Soft washing is a great way to clean a variety of homes. Soft washing has grown in popularity over the years because of the many advantages it has over other cleaning methods. Here are four of the most significant benefits of soft washing.

Read More about What Are the Advantages of Soft Washing a Home?

EcoTek is proud to announce our merger with Junk Bros! Opening in mid-July and brought to you by the same team that provides high-quality cleaning services to homes and businesses across the area, Junk Bros is a premier provider of junk removal for both residential and commercial properties.

Read More about Let Us Handle Your Junk!

Homeowners must dedicate time to cleaning the vents of their dryer once a year or more, depending on the number of occupants using it. The cleaner your dryer is, the more efficiently it will operate. However, there are far more advantages to maintaining a clean dryer than just cleanliness. If you neglect routine dryer duct cleaning, it can cause a variety of problems you may never have considered. Learn four of the most significant dryer vent cleaning advantages.

Read More about 4 Benefits of Dryer Vent Cleaning

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EcoTek provides pressure washing services to residential and commercial clients in Maryland, Virginia, and DC. There are many myths in the world of power washing. So, we thought we would debunk them as well as spread the word about our legendary eco-friendly services, including high-speed pressure washing and soft washing for delicate surfaces.

Below, find common power washing myths and the actual facts that can help you hire a pressure washing service for your roof, home, or business.

Myth 1: Pressure washing only uses high water pressure to clean surfaces.

Fact: Pressure washing typically uses high water pressure to clean durable surfaces. However, we can also use soft washing on delicate areas such as vinyl siding. For example, soft washing can safely clean the delicate surfaces of roof shingles to preserve the structure while washing away fungus, dirt, and mildew. Please call us for house washing services, and we’ll use the appropriate pressure to protect and clean your home’s exterior.

Myth 2: Pressure washing is only useful for large buildings or homes.

Fact: Power washing is safe for nearly every external surface, including brick, pavers, fencing, sidewalks, and driveways. In fact, we offer a two-year limited warranty on house and building cleanings and a five-year warranty on roof cleanings. Additionally, our pressure washers can clean any structure, no matter how large or small.

Myth 3: Pressure washing is an easy DIY project.

Fact: It’s not as easy as it looks to operate a power washer without the proper training. Without the right technique, you could leave behind etchings and sensitive surfaces at your home or business. We highly recommend hiring a professional with years of experience and the appropriate personal protective gear.

Protect yourself and your family from injuries due to high water pressure by calling EcoTek. Our qualified technicians professionally clean the designated surfaces with environmentally friendly pressure and soft washing services.

Myth 4: Every surface is safe for power washing.

Fact: pressure washing works for many exterior surfaces. However, some surfaces are not suitable for high water pressure or even softer water pressure. It’s important to hire a professional to determine which surfaces are safe for power washing. Trying to figure that out on your own could result in costly damage to your driveway, roof, home, or business.

Myth 5: Pressure washing detergent isn’t safe for your home exterior.

Fact: EcoTek has specially formulated detergents for our power washers. We believe in reducing our total carbon footprint as much as possible. So, our technicians use just enough environmentally friendly soaps and solvents to minimize the impact of our services. Of course, we look out for our clients too. The detergent we use won’t harm children or pets and leaves your home or business sparkling clean without damaging brickwork, siding, or concrete surfaces.

EcoTek stands out among pressure washing companies for our attention to detail and 100% satisfaction guarantee. From vinyl siding to brick pavers, we can help you come clean with 

professional soft washing or power washing services.

The power washing pros at EcoTek will provide an upfront estimate and help you determine which services are viable for our highly effective cleaning methods. We stand out among other power washing companies for our customer care and service. If you’re interested in power washing services for a Baltimore home or power washing a Norfolk, VA commercial location, our team has the experience, knowledge, and resources to get the job done right.

Call EcoTek today for power washing services in Maryland, Virginia and DC.

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Black streaks on your roof are a harbinger of bad news, unfortunately. There’s nothing good to say about Gloeocapsa Magma, a hardy blue-green algae species that easily multiplies and spreads. Detrimental to your roof from any way you look at it, black streaks caused by Gloeocapsa Magma can really cause some damage to your shingles—and if left unchecked, it can reduce the expected lifespan of your whole roof.

Read More about What Are the Black Streaks on My Roof? Can Soft Washing Remove Them?

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You only get one chance to make a first impression, and this includes the impression your business (and the commercial building housing it) makes on customers, clients, vendors, and even members of the community. That’s reason enough in itself to keep your exterior clean through commercial soft washing.

Read More about Should I Soft Wash My Commercial Building or Property?

If you’ve looked into getting your roof or other areas of your home’s exterior cleaned by a professional, then you may have heard the terms “power washing,” “pressure washing,” and “soft washing” tossed around. While they may all sound fairly similar, they aren’t all the same thing. Each of these is used to describe a specific type of power cleaning technique useful in different situations — each with its own distinct advantages.

What Is Power Washing?

Power washing is not the same as pressure washing, although the wash equipment used for each looks very alike. The most significant difference between power washing and pressure washing is heat; power washing requires heated water — usually warm but sometimes hot. Power washing equipment allows the cleaning professional to change water temps as they work. A power washing machine includes pumps for pressurizing and heating the water used for cleaning. As you might imagine, hot water can be a more effective cleaning medium than cold, but it can also damage vinyl siding and some other exterior surfaces.

Power washing is best for:

• Stubborn stains, such as from oil and grease
• Removing gum from surfaces
• Removing mold and mildew when heat is required
• Cleaning durable surfaces
• Getting rid of stuck-on grime and debris

What Is Pressure Washing?

