Soft washing is an option every homeowner should know about. Power washing often cleans your exterior walls well. However, sometimes homes need a gentler touch. Power washing can damage the siding of homes and cause paint jobs to chip. Meanwhile, soft washing also comes with the benefit of being able to wash your windows, shingles, wood paneling, even screens without damaging your home. In addition, soft washing can kill mold and bacteria buildup in your shingles and siding without needing a separate algae wash! Soft washing is a deal more complicated than power washing, however. You will want to hire a professional to get it done. Here’s what you need to know about soft washing:
- Difference from Power Washing
Power washing uses water ranging from 1300-3100 PSI, relying on the force of the water to remove most of the dirt from your exterior walls. Meanwhile, soft washing is less than 500 PSI. It actually uses much more water than power washing. Instead of relying on the force itself, soft washing relies on the amount and types of chemicals it has. These chemicals break down dirt, kill microorganisms, and remove algae from surfaces. This is part of the reason why soft washing needs to be done by a professional — while it’s mostly just bleach, anything else added can be dangerous for the unknowing user.
- The Setup
Soft washing requires the use of a soft washing system. Various hoses and pressure washers hook up in a single rig, often pulled in on a trailer. Because of their access to multiple chemical mixtures and pressures at the same time, a professional can easily spray your roof, your windows, and your siding safely, without having to remake an entirely new batch of solution and switching out hoses each time. Professionals who are soft washing wear face guards, gloves, and thick boots to prevent the chemicals from making contact with their skin.
- Can You Do It Yourself? It’s not a good idea!
As with anything, it is possible to purchase all of the necessary equipment and chemicals yourself. However, the difficulty in setting up the soft washing system, as well as the knowledge as to what surfaces need which concentrations of solution, and which pressure, again make it much more advantageous to pay a professional.
There you have it! Soft Washing should always be done by a professional exterior cleaning company.
Contact us today at Red River Softwash for a free quote! (903-276-2990)