When choosing to do a softwash or pressure wash for your home, many homeowners have questions about whether or not it will damage their plants. Bleach solution is used to wash homes, and while it is effective in killing moss and algae, it can be harmful to plants and trees. Many of these solutions are marked as safe for plants and animals, but we take a few preventative measures for your plants to help ensure that they stay healthy and safe from chemicals. There are several steps that to take in protecting your landscaping beforehand.

Keep an eye out for the weather

First, check the forecast- if it rains soon after your home is power washed or soft washed, the bleach runoff may easily reach your shrubs. Opt for a sunny day to wash your house so it has plenty of time to dry; make sure there’s no rain for the first 24 hours after washing. You should also try to keep the immediate area as clear as possible and remove any potted or transportable plants.

Using tarps

To avoid contact with bleach runoffs, we cover your plants with tarps. Since plants can overheat underneath and the layer of plastic can slow their air exchange with the environment, we won’t leave the tarps on for too long and will check on them periodically. We place trashcans or buckets at the bottom of your gutters as well to help collect bleach runoff.

Pre-wetting plants

We make sure to wet nearby plants and trees before washing your house, especially those right under your roof. Bleach can cause chemical burns, so coating your shrubs with water will work as an extra-protective measure.

Professional surfactants

We use a bleach enhancer on your roof to help protect your plants. These surfactants help the bleach stay on surfaces, which reduces the overall amount of bleach solution you need to clean your house and roof. This also slows the run-off rate.

Post-rinse your plants

To rinse off chemicals and dilute any excess bleach, we spray the vegetation after soft-washing or pressure washing the house. While someone cleans down the house, another person can also stand by to spray water on the surrounding plants and keep them moist during the cleaning process.