Can Softwashing Be Used On Render?

Contents

1. Can Softwashing Be Used on Render?
2. Soft Wash Vs Pressure Wash
3. How Render Should Be Cleaned

For decades, soft wash solutions have been a valuable weapon in the arsenal of exterior building cleaners. As the name suggests, soft washing employs a more gentle water spray than alternative cleaning methods like pressure washing. For this reason, it is often the best choice for owners of fragile or historically significant buildings. 

Don’t let the word “soft” mislead you: soft washing is far from ineffective. When used alongside an appropriate fungicide, stain remover or other cleaning solution, soft washing is more than a quick rinse; it can genuinely transform a run-down, weathered building into something truly breathtaking and keep it that way for years to come.

Should you use soft washing solutions to clean your render, though? Let’s find out.

Can Softwashing Be Used on Render?

While render is one of the cornerstones of modern construction, its porous structure and light colour makes it a magnet for stains, organic buildup (like algae or moss) and graffiti. If you’re the owner of a rendered property that’s showing signs of weathering and degradation, you’ll want to eradicate the problem before it gets any worse. And make no mistake, left untreated, it will.

The question is, what method of washing is best suited to a porous, easily chipped material like render? Will soft washing render provide you with the fresh-built appearance you desire? We’re happy to let you know that, yes, soft washing is not only an excellent option for your render restoration; it’s arguably the best one!

No matter whether you’re looking to lift grime and dirt, remove nasty, ground-in stains, or free your building from organic contaminants like algae, Soft washing render will deliver you the results you need.

Of course, it’s true that ideal results with soft wash solutions will only come when paired with specialised cleaning solutions and administered by trained professionals. Still, it’s crucial to stay informed on what’s best for your property’s health, which is why we’re going to explain what makes soft washing so effective and why it so often comes out on top in the battle of soft wash vs pressure wash.

Soft Wash Vs Pressure Wash

Despite their contrasting approaches to cleaning (a gentle spray as opposed to a cutting stream), both soft and pressure washing can be achieved with a pressure washer. The process is known as soft wash pressure cleaning and can be done by simply lowering the PSI on your pressure washer to below 500. This isn’t essential knowledge, but it could clarify some potential confusion around the contradictory phrase ‘soft wash pressure cleaning’.

For most properties and situations, including ones involving render, soft pressure washing is preferable because of how gentle it is. Pressure washing is... well, a lot of pressure: it can cause injury, kill wildlife and even damage buildings. With render being such a fragile material, a pressure washer could easily cause it to crumble away, turning a weathered building into a damaged one in need of costly repair in no time. For the sake of your wallet and the health of your building, keep your render far away from high pressures.

However, soft washing is not necessarily the right choice for all scenarios. For getting fast cleaning results on hardwearing, non-porous surfaces, there is no replacement for pressure washing. We do stress, however, that you ensure your property will be able to withstand the blast of a pressure wash before you begin making arrangements for it. The last thing you want is to inadvertently harm your property in an attempt to restore it.

How Render Should Be Cleaned

They might be a pivotal part of the render cleaning process, but soft wash solutions are not an all-in-one solution. A thorough render cleaning job that truly removes stains and contaminants involves assessments, specialised products, and targeted treatment. Our four-step render cleaning process, known as P.A.S.T., incorporates all three:

P - Preparation

The preparation involves assessing and preparing the render for cleaning. We will also consider any risks, dangers or unwanted potentialities here. At Spectrum, we 3D print our own specialised equipment for each job, and this thorough analysis lets us equip ourselves with the ideal tools.

A - Application of Cleaning Solution

In addition to printing our own tools, we also prepare our own cleaning solution for each job. That way, whether you’re dealing with algae, fungi, graffiti or grime, we formulate and administer the correct quantities.

S - Soft Pressure Washing or Steam Cleaning

For rendered properties, Spectrum will operate by soft washing render to deliver optimal cleaning results.

T- Targeted Treatment 

On this second pass of the property, any remaining presence of the offending substance—whether it be paint, grime, algae or anything else—will be discovered and removed, leaving your property as fresh as the day it was built.

Are you interested in having your rendered building restored to a picture-perfect sheen? Get in touch with Spectrum, and let’s discuss your needs!