First time power washing.. having a problem

[Mtxz453 14]

I am starting to do some powerwashing for some extra money and i am using my girlfriends mothers house as a startup point. She has vinyl siding that has never been cleaned before but the house is only about 10 years old. It has some decent black dirt/grit i'd say on it and i first starting using simple green siding cleaner which did nothing. I could powerwash the first story because i was up close and had enough pressure. The top story won't come off at all. Finally i called someone up and they told me to put one part pool bleach and one part soap and dilute it with water. So i did that and it finally came off. Now the other side is just as bad but for some reason the dirt will not budge. I've tried soaking it and rinsing it 3 times and even tried a 36" extension with a zero degree nozzle and still nothing. Should i be using a different, more potent solution or is my technique or instruments not up to par? I have a troy built that does 2.7 gpm at 3000 psi.

[buc21jrs3 14]

How long are you letting it sit on the siding for? I use 2 gal bleach/ 2 gal roadshow (or 1 cup simple cherry) / 1 gal water and let it sit for 3-4 minutes before rinsing with a 15-25 degree tip ( I never use a zero degree on houses) and it cuts away most of the grime. Occasionally I may need to spray the previous mentioned on and use an extension brush (20' does the trick) to cut really tuff grime.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

How close to the siding are you with 3000 PSI?

Beth

[jetstream1 18]

What about the 0 tip you hit it with...???

[Mtxz453 14]

For the lower siding i was using the one up from zero which i think is 15 and i was about 3 feet away from the house and the dirt was slowly coming off. For the second story the 15 degree doesn't seem like it does much and even the zero has a hard it seems. It seems like the water won't stay in a straight line for more than 15 feet. I was letting it sit for 5 minutes and even let it sit for 15 on the third try. I guess i'll try new products.

[Mtxz453 14]

I dont think my machine is psi adjustable either i just put it on full throttle and wash away. I must have used about 3 tanks on the one side with little success and an hour and a half of wasted time. And I know the stuff isn't permenantly stained because it comes off on the lower half with more pressure and even a little scrubbing with my fingers will take it off, but for some reason im having trouble and cant figure out why, i've read just about everything i can as far as techniques, and the person on the phone said it isn't so much the soap but the bleach that gets the grime off.

Edited July 3, 2008 by Mtxz453

[plainpainter 217]

newbies.....

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Get an extension pole. Get a soft bristled truck washing brush. Buy an x-jet M5. Promise NEVER to use a zero on a house or a deck. For that matter, bag the 15. Your 40 and 25 are ok. Never wash too close. Never wash at an angle that forces water under the siding. Never work with out liability insurance. Ever. Use the search feature here with a good snack and beverage and read and ask questions.

Beth

[jetstream1 18]

newbies.....

hahaha newbies rock.....

[Rick2 42]

If you really are new at this type of work do yourself a favor and throw that zero degree tip (the red one) in the trash. I cringed when I read you were using it to wash with. Any experienced power washer will tell you that you can get into a lot of trouble with that red tip.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

What kinda consperacy effort had to happen to where the o tip became standard inclusion with a washer purchase? Like who makes money off it besides insurance adjusters and people surounding the restoration biz?.. Peope should be fired and heads should roll!!

[PressureX 14]

Right now I'd say you're lucky you dont have a cracked vinyl siding and wand marks and water damage at that home. Like everybody else said .... NEVER use a 0 degree tip.

Get yourself a X-Jet M5 and a 5 gallon bucket. Mix 1 gallon of 12.5% bleach (not the normal clorox off the shelves, get actual 12.5% bleach, some pool suppliers might carry it), mix with 1/2 gallon soap (I use QWIC AllBrite from SunBrite Supply) and 3 1/2 gallons of water.

Mix all that in a bucket, stick the X-Jet in there, and apply the solution from bottom to top. Let it sit 5-10 minutes, then turn the soap off on the x-jet and simply rinse.

I NEVER use direct pressure, I could use a water hose as a matter of fact and the dirt comes off, too bad the water hose doesn't shoot 2 stories high.

Like Beth said, grab yourself a snack and a drink, and read read read. In my opinion "Pressure Washing" a house has very little to do with pressure itself.

