If it’s time to spruce up the exterior of your home, are you debating power washing vs. soft washing? Knowing the difference and what will work best for your house is vital.
Unless you’re well versed in cleaning the exterior of your home, give Allied Restoration a call. We’ll send a professional to your home to meet with you and provide you with a detailed estimate.
What is Power Washing?
You’ve heard of pressure washing and power washing. What is the difference between the two? Power washing is much more powerful and dangerous, left to inexperienced hands. The water comes out at up to 311ºF, a temperature well over the boiling point. It can melt parts of your home that you’d prefer to keep intact. Not to mention, it can give you or someone else severe burns.
What Surfaces Can I Power Wash?
A power washer is an incredibly effective tool in qualified hands. It can strip away stubborn stains and clean hard-to-reach areas. The hot water also sanitizes surfaces and is excellent at disintegrating organic materials growing on unwanted exterior areas.
Power washing is often used on concrete, stone walls, driveways, and highly durable surfaces. Water from a power washer is very powerful at 1,500 to 4,400 PSI or higher.
What is Soft Washing?
Soft wash is similar to pressure washing with a lower PSI making it an excellent tool for general maintenance. The PSI comes in at 500 PSI or less, and the temperature is roughly 140ºF. Although the person operating the machine needs to exercise care, it’s less likely to do damage.
Soft Wash uses a pressure washer, but the spray comes out of a broader tip, reducing the pressure.
What Surfaces Should I Soft Wash?
Soft Wash is ideal for returning luster to outdoor wood furniture, cedar shake roofs or siding, vinyl siding, and stucco.
Spring and fall soft wash maintenance will keep your home and furnishings clean and extend their lifespan. Watching the dirt wash away from dingy siding, outdoor wooden furniture, and screens is gratifying.
Soft washing uses eco-friendly cleaning solutions that keep the protective coating on your siding intact. It will also break down organisms living on the surfaces and dirt.
This lower-impact cleaning method may take more than one application if you’ve gone too far between cleanings.
Power Washing vs. Soft Wash
Choosing between power washing and soft washing is determined primarily by how long you’ve put off exterior maintenance and what surfaces need attention. If the outside of your home has a grungy look, it may be time to call the professionals and have them assess your needs.
Taking on the entire exterior of your house is a big job. Depending on the size of your home, it will take an inexperienced person a week or more. Using the wrong tools and compromising the exterior of your home would be a very costly mistake.
If you know it’s time to spruce things up and bring some pizzazz back to your home’s curb appeal, call Allied Restoration. We’ll send a technician to evaluate your needs and give you a detailed estimate. Then when the work starts, you can rest assured Allied Restoration will do it to the highest standards. Grab a lawn chair and watch your home transform before your eyes.
Allied Restoration is an IICRC (Institute Of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification), Certified Firm. Our Senior Project Manager, Wilma Fogler, was the first person in the State of Maryland to achieve the IICRC Master Water Restorer Certification. Allied is Licensed, Bonded, Insured, and a member in good standing with the Better Business Bureau. 