Over time, your home’s exterior is going to show its age, especially when it starts to accumulate grime and dirt over the years. Your once immaculate porch now looks dark and old, and your driveway has become slippery with years of dirt, dust, and even mold growing on the surface. However, there is a quick and easy way to restore your home’s exterior to its former glory: pressure washing.
Not All Washing Methods are Created Equally
If you are considering getting pressure washing services for your home, you should know that not all washing methods are the same. You will need to choose the right type of washing method depending on the surface or the cleaning job that you have in mind. Generally, you can choose between three types of washing services: pressure, power, and soft.
Pressure Washing
Pressure washing is the most common and affordable type of washing services. It uses regular, room-temperature water that’s forced out of a nozzle at a powerful rate. It is usually coupled with a cleaning solution. This type of washing method is best for regular cleaning jobs such as removing grime from wooden slats on your porch, removing grime from your driveway, or cleaning dust from the walls of your home.
Power Washing
Power washing is pressure washing with an oomph! The water is heated, making it more effective in removing stubborn stains such as oil spills in your garage or mold growing on your tiles.
Soft Washing
This type of washing relies on gentle water pressure and is usually considered more eco-friendly because the cleaning solution is not as powerful compared to the other types of washing services. This is best used for delicate surfaces, such as your car.
Getting Your Home Ready for a Pressure Washing Session
You need to prepare your home before you go ahead with any pressure washing job. Here are some simple steps that you can do before the pressure washing services commence:
1. Secure All the Openings Around Your Home
Before any pressure washing services are done, you want to make sure that you check your home and close any opening where water can seep through. Water damage is no joke! What’s more, if your home does incur any water damage due to pressure washing services, your insurance won’t cover it.
Check all doors and windows thoroughly, and inspect if there are any small openings such as cracks where water can get inside accidentally. If you do find any holes or cracks, try to repair them before the pressure washing job. Otherwise, at least inform the contractor so that they are careful with working around the area.
2. Remove or Cover Everything that You Don’t Want To Get Wet or Dirty
No matter how careful the contractor is, the spray from a pressure washing job can’t always be completely controlled. Remove anything that you don’t want to get wet or dirty, such as outdoor furniture, gardening tools, or any decorative items you have outside. If the items are permanently fixed, you can at least cover them with a waterproof plastic tarp.
3. Protect All Electrical Outlets
Always be safe! Water and electricity don’t mix. Make sure that ALL electric outlets are protected from the water spray, and inform the contractor of the location of all outlets in the area that they are going to clean. Make sure that you unplug all cords and shut off the electricity if possible.
4. Keep Plants, Children, and Pets Away
Another safety precaution: always keep children, pets, and even plants away from the area being cleaned. Remember, the washing service uses strong bursts of possibly heated water as well as a cleaning agent, and they can cause serious injury if accidentally sprayed on skin or delicate surfaces.
5. Choose a Sunny Day
As much as possible, try and schedule your pressure washing services on a sunny day. This not only makes the whole job easier for the contractor, but it will also help the cleaned surface dry out much faster.
Keep Painted Surfaces in Mind as Well
If you’re getting painted surfaces cleaned, you should also keep in mind that the power of the pressure wash and even the cleaning solution can strip the paint away. If your goal is to remove the paint layer completely, then it’s actually a good idea to use a pressure wash to clean the surface. However, if you want to preserve the paint, you might want to consider using soft pressure washing services instead.
