Soft Washing
Low pressure, the right cleaning agent, for surfaces pressure can damage.
The method
A soft wash solution combines water, a cleaning agent, and usually a mild biocide. That combination targets algae, mildew, and organic buildup on the surface. It's applied at low pressure, well under what a pressure washer produces. Then it sits, so the chemistry can break down the buildup instead of blasting it off by force. Once it's had time to work, the surface gets rinsed clean at that same low pressure. The cleaning happens chemically, not mechanically. That's why soft washing can reach embedded grime in stucco's texture, or under lap siding, without abrading either surface.
Why it matters
Vinyl siding is installed with gaps at the seams and around penetrations like outlets and hose bibs. High pressure can force water through those gaps and behind the panel. Once it's behind the panel, it has nowhere to evaporate, and it sits against the sheathing. Stucco is more porous still, and its texture is part of the finish. High pressure can erode that texture, or drive water into hairline cracks that are otherwise harmless. Painted wood trim faces a different risk: enough pressure can lift paint at the edges even when the substrate underneath is sound. Soft washing avoids all three. The cleaning solution, not water pressure, does the work of loosening dirt and organic growth.
What to expect
Vinyl siding, stucco, painted wood trim, and window screens are all typical soft wash candidates. Each one can be damaged by force, even though none of them are structurally fragile. Landscaping and plantings near the house are usually rinsed or covered first. Soft wash cleaning agents are formulated to be diluted and rinsed, not left sitting on foliage. Application generally works top to bottom on a wall section. Gravity carries the solution down before the rinse.
Questions
Questions about soft washing
Is soft washing safe for vinyl siding?
Yes. Soft washing is the standard method for vinyl siding. Low pressure won't force water through the seams and gaps built into the panels, the way high pressure can.
Will soft washing damage my stucco?
Soft washing is generally the safer method for stucco. It relies on a cleaning solution rather than pressure, and stucco's textured surface can erode under high pressure.
What's in the cleaning solution?
Soft wash solutions typically combine water, a cleaning agent, and a mild biocide. That combination is formulated to break down algae and mildew. The solution does the cleaning; the rinse just carries it off.
Do you need to protect my plants during soft washing?
Landscaping near the treated surface is typically rinsed or covered first. Soft wash solutions are meant to be diluted and rinsed off, not left to sit on foliage.
Get a quote for soft wash.
Submit the form or call. You'll hear back with a price before anything is scheduled.