What is a Soft Wash System?

What is a Soft Wash System?

As time goes by, the exterior of your home can become caked in mold, mildew, dust, pollen, and much more, giving exterior surfaces a grimy, unkempt appearance, especially through the extreme Ontario seasons. Though some people choose to pressure wash their home annually, this can damage some materials and does not safely sterilize the surface like a soft wash Windsor system.

Perfect for hard-to-clean surfaces

Stucco, brick, and stone siding can be excellent candidates for soft washing; mortar and stucco collect mold and mildew but can be easily abraded by a high-pressure spray. Roofing tiles that are covered with unsightly streaks can also be damaged or degraded by pressure washing, but a soft wash will soak the grime away in minutes without damaging the surface.

Sanitizes surfaces

This very moment, your home is under attack by a microscopic horde that can affect both the outdoor and indoor air quality as well as the appearance of your home. Black streaks on your roof can indicate the presence of Gloeocapsa Magma, an algae common in more humid climates.

You might have green streaks on your decking or siding, especially near areas where water may splash out from a downspout. If you have an active sprinkler system set too close to your home or if you live in a rainy climate, you likely have a mix of fungi, bacteria, and even lichens growing on the exterior surfaces of your home.

Spores, dust, and pollen infiltrate your home through open windows and doors, and can begin accumulating inside as well, especially if the humidity is not being regulated. One of the first lines of defense for improving indoor air quality is to remove allergens from the immediate exterior of your home, eliminating the nearest outdoor breeding ground for elements that aggravate asthma and respiratory illness.

Harsh chemicals like bleach and some antifungal products can also aggravate respiratory conditions as well as damaging the environment. Remember that whatever you apply to the exterior of your home will end up in the soil and potentially the stormwater drains, so it’s important to read the labels and environmental impacts carefully. A soft wash system uses non-hazardous, biodegradable chemicals that will break down into simple carbon and water after about three weeks.

Saves money

A grimy exterior may give people the impression that your home needs a new paint job or roof; this is especially crucial if your house is on the market or about to be inspected or appraised. In many cases, the appearance of wear is due to a film of biomass that can radically alter the look of your home. Clearing away this film can make it look as though you just repainted your home or installed a new roof without having to spend thousands of dollars.

Though physical signs of wear, including peeling paint or damaged roof tiles, will indicate to a building professional that the useful life of a surface is nearing its end, the biomass film can also indicate an overall lack of attendance to property maintenance, which can subtly affect the appraised or market value of your home during an inspection. Potential homebuyers don’t want to be saddled with costly repairs after closing, so help your home make a stellar first impression with a soft wash before you list it for sale.

Making an exterior wash part of your annual maintenance program can help extend the life of various building materials and will likely have a dramatic effect on your home’s curb appeal. A soft wash system is far gentler on exterior surfaces and less likely to cause physical damage than pressure-washing, and since it uses less water and biodegradable chemicals, it’s an environmentally friendly option as well.