With the advancement of cleaning techniques, exterior house cleaning has never been easier. It all boils down to two types of deep cleaning – soft washing and pressure cleaning. But don’t take them lightly because using the wrong type of cleaning can cause surface damage.
So, how do you know which one is right for your property? This is where we come in. In this guide, we will go through all the pros and cons of both cleaning solutions and how to use them correctly. Once you finish this guide, you’ll know which one’s ideal for home maintenance.
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What is Pressure Washing and Soft Washing?
Before hiring someone or buying a machine, you need to know what these deep-cleaning types are even about. If you understand the definition, it’ll be easier to pick one.
Pressure Washing
As the name suggests, pressure cleaning is a cleaning method where a machine blows out intense water pressure through a sprayer to clean hard surfaces. It’s an alternative to hand scrubbing, and the machine can either use warm water or a chemical-based mixture.
The science behind it is quite simple. The main compartment, which has the motor pump, pumps water from the container. It’s done via a pipe connecting the pump and the water container. Water is pumped through a heater to produce warm water, and then you use a sprayer to clean your desired surfaces.
What makes high-pressure cleaning fascinating is its power. Although you can manually tune the pressure, it usually gets as high as 4000 PSI (pounds per square inch). If you’re not sure what PSI stands for, it is used to measure water pressure. The higher the PSI, the stronger the water pressure.
In the past, there were huge machines for pressure cleaning. Thanks to technological advancement, now you can get small, battery-powered, cordless pressure washers. All of that without compromising on the PSI. Yeah, even small ones have 2000 to 4000 PSI.
Soft Washing
Soft washing is exactly like pressure cleaning with one change. Unlike pressure washing machines, soft washing machines are softer. And by softer, we mean lower PSI. To put it simply, pressure cleaners use more than 1000 PSI and soft washers use lower than 1000 PSI.
The power isn’t even close to what pressure washers use. While the power is different, the mechanics are the same. You have a water container and a pump. The pump sucks water from the container and pumps it out to the sprayer.
While pressure cleaning and soft washing are similar, they have pros and cons and use cases. So, let’s talk about these things!
The Uses of Pressure Cleaning
Everyone knows what Uncle Ben said, “with great power comes great responsibility”. This applies to pressure cleaning as well. Here are what you can do with this great power –
Provides Better Coverage
Manually scrubbing and removing stains or dirt from surfaces takes too much time. You can cover huge areas with minimal time and effort with a pressure washer. All you have to do is hold the sprayer toward the dirt stain, and it’s done.
Dirt and debris don’t even stand a chance, thanks to the intense pressure. We’re not exaggerating! Stain removal with pressure washers is that easy! And, since it takes less time to remove dirt, you can cover more areas within a short period and use your spare time elsewhere.
No Use of Chemicals
The best part of pressure washing is that it requires zero chemical involvement. Since the water pressure is unbelievably high, you don’t need chemical treatment to remove stains or grime.
This means your outdoors is safe from harmful compounds affecting pets and children. No chemicals also means the air outside will be super fresh. Do you know that chemicals can produce bad odours? Odor isn’t even the main issue. It’s the effect on Mother Earth! We need to leave less of a chemical footprint.
Not only does it save your pets, children, and the environment, but it also saves your pocket. Since all you need is tons of water, buying expensive cleaning solutions is unnecessary, which saves you lots of cash. You can call this both pocket and eco-friendly cleaning!
If you still want to use chemicals, ensure they are OHS-approved.
Effective Cleaning
Pressure cleaning can reach spots you can’t generally reach with sponges or brushes. The deep grooves on your hard surfaces are not easy to clean. This is where pressure washers come in.
The high-pressure focused water can reach such deep grooves and easily remove the dirt. This means a pressure washer can clean at a micro level. Many people use pressure washers for driveway cleaning, algae removal, and gutter cleaning.
Not only that, but you can also get long-lasting results from pressure washers. It blasts the dirt and grim with such a force that the surface will stay clean for an extended period. This is something other cleaners can’t do!
The Uses of Soft Washing
Here are the top 2 use cases of soft washing for building exterior cleaning.
Safe and Secure
Soft washing is safer than high-pressure washers that use 2000 to 4000 PSI. All thanks to the low PSI. Soft washers use only one-fourth of that power. Residential-grade soft washers can go as low as 70 PSI.
Thanks to this low PSI, there’s no risk when using low-pressure washing. High-pressure washers can cut flesh, but soft washers only tickle.
While pressure washers are used for surface-specific cleaning, you can use soft washers on hard and delicate surfaces. This is why soft washers are used for deck washing and roof cleaning.
