What Soft-Washing Actually Is
Most homeowners think "pressure washing" is one thing — a guy with a wand and a gas-powered rig blasting water at the side of a house. The problem is that high-pressure blast is the wrong tool for most South Florida home exteriors. Stucco, painted siding, vinyl, and tile roofs aren't built to take 3,000 PSI of direct water. Hit them hard enough to "clean" them and you etch paint, force water behind siding, and dislodge tile.
Soft-washing is the right tool. We apply a measured cleaning chemistry — a sodium hypochlorite-based solution diluted to the correct concentration for the surface — at low pressure, around what comes out of a garden hose. The chemistry does the work. It breaks down algae cell walls, kills mildew at the spore level, and lifts staining off the surface. Then we rinse it off cleanly with the same low pressure. The result is a brighter, cleaner exterior that stays clean for 18-24 months instead of weeks.
Surfaces We Soft-Wash
- Stucco siding (the most common South Florida exterior)
- Vinyl siding and CertainTeed-style panels
- Painted wood and Hardie board siding
- Brick and stone veneer accents
- Stamped concrete and EIFS exterior insulation
- Aluminum and vinyl soffits and fascia
Our Soft-Wash Process
Every soft-wash job follows the same disciplined sequence. First, we walk the perimeter to identify problem areas, fragile plants, and fragile screen enclosures. Next, we pre-rinse all landscaping with clean water — a saturated plant absorbs almost no chemistry. We mix our cleaning solution to the right concentration for your specific surface (stucco gets a different mix than aged paint), and apply it with a low-pressure injection system that lays an even coat across the wall.
The solution dwells for the right amount of time — usually 5-15 minutes depending on the algae load — and then we rinse. The rinse uses fresh water at low pressure, working top-down so we don't drive contaminants into already-cleaned surfaces. Once the walls are clean, we do a final clean-water flush of the landscaping to displace any residue. Then we walk through the property with you, including before-and-after video of the worst spots.
Why It Lasts Longer Than Pressure Washing Alone
The single biggest difference between a soft-wash and a pressure wash isn't how the wall looks the day we leave — it's how the wall looks six months later. Pressure washing relocates algae spores; it doesn't kill them. Within weeks, the same dark patches start to come back. Soft-washing kills the colony, so even when new spores eventually settle on the wall (humidity in South Florida guarantees they will), they have to start the entire colonization process from scratch. That's why our clients typically only need their house done every 18-24 months.
Plant, Sod & Pet Safety
Cleaning chemistry that's tough on algae has to be handled with care around living plants and freshly laid sod. Our process is built around plant protection: we pre-rinse, we control runoff (cleaning agents shouldn't pool at the base of any hedge or new sod), and we post-rinse. We use horticultural neutralizers where the application is unusually heavy. We've washed homes immediately next to newly installed Floratam sod, mature ficus hedges, prized orchids, and citrus trees — all without browning or kill. Pets and people are clear of the work area during application; once the post-rinse is done, the property is fully safe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Soft-washing uses low pressure (under 500 PSI — about garden-hose strength) combined with a measured cleaning chemistry that breaks down algae and mildew at the cellular level. Standard pressure washing uses 3,000+ PSI of direct water blast. On stucco, paint, and tile, that high pressure etches the surface and just relocates the algae spores. Soft-wash is the right tool for delicate exterior surfaces.
Not when applied correctly. We pre-rinse all landscaping and sod before any chemical hits a wall, control runoff so cleaning agents don't pool at plant bases, and follow up with a clean-water rinse afterward. We pay particular attention to newly planted sod and freshly installed landscaping where the roots haven't yet established.
Most South Florida homes need a full exterior soft-wash every 18-24 months. Coastal homes or homes with heavy tree shade may need it annually. Homes with full sun and low humidity zones can sometimes go 2-3 years.
No — that's the entire point of soft-washing. The low pressure means there's no mechanical force on the paint. The cleaning chemistry is calibrated to be tough on biological growth but gentle on coatings.
A standard 2,000-3,000 sq ft home takes 2-4 hours including setup, plant pre-rinse, soft-wash application, dwell time, rinse, and post-wash plant flush.
Exterior windows get rinsed as part of the house wash, which removes most general dirt and pollen. For a streak-free, frame-and-sill clean, add our window cleaning service.