Not every surface around your home can handle a high-pressure clean. And not every job calls for chemical solutions either. The trick is knowing the difference – and choosing the method that gets the result without causing damage.
At SS House Washing and Pressure Washing Sydney, we get asked all the time: “Should I go with pressure washing or soft washing?” The answer depends on what needs cleaning, what it’s made of, and how stubborn the grime is.
Here’s how we explain it to customers — no jargon, no sales pitch, just the facts.
Pressure washing is what most people think of first. It uses high-pressure water — anywhere from 1,300 to over 2,800 PSI — to blast away built-up dirt, mould, stains, and even flaky paint. No chemicals needed in most cases. Just water and power.
It’s great for jobs that need a bit of force behind them. Think driveways caked in years of grime, garage floors with oil stains, or concrete paths covered in moss. The pressure strips it all off fast.
But it’s not the kind of thing you want to aim at a painted wall, a weatherboard home, or an old rendered surface. Too much pressure can chip paint, damage surfaces, or even let water get behind cladding. That’s where soft washing comes in.
Soft washing is the gentler approach — but don’t mistake it for weak. It uses low-pressure water (about what you’d get from a garden hose) along with specially mixed cleaning solutions to break down and treat the grime, rather than just push it off the surface.
It’s ideal for jobs where pressure washing would cause damage, or where the issue is more than just surface dirt — things like mould, algae, lichen, and bacteria. These aren’t just stains — they’re living growths, and if you don’t treat them properly, they’ll come back fast.
With soft washing, we apply a safe, biodegradable solution that soaks into the surface, kills off the nasties at the root, and lifts everything off gently. After that, a low-pressure rinse leaves it looking fresh, without harming paint, plants, or pets.
- Concrete driveways and paths
- Pavers and stone walls
- Brick surfaces
- Garage floors
- Heavily stained hard surfaces
- Painted timber or weatherboard
- Rendered or cladded walls
- Roof tiles (including terracotta and Colorbond)
- Solar panels
- Outdoor furniture and fences
- Older or heritage properties
If you’re not sure which one’s right for your job, we’ll always assess the surface and explain the safest and most effective approach. That’s our standard — honest advice before anything else.
Living in Sydney means we’re dealing with a unique mix of coastal salt, moisture, humidity, city dust, and intense sun. That combo is a breeding ground for things like mould, algae, and grime, especially on shaded or damp areas.
In our experience, soft washing is often the better long-term solution for homes around Sydney — especially in leafy areas like the North Shore, Northern Beaches, Inner West and Hills District. It doesn’t just make things look better — it actually kills the stuff that keeps coming back.
That said, pressure washing still has its place — especially on hard surfaces that just need a proper scrub to lift years of wear and tear.
On many jobs, we’ll use both methods — not everything needs the same treatment.
For example, we might soft wash the walls of your home, then pressure wash the driveway or retaining wall. That way, you get a full exterior refresh, but each surface is cleaned the way it should be — safely and effectively.
We’ve seen it too many times — someone hires a cheap contractor with a pressure washer who doesn’t understand the difference. Paint gets stripped. Timber gets gouged. Render cracks. Water ends up behind cladding. And mould comes back a month later.
That’s why it’s worth getting it done properly the first time, by people who know what they’re doing.
At SS House Washing and Pressure Washing Sydney, we bring the right equipment, the right knowledge, and the right attitude. We don’t take shortcuts. And we don’t upsell services you don’t need.
Soft washing and pressure washing both do great work — when used in the right way, on the right surface. What matters is understanding what each area of your property needs, and matching the method to the material.
We’ve worked on homes all over Sydney — from brand new builds to heritage cottages. And we’ll always take the time to explain what’s best for your place, not just turn up with a pressure cleaner and hope for the best.
If you’re looking at your home and thinking it’s overdue for a clean, but you’re not sure where to start — we’re happy to help. We offer free, no-obligation quotes, and we’ll talk you through exactly what your property needs.
📞 Call us today on 0414 556 216 Let SS House Washing and Pressure Washing Sydney take care of it — properly, safely, and with pride.