Supports Green Cleaning
Soft washers can’t blast the dirt and stains away, so they use chemicals instead. No, not the harmful ones. Soft washers use biodegradable chemicals. This means it’ll slowly decompose and fade away, causing no environmental harm.
You can also use eco-friendly cleaners for surface protection. Such cleaners are made from non-toxic essential oils and enzymes. They’re great for mould and mildew removal because they can go deep and break down organic compounds.
Doing It Yourself Vs Hiring Professionals: Pressure and Soft Cleaning
Both pressure cleaning and soft washing need utmost focus and experience. Doing it yourself (DIY) might not always be the best option. Here are the a few issues you might face when doing it yourself –
Maintains High Pressure
If you aren’t sure how dangerous high-pressure cleaners are, ask the professionals. At 4000 PSI, a pressure washer can effortlessly cut the flesh of your fingers to the bones. We’re not exaggerating!
This is why you have to be extremely cautious when using pressure washers. Make sure there aren’t any kids or pets around. Maintain safety precautions and never ever play around with the washer. Only direct the sprayer to where you want to clean and nowhere else.
Specific Area Usage
As much as you like to use pressure washers, using them in the wrong place can cause surface damage. Delicate surfaces such as decks, sidings, and painted walls are out of the question.
Avoid pressure washers for roofs. Avoid asbestos roofs, especially because pressure washers are known to cause asbestos contamination. Someone used it on asbestos roofs in 2017, contaminating the neighbourhood.
Chemicals
For soft washing, you have to use some sort of cleaner. Many people use harsh chemicals because they kill mould and mildew and clean faster. But that’s unethical.
This is why you have to be careful when choosing the right cleaner. Only use chemicals that are in accordance with OHS.
Or better yet, don’t use chemicals at all. Use sustainable cleaners. They might be more expensive than chemicals, but they are worth it. Don’t think about cost efficacy!
Pressure cleaning and soft washing requires experience. It can be dangerous in new hands, so we suggest hiring professionals to do the job.
Pressure Cleaning vs. Soft Washing – Make the Right Choice
Both pressure cleaning and soft washing are great at what they do. But you might not need both of them. Here are a few factors you should keep in mind before deciding –
- Inspect the Surface
Soft washing is great for decks, sidings, roofs, and painted walls. Pressure cleaning is best for driveways, sidewalks, and asphalt.
- Chemicals
If you’re concerned about the environment, we’d suggest avoiding chemical-based soft washers. You can use pressure washers with plain water. Or if you really need soft washing, use eco-friendly solutions.
- Long-lasting
If you face algae, mould and mildew often, use soft washing because the chemicals or eco-friendly solutions will keep them away longer.
- Availability
Pressure washers are widely available and easy to use. This also makes them cheaper. So, if you’re a bit short on money, pressure washing will be great.
Ideal Surfaces for Pressure Cleaning and Soft Washing
Pressure Cleaning Surfaces
As we’ve said initially, using the incorrect cleaning method can damage the surface. For pressure cleaning, you need to apply it on hard surfaces because of the high PSI.
Here are some of the ideal surfaces for pressure cleaning.
- Concrete sidewalks
- Cement roadways
- Bricks
- Garage floors
- Walkways
- Patio Furniture
- Parking Lots
- Railings
- Garage Doors
- Tennis Courts
- Exterior House Walls
- Garage Floors
- Wooden Decking
- Fences (Wood, Vinyl, Metal)
- Swimming Pool Surrounds
- Gutters and Downspouts
- Outdoor Furniture
- Boat Hulls and Decks
- Siding (Vinyl, Aluminium)
Soft Washing Surfaces
You should use soft washers on delicate surfaces. Here are some of the ideal surfaces for soft washing.
- Roofs
- Patio Siding
- Windows
- Glasses
- Soft Decks
- Stucco
- Cedar Shake Siding
- Painted Surfaces
- Awnings (Fabric, Vinyl)
- Solar Panels
- Pergolas and Gazebos
- Playground Equipment
- Outdoor Art and Sculptures
- Decorative Trim and Mouldings
Final Words
The key takeaway is that both pressure cleaning and soft washing are good. It depends on what you need to clean. Pressure washing requires serious focus, and soft washing can be complex (thanks to chemicals) for many people.
It’s always best to hire professional cleaning services if you’re unsure. We at Eco Cleaning Brisbane can take care of it. We have all the skills and machines needed for spotless driveway, roof, sidewalk, gutter, algae, and mildew cleaning. We also have sustainable cleaners which are safe and non-toxic. Our 20 years of experience serving Brisbane will speak for itself.
