​

Soft Wash vs. Pressure Wash

The main difference between a soft wash and a pressure wash is that one uses high pressure and the other uses a lower pressure. Pressure washing relies on high-pressured water alone to clean, while soft washing uses a combination of soaps, solutions, and water to ensure your exterior stays clean long term.

​

The Fresh Lemon uses pressure washing techniques when necessary to remove heavy build up on concrete, brick, decks, patios, retaining walls, fences, and more. We also use pressure washing techniques to remove paint for areas that are preparing to get painted. However, we use the soft wash technique to safely clean siding to eliminate the possibility of damaging surfaces with too much pressure. 

​

When Will I Know When I Need to Wash My House?

Not sure if it's time to wash the exterior of your home?  Take a walk around and look for areas that look dingy or dirty. Heavier dirt, black mold or algae are more likely to show up on the northern side of your home. If you're seeing discoloration on your siding, landscaping stones, brick, etc. then it is likely time for an exterior cleaning of your home. 

​

There's no exact timeline for how frequently your homes exterior will need cleaned. While homeowners living in rural or wooded areas may need washing more often, you can usually tell just by taking a stroll around the property. 

​

Pros and Cons of Soft Washing

Above all, soft washing is going to be your best bet to wash your siding, deck, or fence without damaging anything. Plus, you will get a much longer-lasting result thanks to the added anti-bacterial components.

​

Soft wash techniques use much lower water pressure and are more effective because it’s using a mixture of soaps, solutions, and water. Whereas pressure washing just uses water, the soft washing cleans your siding and kills algae or bacteria growing on your house, rather than just blasting it off. Plus, this can all be done within the day and last you much longer while also causing zero damage to any of your home's exteriors.

​

The only con may be that it absolutely requires a professional to come out and do the work. However, the effectiveness of the soft wash system outweighs anything else. Trust us when we say it’s the right choice for you.

​

​

Pros and Cons of Pressure Washing

Pressure washing is likely more commonly known for washing your home’s exterior over soft washing. It has some benefits, but overall can be unnecessary for what your home needs. 

​

Pros of pressure washing include being able to easily rent or buy the machine—having one of your own can make cleaning the driveway or your siding very easy and convenient. In addition, some people very much appreciate the convenience factor of using a pressure washer any time they need without having to schedule a crew to come.

​

There are quite a few more significant negatives to using a pressure washer on your exterior surfaces. One is that its high psi can be difficult for someone who is not equipped and can hurt themselves or others.  Pressure washing your siding can also leave behind streaks on the siding of areas that are cleaner than others. Overall, pressure washing can be very dangerous and damaging without being an effective tool to legitimately wash your siding and other exterior surfaces, if not done by a trained professional.

​

​

​