Is it time to tap into your power or embrace your softer side?
Soft washing is gentler and uses 150–300 PSI gentle-pressure black or white nozzles.
Pressure washing uses at least 1,300 PSI for more powerful cleaning.
Soft washing requires the addition of detergent to clean the surface.
Professional soft washing or pressure washing costs $250 to $1,000.
When it's time to restore the luster to your home, you should carefully consider the advantages of pressure washing and soft washing.
You probably know that keeping your home looking its best requires regular cleaning. However, the toughest stains and grime sometimes require the intervention of special equipment or expert help, like soft washing or pressure washing. Soft washing and pressure washing typically use the same tools, but they differ in fundamental ways that make them appropriate for some tasks and not for others.
When paint, mold, algae, mildew, and stains prove to be beyond the reach of scrubbing or household cleaning solutions, it might be time to turn to pressurized water. For more fragile surfaces, or those involving adhesives, soft washing is the best way to achieve a new sheen without harming delicate areas. Highly durable materials, such as concrete, can be pressure washed into looking pristine.
| Soft Washing | Pressure Washing |
|---|---|
| Gentle pressure | A lot of pressure |
| Low-pressure nozzles (black, white) | High-pressure nozzles (red, yellow, green) |
| Must use a cleaning solution | No detergent required |
| Good for rinsing | Good for deeper cleaning |
| Can use on some fragile items | Avoid using on delicate items |
A soft wash incorporates special low-pressure nozzles on the end of a pressure washing gun or wand. Soft washing involves using a biodegradable chemical that removes the biological elements (mold, algae, pollen, dirt, moss) and other stains without damaging surfaces on your home or killing your plants.
Not only does the soft washing method clean surfaces, such as your roof, deck, patio, siding, or fence, safely and thoroughly, it also maintains paint and masonry longer.
Traditionally used for exterior cleaning jobs, a pressure wash cleans by spraying water at a very high PSI—much higher than that of the soft washer. Available in electric or gas-powered models, the PSI for a pressure wash can range from 1,300 to 3,100 PSI. Like soft washing, pressure washing also uses cleaning solutions to help wash away grime and dirt. Some models, like the soft washers, have nozzles to change the shape the spray makes (and increase or decrease pressure as needed).
The only parts of your home that you should pressure wash at full bore (4,000 psi) are those made of concrete, using a surface cleaner that defuses pressure through two nozzles.
Power washing is identical to pressure washing, except the water is heated. This can make a big difference, as there are few more powerful grime fighters than a blast of high-pressure water at temperatures that break down organic matter in a flash. Just compare power washing before and after photos to those of pressure washing to see the difference.
You should decide whether to soft wash or a pressure wash based on what you need to clean. While it’s extremely efficient, the strength of pressure washing can damage many surfaces. Here are a few items you can pressure wash around the home and some you should only soft wash.
| Materials You Can Soft Wash | Materials You Can Pressure Wash |
|---|---|
| Vinyl, cedar shake, or wood panel siding | Concrete driveways |
| Roof shingles | Composite wooden or plastic decks |
| Stucco | Outdoor children’s toys |
| Brick or masonry | Composite or metal siding |
| Tile or pavers | Garbage cans |
Both pressure washing and soft washing are done with a commercial pressure washing machine, which should be used on all jobs.
For a soft wash, the commercial washer will properly distribute and dilute cleaning solutions during pre-rinse and apply the proper volume-to-pressure ratio for the appropriate surfaces.
Since professionals use the same machine for both processes, the costs of pressure washing and soft washing are similar, whether you’re bringing in a pro or taking the nozzle into your own hands.
Hiring a professional to pressure or soft wash your home will run you around $250 to $500 on average, but the cost can be as high as $1,000 if you have special materials in play, such as brick.
If you want to rent a pressure washer, it’ll cost $40 to $100 per day. The same price applies to soft washers, with optional items such as tripods and extensions adding $10 each.
Pressure washing comes with several upsides and downsides. For one, it’s great at removing just about any stain, but can’t be used safely on every surface. Keep reading for all the reasons you may or may not want to try it out.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Can remove most stains | May cause damage |
| Speedy cleaning process | Difficult for beginners |
| Great for strong surfaces | Best avoided on fragile surfaces |
Can remove even the most stuck-on grime and stains. The extreme levels of pressure present in this cleaning method can get rid of just about anything, from oil stains in your driveway to grime in a tight corner that you wouldn’t be able to reach any other way.
Quick cleaning process. All that pressure also means that this process moves extremely quickly. After all, you can pressure wash a home exterior in just two hours.
