Artillery Fungus Removal

[814jeffw 71]

Just wondering if anyone is offering artillery fungus removal as a part of their services? It can be removed without damaging the surface, but it takes a very detailed and targeted approach, was debating on throwing out an add or two to see what response I would get and was wondering if anyone here does it at all. I flat rate everything in the normal realm of the pressure washing business but seeing how this is somewhat different method than washing I figured to charge $20-$30 an hour for this service with a two hour minimum fee. I've seen this stuff so bad that I'm sure someone would get it done, and then remove the mulch and go with stone. Would only have to be done once.

Jeff

[Palmetto Home and Deck 167]

I lost a nice job earlier this year because of artillery fungus. It was all over the front of the house and the lady asked me if my pressure washing would remove it. I told her no and that pressure washing would not remove it. I could see it in her face that was not the answer she wanted to hear. I tried to tell her that there was no known way to remove it and that were countless articles she could look up about artillery fungus herself.

It is evident that she finally found a pressure washing contractor that told her what she wanted to hear because you can go by her house now and see from the street the wand marks left in the vinyl siding where someone used very high pressure and from the looks of it up very close in an attempt to remove the AF.

I've been tempted to walk up to the house to see how this guy came out with removing this stuff with maximum psi right up against the vinyl siding. The devil in me would also like to tell the home owner "I told you so" as well, but I know I won't.

It is too late for this lady as her vinyl siding is ruined, but I am hoping that next time I will be able to tell some that no regular pressure washing will not remove artillery fungus, but there is something I can do about.

If this works (and we ever find out what it is) I would like to cast my vote for Jeff as Pressure Washer of the Year.

[814jeffw 71]

I lost a nice job earlier this year because of artillery fungus. It was all over the front of the house and the lady asked me if my pressure washing would remove it. I told her no and that pressure washing would not remove it. I could see it in her face that was not the answer she wanted to hear. I tried to tell her that there was no known way to remove it and that were countless articles she could look up about artillery fungus herself.

It is evident that she finally found a pressure washing contractor that told her what she wanted to hear because you can go by her house now and see from the street the wand marks left in the vinyl siding where someone used very high pressure and from the looks of it up very close in an attempt to remove the AF.

I've been tempted to walk up to the house to see how this guy came out with removing this stuff with maximum psi right up against the vinyl siding. The devil in me would also like to tell the home owner "I told you so" as well, but I know I won't.

It is too late for this lady as her vinyl siding is ruined, but I am hoping that next time I will be able to tell some that no regular pressure washing will not remove artillery fungus, but there is something I can do about.

If this works (and we ever find out what it is) I would like to cast my vote for Jeff as Pressure Washer of the Year.

I am kinda' telling just a few people about it through PM's for the time being. I tried to send you a PM so you could try it out but it says you don't accept PM's.

[Lightning Gene 66]

Try this to remove the fungus.......Artillery Fungus

Use SafeRestore straight. Spray on two applications without rinsing between applications and finish by rinsing with a hose or pressure washer.

Works for me.........

[814jeffw 71]

Try this to remove the fungus.......Artillery Fungus

Use SafeRestore straight. Spray on two applications without rinsing between applications and finish by rinsing with a hose or pressure washer.

Works for me.........

As I said earlier in this discussion, if Saferestore worked and worked every time all the time the word would have been out a long time ago I feel. I and many others I'm sure have tried different acids, along with just about every other chemical type product in the past with no degree of real or consistent success. Saferestore,.. from what I know about it uses hydrochloric acid as it's base. Believe me, when I say I wish it would work for me the way you say it works for you, the fact is though, I truly have my doubts though that it would provide consistent results.

Jeff

Jeff

Edited June 23, 2008 by 814jeffw

[PressureX 14]

Jeff, I have a house tomorrow with some artilerry fungus, I would love to try it out!

[plainpainter 217]

This thread is such a **** tease. Out with the info already! Nevermind - I won't bother upselling at $20-$30/hr. I remember using Bob's f-13 in a downstreaming mix seemed to make the dried out artillery fungus supple enought where it easily came off with a quick pinch of a finger nail. I can imagine it might work downstreamed 'straight' from the bottle using hot water. And some brushing probably would top it off. Heck Use the saferestore like they say - 2 consecutive applications with good dwell - and then 2nd step a downstreamed F-13 from Bob - using hot water. Now that would probably clean everything off!~

[814jeffw 71]

This thread is such a **** tease. Out with the info already! Nevermind - I won't bother upselling at $20-$30/hr. I remember using Bob's f-13 in a downstreaming mix seemed to make the dried out artillery fungus supple enought where it easily came off with a quick pinch of a finger nail. I can imagine it might work downstreamed 'straight' from the bottle using hot water. And some brushing probably would top it off. Heck Use the saferestore like they say - 2 consecutive applications with good dwell - and then 2nd step a downstreamed F-13 from Bob - using hot water. Now that would probably clean everything off!~

I wouldn't bother either, like I said earlier, some will do it and some won't. So don't!! And why would it be such a tease if you have it all figured out already???

Jeff

Edited June 23, 2008 by 814jeffw

[John Doherty 126]

Mr Clean Magic Eraser.

[Gutter Squad 14]

Jeff

If you are interested in any other "testers," I've got three houses I did last week that had AF on them. Customers got the standard "can't do anything about it" from me. Would be nice to go back and surprise them.

