Are your property’s exterior surfaces covered with debris? Is your home or business less visually appealing than it used to be? If so, it’s a sure sign that you need to clean those surfaces. However, it’s not always clear how. There are multiple techniques you can use to do this work, including pressure washing and soft washing. But what’s the difference? In this pressure washing vs. soft washing blog, you’ll discover what sets them apart, as well as which one is best for your project.
At Brite Exterior Solutions, we always look forward to giving our clients’ properties in Midlothian, VA the cleaning they need. So if you need help choosing between pressure washing vs. soft washing, give us a call. We’ll be happy to help.
Why Exterior Cleaning Is a Necessity
When comparing pressure washing vs. soft washing, it’s important to remember why exterior cleaning is important in the first place. There are some people out there who don’t pressure washing or soft wash their properties—and they often pay the price for it.
You see, any property’s exterior surfaces are constantly gathering debris. From dirt, moss, and mold to bird droppings and dead insects, there’s no way to stop messes from forming. What matters is how well you can manage them. Without exterior cleaning, they will only get worse and worse, making your property less beautiful and even putting surfaces at risk of damage.
It’s clear: cleaning your property’s exterior once per year is a necessity. So if it’s already been a year since those surfaces were last washed, it’s time to change that.
What Is Pressure Washing?
Let’s begin our pressure washing vs. soft washing comparison. The first thing we’ll need to do is review what pressure washing is. The long story short is that pressure washing is an exterior cleaning technique that uses high-pressure water. How much pressure? As much as 3,500 PSI! This is a considerable amount of force, making pressure washing a fantastic choice when you need to clean durable materials and surfaces.
However, bear in mind that not all surfaces can withstand pressure washing. For example, if you were to try to pressure wash a roof, it would very likely be damaged. When this is the case, soft washing becomes a necessary alternative.
What Is Soft Washing?
So you understand what pressure washing is, but what is soft washing? Soft washing is very similar to pressure washing. The main difference is that soft washing uses much, much less water pressure. Typically, soft washing uses less than 1,000 PSI, making it a safe choice for surfaces that are too delicate to be pressure washed.
Knowing when to choose pressure washing vs. soft washing determines whether your project will be a success. Pressure washing when you should soft wash could cause surface damage; soft washing when you should pressure wash could leave debris behind.
Examples of Pressure Washing and Soft Washing Projects
We’ve listed some examples of pressure washing projects below. If you need to clean these surfaces, pressure washing is the ideal technique for the project.
- Driveways
- Sidewalks
- Concrete Patios
- Wooden Decks
- Wooden Fences
On the other hand, you’ll want to use soft washing for more delicate surfaces. These include projects involving the following:
- Brick
- Stucco
- Vinyl Siding
- Roofs
How Cleaning Solutions Help During Soft Washing
Soft washing uses less water pressure than pressure washing. So, does that mean that soft washing is weaker than pressure washing? This would be the case if it weren’t for cleaning solutions. At Brite Exterior Solutions, our cleaning solution of choice is sodium hypochlorite, helping us break down tough grime without damaging properties or the environment.
How does using cleaning solutions work? First, we apply a thin layer of sodium hypochlorite to surfaces with stubborn grime. Then, we wait fifteen minutes for debris to be broken down. Finally, we soft wash the surfaces, rinsing away all filth.
Cleaning solutions are an extremely important part of soft washing. It ensures quality results and leaves property owners satisfied.
General Benefits of Pressure and Soft Washing
In this pressure washing vs. soft washing blog, you’ve discovered that these two techniques are considerably different. At the same time, though, they have a lot in common. This includes many of the benefits you’ll enjoy from pressure and soft washing.
- Improved curb appeal. By cleaning your property’s exterior surfaces, you’ll dramatically improve its overall appearance. This is especially helpful for business owners because cleaner surfaces help them draw in customers.
- Reduced risk of surface damage. Surface debris can actually damage exterior surfaces over time. With pressure washing or soft washing, you remove this debris, preventing damage and avoiding costly repairs.
- Get a more hygienic property. Removing moss, mold, and algae with exterior cleaning techniques will prevent the spread of spores around your property. You can also kill bacteria and viruses with these techniques.
As you can see, there is a lot to gain from cleaning your property’s exterior surfaces. Choosing correctly between pressure washing vs. soft washing is important, yes. But when you choose the right technique for your project, you will reap a multitude of benefits. That’s the most important part.
Consider Professional Services From Brite Exterior Solutions
You’ve reached the end of our pressure washing vs. soft washing blog. Now that you’ve gotten this far, you understand what these two techniques have in common and what sets them apart. There’s one question left to answer, though. Should you try doing this work on your own, or should you schedule an appointment with a professional company?
If you choose to do this work on your own, you’ll have to spend a lot of time and energy doing physical labor. You’ll also have to purchase all the necessary equipment and learn how to use it. On the other hand, by scheduling professional services, you’ll be able to sit back and relax while a fully trained team brings their own gear and does the work for you.
Contact us online to get started. We can’t wait to hear from you and provide you with a free cost estimate.
