Exterior Surfaces

Pressure Washing vs. Soft Washing: Which Does Your Surface Need?

By Solpath Window Detailing · Published September 23, 2026 · Updated September 23, 2026

Pressure washing uses high-pressure water and suits hard surfaces such as concrete driveways, pavers, pool decks and unpainted masonry. Soft washing uses low pressure and a cleaning solution, and suits roofs, stucco, painted siding, screen enclosures and anything high pressure would crack, strip or force water into. Most South Florida homes need both, on different surfaces.

A driveway being pressure washed beside a stucco wall that has been soft washed

Which surface takes which method

Surface	Method	Why
Concrete driveway and sidewalk	Pressure washing	Concrete takes pressure, and a surface cleaner gives an even finish
Pavers	Pressure washing, with care	Pressure lifts dirt and growth, and some joint sand comes out with it
Pool deck	Pressure washing, gentler on coated decks	Bare concrete takes it; coatings and paint can lift
Tile roof	Soft washing	Pressure cracks tile and drives water underneath
Shingle roof	Soft washing	Pressure strips the granules that protect the shingle
Stucco walls	Soft washing	Pressure forces water into the wall and can mark the finish
Painted siding and trim	Soft washing	Pressure lifts paint and drives water behind boards
Screen enclosure	Soft washing	Mesh tears and the spline that holds it pops out
Windows, frames and seals	Neither: washed by hand	Water forced past a seal ends up inside the frame or the wall

Why pressure is the wrong tool on a roof or a wall

The damage from pressure washing a roof or a wall rarely shows on the day. Water driven under a tile or behind a crack in the stucco sits there, and it turns up months later as a stain inside, a soft spot or paint that lifts.

Most of the staining on South Florida roofs and walls is algae and mildew growing into the surface. Blasting takes off the top layer and leaves the rest, so it grows back quickly. A solution that kills the growth is what keeps a surface clean for longer.

Soft washing is not a weak pressure wash

In soft washing the solution does the cleaning. It is applied at low pressure, given time to work, and rinsed off. The water is there to carry the solution and rinse it away, not to scour the surface.

Plants next to the work are wetted down first and rinsed again afterward, so they do not soak up the solution.

Warning signs when you hire someone

An offer to pressure wash a tile or shingle roof
A wand used across flat concrete instead of a surface cleaner, which leaves stripes
No plan for the plants along the walls
No mention of anything they will not clean, or why

Rust stains are a separate problem

Orange staining along the bottom of walls and across driveways usually comes from sprinklers running on well water. It is iron, not dirt, and neither method removes it on its own. It needs a rust treatment, and it comes back until the water is dealt with.

Common questions

Do you clean roofs?

Yes. Tile and shingle roofs are soft washed at low pressure with a solution that kills the algae causing the black streaks. We never pressure wash a roof, because it cracks tile, strips shingles and drives water underneath. Roof work depends on pitch and access, and if yours cannot be done safely we will say so at the quote.

Will soft washing harm my plants?

Plants near the work are wetted down before we start, so they take up less of the solution, and rinsed again afterward. If anything in the beds is unusually delicate or valuable, point it out at the quote so it can be covered or worked around.

Should I pressure wash or soft wash?

It depends on the surface. Concrete, pavers, pool decks and unpainted masonry can be pressure washed. Roofs, stucco, painted siding and screen enclosures should be soft washed at low pressure, because high pressure cracks, strips or forces water into them. Most homes need both, on different surfaces.

Pressure Washing Soft Washing Weston Coral Springs Plantation Coral Gables Pinecrest