soft wash surfactant

Why a soft wash needs a surfactant

Water and sodium hypochlorite run off a wall. A surfactant lets the mix dwell on the growth instead of in the flower bed.

Sodium hypochlorite in plain water beads and runs. A surfactant lowers the surface tension so the solution sheets onto the siding and stays there long enough to work. Some are thicker, so they hang on vertical surfaces. That is why a soft wash can look like it is “sitting” on the wall. It is supposed to.

The surfactant is not the cleaner. It is the delivery. The killing of algae and mildew is still the hypochlorite. When the dwell is done, both are rinsed. We do not leave a sticky film as a “protectant.” If a product claims to seal the house against future mildew because of the soap, ask to see that in writing. We will not say it.

Overspray is why the surfactant matters to your plants as much as to the wall. A mix that clings to the house also clings to a dry leaf. We wet the plantings first so they are full of plain water, keep the spray on the wall, and rinse the landscape when we rinse the house.

The service this belongs to is House soft washing.