---
title: "Soft Washing — Glossary | Commercial Cleaning of San Diego"
description: "Soft washing uses low-pressure chemistry instead of brute force to clean stucco, painted surfaces, and roofs that would be damaged by high pressure."
canonical: https://www.commercialcleaningsd.com/glossary/soft-washing/
---

 GLOSSARY · Methods & Equipment 

#  Soft Washing 

 Low-pressure exterior cleaning that relies on chemistry — typically sodium hypochlorite and surfactants — instead of high pressure to remove biological growth and stains. 

## Detailed definition

Soft washing is the right answer any time the surface you’re cleaning will be damaged by 3,000+ PSI water — which is most painted surfaces, stucco, wood, vinyl siding, EIFS, single-ply roof membranes, and any substrate with mortar joints. Instead of using pressure to physically blast the contamination off, soft wash uses a low-pressure delivery system (typically 60-200 PSI, similar to a garden hose) to apply a cleaning solution that does the chemical work.

The solution is usually a mix of sodium hypochlorite (the same active ingredient as household bleach, at concentrations between 0.5% and 3%), a surfactant to help the solution cling to vertical surfaces instead of running off, and water. Dwell time matters — 5 to 15 minutes is typical — and then the surface is rinsed with fresh water at low pressure. The combination kills the algae, mold, mildew, and lichen that cause most exterior staining, and lifts the staining at the same time.

For commercial properties in San Diego, soft wash is the method we reach for on stucco façades around Balboa Park and Hillcrest, on painted Spanish-revival elements, on the membrane roofs of newer warehouses and retail centers, and on building exteriors where high pressure would force water past flashings and into the wall assembly. Asphalt shingle roofs are an absolute soft-wash-only surface — the asphalt roofing industry’s own guidance is explicit that pressure washing voids shingle warranties.

The danger of soft washing is overspray onto landscaping, vehicles, and storefront glass. We pre-wet plant material before applying any hypochlorite solution and rinse it again afterward, which neutralizes the chloride before it reaches the root zone.

HOW WE HELP

## Related Commercial Cleaning of San Diego services

* [ Soft Washing Low-pressure cleaning for surfaces high-pressure would damage — siding, painted surfaces, delicate masonry, roofs.](/services/soft-washing/)
* [ Pressure Washing Soft wash and high-pressure. We reclaim the water so you stay clear of stormwater compliance issues.](/services/pressure-washing/)

RELATED TERMS

## See also

* [ NaOCl ](/glossary/sodium-hypochlorite/)
* [ Surfactants ](/glossary/surfactants/)
* [ PSI ](/glossary/pressure-washing-psi-ratings/)
* [ TPO ](/glossary/tpo-roof-membrane/)
* [ EPDM ](/glossary/epdm-roof-membrane/)

AUTHORITATIVE SOURCES

## External references

* [ ARMA roof cleaning guidance  (opens in new tab) ](https://www.asphaltroofing.org/)

##  Need help applying Soft Washing to your business? 

 We've done this kind of work across California. First conversation is free. 

[ Get In Touch ](/contact/) [ Back to Glossary ](/glossary/)

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