Soft washing uses chemistry instead of brute force. For siding, soffits, gutters, fences, and other surfaces that pressure washing destroys over time, soft washing kills mold, mildew, and algae at the source — and the results last 4 to 6 times longer.
Most exterior surfaces shouldn't be pressure washed — they should be soft washed. Here's why Jacobson's is the Richmond service that gets the method right.
Soft washing is the right method for most of your home's exterior. Here's the breakdown by surface — each gets the right chemistry, the right pressure, and the right approach.
Vinyl, Hardie, and wood siding. The largest residential soft-wash application — green-black algae on shaded walls, mildew in textured siding, and pollen-stained surfaces all clean without any mechanical stress.
Learn the method →
Asphalt shingle roofs specifically require soft washing — the manufacturer's association explicitly recommends it. Pressure washing strips the granules that protect your roof.
Roof cleaning details →
Wood and vinyl fences, decks, soffits, fascia, and gutters all clean better under soft wash. No surface fiber lifting on wood, no cracking on vinyl, no water intrusion through soffits.
See safety details →
The buildup on your home's exterior isn't just cosmetic. Mold, mildew, and algae break down surfaces over time. Vinyl gets brittle. Painted surfaces lose adhesion. Wood develops rot. Stucco erodes. The damage is slow but cumulative.
Soft washing kills the organisms before they accelerate the damage. The cleaning solution penetrates cell walls and ends the colony at the source. Results last 4 to 6 times longer than pressure washing because regrowth has to start from scratch — new spores landing, finding moisture, slowly establishing.
And unlike pressure washing, soft washing doesn't damage what it cleans. The chemistry is calibrated for exterior surfaces — effective against the organisms, safe for the substrate. The right method on the right surface.
From first call to final walkthrough, the soft washing process is straightforward. You'll know what's happening at every step.
We walk the property, identify the surfaces and the growth, and provide a flat-rate written quote. No hidden costs, no per-square-foot guesses over the phone.
Soft washing needs a few hours of dry conditions for the chemistry to work. We coordinate around the forecast. Most Richmond jobs scheduled within a week.
Every plant, shrub, and mulch bed within the spray-fall zone gets pre-wet with plain water. Then the cleaning solution is applied at under 100 PSI.
10–20 minute dwell while the chemistry kills the organism. Low-pressure rinse from top to bottom. Full landscape rinse. Final walkthrough with you.
Real reviews from local customers across Richmond, Midlothian, Short Pump, and surrounding neighborhoods.
"Highly impressed with the professionalism. Cleaned our wooden deck and perimeter fence, removing years of grime without any wood damage. Very reliable and easy to communicate with."
"Jacobson's did an incredible job on our vinyl siding. The green mold and dirt are completely gone and the house literally sparkles. Fast service, very honest pricing. I won't go anywhere else."
Jacobson's is locally owned and serves homeowners across Richmond, Midlothian, Short Pump, Glen Allen, and the rest of the Richmond metro. Richmond's humid summers, heavy tree cover, and north-facing shaded walls create the exact conditions that mold, mildew, and algae need to colonize a home's exterior.
We also do roof cleaning, commercial property cleaning, and whole-house pressure washing — with the right method applied on every surface.
There are surfaces where pressure washing is the right tool — concrete, paver patios, and other hardscape. Read our honest breakdown of when soft washing is NOT the answer.
Free, no-obligation property assessment. Written quotes within 48 hours. Same crew every visit. Insured, locally owned, and proud of our Richmond reputation.
