Sitting outside your home, there might be a lot to look at. This could include your home’s siding, the roof, the windows, or even the barbeque pit. Upon further gaze, you discover that these features aren’t so squeaky clean. In fact, they don’t look like they’ve ever been washed.
Now, here is where homeowners falter. They look at these cleaning items as something that needs to go on their to-do list, often overlooking the option of hiring professional house painters rye. In an attempt to get areas like the siding clean and free from mold or mildew, the homeowner goes out and buys a pressure washing machine.
Now, here is where homeowners falter. They look at these cleaning items as something that needs to go on their to-do list. In an attempt to get areas like the siding clean and free from mold or mildew, the homeowner goes out and buys a pressure washing machine.
Pressure washing involves water pressure upwards of 1000 psi. This force is so strong it can take the paint off. As you can imagine, that high of pressure might not be suitable for certain areas of your home. And you would be right. Pressure washing, while effective, isn’t always the best choice for every outdoor cleaning. In this blog, we go through some of the worst places to pressure wash. We’ll then tell you a service that is a far better choice for no-go areas.
Explaining The Different Exterior Cleaning Types
Power Wash- This method uses both a high-pressure washer and heat to blast away surface stains and mold. Sometimes you’ll see a rotary attachment on power washes that allow the user to scrub surfaces more effectively.
Pressure Washing- Most people have seen a pressure washer in action. It either operates with gas or electric. The outdoor hose is attached to the pressure washer and is connected to another hose with a wand attachment. Pressure washer power is based on a few key factors; one of the most is how many PSI it is capable of.
Soft Washing- This cleaning method is quite different from pressure or power washing. Soft washing uses cleaning detergents and a soft stream to take off tough stains and dirt. One of the greatest advantages of soft washing is how well it breaks down contaminants—thanks to its approved detergents.
Places You Shouldn’t Clean With The Pressure Washer
The name of the game when cleaning your home is to make it look better. However, if your home becomes damaged when cleaning it, the benefits of cleaning will be washed down the drain. Let’s take a look at the worst places to use a pressure washer and what you should be doing.
Siding
If you take one look at your siding, it will not shock you to learn it’s not invincible. Very few materials are. Oftentimes, siding is made from vinyl or fiber cement. A pressure washer that has over a thousand or more PSI can do a great deal of damage. In fact, it can blast a hole through the siding. Instead of using a powerful method for cleaning, soft washing is a more appropriate choice.
Why is that? Sighting usually has a buildup of mold and mildew. You’ll sometimes see blue or green marks on the siding face or under the ridges. You might even have black streaks or dots on your vinyl siding. Pressure washing may be okay for brick, but it isn’t as effective as you might think.
Gutters
The gutters of your home are attached to the roofing components. Naturally, the last thing you want to do is damage your home by trying to clean it, especially the gutters. It may seem like gutters could take a beating, and you would be right.
But, because they are attached to something as important as the roof, you don’t want to chance it. Here, we would also recommend a combination of pressure washing and soft washing. Pressure washing is great for the inside of the channel, clearing away debris. But, this could be damaging if you aren’t used to a pressure washer.
Roof
Roofs are made to be strong. But can they stand up to high water pressures from a pressure washing machine? Unfortunately, they can’t. Metal roofs may be the exception to pressure washing. But Many homes feature asphalt shingles which can be prone to damage with higher water pressures. The better solution for cleaning roofs, no matter what type of material it is made of, is soft washing. Soft washing and its detergent properties can break down contaminants like mold or mildew that could also affect the longevity of the roof.
Windows
Is pressure washing the windows and the frame around it a good idea? No. Window cleaning has a very specific protocol. It involves spraying the window and squeezing the excess off with a squeegee. This provides a streak-free finish that you wouldn’t otherwise get with pressure washing which could damage the window, and soft washing, which could leave behind soap scum.
Also Read: Should You Replace Your Glass Windows? Here’s What You Need to Know
BBQ Grill
We mentioned a barbecue grill early on in the blog. So it would stand to reason that we mentioned just how you should clean one if it has a caked-up surface from charcoal, spilled barbecue sauce, or even pollen leftover from summer. Pressure washing is fine for a barbecue pit. In fact, it is a great way to remove sticky bbq messes. Though you could use soft washing here, too, pressure washing is just as effective. You also won’t want to use detergent around cooking surfaces.
Concrete
Concrete could apply to your driveway, sidewalk, or even your patio if made with patio flavors. What is the best way to clean this porous surface? It really depends on how big the area is and how big of a cleaning job it is. Most professionals will opt for power washing with a rotary attachment. This scrubs away any locked-in dirt that could be difficult to remove any other way. With hot water, stains and mold are broken down more effectively. This means it takes less time to achieve amazing results.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are numerous ways to clean various objects outside of your home. However, not every type of equipment is right for every job. We hope that this blog has helped you understand the differences between power washing, soft washing, and pressure washing.
If you’re looking to give your property a stunning makeover, it’s time to discover the remarkable benefits of power washing. When you search for “power washing near me,” you unlock a world of convenience and efficiency. Professional power washing services in your area offer a hassle-free solution to remove tough stains, dirt, and debris from your surfaces.