If you have unpleasant stains or marks on your render, your first thought might be to hire someone with a pressure washer to blast it all off. Whilst it seems like a quick and easy way to freshen up your exteriors, pressure washing comes with dangers, and savvy homeowners are turning to soft washing instead. Confused about the terminology? Let’s delve in a bit deeper.
What is pressure washing?
Pressure washing uses high-pressure water spray to remove dirt, dust, mould, mud, and loose paint from surfaces. The water jets are pressurised at 100-200 times the pressure of air, about 1500-3000 pounds per square inch. The force is so great that any grime doesn’t stand a chance of clinging on.
What is soft washing?
Soft washing uses a pump with comparatively little pressurization alongside a combination of cleaning products such as soap, algaecide and fungicidal wash. The chemicals loosen the dirt, which is then washed off using super-heated water, giving the same results as pressure washing. Soft washing uses less water than pressure washing, making it better for the environment and less likely to kill your lawn or garden plants with excess water runoff.
Could pressure washing damage my house?
Yes. Your house is built to withstand water, but not if it’s shot at it at very high pressures. Pressure washing can damage render and pebbledash, remove mortar from between bricks, gouge wood and remove paint. It can also get inside the walls of your home, creating mould, crumbling plaster, wet wall cavities and damage to wiring and window frame seals. This is especially likely if you have a timber framed house, clapboard or shingles.
Is soft wash just for walls?
No. Roofs can often become very dirty and ugly due to growths like moss, lichen and algae, which should be cleaned off before they cause damage. Pressure washing a roof risks removing or damaging tiles and flooding your loft, whereas soft washing will remove a lot of the growth with chemicals and wash the rest away with gentle pressure.
Which should I choose to clean my render?
Render cleaning is crucial for keeping your house well maintained and looking good, and can actually add value if you’re thinking of selling. Whilst pressure washing risks damaging your render and could ultimately lead to the expensive process of re-rendering your entire home, soft washing is gentle and won’t cause any problems. Soft washing also provides a longer lasting solution, as it completely removes all bacterial infestation, whereas pressure washing blasts only the surface of a stain, leaving the root of the bacteria to grow back quicker. If you’re wondering how to clean render, soft washing is definitely the best choice.
This is so great! Now i know what is difference between this two,
Pressure washing uses high-pressure water spray to remove dirt, dust, mould, mud, and loose paint from surfaces while Soft washing uses a pump with comparatively little pressurization alongside a combination of cleaning products such as soap, algaecide and fungicidal wash,It helps me a lot. Nice Article Thank you!