Our team at Clear View Softwashing has extensive experience in exterior cleaning. We are familiar with the two main methods of exterior cleaning, soft washing and pressure washing, and we know when and how to use each one.
In this article, we’ll provide more information to help shed light on when pressure washing is the better choice for an exterior cleaning project.
- Surface Material – One of the main things we consider when deciding whether to use pressure washing or soft washing is the material we are being asked to clean. In general, we reserve pressure washing for hard, durable surfaces such as concrete and stone, as they are tough enough to withstand the high water pressure used in this method. For softer materials like siding or shingles, we use soft washing instead, as it is gentler and safer for those surfaces.
- Stains and Mold – Another factor we consider when choosing between soft washing and pressure washing is what kinds of stains are present on the surface. If we only need to worry about dirt, then pressure washing is a viable option, as the jets of water can blast away dirt particles without issue. However, if there are stains caused by mold, algae, or other contaminants, then we will probably use soft washing, as this method is better suited to removing those stains and keeping them gone.
- Water Use – Lastly, if our client is concerned about water conservation, then we will usually opt for soft washing instead of pressure washing, as pressure washing consumes much more water than the other method.