4 Things You Should Never Pressure Wash

As we quickly roll into spring, most of us will have our sights set on getting things cleaned up and tackling home maintenance. When it comes to cleaning the exteriors of your home, pressure washing gives you the best bang for your buck to make your home look new. But not everything can safely be pressure washed, and if you pressure wash them, you run the risk of extensive and costly damage. These are four things that you should Google “soft washing near me” to hire someone to clean, because taking a pressure washer to them is NEVER a good idea.

Freshly Poured Concrete

Concrete is an upgrade for things like driveways and walkways, but it does come at an additional expense versus using asphalt or even pavers. Although concrete is one of the hardest materials to use in the great outdoors, it takes a good bit of time to fully cure (usually about a year). If you recently had concrete installed around your home, it is important not to have it pressure washed. Pressure washing a concrete surface too soon can lead to chips, cracks, and etching that are very difficult to repair – if they are repairable at all. Don’t spend all that money upgrading to concrete and then risk damaging it right away.

Roof Washing

Roof washing is an excellent and necessary thing to add to your spring home maintenance list, but roofs should not be pressure washed – especially shingled roofs. The high pressure can lead to dislodging shingles, cracking them, granular loss, or it can open lead to moisture getting up underneath your roofing material where it can cause rot and water damage. If you want to safely clean your roof, make sure to Google “soft washing near me” to find a company that uses only soft washing for roofs.

Painted or Stained Surfaces

After a long winter, your decking or porch boards could probably use a good cleaning. But pressure washing is not recommended for painted or stained surfaces. Not only do you run the risk of chipping the paint; for stained decks, it can pull off some of the stain, making it nearly impossible to get a uniform color when re-staining it. If you use pressure washing on painted surfaces, it can lead to a whole lot of extra work for you – and that work will not come cheap!

Aging or Wood Patio Furniture

When you break out your patio furniture for the spring and summer ahead, it will often be caked with dirt, debris, and cobwebs. Pressure washing might seem like a quick and easy fix, but it is not a good one! Pressure washing can lead to damaging the color, paint, or stain; it can rot wooden furniture; and the last thing you want is to invest in new outdoor patio sets if you don’t have to.

As we roll into spring, many people will get the urge to clean and spruce things up. When it comes to exterior home maintenance, pressure washing is one of the fastest and most inexpensive quick fixes, but that does not mean that it is appropriate for all exterior surfaces. Before you hire a pressure washing company, Google “soft washing near me” to find a company that understands the difference between soft and pressure washing so you are less likely to end up with costly damage after they are done.

At Expert Pressure Washing LLC Soft Wash, our mission is twofold: to get things as clean as can be, while also reducing the risk of damaging anything. Contact Us to schedule your pressure and soft washing appointment.