Frequently Asked Questions: Soft Washing
Soft washing (also known as “house washing”) is one of those cleaning services that people sometimes don’t know about, but that can make a truly enormous difference for a house! Soft washing is a process of using low pressure water, soap, and cleaning chemicals to basically melt all the grime and organic goo from your siding, roof, and other exterior surfaces. The melting is called “emulsification”, and it is like magic! Even stubborn moss and years of accumulated dirt comes right off and gives the house an instant facelift. Here’s all the info you need about soft washing at Beautiful Day :)
How is soft washing different than pressure washing?
Pressure Washing uses water and high pressure to blast away dirt and grime from hard surfaces. It is especially useful on hard surfaces like concrete driveways, pathways, and retaining walls. It’s also used in industrial settings to clean mud and clay from heavy equipment in the field.
Soft Washing uses water and chemicals to treat, sanitize and eliminate organic infestations from delicate surfaces such as roofs, siding, gutters, awnings, decks, fences and more. Organic staining disappears within minutes, while leftover dead moss (like on roofs) will take a few months to fully decompose. Soft washing is a safe and gentle approach to eliminate organic infestation and staining without damaging the surface with high pressure. And because the surface is completely sanitized, the results will last up to 6 times longer than simply blasting away at the surface with a pressure washer but not dealing with the roots. Because many surfaces are too delicate for pressure washing, soft washing is often required to ensure that siding, roofs, decking, and other areas can be cleaned safely without damage.
What chemicals are used in soft washing?
We use a biodegradable solution of water, sodium hypochlorite and soap to emulsify organic infestations, enabling them to either be easily rinsed away with low pressure water, (on siding, decks, fences, etc.), or decompose in a few months (on roofs).
What surfaces should be cleaned with soft washing?
Soft washing is appropriate for many surfaces such as composite decking, fences, roofs, siding, awnings, and more. If you aren’t sure whether your surface should be cleaned with soft washing or pressure washing, just give us a call and we can advise on the best approach for your house!
Will soft washing chemicals hurt my plants?
These chemicals, by themselves. would not be good for plants - but we know just how to protect your plants! Before any cleaners are sprayed, we drench surrounding plants so that they won’t want to drink up any overspray that hits them. Then, we carefully spray off plants with clean water during and after the application of the chemicals. This keeps grasses, shrubs, trees, and flowers safe from the cleaning solution.
Is soft washing safe for my pets and kids?
Yes! Pets and kids should be kept inside during the process. However, once the cleaner has been rinsed away it will be perfectly safe for kids and pets to come out into the yard again.
If you are interested in soft washing or any other services from Beautiful Day, you can get a free instant quote on our website right here! Or you can give us a call at (253) 414-5304. We service the greater Tacoma area, including all of Pierce County, Federal Way, and Lacey :)
