A Beginner's Guide To Soft Washing

If you're just looking into pressure washing services for your property for the first time, you've likely encountered a term that you may not be familiar with: soft washing. Pressure washing is a fairly obvious term, but what exactly is soft washing, and what makes it distinct from just normal pressure washing?

You're not the first person to have these questions. To help those new to pressure washing understand what soft washing is and what it's used for, we'd be glad to clear up the basics right here!

Soft Washing Vs. Pressure Washing

Pressure washing is essentially the use of high-PSI (pounds per square inch) spray to flush out pollutants and eliminate stains for quick and powerful surface cleaning. On the lower end, pressure washing jobs still utilize pressures of 1500 PSI, and they often go up to 3000-4000 PSI! To put that into perspective, the powerful bite of an American alligator only sits at around 2100 PSI on average!

Since this pressurized spray is so powerful, chemical treatments like conditioners and detergents are not commonly used with standard pressure washing. The incredible force of the water itself is enough to blast off old stains.

Soft washing is similar in principle to pressure washing, except that the PSI used rarely go above 1,000- typically, it stays more in the range of 300-500 PSI. Because it doesn't rely on ultra-pressurized sprays to lift stains, soft washing sprays are often mixed with a detergent to do extra work breaking down pollutants and sanitizing surfaces.

What's The Point Of Soft Washing?

At first, soft washing seems counterintuitive. Why would anyone want to sacrifice the thing that makes pressure washing so powerful and effective in the first place? The explanation is simple: sometimes, pressure washing is just TOO powerful! It's a great technique for cleaning tough, dense surfaces like concrete, but there are plenty of other areas of your property's exterior that are more fragile.

Take your roof, for example. The shingles that cover it are very thin and soft. If a force of several thousand PSI hits them, they're likely going to break or be blown off the roof. However, roof cleaning done with soft washing gently rinses off dirt and grime, and detergents can be used to kill invasive algae- all without risking your shingles going bye-bye.

Soft washing isn't just for roof cleaning. Many types of siding for homes and buildings need a more gentle cleaning option too. Wooden surfaces, such as porches, decks, and fences, can warp or splinter under high pressure, so soft washing is the more ideal method for cleaning them! If the job is too delicate for normal pressure washing, soft washing comes in to save the day!

Leave Soft Washing To The Pros

Just because soft washing is more gentle doesn't mean it's without its risks. Detergents are more likely to be used, and those attempting a DIY soft washing risk chemical burns or other reactions from handling chemicals improperly. Additionally, a trained expert is more likely to get the job faster and with better results. So if your property is in need of roof cleaning, house washing, or other soft washing services, don't delay- give SOVA Power Wash, LLC a call today at 434-294-4984.