Not Every Surface Can Handle High Pressure
When most people think of exterior cleaning, they picture a high-powered pressure washer blasting away dirt. And for some surfaces, like concrete driveways and sidewalks, that approach works well. But many of the surfaces on your home were never designed to withstand thousands of pounds of water pressure per square inch.
Your roof shingles, for example. Hit them with a standard pressure washer and you will strip away the protective granules that shield your roof from UV damage and weather. Your vinyl siding can crack, warp, or allow water to be forced behind it. Painted surfaces can peel. Stucco can chip and crumble. Window seals can fail, allowing moisture into the space between your panes. Even wood surfaces like cedar siding and shingles can be permanently damaged by excessive pressure.
This is the dilemma many Green Bay homeowners face. You can see the mold, algae, and grime covering your home's exterior, and you know it needs to come off. But you are worried, rightly so, that aggressive cleaning will do more harm than good. You have heard the stories from neighbors who ended up needing repairs after a pressure washing job went wrong.
Soft washing exists specifically to solve this problem. It delivers the same clean results as pressure washing, but uses a completely different method that is safe for even the most delicate surfaces on your property.
How Soft Washing Works
Soft washing replaces mechanical force with chemical cleaning power. Instead of relying on high-pressure water to physically blast contaminants off a surface, soft washing uses specialized, biodegradable cleaning solutions applied at very low pressure, comparable to a standard garden hose.
The cleaning solution is the key. Formulated for exterior cleaning, it penetrates the surface and kills mold, mildew, algae, bacteria, and other organisms at the cellular level. This is not just knocking growth off the surface where it can quickly return. It is eliminating the organisms entirely, roots and all.
After the solution has had time to work, the surface is rinsed with low-pressure water, carrying away the dead organisms and dissolved grime. The result is a surface that is not only visually clean but biologically clean, which means results last significantly longer than a high-pressure wash.
Surfaces Ideal for Soft Washing
- Asphalt shingle roofs where high pressure would strip protective granules
- Vinyl siding where pressure can crack panels or force water behind them
- Wood siding and cedar shakes where pressure damages wood fibers
- Stucco and EIFS where pressure can chip and erode the surface
- Painted surfaces where pressure causes peeling and flaking
- Window frames and trim where pressure can break seals and damage caulking
- Screen enclosures where pressure would tear or distort screening
- Outdoor fabric like awnings and canopies
- Historic or older surfaces that have become fragile with age
Our Soft Washing Process
1. Surface Assessment
We identify every surface that needs cleaning, determine the type and severity of contamination, and select the appropriate cleaning solution and concentration for each area. Different surfaces and different types of growth require different formulations.
2. Property Protection
We protect landscaping, outdoor furniture, vehicles, and any other items near the cleaning area. Our solutions are biodegradable and plant-safe at normal concentrations, but we take every precaution to ensure nothing on your property is affected by the cleaning process.
3. Solution Application
We apply the cleaning solution evenly across each surface using low-pressure spray equipment. The solution begins working on contact. We allow appropriate dwell time based on the severity of contamination, checking progress and reapplying to stubborn areas as needed.
4. Low-Pressure Rinse
Once the solution has done its work, we rinse everything thoroughly with low-pressure water. We clean up our work area, check that all solution has been rinsed from every surface, and walk the property with you to confirm you are satisfied with the results.
Soft Washing vs. Pressure Washing
Surface Safe
No risk of etching, cracking, warping, or stripping protective coatings. Soft washing is safe for every exterior surface on your property.
Longer-Lasting Clean
Because soft washing kills organisms at the root rather than just knocking them off the surface, results typically last three to four times longer than pressure washing alone.
Warranty Friendly
Roofing manufacturers and siding manufacturers recommend soft washing. It cleans without voiding your product warranties, unlike high-pressure methods.
Comprehensive Cleaning
The cleaning solution reaches into cracks, crevices, and textured surfaces that high-pressure water simply blows past. Every nook and cranny gets cleaned, not just the exposed surfaces.
Schedule Your Soft Washing Service
If your home has surfaces that are too delicate for high pressure but too dirty to ignore, soft washing is the answer. Contact Green Bay Pressure Washer today for a free estimate and learn how we can safely restore every exterior surface on your property.