle roofs, decks, gutters, patios and painted surfaces because it is less likely to harm plastic and wood. It’s also a safe choice for vinyl siding.

It kills organisms currently present on the surface, and it stops future growth for much longer than power washing can.

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

Pressure washing is considered the preferred choice for severe stains, and harder surfaces like concrete, brick and stone. Pressure washing is the recommended method for commercial properties. A local pressure washing company in San Antonio may use a mix of chemicals and water pressure to clean offf difficult stains, but they need to tell you if they are going to be spraying chemicals after your estimate.

It can be used on siding too (and has been for decades) as long as it is done safely. Powerful water pressure can break off weak or small pieces of the vinyl. A local service that does power washing all the time are going to know how to protect vulnerable pieces, but a DIYer could do a lot of harm.

Your home’s roof is definitely off limits for power washing if there are slate, tile or asphalt shingles. The extreme pressure of the water could damage these materials and cause you to replace your home’s roof a lot sooner than expected.

Deciding between pressure washing or soft washing is best left for a professional pressure washing company. Which process is right for your home? Give San Antonio Pressure WashCo a call at 210-934-0744 and we will send a trained technician over to take a look!