Guide
Pressure washing is the right method for concrete: sidewalks, garage decks, dumpster pads and plazas. Soft washing is the right method for painted surfaces, EIFS, metal panels, awnings and flat roofs. Most Chicago commercial properties need both, chosen surface by surface.
Pressure washing vs soft washing is not a choice between a good method and a bad one. Pressure washing uses high-pressure water to cut through dirt, gum and oil on hard surfaces. Soft washing uses low pressure and a cleaning solution that does the work, so paint, coatings and roof membranes stay intact. A typical Chicago property needs its sidewalk and garage pressure washed and its painted trim, awnings or roof soft washed.
Not sure which method your building needs? Send the address and what you want cleaned, and we will tell you the method for each surface.
Pressure washing and soft washing differ in pressure, in what does the cleaning and in the surfaces they suit. The table compares both methods for Chicago commercial buildings.
What it is
Best for
Main risk if misused
How long results last
Price level
Time on site
The surface decides the method. Use the two lists below to match each part of your Chicago property to pressure washing or soft washing.
Both methods start with protecting doors, glass and plants and end with a rinse. What changes is how the dirt comes off.
Pressure washing sends water through a narrow nozzle at high pressure. On flat concrete, a rotary surface cleaner spreads that pressure evenly so the deck or sidewalk does not end up striped. Oil, grease and gum get a degreaser or pre-treatment first, and the wash water is directed away from entrances and toward drains.
Soft washing applies a cleaning solution at low pressure and lets it sit for a few minutes, so it breaks down dirt, algae and mildew. The surface is then rinsed with low-pressure water. The pressure stays low enough that paint, sealants, coatings and roof membranes are not damaged.
In Chicago, the wrong method shows up as worn masonry, damaged finishes or stains that never come off. The city's older brick buildings, freeze-thaw winters and flat commercial roofs make the choice matter.
Many commercial buildings in Lincoln Park, Old Town and Lakeview are older brick and greystone. High pressure can wear the face of soft brick and wash out mortar joints, and water driven deep into the wall before a hard freeze adds to freeze-thaw damage. Lincoln Park, Old Town, Lakeview
EIFS, the stucco-like finish on many newer storefronts and offices, can be gouged by high pressure, and water forced behind it can stay inside the wall. Painted trim, doors and metal panels can lose paint or coating.
A cleaning solution alone will not lift oil drips, gum or the salt film Chicago winters leave on concrete. Garage decks, sidewalks and dumpster pads need pressure, often after a degreaser or pre-treatment.
Flat roof membranes common on Chicago commercial buildings, such as TPO, EPDM and modified bitumen, can be damaged by high pressure. Low-pressure cleaning with suitable products is the approach roofing manufacturers generally recommend.
Commercial Pressure Washing Chicago chooses the method surface by surface during the site walk. We look at what each surface is made of, its age and condition, the kind of dirt or growth on it and what sits around it, such as plants, glass and entrances. Where a surface is delicate, we test a small area first. Your written quote lists the method for each area.
Yes. Older Chicago brick, greystone and limestone are cleaned with low pressure, plus a cleaning solution where there is growth or heavy soot, so the brick face and the mortar are not worn down.
Not with high pressure. EIFS on Chicago buildings is soft washed with low pressure and a suitable cleaner, because high pressure can damage the finish and push water behind it.
Pressure washing. The white salt film on Chicago sidewalks, entrances and garage decks comes off concrete with pressure, sometimes after a pre-treatment. On brick, white residue can be efflorescence, which needs a gentler approach.
Not necessarily. In Chicago both are priced by area, access and how dirty the surface is. Soft washing adds solution and dwell time, while large flat concrete is among the fastest areas to pressure wash. Commercial pressure washing cost in Chicago
It should not. A careful crew wets and rinses plants before and after and keeps the solution off them. Ask any Chicago company how it protects landscaping before work starts.
Yes. Most Chicago commercial properties need both, so one written scope can cover pressure washing for concrete and soft washing for facades, awnings or roofs.
Send your Chicago address and what you want cleaned. We will walk the site and send a written quote with the method for each surface.
