When to Use Soft Washing

Cleaning outdoor surfaces with soft washing equipment amounts to removing algae, mold, mildew, grime, dirt and loose debris. Certain surfaces, including stucco, wood decking and fencing, asphalt shingles, cedar shakes and metal siding cannot withstand water at high force. These surfaces can be restored to their original beauty using cleaning agents to dissolve the dirt, followed by gentle rinsing.

What Are Soft Washing Cleaning Agents?

You can obtain soft washing solutions off the shelf, but they have a much lower effect than the products used by a professional soft washing contractor. Soft washing solutions are made from a combination of:

• Sodium Hypochlorite
• A surfactant, such as a detergent that reduces the surface tension of a liquid, increasing its spreading and wetting properties
• Water

Soft Washing Precautions

High concentrates of the cleaners can be harmful to plant life and damaging to delicate surfaces. They can also burn your skin and ruin your clothing. Mixing the proper ratios and using the right amount of water for rinsing are good safety practices. When done properly, there should not be any problems.

Why Hire a Soft Washing Professional?

The secret to spotless results is knowing the capabilities of your soft washing equipment and chemicals.

• Different surfaces and types of dirt require specific concentrations
• Setting the proper ratios for the volume of chemicals injected through the hose is imperative
• Knowing how long to leave the solution on the surface before rinsing and when to make a second application is necessary
• Awareness of how much to presoak your plant life is the key to plant safety.

Get the Job Done Well

At Maintain It All, we understand the science behind soft washing with chemicals very well. For safety reasons and for the sake of a job well done, we recommend you "don't try this at home!" Contact us today to learn how easy it is for a professional to soft wash your southeastern Pennsylvania home with outstanding results.