The short answer
Soft washing cleans with a cleaning solution at low pressure. Pressure washing cleans with force. Siding, stucco, roofs, painted wood and screens need a soft wash. Concrete, driveways and other hard surfaces that can take it get pressure.
What soft washing does
A soft wash applies a cleaning solution at roughly garden-hose pressure. The solution sits long enough to kill mold, mildew and algae, then gets rinsed off. Because the growth is killed rather than blasted, it comes back much more slowly, and nothing gets damaged in the process.
What pressure washing does
Pressure washing uses a high-pressure stream, often with a surface cleaner on flat concrete, to remove dirt, stains and growth by force. On a driveway, sidewalk or commercial pad that’s exactly what you want. On vinyl siding it can force water behind the panels; on stucco it can gouge; on a roof it strips the granules that protect the shingles; on soft wood it raises fibers and leaves marks.
Why it matters more on the coast
Our humidity, shade from live oaks and pines, and salt air mean algae and mildew come back fast. A pressure wash on siding knocks the surface growth off but leaves the roots, so the green returns in months. A soft wash kills it, which is why a house can stay clean for a year or more.
Hot water: the third tool
For grease, gum, exhaust film and the grime that won’t shift cold, heat does what extra pressure can’t. Our rig runs hot water for storefront walkways, dumpster pads and stubborn spots on homes.
How we decide
We look at the surface, not the job title. A typical house wash uses all three: soft wash on the siding and roof, pressure and a surface cleaner on the driveway, hot water where it’s needed. That’s the approach behind every job, and it’s why customers’ houses come back looking freshly painted rather than streaked.
Want a price for your home? Tell us what needs washing and Cameron will come back with an accurate, free quote, usually the same day.
Related: Soft washing · House washing · Driveway cleaning