[Palmetto Home and Deck 167]

Jeff,

I haven't tried your technique out on a house yet, but I tried it out on the side of my Xterra that had Artillery Fungus on it. I took it sort of easy at first not knowing what it might do to the finish, but apparently there was no harm done what so ever. I bet the fleet wash guys will also be interested in this as it will probably remove dried on bugs easily as well.

I didn't even think about that stuff getting all over the side of my Xterra when I parked it next to a mulch bed...

[All Clean PCS 64]

Hey Jeff, I get these jobs quite often also. Could you pm me and next one I get I will post results. Thanks

[PRESSURE PACKED 14]

can you pm me as well.....lets start guessing is it detailing clay for cars

[814jeffw 71]

Mr Clean Magic Eraser.

BINGO!! But I tell my customers it's melamine. Simply works because it's physically removing it, yet leaves the surface undamaged. And as I keep saying some will offer it and some won't, but it does work and you can at least give the customer the option now, which is the most important thing really, it will be on them if they want to spend the money or not.

Jeff

Edited June 24, 2008 by 814jeffw

[CB works 14]

BINGO!! But I tell my customers it's melamine. Simply works because it's physically removing it, yet leaves the surface undamaged. And as I keep saying some will offer it and some won't, but it does work and you can at least give the customer the option now, which is the most important thing really, it will be on them if they want to spend the money or not.

Jeff

Thanks for the...tip

So if you erased all the AF off of someone's entrance area of their house, and it took you three hours, you would only charge them $60? Wouldn't that also remove the oxidation off of the siding and you would see all the erase marks? How long would it take to erase 100 square feet of AF that is as bad as this pic.

[814jeffw 71]

Thanks for the...tip

So if you erased all the AF off of someone's entrance area of their house, and it took you three hours, you would only charge them $60? Wouldn't that also remove the oxidation off of the siding and you would see all the erase marks? How long would it take to erase 100 square feet of AF that is as bad as this pic.

Charge whatever you want, or whatever you can get. And considering the fact that this stuff is such an eyesore the oxidation is really not a big deal, And it would still be the lesser of the two evils, but with that being said it may need to be tied together with a regular cleaning after it's done, or it would even come together on it's own over time. But chances are you'd be there for a house wash,... so a complete wash is going to fall in line anyhow. And I haven't any idea how long it would take to do 100 sq.ft. I've only experimented with this and know that it does work. 100 sq.ft. will vary from house to house, one house may be plastered with it, but another may be just scattered here and there.

Jeff

[jeffex11 121]

i found a supplier who has a tool much like a drywall pole sander that I want to try using larger sheets of melamine. Pointing out the cost of cleaning vs replacing will be the test for what you can charge to remove large areas. I would say that picture would represent some of the worst I've seen in my travels. Maybe only 25 sq ft per hour on that house by hand. I need to order the pole sander tool and larger sheets and see if that works.

[814jeffw 71]

I've tried to think of a way to maybe speed it up also, but I think the problem is that it seems that it needs to have pin point pressure on the spot, so you can give the pole idea a shot but I think it may be tough. Yea, that is a bad case in the picture for sure, but at least once it's gone and the expense is out of the way, the customer can deal with the mulch. There is not always a great answer to some problems, but at least there is an answer.

Jeff

[PressureX 14]

Funny I've been using the magic eraser around the kitchen for a while, never even thought about using it in pressure washing ;) Might have to give it a shot! Thanks jeff!

[jakobe 14]

I tried this method on some AF today.

IT TOOK FOREVER to clean a small vinyl entrance to a 1850 sqft home

I spent more time srcubbing the vinyl than I did on the concrete and the house put together.

I wont be doing this again

This is a service I wont be adding. unless I can run it through the gun or wand sprayer.

Its bad enough having to get up on a ladder and scrub gutters.

I can just image having to climb up a ladder to rub off a million little black dots with a pack of magic erasers.

I found that the eraser doesnt do anything more than a soft scrub sponge dipped in some mild degreaser.

Although I did get extra $ from the job but it put me behind on another larger, higher paying job.

and I felt bad for having to charge almost as much as the house wash to remove about 200 black dots.

I felt I was nickel and dime-ing my loyal customers.

[PowerPlay 14]

Attn: Looking for sub-contractor to remove AF with magic eraser. I will pay $20 an hour. You supply the erasers and the elbow grease.

Must be able to remove at least 200 SPH (spots per hour).

hahaha

From the other side, I'm not sure why everyone was so persistent in NOT believing you. I mean over and over again you were told that it is spider poop. Like there is NO way you found something to remove it! Isn't that how everything found a "cure"????

Anyway, GREAT THINKING, and I will have to give this a try if I find it on a small scale. My problem is when I find it it's on all 4 sides and then one side will be worse then the others.

I can remember a couple instances where homeowners would have paid big bucks to have it removed. One couple was in there new house for about 1 year. The entire one side was covered!

[jakobe 14]

man thats like 10 cents a spot, per hour.

WHEN CAN I START!

[dragula 14]

BTW, an automotive clay bar works much better. NO surface damage either.

[814jeffw 71]

Lets all have a good season!!!

Jeff

Edited January 4, 2009 by 814jeffw

[Christopher 102]

I have only seen the AF a couple times down here, hope it does not become common.

That stuff is a pita to clean!

It seemed like as I would clean on area, I would go back and there is more there so I cleaned and would go back to an area and there was more. I stopped and looked to see if I could see that stuff shooting up from the mulch but could not.

I finally finished and did not look back. hahaha

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[Brad Corns 14]

Cant wait to try

Edited April 29, 2009 by Brad Corns