Soft washing has become the standard recommendation for exterior home cleaning among professionals who understand the risks of high-pressure washing on residential siding. Homeowners with less common siding materials reasonably want to know whether soft washing is safe for their specific situation. The short answer is yes for the vast majority of residential siding types.
Vinyl Siding
Vinyl is the most common siding material on homes throughout Northumberland County, and soft washing is ideal for it. Vinyl is non-porous, so biological growth sits on the surface rather than penetrating the material. The low pressure of soft washing eliminates the risk of forcing water behind panels or cracking sections.
Painted Wood Siding
Painted wood siding is common on older homes throughout central Pennsylvania. High-pressure washing on painted wood strips the grain and forces water into the wood fibers. Soft washing at appropriate low pressure is safe for painted wood siding when the solution used is appropriate for the material, and the application is managed carefully.
Fiber Cement Siding
Fiber cement—James Hardie and similar products—responds well to soft washing. The paint finish is the primary consideration for the cleaning approach. Soft washing at an appropriate pressure, using a solution that is not overly aggressive toward paint, is the correct method.
Stucco
Traditional stucco and synthetic EIFS stucco are both porous and vulnerable to water intrusion. High-pressure washing drives water into stucco at a rate the material cannot handle. Soft washing cleans stucco effectively at pressures that do not compromise the material’s water management properties.
Brick
Brick is durable, but the mortar joints between bricks are not. High-pressure washing on older brick erodes mortar. Soft washing effectively cleans brick and biological growth from mortar joints at pressures that do not damage the mortar.
Cedar Shake and Wood Shingles
Cedar shake siding and wood shingle siding require the most careful approach of any common residential siding material. High-pressure washing on cedar shake destroys it. Soft washing at very low pressure with a solution appropriate for cedar is the only safe cleaning method.
For siding cleaning tailored to your specific material, house washing in Northumberland, PA, from Kleen-N-Brite assesses the exterior material and condition before any solution is applied.