Ideal for strong surfaces. Pressure washing is unlikely to damage sturdy materials and is one of the best ways to get things like concrete spick and span.
May cause damage. Even if you’re careful about avoiding delicate surfaces, pressure washers can be hard to control and can cause damage to surrounding elements without proper handling. For example, just the splashback from washing your siding may ruin the finish on your shutters in the process. But by avoiding common pressure washing mistakes, you don’t have to worry much about issues like this.
Sometimes difficult for beginners to do. Full-power pressure washers take a bit of practice to get used to, and it’s important to protect yourself when using one no matter your experience level. Wearing goggles, ear protection, and full-length clothing are a few ways to stay safe while washing.
Can’t be done on all surfaces. While pressure washing cleans concrete better than any other method, it’s also more likely to damage more fragile materials like untreated wood and tile. In these cases, always try another method first.
Soft washing comes with fewer risks than pressure washing but may not be strong enough to clean up certain surfaces. Consider the following benefits and drawbacks before settling on this cleaning method.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Damage or harm is unlikely | Slow cleaning process |
| Environmentally friendly | May need to do it more than once |
| Easy for beginners | Not ideal for cleaning strong surfaces |
Unlikely to cause damage or bodily harm. Soft washing uses far less pressure and is therefore unlikely to cause the kind of damage associated with pressure washing, like peeling paint and chipping wood.
More environmentally friendly. Less pressure also equals less water used overall, so opting for this method will leave behind a smaller footprint than pressure washing. Plus, most soft washing solutions consist of biodegradable materials that are less likely to harm you or any living things like plants or animals.
Easy for beginners. Unlike pressure washing, you don’t need a ton of protection or experience to safely employ this cleaning method.
Slower process. Soft washing is far more time-intensive than pressure washing. While you can use the latter to clean a house in just two hours, the former requires a day or two and sometimes more.
May need to repeat it more than once. It may take a couple of rounds of soft washing to get the cleanliness level you desire.
Isn’t strong enough to clean everything. While you technically can soft wash siding and pavement, pressure washing will do the job faster and more efficiently. Save soft washing for materials that can’t handle higher amounts of pressure.
Choosing between pressure washing and soft washing is all about the materials you’ll be cleaning and their surroundings. Here’s when to break out the pressure washing nozzles, the soft washing nozzles, or a power washer to clean your home.
| Pressure Washer | Soft Washer | Power Washer |
|---|---|---|
| Walkways | Painted or stained surfaces | Driveways |
| Hardscaping | Materials with mortar or sand adhesive | Concrete surfaces |
| Non-porous or less porous surfaces | Roofs, wood furniture, and other fragile items | Non-porous or less porous surfaces |
It’s worth considering the difference between DIY and a pro job here too. Some areas, such as wood decks, can be pressure washed by an experienced operator but face a greater risk of damage from a first-timer. When in doubt, call in the experts.
You can hire a local professional pressure washer to pressure wash or soft wash your home. A local power washing company will know exactly what combination and nozzle extensions to use to achieve the proper pressure, volume, and chemical mixture to clean all surfaces thoroughly, effectively, and safely.
The machines are available for rental, but even confident DIYers should make sure they thoroughly understand the different processes and the risks involved before going it on their own. Even a thin stream of high-pressure water can pose a threat to life and limb. Before setting out, carefully consider the pros and cons of DIY pressure washing.
Yes, you can, but you’ll need to acquire the right pressure washer tips and cleaning solutions for the job. In particular, you’ll need tips that are capable of lowering the pressure from a max of 3,500 PSI to between 150 and 300 PSI. As for the cleaning solution, look for options that are clearly marked for soft washing rather than pressure washing.
Combining power and soft washing is a great way to ensure that all surfaces, both fragile and not, get the attention they deserve. Start by power or pressure washing durable materials like vinyl siding and concrete pavement or driveways, then switch the tips on your machine and finish up by soft washing the more delicate elements, like shutters and front doors, for example.
Soft washing chemicals typically consist of a mix of sodium hypochlorite (or a chemical component of bleach) and water. While sodium hypochlorite and bleach are often thought to be the same thing, there is one small but key difference between the two: sodium hypochlorite comes in powdered rather than liquid form, which means that it’s also more concentrated and more effective from less product overall.
Always use a soft washer to clean your gutters—you can also clean them by hand. It’s tedious work, but it keeps your gutters intact. Pressure washers have PSIs of 1,500 or even more, which is strong enough to cause damage to your gutters or to knock shingles off your roof. When your gutters are damaged, your home is more susceptible to moisture, which can lead to mold and mildew problems.
