Pressure washing and soft washing are completely different in the sense that soft washing uses chemical detergents to loosen up moss, mold, mildew and algae from the surface you’re cleaning prior to rinsing.
The reason why I soft washing is so extremely important to use as a technique while cleaning vinyl is that vinyl is extremely sensitive and can damage easily.
From the manufacturer, vinyl siding has a protective coating on the outside of the plastic. The protective coating is there to resist ultraviolet rays and prolong the life of the siding while exposed to harsh elements for extended years.
When contractors apply direct pressure with too much force to the siding, the outside protective coating on the outside layer of the vinyl is removed.
This can be seen on most houses that we wash. Many homeowners think that if they take a pressure washer to rinse off the organics, that is sufficient.
When using pressure alone on vinyl siding to remove the organics, typically we see an oxidization or a flat chalky look to the siding.
The correct way to soft wash the exterior of a vinyl home or structure with vinyl siding is to use soaps and detergents prior to rinsing with a high volume and low pressure washing unit.
So open detergents can be applied with low pressure upon the surface of the vinyl. After the soaps and detergents are applied then the cleaning technician allows the soaps and detergents to dwell and break down the organics.
Once the organics have been broken down sufficiently, then the cleaning technician uses low PSI and high GPM to rinse the house or structure.
When using too much psi, it is easy to push water behind different surfaces of flashing and in between siding.
It is also imperative to cover up any outlets or electrical openings so as not to damage any of the circuits
We here in Vancouver, Washington at power washing professionals like to use a few different types of tape to mask off any potential dangers and hazards while performing the exterior cleaning.
Once the soaps and detergents have been applied starting from the bottom and working up to the top of the structure, the chemical solution is allowed to dwell and then the technician begins to rinse.
In many instances, there are lichens or organic growth that are difficult to remove without using a soft brush.
This is why we like to carry a soft brush on a telescoping pole with a bucket so that we can touch up any hard to clean areas while we are out in the field cleaning a vinyl homes.
Another thing to consider while soft washing the exterior of a vinyl home is the weep holes and the dirty drainage.
Many customers are not aware that there are weep holes that allow for drainage on every piece of vinyl siding. When washing the exterior of a vital home, it is difficult to reveal this true splendor and beauty of the home unless the weep holes are rinsed around accurately.
House washing and rinsing the exterior of vinyl sudaces is extremely satisfying because of the instant results that the exterior surface shows immediately!
Thank you for reading this blog post about exterior washing for vinyl. Make sure that if you own a vinyl home that you are washing it every 12 to 18 months.
