What is “Soft Washing”?
Soft washing is a term used throughout the cleaning industry that refers to a low-pressure chemical application to kill algae, mold, lichen, and other unsightly organic growth. Traditionally these jobs have been taken care of in broad fashion using just high pressure. As the industry has evolved, so have the methods used to clean homes. There are many factors that have contributed to the shift over to soft washing rather than traditional pressure washing. One of the main reasons for the evolution is home damage. High pressure can easily damage and scar homes with vinyl, stucco, and synthetic stucco siding. You may even think a brick home should be able to withstand the high pressure that may be applied. This conclusion is partly false. The bricks on a home (age dependent) should hold up no problem, but the mortar in between is not so solid. High pressure can chip, displace, and even knock out whole sections leaving you with more problems. On a vinyl home for example, 9 out of 10 homes with vinyl siding will have what are called weep holes under each slat of siding. This allows the home to breath and dispel any moisture that may get inside. If you were to use high pressure on a home with vinyl siding you would be forcing water into those weep holes and saturating the homes inner structure. This could cause premature rot and excessive mold growth, all the while you would have no idea.
Why “Soft Washing”?
As we stated above, soft washing uses a chemical treatment to kill the organic growth plaguing your home. This method prolongs organic regrowth, rather than just pushing the growth around with high pressure. The active ingredient and industry standard is sodium hypochlorite. This is just a fancy word for bleach. Often homeowners can be hesitant when they hear “bleach”, however professionals in the industry like ourselves, use metering systems to dial in exact amounts depending on the job. Metering, along with strictly followed standard operating procedures further protect the home, plants, and animals if the homeowner has any. A standard house wash will entail presoaking any plants, identifying, and covering any that may require it and continuing to rinse throughout the job. Upon completion a final rinse will be conducted as well as applying a neutralizer if deemed necessary. We are proud to say we have never caused damage to a customer’s plants. This is because at North Texas Soft Wash we follow strict SOP’s in order to provide the highest level of quality and peace of mind to our customers.
What can be “Soft Washed”?
The short answer is almost anything. At North Texas Soft Wash, we focus on house washing with any substrate, roof washing whether it be shingle, tile, metal, Gerard, or commercial vinyl. We also use a soft washing process on wood and trex fences and decks (chemicals my vary depending on customer needs). If there is a substrate we haven’t encountered before we will contact the manufacturer and receive the recommended method to clean before proceeding. In conclusion, we strive to find the safest and most effective methods to ensure our customers satisfaction. If you have any further questions regarding soft washing or our processes, feel free to contact us anytime.
