Keeping your home clean and well-maintained is one of the most important aspects of homeownership. It can be difficult to keep up with the dirt, debris, and grime that accumulates over time, especially in hard-to-reach areas. Fortunately, softwashing is an effective and efficient way to clean your home and make it look like new again. Softwashing is a gentle way to clean your home’s exterior surfaces, including roofs, siding, decks, patios, and more. As its name suggests, softwashing uses a soft, gentle pressure to clean surfaces. It’s a great way to keep your home looking pristine and protect it from the accumulation of dirt, mold, and mildew. Learn more about the benefits of softwashing your home and everything you need to know to get started.
What is softwashing?
Benefits of softwashing
No damaging pressure: Softwashing uses a gentle water spray to clean your home’s exterior. Unlike pressure washing, it doesn’t use high water pressure to blast grime away. This means it’s less likely to cause damage or harm your home’s siding, paint, or other exterior surfaces.
Gentle on plants, animals, and children: A soft spraying action is much gentler on the plants, animals, and children around your home than pressure washing. You can use it to clean your home’s exterior with no risk of harm.
Softwashing vs. pressure washing
Pressure washing and softwashing are both cleaning methods that we commonly use to clean homes. While they are both used to clean the exterior of homes, they work in very different ways. Pressure washing uses a high-pressure water spray to blast dirt and grime away from the exterior of your home. Softwashing, on the other hand, uses a low-pressure water spray to gently clean surfaces. While pressure washing is a more powerful cleaning method, it’s also a more damaging one. It blasts dirt and grime away from surfaces using high water pressure, which can damage your siding, paint, and other exterior surfaces. Softwashing, on the other hand, is a softer cleaning method that doesn’t use as much water pressure. This means it’s less likely to cause damage to your home’s exterior.
When to softwash your home
If you’re unsure when to softwash your home, the best rule of thumb is to do it when it’s most needed. Every home will accumulate dirt and grime at different rates, so you’ll need to decide when it’s time to clean your home’s exterior. Some signs that your home may need cleaning include:
- Dirt or grime building up on your home’s siding and roof
- Dirt or grime on your home’s gutters - Dirt or grime on your home’s windows and doors
- Cracked or peeling paint
- Weeds growing in and around your home
- Trees and shrubs growing too close to your home
How to softwash your home
There are a few different softwashing methods that you can choose from. Some methods are better for some areas than others. The best way to clean your home’s exterior will depend on the type of exterior surfaces you have and the amount of grime they have accumulated. The most common types of cleaning methods are:
Water only: The simplest and most cost-effective method for cleaning your home’s exterior is to use just water. This method is best used for cleaning small areas of your home where grime is minimal.
Water and soap: You can add soap to your water while softwashing to gently clean away dirt and grime from your home’s exterior. This method is best used for cleaning heavily soiled areas of your home, such as your garage door.
Water and a sponge: A good old-fashioned sponge can be used to clean away dirt and grime from your home’s exterior. This method is best used for cleaning small areas of your home.
Water and a scrub brush: A scrub brush can be used to clean away dirt and grime from your home’s exterior. This method is best used for cleaning large areas of your home, such as your roof or patio.
Softwashing tips
Use the right equipment: Although soft washing is a gentle cleaning method, you’ll still need the right equipment to get the job done effectively. You’ll need a water source, a water sprayer, cleaning solutions, and a cleaning tool.
Use the right water pressure: The right water pressure will depend on the type of cleaning method you’re using. For example, if you’re softwashing with a sponge, you’ll want to use a lower water pressure than if you’re using a scrub brush to clean your roof.
Wash your home from the top down: It may seem obvious, but you’ll get the best results by washing your home from the top down. This means you’ll start with your roof and work your way down to your gutters and patio. It’s also a safer method of cleaning your home’s exterior as you’re less likely to fall off your roof while cleaning.
Softwashing safety
As mentioned previously, softwashing is a safer and less damaging cleaning method than pressure washing. It’s also a safer method of cleaning your home’s exterior than other cleaning methods, such as washing your home with harsh chemicals. However, it’s important to take some basic safety precautions while softwashing your home. You don’t want to risk falling off your roof or being hit by a water spray while cleaning. Here are some important safety tips to keep in mind while softwashing your home:
Wear the right gear: It’s important to wear the right gear while softwashing your home. This includes wearing a hard hat, goggles, and work boots.
Stay off your roof: While softwashing your roof, it’s best to stay off of it and on the ground. You don’t want to risk falling off of your roof while cleaning it.
Be careful near your windows and doors: You don’t want to damage your windows and doors while cleaning them, so be careful while washing them.
Keep water away from electrical wiring: You don’t want to risk electrocuting yourself while cleaning your home. Make sure to keep water away from your electrical wiring.
Softwashing costs
Softwashing your home is a cost-effective cleaning method. It’s a cheaper option than hiring a professional cleaning service, as you’ll be able to clean your home yourself. Softwashing your home will cost you less than hiring a professional cleaning service, but it may cost more than using other cleaning methods. This will depend on a few different factors, such as the size of your home and the type of cleaning equipment you use. You can find a water source, cleaning solutions, and cleaning equipment, such as sponges or scrub brushes, at hardware stores or home improvement stores. You can find a water sprayer online or at a home improvement store.
Softwashing services
There are a few different softwashing services you can choose from. For more information about our softwash services please contact us.
