The Difference: Pressure Washing vs. Soft Washing

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Pressure Washing NJ: Is your home’s exterior looking dull and dirty? It’s time to get your home pressure washed or soft washed to restore its former glory, protect your materials, and remove mold, mildew, fungus, dirt and grime. You may have heard the above terms before and think they’re the same thing. This is a common misconception. Actually, while they both get your exteriors clean, the method that they utilize is quite different.

And the method that is used will depend on the surfaces being washed on your property. Clearview Washing offers both pressure washing and soft washing, and can let you know which method is best for which surface.

Breaking the Two Techniques Down

While both pressure washing and soft washing are effective ways to clean and brighten your home’s surfaces, the way they achieve that deep clean varies.

  • Soft washing doesn’t use high pressurization like pressure washing does, but applies a safe solution to your surface that is allowed to sit and break up the organic materials before being washed away gently.
  • Pressure washing, on the other hand, utilizes highly pressurized water to remove dirt and grime from surfaces forcefully. While it gets all layers of dirt off, it can pose a risk of damage to your property. Don’t use this for sensitive materials such as asphalt shingles, for instance.

The method that is used on your house will depend on which part of your property needs to be cleaned. It’s very possible that you will need both services applied to different areas of your home.

Soft Washing: When is This Best?

Instead of using high pressure to clean your exteriors, soft washing uses formulated detergents and longer “dwell times” to get that deep clean. In fact, soft washing uses a PSI of about half that used in pressure washing.

Use soft washing for:

  • Wood panel siding
  • Cedar shake
  • Stucco
  • Screens, lanais, screened enclosures

Pressure Washing: When is This Best?

This technique uses high pressure that is highly effective at removing stuck-on stains, yet when not used properly, it can damage softer surfaces and shingles, remove paint from wood, dent siding and destroy window screens. A wand projects water at 2,500 PSI (pounds per square inch) or more.

Use pressure washing for:

  • Stone, brick, and other durable surfaces
  • Paved patios
  • Concrete sidewalks
  • Walkways
  • Driveways

You should always hire a professional to perform pressure washing or soft washing, as they understand just the right amount of pressure and dwell times to provide for minimal risk of damage. If you take this on as a DIY job, you risk doing serious property damage, such as leaks and damaged materials.

Contact Clearview Washing

If you are still unclear on which method is best for your home, contact us at 732-462-1187. Our technicians can visit you to give you a free quote and consultation. Rest assured, we are skilled in both techniques.


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