Guides
Pressure or soft wash: which does your surface need?
Sam Patel
· 6 min read
Best season
Any dry day
How often
Depends on surface
DIY difficulty
Medium
Pro time
1–6 hours
Hard surfaces can take pressure
Concrete, block paving and stone handle high pressure well, especially with hot water to lift oil and grease. A rotary surface cleaner gives an even finish without stripes.
Soft surfaces need a soft wash
Render, painted walls, roof tiles and timber are easily damaged by pressure. A low-pressure wash with the right cleaner kills algae and moss at the root instead of blasting the surface.
When in doubt
Start gentle. You can always add pressure on a hard surface, but you can’t undo a stripped wall or a cracked tile.
The same wall, before and after one soft wash.
Key takeaways
Pressure and hot water for concrete and paving.
Soft wash for render, roofs, paint and timber.
If in doubt, start gentle.
Keep reading
More from the journal.
House care
How often should you clean your render?
Algae comes back on a cycle. Here’s how to spot it early and how often a soft wash really needs doing.
Seasonal
A spring checklist for the outside of your home
Ten small jobs that stop winter grime turning into summer stains.
Roofs
How to keep moss off your roof for longer
Why scraping alone doesn’t work, and what a biocide treatment actually does.