Leaderboard

My only "guarantee" is to turn up & do my best (results as explained)

Yeah, My updated info. from the Gov't is that we will be able to start on the 19th. This is one of those times when having Toronto right next door is a hindrance, The more rural areas could open but Toronto is so dense it makes it more problematic. dense def. 1) highly populated 2) thick headed both apply. OK kids. Stay safe and have fun.

I hear ya. We are beginning next week on the 11th. Given our season is finite and ends late november, I feel much of this year is going to be diminished and our biggest concern is people dropping off due to financial reasons. Rod & Beth

I slowed down quite a bit in March & April but starting to pick back up now ? Hopefully we all will get back close to normal but my expectations of that happening this year are low?

yup. Still stopped here. Probably until mid may till uncle Doug lets us go back. We got a real problem here with long term care, and its getting worse. Stay the course. Be well all.

Hi all New to the forum I joined specifically because of COVID 19. I am building a 120k furniture warehouse in nor cal, I am looking for tips to keep my crew members safe. Currently we are staggering shifts so everyone is not in our job trailer at the same time and in our warehouse we are practicing social distancing. We are spraying bleach on all tools, gang boxes, entrances etc. I am reaching out to the cleaning pros for any helpful tips and ideas. Thanks in advance. Steve

So got the new injector installed and it works great! So I looked at the old injector and somehow the screw in orfice? was missing. I didn’t realize it when I took it apart because I’ve never had one before. Thank you for the help

Yes Sir F13 Gutter Butter they all yield different results based on the gutters manufacturers and the age of the gutters. You have to be careful with the paint and surface and keep it wet all times

I hired a professional to do my work.

If you've got that much work in only a few months then "Well done" & give yourself a pat on the back. As Mike said, it takes time to get a reputation, personal referrals & repeats. With time you will get to know customer concerns & be able to address them calmly.

I have done this when I started out now I do not do it anymore Mike

Good on you for making it all this time never the less John. Rod

I'm a '64 model (if you want to know how old that is you can work it out yourself - I don't want to know) and this is definitely a young persons game, especially in summer. I've had a few injuries over the years and am not 100%, so only a couple of years left for me - but I do love working for myself, being outdoors & doing stuff for people.

Well I'm 51 going on 20 at 6:00 A.M. And 51 going on intention at 6:00 P.M. Lol Feel it in the hands and knees these days but otherwise no to bad.

Hello, had my house power washed this weekend. It needed it. Used a local power washing company who I've used several times before. This time, for no extra charge he stripped about 80% of the stain off my PT yellow pine deck. The stain was only 2 years old and looked great. When I asked him why he did it he said that he just helped it and it was coming off. I didn't wish to argue and that is not why I am posting. Background as to what products I used in Sep 2020 and have on hand now: RAD Deck Stain Stripper and power wash, followed by Citralic Brightener/Neutralizer. The stain is Armstrong-Clark Chestnut Semi-Transparent. Followed all directions and deck looked fantastic. So, what do I do now? Strip remaining stain off and start over?

I agree, you can go right over it and it should be just fine.

Not much available for Silicone. Try this site: https://www.diedrichtechnologies.com/ Rod & Beth

I have a cedar fence that was installed 1 year ago. I wasn't able to get it stained last year. It is on the borderline of starting to turn a little gray in parts. I am talking to a fence staining contractor about staining it now. He is suggesting that he use Sherwin Williams SuperDeck Revive to clean the gray off before applying the stain. He told me he can do the cleaning during the same trip as the stain. He says that it's not a problem to have the wood wet from hosing off the Revive when he puts on the stain. The stain instructions say that the wood needs to be dry. I realize that "time is money" and he wants to be price competitive. My questions are these: 1. Will his method give me a good and lasting result? 2. The Revive product info says it needs to be neutralized with the Sherwin Williams Deck Wash but he will just be using water to wash it off. Is that a problem? 3. The neighbor behind me has stained his side of the fence. Will the SuperDeck Revive product damage my neighbor's stain job? Thanks for your help.

To Handle tough stains on your concrete garage floor and pavers, consider seeking help from a service with expertise in addressing stubborn stains. They can assess and address your specific cleaning needs effictively.

Is your deck looking weathered and worn after years of battling the elements? Discover the ultimate solution for deck cleaning in Dublin! Our expert team is here to breathe new life into your outdoor space, making it a beautiful, inviting retreat once again. Our deck cleaning services in Dublin are designed to remove dirt, grime, mold, and algae, leaving your deck spotless and safe. Whether you have a wooden, composite, or vinyl deck, we have the expertise and eco-friendly cleaning solutions to get the job done efficiently. Reclaim your outdoor oasis and enjoy the beauty of your deck with Dublin's trusted deck cleaning professionals. Contact us today for a free consultation and bring back the charm of your outdoor living area!

