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Originally Posted On: https://hurricleanlouisville.com/2021/07/soft-wash-vs-pressure-wash-whats-the-difference/

 

Keeping the outside of your home doesn’t just look nice. It also keeps your house healthy!

Yes, even your house can be healthy (or unhealthy). Over time, dirt, fungus, grime, mold, and mildew buildup on the house.

Regular cleaning will help eliminate these pesky invaders. But, how do you clean the outside of your house properly?

This article will teach you everything you need to know about keeping your home’s exterior spotless.

Keep reading to learn about soft wash vs. pressure wash for your home and see what type of wash you need.

Soft Wash vs. Pressure Wash

There is no timeline for when to clean your home. Some experts say once or twice a year. Others say seasonally. It depends on where you live.

Those in rural or wooden areas may need more frequent cleaning.

The best way to know when it’s time for a cleaning is when you notice something. For example, at the first sign of spots or fungus growth on your home, tells you.

Pressuring washing and soft washing are both excellent choices to clean the outside of your home, no matter where you live.

They provide similar techniques to clean different areas of the home’s exterior. Let’s take a look at the soft wash vs. pressure wash debate.

Soft Wash

Pressure washers are used in a soft wash, but the PSI (pounds per square inch) is much lower. This type of wash uses formulated detergents and chemicals with power like that of a strong hose.

You should do roof cleaning with soft washing only. Other surfaces recommended are cedar shake, wood panel siding, stucco, coquina, outdoor rooted plants, screens, lanais, and vinyl siding.

You can also clean your deck and fence with a soft wash.

Pros

Instead of just washing away mold and bacteria with a pressure washer, a soft wash will actually kill it. You don’t want anything to grow back right after a fresh wash.

Soft washes also have longer-lasting results, and professionals can complete them within a day. In addition, they cause less damage to the home’s exteriors because of the reduced PSI.

Cons

You need to hire a professional to complete the soft wash. A soft wash is not possible for those looking for a do-it-yourself project. If possible, it would take you a lot more than hiring a professional crew.

Pressure Wash

Pressuring washing uses pressurized water to remove dirt and grime from surfaces. Pressuring washing is effective because the pressure is so high. But, it can cause damage to your home.

Pressuring washing is great for driveway cleaning and other concrete cleanings. Pressure washers work best for brick, paved surfaces, stone, and other durable surfaces.

Homeowners usually have their driveway pressure washed before adding a driveway sealer. It is important to pressure wash the driveway first. It will remove stains or other materials stuck to the surface.

You can also use a pressure washer for patio furniture or anything hard with deep grooves. However, it would be best if you did not use a pressure washer for siding or roofs, as stated before.

Pros

You can buy a pressure washer and do the job yourself. You need to take extra care not to damage any part of your home. The high PSI can be difficult to manage, and you may get an injury.

However, there is convenience in renting or buying your own power washer, especially for those who need to do a lot of maintenance on their house. You can wash your home as needed on your own time.

Cons

As mentioned, pressure washing the siding or roof is not recommended. This is unless you hire professionals. There are several additional tools and training you need to correctly clean siding with a pressure washer.

Additionally, using high pressure on the siding of your house can blow water underneath the siding. As a result, the water can get into your soffit.

This can cause water to get into your attic or soak into the insulation. Prolonged moisture in the attic will lead to mold or rot. Pressure washing your house yourself can lead to more problems if you’re not careful.

Pressure washers can also leave streaks on the siding. They wear down the siding or roof shingles too. This will lead to more costly repairs in the future.

Unless you are skilled and trained to use a pressure washer, it is better to hire cleaning professionals to do the job.

Power Wash

Power washing is very similar to pressure washing. The difference is that power washing uses hot water. Pressure washing does not.

The hot water sanitizes surfaces and is better at breaking down organic materials.

However, power washing machines are heavy-duty. They are used in commercial and industrial settings. You cannot purchase a power washing machine because they are dangerous to use without training.

If you need to clean rough concrete or stone walls, you can enquire from a local professional cleaning company about power washing.

Make Your Home Shine

When it comes to the soft wash vs. pressure wash debate, there is no clear winner. You know that the kind of wash you need depends on the section of the house and the materials being cleaned.

Oftentimes, homeowners will have both washes done professionally at the same time to clean the exterior of the house fully. But, of course, you can also break the wash into two phases if it suits you better.

If you’re ready to clean the outside of your home today, don’t hesitate to contact us at HurriClean.

If you’re still not sure what your home needs, our professionals can tell you the best way to clean the exterior of your home for maximum results.