Soft washing vs. pressure washing: which does your home need?
The difference between soft washing and pressure washing, which surfaces need each, and why using the wrong one causes damage.
4 min read
The short answer
Soft washing is for surfaces that can be damaged by force: siding, stone, stucco, painted wood, and roofs. Pressure washing is for hard, durable surfaces: concrete driveways, sidewalks, and patios. Most homes need both, on different parts of the property.
What soft washing is
Soft washing applies a cleaning solution at low pressure, gives it time to break down mildew, algae, and grime, then rinses at roughly the pressure of a garden hose. The chemistry does the cleaning, not the water force.
Because the solution kills organic growth instead of just knocking off the top layer, soft-washed surfaces usually stay clean noticeably longer.
What pressure washing is
Pressure washing uses high-pressure water to physically strip dirt and staining off a surface. On concrete, that is exactly what you want, especially with a rotary surface cleaner that keeps the result even.
What goes wrong when high pressure is used on a house
High pressure can force water behind vinyl and fiber cement siding, strip or lift paint, etch soft limestone common on Central Texas homes, blow out window seals, and strip the protective granules from asphalt shingles.
Damage is not always obvious right away. Water behind siding and granule loss on roofs often show up months later.
A simple rule of thumb
If you would not scrub it with a stiff wire brush, it should not be pressure washed. Siding, stone, trim, and roofs get soft washed. Concrete gets pressure washed.