As a long time lurker of the sub and thanks to sweatystartup I have seen a number of you that have started or have been running a pressure washing company and it got me thinking I could do this as a fun hustle to make extra income and see where it goes. So I had some questions if you don’t mind jumping in. I would probably just focus on driveways to make it easy. Do you do it full or part time? (How much time do you put in) How long have you been doing it? Do you have any employees? What pressure wash services do you offer? How many jobs do you get a month? How much is your average job in revenue? How much do you advertise or market? What are your thoughts on the business and how have you liked it so far? Do you run any other side hustles along with the pressure washing? Thanks in advance!

Hi Guys, it has been awhile since I have been on this forum. I would like to get your suggestion on where i can buy a good quality Extension wand for tall buildings. During my 16-years in the business I have just hooked wands together to get the height I needed. I am cleaning a lot of tall banks now and will have to breakdown and get an extension wand to save my back. So any suggestions on what to get and where would be appreciated. Thanks Hugh Gibson (copgib)

no resposne to this

hey mate ... hypochlorite +- 1 % blended surfactants 7.125% balance 100% water any suggestions on what blended surfactants i should use? apparently this mixture is good for mould on canvas ect cheers kevin

Thanks for all the answers in this thread. It was useful to read it to me as a beginner

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/03/stalkers-turn-to-cell-pho_n_171555.html Many of us have gotten UNWANTED and UNSOLICITED text that never end, text after text of hateful, unprofessional conduct and vile, viciously aimed content. This phone STALKING is being taken seriously. http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/telephone-harassment-statutes People violating these laws may receive fines, prison sentences or both. If someone harasses you, make sure to KEEP the messages. Your smart phone has setting to automatically delete messages after a certain number are reached. Turn the setting OFF. For your specific case, consult a lawyer. Of course you can also just block the caller..... Beth

I will try to reach you. It's a service I've been looking for. Thanks.

Years ago, with lots of help from you all, I stripped, brightened and stained an old deck that had been sitting for years. We just had a small pressure treated deck built around a portion of our pool yesterday. I remember back in the day there was a certain amount of time suggested for the wood to dry out before stripping and brightening. What is the recommended time now days? Of course the wife wants it done yesterday but I'm not doing it until it's time. Also, I used an Armstrong Clark semi-transparent stain back then. Is this still a good option or are there better ones out there? Thanks All

I know this thread is 5 years old but what stain did you use? It turned out beautiful!

Ipe deck just professionally washed. 3 year old Woodrich stain. Thoughts?

I was more referring to the perpendicular marks and the overall cleaning job. Does it look ready for a maintenance coat?

Hello everyone. My name is Anton, I'm from Estonia. Starting up washing business here. I'm really new to this kind of work. A lot to learn in the future. Right now I already have small setup. 500 liters water tank on the trailer, flat surface cleaner 18 inch, telescopic lance 24ft( very heavy stuff, I will try to use it to wash solar panels. Want to place end of the pole on the wheels), 2 hoses 10 and 20 meters long and direct drive pressure washer 4.75 GPM (18 lpm) 3600 psi. As a newbie I have some questions. I want to install unloader with hose back to the tank but don't know which to buy? Could someone explain to me how to choose the right one? Also, a bought a gauge yesterday to check the pump , installed it and started the machine. I bought the gauge bc sticker on the machine were saying that machine is 4.5 GPM and 4000 psi but pump manufacturer manual says that pump is 4.8 GPM and 3600 psi , so I decided to adjust the pressure according to the manufacture's manual. So, I started the machine with pressure adjusting cup all the way down and started to watch the guage. I don't remember the readings guage were showing but it was to much according the pump manual, so I lowered the pressure by terning the cup up. I end up with 3480 psi of working pressure with 0° nozzle on the gun and when I realise the gun pressure peaks up to 3600 psi. Have I done it right? Thanks for reading my post. Good day.

We have them too let me know if you still are looking.

So how is everyone's pressure washing business doing during this pandemic ?

We're hoping the first week of May but we'll see. In Maryland, this is a hub of major infrastructure and as a result have not reached that plateau. Rod & Beth

The majority of us work in the out doors so distancing is easy. I'd like to hear what the hood cleaners are doing since they are close together when working on them indoors. Wearing gloves and washing hands helps cut down the spread. When people sneeze or cough, the area should be sprayed with a disinfectant and the surfaces addresses as you already have been doing. The virus is transmitted through air, can last on surfaces and is contained in the droplets of a persons respiration. Have people take their temperatures at least once a day. Twice if possible. Look for spikes and isolate that person or send them home. Rod

Hello all. First time poster. I have a pressurized cleaner with a downstream injector. I noticed it’s not sucking. I tried to free the ball with a nail but when I did the water squirted out instead of sucking in

the method for metering on this machine is a replaceable orfice on the beginning of the line. There are no clogs or kinks in the new hose

