Soft Washing and Madison's Lakes: Why We Use It Sparingly
Where I stand on soft washing in Madison
To be clear where I am coming from: I don't have anything against soft washing. It works, it has its place, and we can do it at EcoWash when it's the right call for a house.
However, I'm not comfortable with how much chemical goes into a typical soft wash. I'm even less comfortable with the carelessness many crews have with where the chemical ends up.
Almost always, the runoff goes down the driveway, into the gutter, and into the storm drain at the curb. In Madison, that storm drain leads to a lake. As someone who does a lot of fishing in the Madison area, I really do not like the idea of even more chemicals going into our lakes. We already have enough issues with road salt, fertilizers, PFAS, and mercury.
I wanted to write this so homeowners know what to look for, because most people never think about where that water ends up. Soft washing companies sell their service as the greatest thing- better than a pressure wash. But one consideration is almost always left out: if you live near a sensitive body of water, is the amount of chemical used worth the risk?
How much chemical are we talking about?
The "soft" in soft washing is about water pressure. It has nothing to do with the chemicals.
The main ingredient in almost every soft wash mix is sodium hypochlorite (SH). Most crews buy it at 12.5% strength, which is roughly twice as strong as the bleach in your laundry room. It gets watered down before it goes on the house, but roofs and heavy algae get a much stronger mix than siding does.
Crews add surfactants (can be any dish soap) so the SH clings to the wall instead of running straight off. That helps it work, but it also means foamy, bleachy water coming off every surface of the house.
Now multiply that across a whole house, or a whole roof draining through the gutters. That's a lot of chemical landing on your property. Some of it soaks into the ground, some of it degrades, but the rest has to go somewhere.
Where it goes in Madison
Many people are unaware that the storm drain at the end of your street isn't connected to a treatment plant. In Dane County, whatever goes down that grate travels through the storm sewer and comes out in a lake, river, or stream, untreated.
For us in Dane County, that means Mendota, Monona, Wingra, Waubesa, and Kegonsa. Many of us live on an isthmus. A big share of this city drains toward one of those lakes.
Dane County takes this seriously. It passed an illicit discharge ordinance in 2021, and its Land and Water Resources Department says outright that foamy discharges aren't allowed and that cleansers can reach the water at levels high enough to kill some aquatic life. Pressure washing companies are specifically on the county's list of businesses that get a yearly letter about it. After that warning, a violation is treated as deliberate and can mean a ticket.
What careless crews skip
Doing this right isn't complicated. It just takes extra time, and some extra gear, and that's exactly why some crews don't bother. Here's what I see skipped most often:
Covering the storm drain. A mat or a few sandbags at the curb takes five minutes. Plenty of crews never do it.
Dealing with the downspouts. On a roof job, the gutters collect the strongest runoff of the day and dump it all in one spot. A good crew bags or diverts it.
Soaking the plants. Plants that are watered before, during and after the wash take up far less bleach. Dry plants drink it right in.
Mixing to the surface. Some crews run one strong mix on everything because it's faster. Siding doesn't need roof strength.
What that costs you
When a crew cuts these corners, it's your property that pays for it.
Your landscaping. Bleach breaks down plant tissue the same way it breaks down mold. Burned shrubs and dead patches of lawn can show up days later, long after the crew is gone.
Your name on the complaint. If wash water runs into the street, the neighbor or the city sees it coming off your house. You're the first one they'll ask about it.
Your liability. Soft washing means ladders, roofs, and wet surfaces. If an uninsured worker gets hurt at your place, that claim can end up on your homeowner's policy. The rules vary by state, so it's worth a call to your insurance agent.
How we handle it at EcoWash
Our approach is simple: use the smallest amount of chemical that will actually get the job done. Most houses don't need a full soft wash. In my experience, on nearly every home we have worked on, maybe half of the north side of the home requires chemical use at all.
When we use sodium hypochlorite, which is often, we soak the surrounding area before application, we dilute heavily so the chemical concentration is low, and we make up for that low concentration with additional applications or extended dwell time to let the chemical work. It adds a little time to the job. We are fine with that.
We also put our money where our mouth is. We donate monthly to the Clean Lakes Alliance and partner with them to donate our time as well. This is one small part of the conservation mission at EcoWash.
Questions to ask any soft washing company
Whoever you hire as a soft washing company, ask these before they start:
Where does the runoff go? If the answer is "down the drain," find someone else.
Do you cover storm drains and deal with the downspouts?
How strong is the mix you'll use on my house? A good crew can answer this without guessing.
Can I see your certificate of insurance? Liability and workers' comp, with current dates.
If you're in the Madison area and want a crew that takes this seriously, get a free estimate from EcoWash. We'll tell you straight whether your house even needs a soft wash.
Frequently asked questions
Is soft washing bad for Madison's lakes? It can be if the runoff isn't controlled. Storm drains in Dane County carry water untreated to the lakes, so bleach and soap that reach the curb can end up in Mendota or Monona.
Is it legal to let soft wash water go into the storm drain in Dane County? No. Dane County's illicit discharge ordinance prohibits it, and pressure washing companies can be ticketed.
Will soft washing kill my plants? It can. Plants that are soaked with clean water before, during, and after the wash usually come through fine.
What should I do if I see a crew washing into a storm drain? You can report it to Public Health Madison & Dane County at (608) 266-4821, or online through Dane County's illicit discharge reporting form.
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