cwarrior 14 Report post Posted September 4, 2007 Hi. Looking for some advice. Asked to clean the surface of a wood deck of an outdoor restuarant. Heavy grime and and residue from foot traffic. No mildew or algae. What chemical can I use to loosen this oily residue and not hurt the wood? Thanks! Mark Shoreline Window Cleaning & Pressure Washing Santa Rosa Beach, Fl. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 seymore 90 Report post Posted September 4, 2007 You can use a light bleach and soap mixture let it dwell and rinse. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 Beth n Rod 1,279 Report post Posted September 4, 2007 To cut grease, use a sodium hydroxide cleaner, wash, then neutralize with either citric, oxalic or a blended acid. The sodium hydroxide will be more effective on grease than the bleach will. Sorry Shane... Seal it with a penetrating oil sealer if they will spring for it. It will help protect it. Beth Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 seymore 90 Report post Posted September 4, 2007 To cut grease, use a sodium hydroxide cleaner, wash, then neutralize with either citric, oxalic or a blended acid. The sodium hydroxide will be more effective on grease than the bleach will. Sorry Shane...Seal it with a penetrating oil sealer if they will spring for it. It will help protect it. Beth Well that was my first thought was a S/H cleaner but i was trying to make it easy on him by using bleach and lots of soap. He could use a light mix of F-18 and a brightner after. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 cwarrior 14 Report post Posted September 4, 2007 Is there a sodium hydroxide cleaner at Home Depot or Lowe's you can recommend? I am short on time. Thanks! Mark Shoreline Cleaning Santa Rosa Beach, Fl. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 seymore 90 Report post Posted September 4, 2007 Is there a sodium hydroxide cleaner at Home Depot or Lowe's you can recommend? I am short on time. Thanks!Mark Shoreline Cleaning Santa Rosa Beach, Fl. You can try Sherwin Williams deck cleaner that i have used before it's a lil pricey but worked.It really doesn't matter which S/H cleaner you use just as long as it has the S/H chem in it. Then use a brightner again it won't matter which one you use since the deck is only grey and you're not stripping a old stain off. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 MMI Enterprises 289 Report post Posted September 4, 2007 Bound to open up the wood too much with hydroxide mixed too strong is my feeling...is just a clean right?. Even mixed weak they can mess with the smooth level looking finish of some top coats. Use too much and ya got goop or a partial strip... So without hearing or seeing pics of what type finish is on this deck I'd say lower your tip pressure way down to 500psi or so and use a mild dilution of a rinse free car wash type product, a little bit of purple power, a real weak tsp solution, or what Shane said. Think Shane covered the grease with the mention of soap and the bleach is for some level of sterilization factor since it a food establishment. ps- ..play your cards right and remove the grease without any change to the wood/finish and you may gain a regular monthly or bi weekly account...point being hydroxide used a few times will leave you with nothing to work with and they or you using too much bleach regularly will dry some finishes out and change it brittle. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 Beth n Rod 1,279 Report post Posted September 4, 2007 Well that was my first thought was a S/H cleaner but i was trying to make it easy on him by using bleach and lots of soap.He could use a light mix of F-18 and a brightner after. Yes he could. Mixing light duty with the sodium hydroxide is key - Sodium hydroxide is not overkill if you know how to use it...none of these things are bad if you do not over use them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 MMI Enterprises 289 Report post Posted September 4, 2007 Yes he could. Mixing light duty with the sodium hydroxide is key - Sodium hydroxide is not overkill if you know how to use it...none of these things are bad if you do not over use them. With that said Beth I would point to my recommendations and simple test procedures that I have my interior floor customers consider...I take what they been throwing on the shelf for their crew to use and put a straight capful on a test spot. If finish is dulled or comes off within a half minute or so then it is the wrong product for the program they are after. Even when they dilute it the long term effects will be degraded coatings. Same methods can be transfered to the exterior wood cleaning with a bit more leeway on cured finish. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 Beth n Rod 1,279 Report post Posted September 4, 2007 One could use bleach in conjunction with a sodium hydroxide based cleaner to help produce a brighter wood color but is overkill from our experience. The restaurants stock degreaser would do the trick as they tend to have plenty of surfactants and buffers but they do not have a neutralizer. My take on the outdoor structure is that it would not have a finish and I would not recommend applying one either. ANSI slip/fall standards and safety codes would not allow it unless it has the ability to add traction. Bare wood would reduces the potential liability anyway for a slip/fall incident. Rod!~ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 cdposey26 14 Report post Posted September 4, 2007 You can use Clorox outdoor bleach it has Sodium Hydroxide in it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 seymore 90 Report post Posted September 4, 2007 My take on the outdoor structure is that it would not have a finish and I would not recommend applying one either. ANSI slip/fall standards and safety codes would not allow it unless it has the ability to add traction. Bare wood would reduces the potential liability anyway for a slip/fall incident. Rod!~ I agree i wouldn't stain that deck with a oil base stain where you risk any slip n fall accidents. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hi. Looking for some advice. Asked to clean the surface of a wood deck of an outdoor restuarant. Heavy grime and and residue from foot traffic. No mildew or algae. What chemical can I use to loosen this oily residue and not hurt the wood? Thanks!
Mark
Shoreline Window Cleaning & Pressure Washing
Santa Rosa Beach, Fl.
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