Walk through any neighborhood on the Treasure Coast after rainy season and you’ll see it: green-black streaks running down stucco facades, algae creeping up from the foundation line, driveways going gray with embedded grime. Exterior cleaning is one of those maintenance items that’s easy to put off until it suddenly becomes urgent — and when you go looking for help, you’ll hear both “pressure washing” and “soft washing” thrown around as if they’re interchangeable. They’re not, and picking the wrong one for your surface can cause real damage.
Here’s a plain-English breakdown of what each method actually does, which surfaces call for which approach, and what to expect from a professional job in Florida’s climate.
What pressure washing actually is
Pressure washing uses high-pressure water — typically 1,500 to 4,000 PSI — to blast contaminants off surfaces mechanically. The force does the work. It’s genuinely effective on hard, dense surfaces like concrete driveways, paver patios, brick retaining walls, and pool decks where you need to break loose embedded oil stains, paint overspray, or heavy mineral deposits.
What pressure washing is not good for: painted surfaces, stucco, wood siding, window frames, or anything that can absorb water under pressure. On a stucco home — which describes the vast majority of CBS construction on the Treasure Coast and in Broward County — high-pressure water can drive moisture into hairline cracks, loosen paint, erode the finish texture, and create the exact conditions that lead to mold growth inside the wall cavity. We see this aftermath regularly when homeowners or bargain-rate crews go after stucco with a 3,000 PSI machine.
What soft washing actually is
Soft washing uses low pressure — typically 40 to 150 PSI, similar to a garden hose — combined with biodegradable cleaning solutions (usually sodium hypochlorite-based) that kill the organisms causing the discoloration rather than just blasting them away mechanically. Algae, mildew, lichen, and mold are living things; scrubbing or blasting them off without killing them means they grow back within weeks. A proper soft wash treatment kills the root structure, so results last significantly longer — often 12 to 24 months versus 3 to 6 months from pressure washing alone.
The surfactants in a soft wash solution also help lift dirt and oxidation from the surface without abrasion. For painted surfaces, this is the only safe option that won’t compromise your paint’s adhesion or your warranty.
Matching the method to the surface
Soft washing is appropriate for:
- Stucco and painted CBS exteriors (almost all Florida homes)
- Painted wood trim, fascia, and soffits
- Roof surfaces (shingles, tile, metal) — roof cleaning should always be soft wash
- Screen enclosures and lanai roofs
- Vinyl and aluminum siding
Pressure washing is appropriate for:
- Concrete driveways and walkways
- Paver patios and pool decks
- Brick walls and columns
- Exposed aggregate surfaces
Many jobs call for both — a pressure wash on the driveway and pool deck combined with a soft wash on the house exterior. A good pressure washing contractor scopes the job that way rather than using one approach on everything.
Florida-specific considerations
The combination of heat, humidity, and salt air here creates an unusually aggressive environment for exterior surfaces. A few things worth knowing:
Algae and mildew grow year-round. Unlike northern climates where cold kills spore growth, Florida’s warmth keeps biological growth active in every season. If your exterior cleaned up beautifully in October but is streaking again by April, that’s not a cleaning failure — it’s Florida. Scheduling a soft wash every 12 to 18 months is a realistic maintenance cadence for most homes here.
Salt air accelerates buildup near the coast. Homes within a mile or two of the ocean accumulate salt deposits on exterior surfaces. These deposits hold moisture and accelerate paint oxidation. Quarterly rinse-downs with a garden hose help between full cleanings.
Pre-wash before repainting is non-negotiable. If you’re planning exterior painting, the surface must be thoroughly cleaned first. Paint applied over mold or algae will fail prematurely no matter how good the product is. We always soft wash before any exterior repaint, and we account for dry time before priming.
HOA requirements. Many HOAs in gated communities throughout Palm City, Stuart, and Vero Beach require homeowners to keep exteriors free of biological staining. If your HOA sends a compliance notice, soft washing is typically the appropriate response — and documenting that you used a professional service helps if there are follow-up questions.
What to expect from a professional soft wash
A professional exterior soft wash on a typical single-story Florida home (1,800–2,400 sq ft) usually runs $250–$450 depending on the home size, story count, and degree of soiling. Two-story homes with tile roofs, large lanais, or heavy algae growth will be toward the higher end. Roof cleaning is typically quoted separately.
The job takes two to four hours. The cleaning solution is applied to the surface, allowed to dwell (usually 10 to 20 minutes) so it can kill the biological growth, then rinsed at low pressure. Reputable companies use solutions that are safe for landscape plants when properly diluted, though good practice is to pre-wet nearby plantings and rinse them again after the job.
Ask any company you’re considering whether they carry liability insurance and whether their workers are employees or subcontractors. If a subcontractor damages your stucco or soaks your landscaping with an improperly diluted chemical mix, recovery can be complicated.
Exterior cleaning is one of the highest-return maintenance investments for a Florida home — it protects your paint, keeps your surfaces looking sharp, and catches developing issues before they become expensive. If you’re not sure what your home needs or you’re planning a cleaning before a repaint, we offer free written estimates. Reach out and we’ll take a look.
Also in this category: Protecting Decks and Fences from Florida Sun and Rain and Why Epoxy Garage Floors Make Sense in Florida.
