What is the difference between softwash and pressure washing?

Pressure washing is best utilized when cleaning hard surfaces that can withstand high pressure. We pressure wash mostly concrete which includes driveways, sidewalks, curbs, etc. and we use a specialized tool called a surface cleaner as well. A surface cleaner has the ability to cover a large surface area which helps with completing jobs in a timely manner.
Soft Washing is best utilized when cleaning a more fragile surface, essentially anything outside of concrete. These fragile surfaces include: vinyl, hardie board, stucco, roofs, painted surfaces, and wooden decks/fences. By performing a soft wash, we rely mostly on a specialized chemical to perform the cleaning, rather than high pressure. Depending on the job, we have different ratios for different styles of surfaces to be cleaned. Soft washing is a safe and effective way to clean surfaces that could potentially be damaged due to high pressure.

What do you pressure wash?

Concrete, heavy equipment, stone.

What do you softwash?

Homes or Businesses with fragile surfaces: Vinyl, Hardie Board, Painted Surfaces, Wood, Roofs, etc.

Why can't I do this myself?

There are specialized accessories needed to apply the chemical that cleans these fragile surfaces, you need more than just a pressure wash to soft wash. Depending on the texture of the surface to be cleaned, you will need to know what ratio of chemicals is needed to properly clean that surface. Too little of ratio will not effectively clean the surface, too strong of a ratio can cause damage and could possibly harm vegetation.

What kind of experience do you have?

I worked for Alabama Power for 6 years where I gained knowledge on an assortment of tools and electrical components. I launched a handyman business where I sharpened my entrepreneurial skills, which also led me to the power washing industry due to the high demand of exterior cleaning calls I was receiving. I soon launched Iron City Power Washing in 2018 after completing a masters program from UAB in the department of Engineering. This 2 year program had a strong focus on entrepreneurship, which encouraged me to become my own boss!

What kind of equipment do you use?

We have two commercial style rigs with power washers ranging from 4GPM up to 10GPM, gas roof pumps, industrial surface cleaners, and many different industrial chemicals. This allows us many options in the field to work most efficiently and to give our customers a great end product.

Would softwashing or pressure washing increase the curbside appeal of my home?

Both would for sure! Pressure washing cleans up the flat surfaces and soft washing cleans the vertical surfaces that are more fragile, such as your home.

How much does this cost?

Prices vary based on how much time a job takes, the complexity of the job, the water source, demand of chemicals, and the dimensions of surface area.

How long will this take?

Most residential jobs take between 1-4 hours due to our commercial rigs. Commercial jobs vary depending on the size, complexity, and logistics of the job.

Do I have to be home while you are working?

You do not, we understand our customers are busy and may have work or need to take their kids to school. If our customer is not home, we are in constant communication with them throughout the jobs. We send before and after pictures as we are cleaning to show that the job is going well, and when the job is completed, we send a video of a final walkthrough.

Who will be doing the work?

Tyler Peppers and Scott Lett

What type of payment do you take?

Currently we take cash, check, venmo and paypal. However, we are looking to add the option for our customers to pay with a credit/debit card.