ALTURA "Pressure washing" gets used as a catch-all, but there are really two methods — and using the wrong one damages property. Here's the difference in plain terms.
Pressure Washing: Force Does the Work
High-pressure water (typically 2,000–4,000 PSI) physically blasts contamination off hard, durable surfaces. It's the right tool for concrete, brick pavers, stone, and most masonry — gum on sidewalks, oil staining on drive lanes, years of grime on a parking deck. Concrete handles properly-applied pressure washing well; that's exactly what it's built for.
Soft Washing: Chemistry Does the Work
Low pressure paired with cleaning solutions that kill and release organic growth — algae, mildew, mold. It's the correct method for siding, stucco, EIFS, painted surfaces, and roofs, where high pressure would strip paint, force water behind cladding, or void a roof warranty. The green streaking on a building's shady side is organic; soft washing removes it and keeps it away longer because it kills the growth instead of just blasting the visible layer.
The Cost of Choosing Wrong
High pressure on siding etches lines, blows out mortar joints, and drives water into walls. Soft washing on oil-stained concrete simply doesn't work. A crew that quotes one method for the whole property without walking it is telling you they haven't thought about your surfaces.
Most Commercial Properties Need Both
A typical scope pairs pressure washing on flatwork — sidewalks, entrances, dumpster pads, drive lanes — with soft washing on the building envelope. Our pressure washing service quotes each surface by the correct method after an on-site walkthrough. Request a free estimate and we'll spec it surface by surface.