ServicesSoft Washing
Low-pressure, chemical-based cleaning for stucco, siding, and roofs that pressure washing damages. Drone-delivered. Free quote in 24 hours.
What Is Soft Washing?
Soft washing pairs low pressure, under 500 PSI, with a biodegradable cleaning solution. The solution kills the algae, mildew, and moss that cause the discoloration. It does not blast them off the surface. The solution does the work, and the rinse is closer to a garden hose than a pressure wand.
It is the correct method for anything a pressure wand damages: stucco, EIFS, painted siding, vinyl, and stone laid in old lime mortar. Because the growth is dead rather than stripped, the result lasts longer than pressure washing alone. Two to three years is typical, instead of one season.
Applications
| Surface Type | Why This Service Works |
|---|---|
| Vinyl Siding | Removes algae, mildew, and oxidation without warping or cracking the material. |
| Stucco | Cleans embedded organic growth without damaging the textured finish or causing water penetration. |
| EIFS / Dryvit | Safe for synthetic stucco systems that cannot tolerate high pressure. |
| Wood | Removes mold and mildew from cedar, redwood, and composite siding without splintering. |
| Painted Surfaces | Cleans without stripping or chipping existing paint coatings. |
Where soft washing is the right call, and where it isn't
Stucco and EIFS are the clearest case. Direct water pressure damages both. It drives moisture behind the finish coat and can cause cracks or water intrusion that is expensive to fix. Painted wood, cedar shake, and stone set in lime mortar fail the same way under a pressure wand, and all three are common in the older Main Line housing stock. On these surfaces, soft washing is the only safe method.
It is the wrong choice for bare concrete, heavily soiled asphalt, or surfaces with embedded oil and rust. Those need mechanical force. For a driveway, parking pad, or industrial surface like that, pressure washing is the right service. We tell you which method each surface needs. We do not apply one method to the whole property by default.
How drone delivery changes a soft wash
Soft washing depends on dwell time. The solution sits and works before the rinse, so the application needs no force. What it needs is even coverage across a whole elevation. That includes the upper stories and the roof planes a ladder cannot reach safely on slate, cedar, or a steep pitch.
Our drones apply the solution and the rinse from above the roof or wall plane. Nobody walks a slate roof or leans a ladder against a stucco wall to reach the third story. On a multi-story building that otherwise needs a lift or rope access, that is the difference between a same-day job and a multi-day scaffolding rental.
What drives the price
Three things set a soft washing quote: the square footage, how heavy the growth is, and how many different materials are on the property. An all-vinyl house is simple to price. A house with stucco, stone, and painted trim takes longer, because each material gets its own solution strength and dwell time.
Access affects the price the same way it does for pressure washing. A single-story ranch is the simplest configuration. A multi-story building or a steep slate roof costs less by drone than with scaffolding. We still price it by the actual height and roof complexity. Get a ballpark from the calculator above, then a firm number once we have seen the property.
How often, and what to expect on the day
Most homes and buildings in this area hold a soft wash for two to three years in open sun. North- and east-facing walls under heavy tree canopy hold it for twelve to eighteen months, because algae returns fastest there. Stucco is worth a look every one to two years. The growth that holds moisture against the finish also causes long-term stains, and later, more expensive damage.
On the day, we find out what the wall or roof is made of first, because that sets the solution strength and dwell time. We protect plants and anything near the work. We apply the solution, let it dwell for ten to twenty minutes, then rinse from the top down. Nothing gets scrubbed or blasted. The color difference is usually visible before we finish the rinse.
Our Process
Surface Analysis
We find the material type and how heavy the growth is, then pick the solution and the dilution.
Solution Application
We apply the biodegradable solution at low pressure so it can break down the growth.
Dwell Time
The solution works for 10-20 minutes depending on contamination severity. This is what kills mold and algae at the root.
Rinse & Inspect
Low-pressure rinse, then an inspection. Results usually last two to three times longer than pressure washing.