Like power washing, pressure washing relies on high-pressure water to remove dirt, grime, and other gunk from surfaces — save for the heat. Pressure washing is an excellent option for many home exteriors, but pressure can be too much for some of the more delicate surfaces you may need cleaned. This includes those that are fragile or porous, such as wicker or bamboo. Professional pressure washers are more powerful than their hardware-store counterparts.

Pressure washing is best for:

• Hard, solid surfaces
• Stone, tile, fencing, and concrete
• Some types of roof cleaning

What Is Soft Washing?

Soft washing is a type of cleaning method that uses a soft spray with a low PSI and a soft washing nozzle that reduces the force of typical pressure washing. Additionally, soft washing involves using special chemical agents in the water to help provide a thorough clean by breaking down biological materials such as moss, algae, and mold. Soft washing methods are usually recommended for delicate surfaces, including asphalt roofs where black streaks resulting from algae develop. The lowered pressure (and special cleaning agents) remove these invasive algae without damaging the granular surface of the shingles or causing harm to plants in the yard, masonry, and painted surfaces.

Soft washing is best for:

• Painted, aluminum, and vinyl sidings
• Brick, stone, masonry, or stucco
• Fiberboard
• Glass and windows

Contact Us for Professional Power Washing, Pressure Washing, and Soft Washing

Ready for professional cleaning solutions for your home’s exterior? Count on EcoTek Power Wash for all of your pressure, soft, and power washing needs. For more information about our services or the best time of the year to power wash a house, reach out to us today!

Power washing isn’t just for residential customers. It can be used for many different facilities, including construction sites and commercial facilities. Places where the public frequents often or a lot of work is done tend to get pretty dirty pretty quickly. Keeping these areas clean is not only good for aesthetics and business, it’s good for the environment and the health of its patrons and employees as well. 

So how is this done?

Power washing a commercial facility works very similar to pressure washing a residential home. The only part that can be different is not having a water source. This is especially true in areas away from the main water source, like parking garages and large parking lots.

Professional power washing companies are equipped to handle situations like this by having their own water source. A pressure washer water tank allows companies to use a pressure washer in any location. 

How often should commercial areas be cleaned?

Every commercial property has different cleaning needs but there are some instances where power washing is necessary.

After storms – Storms can bring in a ton of debris that make it unsightly and sometimes even hazardous for a business to be in operation with the public coming by. Wind and heavy rains can cause dirt build-up on sidewalks and siding. Having pressure washing done after major storms can help protect your property.

After Spills – Some businesses work with machinery and/or chemicals. For example, elements like oil create tough stains. Over time, oil and other chemicals can seep into concrete and not only stain the surface but weaken it as well. 

After Outdoor Events – When commercial facilities host gatherings they tend to get a lot of debris and stains from food and drinks. After an event, power washing can prevent stains from setting in and can even prevent rodent problems. 

Seasonally – In the winter, salt and sand used for melting snow can wreak havoc on concrete and other surfaces. In the spring and summer, pollen and dust can cause allergy upsets, staining, and discoloration. Fall leaves and debris can also affect outside surfaces. Having your commercial property cleaned seasonally is very much recommended. 

If it’s been a while since your commercial facility was cleaned, give us a call! We do free estimates!

You home is one of your biggest investments, if not the biggest that you’ve ever made. You spend so much time decorating and taking care of your plants and your lawn so it’s understandable that you would be quite upset if someone came in and ruined them. This is especially devastating since you were expecting things to be clean, not destroyed! 

Whatever the damage, just know that this is not your fault! The technicians with power washing companies are supposed to be specially trained to either pre-water plants before pressure washing or cover them altogether in order to avoid damaging them. 

If you have damage to your grass and plants after power washing there are a number of steps to take to ensure that you’re properly compensated.

Read Over Any Paperwork That You Were Given

Be sure to read over anything that you were given when the company came out. Here at Ecotek Power Wash, we make sure our customers know exactly what areas we’re going to clean, what we’re doing to protect their homes, what the cost is, and any recommendations we’ve made. You should have gotten something similar from the company that did your washing.

Any reputable power washing company should have a satisfaction guarantee, even if that means reimbursing you for any damage that was caused during the cleaning process, including grass and plants. 

Contact The Power Washing Company And Tell Them What Happened

After you’ve read the paperwork and know what the company’s policies and procedures are, it’s time to give them a call or visit their office and see what they can do about reimbursing you for the damage. 

Most power washing companies are very understanding and will do all they can to make it right. They should understand that you’re upset and how big of an investment keeping the exterior of your home or office looking great is. 

Some Additional Information

Bleach

A lot of the time, a power washing company will use bleach to remove microorganisms, like mold and mildew. This solution should be adequately diluted so that it doesn’t cause harm to plants. 

The best way to protect plants is to cover them. But when that’s not feasible, a good watering before and after power washing can protect your plants from damage. The more the bleach is diluted, the less concentrated it is and the less powerful it’s affects are. 

Detergents

Like bleach, if your home is power washed with detergents, this should also be diluted. These chemicals are often diluted with a 10:1 water-to-detergent ratio. The more diluted, the less potent. When detergents affect plants, they can cause brown spots.

The best way to protect against detergents is, again, to make sure that plants are thoroughly watered before and especially after power washing. Even a small amount of detergent left in the garden contributes to plant death. 

Sealants

When decks are cleaned and restained, it’s customary to add a sealant to the surface.

When working with sealant, it’s absolutely imperative that plants and grass be covered. While the sealant “seals” your deck, it will also unfortunately seal plants. If sealant gets on plants, they will eventually die because they’re not able to get the water and nutrients that they need. 

When covering plants, make sure that only the plants in the area being cleaned are covered. If you cover them all at one time, this can be harmful to plants as well. Whomever is doing the power washing won’t get to certain areas for a while so it’s good to let the plants that aren’t in the area that’s being cleaned breathe.