Soft washing is a cleaning method that uses low water pressure to safely clean the external surfaces of a home. This approach is designed to effectively eliminate moss, mould, bacteria, mildew, and other organic growth without damaging any surfaces.
Since soft washing utilises low water pressure, it makes for an excellent cleaning option for delicate surfaces that would otherwise be damaged with standard pressure cleaning. A few examples of surfaces that would work well with soft washing are render, roof tiles, and window frames.
At Sunshine Coast Pressure Cleaning Group, we often recommend soft washing for most of the external cleaning needs of our customers.
In this blog, we’ll talk about the benefits you can get from soft washing and the main chemicals used.
What Are the Benefits of House Soft Washing?
These are the main benefits you can get when you soft wash your house:
Increase the Resale Value
A major benefit that soft washing a house can provide is to improve its value in case you plan to sell it. The improved cleanliness after a proper washing can make the exterior of a house look significantly more appealing to interested buyers.
The boosted curb appeal can allow you to ask for a higher price once you plan to turn it over to a new homeowner.
Improve Your Home’s Aesthetics
Another common reason many homeowners get soft washing for their residential properties is the aesthetic improvements it brings. This is basically what regular home maintenance does to a property.
Keeping your home clean by giving it a soft washing periodically ensures that it will look pleasing and presentable at all times.
Extend Roof Lifespan
Since you’ll be able to eliminate moss, mildew, and mould on your home’s exterior surfaces, such organic growth won’t have time to settle on your roof and cause damage. This means that your roof will have a longer lifespan and will serve you for many more years than if you left it alone.
Giving the roof a regular soft wash will help you prevent it from being damaged by harmful growth. This also leads to increased savings since you don’t have to repair your roof as often.
What Chemicals Are Used for Soft Washing?
The primary chemicals used for soft washing are sodium hypochlorite and cleaning surfactant. These are combined with water to dilute the mixture depending on what’s needed.
Sodium hypochlorite effectively eliminates moss, algae, and mildew spores on a home’s exterior surfaces. They work by going deep into these surfaces and killing organic growth by the roots. This is different to other processes like power washing which only remove the surface, not the roots.
On the other hand, the cleaning surfactant assists in the cleaning process by loosening and carrying away unwanted substances from the surfaces. They work by getting between the substance and a surface and pushing them apart so that the dirt or grime can be washed away.