Maintaining a residential or commercial property’s aesthetic appearance is critical to increasing its value. Exterior cleanings are one such maintenance method. Two commonly employed house washing applications are soft washing and pressure washing.

Soft Washing

Soft washing is performed to address dirt, stains, and other unsightly occurrences on smaller objects than a home or building’s façade. The process is executed by equipping a pressure washing apparatus with nozzles capable of releasing water at diminished pressure.

The device further performs the process utilizing cleansing agents holding the ability to eradicate environmental debris, such as dirt, dust, allergens, and pollutants, in addition to stains precipitated by spills and other occurrences.

Typically, soft washing is undertaken to clean surfaces or objects like roofs, decks, patios, screened enclosures, and patio furniture. This technique may be employed to remediate sidings, such as cedar, wood, and stucco.

soft washing a roof

 

Pressure Washing

Pressure washing is performed by dispensing water at significantly high pressure against a particular surface. In many instances, water is expelled at the rate of 2,500 pounds per square inch, which is also abbreviated as PSI.

Cleaning industry professionals maintain that pressure washing is especially effective in removing the stubborn stains and environmental debris often accumulating on exterior facades, including brick, stone, or concrete structures, and other constructions, such as driveways and sidewalks.

That said, these same experts caution that this action should be carefully regulated. If excessive pressure is applied or the process is not executed properly, receiving surfaces could incur damage.

Differences Between Soft And Pressure Washing

Though each procedure has similar aims, there are certain discernible differences between the two processes.

The most significant discrepancy is the power each procedure employs. Soft washes are often executed using 400 DPI or less. Pressure washers utilize far greater power, sometimes as great as 2,500 DPI.

Another notable difference is chemical usage. Soft washing is less reliant on pressure as a means of breaking up caked or hard-to-reach collections of unwanted grime. Therefore, success is far more contingent upon the employment of cleansing agents.

One other discernible variation is the intended surfaces. Soft washes are meant for more sensitive objects, like windows, furniture, screens, and lighter exterior siding materials, such as vinyl and wood.

Pressure washing should be performed only on surfaces capable of withstanding the associated pressure load. Such destinations include heavy materials like stone or concrete.

Do-It-Yourself?

Many home or property owners wonder if soft or pressure washing can be a do-it-yourself endeavor. While soft washing can certainly be performed without professional assistance, industry professionals caution against undertaking pressure washing with care.

The pressure exuded during such efforts is intense and could be injurious for individuals not versed in the skill.