Hello All. My South Florida, concrete, three car driveway, is now twenty five years old, and looks it. After all the twice a year cleaning, the concrete is somewhat pitted. My usual session is no longer removing, what I guess to be, a build up of dirt and grime in the pits. I have only used my rig (DeWalt 4200 psi, 4 gpm pressure washer, and AP+ 21" surface washer) to this point. I never got in to pretreating, or using detergent. That's due to the various, and often conflicting recommendations, that I've read each time I've researched. I never came to a workable conclusion in my mind. I'd greatly appreciate a coherent solution, from a knowledgeable person, if you have the time, and thanks in advance. I'd like to read a full description of what I should do at this point. Specific equipment. Detergents and pretreatments. And method and technique. I'f needed I'll purchase a downstream injector and the like. Cleaning twice a year is enough, the last cleaning stayed just four months. Thanks, Steve

I am new to the area (Moved down from NY), and this red clay is something new for me. Ive recently got in with a custom home builder, who calls me frequently to take care of the newly built homes. The driveways are always absolutely covered in this red clay, and its nothing short of a b**** to get cleaned. The first house I "cleaned" for him, was an absolute disaster and the driveway was still stained. I quickly learned about the beloved muriatic acid. Ive done many new homes for the company since using the acid. They have all came out okay looking. I am able to get the driveways cleaned, however it is a very slow process, and I believe it still comes out looking like.. poop. I use a "weed sprayer" I picked up at Home Depot. You can kinda see the lap marks where I spray the acid.. 18:1 I pre-wet the concrete, keep it well saturated, spray small sections at a time, use the fan tip and go back and forth at a respectable distance. I recently picked up the Original X-Jet, and I want to try it on the next upcoming job. Using it to obviously apply the acid in small sections, but hopefully it has a more even spread and you will not be able to see the application marks. Any recommendations from someone who has experience with red clay on new concrete? Do you use the muriatic acid? How do you apply it? Should I be mixing stronger? What should I be doing differently? Any kind of help would be greatly appreciated!!

We have dry ice blasting as well as (recently) a dustless blaster which we can run wet or dry. We do post fire clean ups, mold remediation.... with the ice. And have done jail cells, garbage compaction room....with crushed glass and garnet.

Agreed!!

quick question i am going to pick up some nozzles but unsure of which ones i know you go by your machine but my pump is a general ts1011 which says 4.5 gpm and my machine says 3.8 gpm 3500 psi. which should i go by or are they so close it does not matter? thanks

thanks rod

There are a number of them that people use and most find best according to their desired method of application and removal. F-13 Gutter Grenade is one. Gutter Butter is another I am aware of. The rest found in a search are mostly 'consumer' grade. Perhaps others may chime in ... Rod

I have no idea but I would like to know what you did finally?

How many of you send out Christmas cards to your customers ? I never have but was considering it .

Bidding for the price is a good start. The issues with actually doing them are the tenants. Especially on the porches where they will tend to store a bunch of stuff and throw a tizzy if you get them wet or whatever. Notifications are recommended. Price wise, Where is the water being drawn? Is it the tenants water or from a water source belonging to the building owners control? Since you are likely only cleaning the siding and not so much the brick, price it per section of siding. Usually around 100-150 each. The brick is what takes the most time to wash and generates a lot of grit debris which adds time to rinse off everything in proximity. If you have to wash that, double the price for each section. Rod

Knee pads! Over the years I have blown out both Bursa's in my knees and can't kneel for long without pain. Even have to wear them on ladders because working on them I lean on the ladder rails for stability. About to turn 57 and still going strong otherwise. When is too old? Ask my body when it says so, otherwise....I delegate the hard work to my paid employees and take the special projects on for myself. Gotta keep the enjoyable part right? Rod

Jake thats not a machine you could even think about using for what we do. Chris, that was the worst response / advice I've ever seen given here to anyone. Pretty irresponsible given the professionalism this sight is here to promote as well as the presence of company your in here too. It will not work. It does not push enough WATER to be effective on anything. Notice I said "push enough water" not pressure. You have to be at least 4 Gallons Per Minute to even start thinking about even a small job. Low GPM with lots of pressure = bad job with probable damage. You could do a better job with a garden hose and that wouldn't compete with anyone in this business on any job. Sorry but the comparison is like you decided you wanted to be a NASCAR mechanic (on the weekends) and walked into Dale Jr's garage looking for a job with the tool kit you found in the trunk of your wifes car. Spend a few MONTHS reading here and you'll get the gist of what you need to start out with. You don't need the "mac daddy" rig but that thing is not what is required to do this kind of work. Not being ugly just read and read more. Welcome to TGS by the way.