3 Differences Between Pressure Washing and Soft Washing

Pressure washing is often used as an umbrella term to cover a wide range of services. While most of these services, such as roof cleaning, concrete cleaning, fence cleaning, and deck cleaning, are all handled using pressure washing equipment, there are both major and subtle differences you should be aware of before you begin working on your property. The most important thing to remember is the list of differences between pressure washing and soft washing, which we cover below.

Water pressure

Regular pressure washing uses a high amount of water pressure to remove stains, dirt, and grime from harder surfaces, such as concrete, stone, and pavers. While this is an excellent way to clean these specific surfaces, it is not recommended for more delicate areas like roof shingles, vinyl fencing, and window screens. For these softer surfaces, you want to employ the use of soft washing, so that you have just enough force to clean them off, but not too much that will cause damage.

Solvents/mixtures

Because soft washing doesn't use a high amount of water pressure, it is not able to penetrate as deeply and may not remove accumulated grime and debris. Therefore, you want to mix in special detergents and solvents that will eat away at mold, mildew, and other growths. It's important to work with knowledgeable experts to make sure these detergents are properly added in a way that isn't harmful to you or your home.

Different surfaces

As mentioned previously, depending on the surface you're cleaning, you'll need to choose between pressure washing and soft washing. Regular pressure washing is for harder surfaces like wood, stone, concrete, pavers, and metal. For more delicate surfaces, like siding, vinyl, shingles, and screens, soft washing is the way to go.

It's very important that you use the right type of washing technique for the right surfaces. If you use a high amount of pressure on a vinyl surface, you can cause significant damage. If you soft wash concrete, you might not get deep into the surface and be able to draw out the stains. Always double-check what type of pressure washing techniques are used for each surface you clean.

Don't wait. Your Jacksonville home could be in dire need of pressure washing now. Contact us at New Surface Exteriors today to see what we can do for you.