House Washing
Soft washing applied to the walls, trim and soffits of your home.
Learn more about House WashingLow-Pressure Cleaning
Soft Washing in Jacksonville, FL
Low pressure, correct cleaning solutions, and patience. The method for every surface that high pressure would ruin.
The Method
What Soft Washing Is — and When It's the Right Call
Soft washing applies cleaning solution at roughly garden-hose pressure, lets it dwell long enough to break down the organic growth, then rinses. The work is done chemically and by time, not by force. A soft wash system typically operates well under 500 PSI, compared with the 2,500–4,000 PSI a contractor might use on a concrete driveway.
That matters because most of what discolours a Florida home is alive. Algae, mildew, lichen and the cyanobacteria responsible for black roof streaking are organisms rooted into the surface. Blasting them off removes what is visible while leaving what is anchored — which is why high-pressure "cleaned" surfaces often look worse again within months.
Soft washing addresses the growth itself, so the surface stays clean noticeably longer. It is also the only defensible way to clean a shingle roof, a screen enclosure, aged paint or stucco. Where a surface is genuinely hard and durable, traditional pressure washing is faster and still the right tool.
What We Clean
Surfaces That Should Always Be Soft Washed
If a contractor offers to pressure wash any of the following, that is a reason to keep calling.
Asphalt shingle roofs
High pressure strips the granules that protect the shingle and shorten its life. There is no version of this that ends well.
Painted siding & stucco
Force drives water behind the wall plane and lifts paint. Low pressure removes growth without either.
Screen enclosures & lanais
Pool cages, screen doors and window screens tear under pressure and are expensive to re-screen.
Wood decks & fencing
Pressure raises the grain and cuts visible lines into softwood. Soft washing cleans without the fuzz.
Older brick & mortar
Historic Riverside, Avondale and Springfield mortar joints are softer than they look.
Awnings & signage
Fabric, vinyl and acrylic clean up well at low pressure and delaminate at high pressure.
Our Process
How a Soft Wash Is Performed
The slow parts are the parts that make it work.
1
Identify & test
Surface material and the type of growth present determine solution strength. When in doubt we test a small area first.
2
Saturate surroundings
Landscaping, walkways and adjacent surfaces are pre-wet so nothing concentrates where it shouldn't.
3
Apply and dwell
Solution is applied at low pressure and given time to work. Rushing this step is why some soft washes underperform.
4
Neutralise and rinse
Thorough rinse of the treated surface and everything below it, then a final walk of the property.
Keep Exploring
Related Services
Patio & Pool Deck Cleaning
Screen enclosures and lanai framing that pressure would tear.
Learn more about Patio & Pool Deck CleaningAnswers
Soft Washing FAQs
Is soft washing safe for my roof?
Soft washing is the method specifically recommended for cleaning asphalt shingle roofs, precisely because pressure washing is not. It removes the organic growth causing black streaking without dislodging granules or forcing water under the shingle course. See our roof cleaning page.
How long do soft wash results last?
Longer than a high-pressure rinse, because the growth is treated rather than knocked off. On a typical Jacksonville home, expect meaningfully longer before regrowth is visible — though shade, tree canopy, irrigation overspray and humidity all shorten that window. Nobody can give you an exact figure honestly; the variables are specific to your lot.
What cleaning solutions do you use?
Professional exterior cleaning solutions diluted for the specific surface and the level of growth present. Add your actual product details and any plant-safe or biodegradable claims here — only if you can substantiate them. We are happy to discuss what will be applied to your property before we begin.
Will soft washing kill my landscaping?
Standard practice is to pre-wet all landscaping thoroughly and rinse again afterwards, which protects plants from concentration. Flag anything sensitive in advance — new plantings, edible gardens, ponds — and we will adjust the approach or tarp the area.
Can everything on my house be soft washed?
No, and that is the point. Concrete driveways and sidewalks clean far better with a surface cleaner and real pressure. A good exterior cleaning job uses both methods on the same property — soft washing up high, pressure washing on the flatwork.
Ready for a Cleaner, Brighter Exterior?
Tell us what needs cleaning and we'll get you a clear, written estimate for your Jacksonville property.