[Mtxz453 14]

ok thanks guys i promise i wont use the zero degree tip.. on the package it actually said use it for second story washing. i really dont think my 15 degree will clean the second story with sufficient pressure, maybe my power washing is not as powerful but like i said ill use the 15. do you think the soap will make a difference from the home depot brand? because i am pretty much using the same bleach and mixing ratios. i guess ill try scrubing next

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

The machine's 0 or 15 tip is NOT the answer. The soap, the extension poles, the brushes, the method - that's the ticket. Think soft washing, not high pressure. Be gentle. Be safe. Be insured!!!

Beth

[PressureX 14]

I haven't used Home Depots Brand as far as soap goes. Are you SURE its 12.5% bleach? if so, ask how old it is hence Bleach weakens over time.

I simply use a soft bristle extendable brush, extension poles, and the right mix of solution.

I sometimes use our 2.6 GPM 3000 PSI backup machine that we had gotten from home depot, just takes longer, so the washer isn't the problem.

Check out these 2 products I personally recommend for house washing:

Simple Cherry from PressureTek

QWIC AllBrite from SunBrite Supply

By myself, with the 2.6GPM/3000PSI machine, a 2 story house shouldnt take longer then 2 1/2 hours including set-up and tear-down. It will also be "squeeky clean".

[Mtxz453 14]

2 and a half hours ha ive been at this thing for 2 days now and im extremely frustrated.. hopefully i can get a system down where i can be in and out in that amount of time..

[Bryan C 14]

2 and a half hours ha ive been at this thing for 2 days now and im extremely frustrated.. hopefully i can get a system down where i can be in and out in that amount of time..

Should take you an hour or two - period. Not days. Do some research. You are going to damage the vinyl, force water behind it, or end up divorced.

Use the proper chems, and LOW pressure. The information is here but it shouldn't have to be force fed to you...

[CCPC 26]

Much to learn young grasshopper. :lgkeyboar

[Kabooom 14]

:lgbonk: zero tip lol

[Mathew Johnson 123]

ok thanks guys i promise i wont use the zero degree tip.. on the package it actually said use it for second story washing. i really dont think my 15 degree will clean the second story with sufficient pressure, maybe my power washing is not as powerful but like i said ill use the 15. do you think the soap will make a difference from the home depot brand? because i am pretty much using the same bleach and mixing ratios. i guess ill try scrubing next

First of all, good luck with your business start up. I made some of the same cardinal mistakes that you have made with starting out.... Learn from them and move on.

Volume (GPM) and the correct detergents are the key to getting the siding clean (NOT PRESSURE). The only thing we clean with high pressure is concrete that is NOT freshly poured. Simple cherry is an excellent soap as is citracleen and several others out there. Find one and try it out. In most situations, the commercial soaps and pool bleach are more cost effective than over the counter detergents.

Beth and a few others have made a good point, spend countless hours on this site searching threads and continue to ask questions.

PS: list your name and signature info in your post, people will be more willing to offer you help. Feel free to call anytime.

[weaselcossey 14]

2 and a half hours ha ive been at this thing for 2 days now and im extremely frustrated.. hopefully i can get a system down where i can be in and out in that amount of time..

I don't know how profitable you'll be with that washer. Go to Buy the pressure washer items you need at affordable pricing. We have Suttner Cat Giant General Pump Delavan Pressure Pro Hansen Mosmatic Comet Whisper Wash AR pumps trigger guns surface cleaners lances wands duct spinners swivels ball valves chemica and order an M5 x-jet, 10 lb. simple cherry, 1 gallon of gutter grenade, and a brush with an extension. You should be able to clean most any vinyl siding house with this. If you can't find any stronger bleach locally, just use the 6% wal-mart stuff. It will work, you may have to apply soap a couple of times on trouble spots. In a five gallon bucket mix 2 gallons of 6% bleach, 8 oz of simple cherry, and 3 gallons water. You'll need the gutter grenade for gutters and downspouts. If you have some spots that won't come off the siding, don't hit it with high pressure, soap it up, dip your brush in the gutter grenade mix, scrub it with the brush, and rinse, rinse, rinse. Don't let the soap dry, especially on windows. Just remember if the soap isn't cleaning the surface, you need to adjust your mix, not blast away with high pressure. Good luck.

[Jim in NJ 64]

Try to find a PW co. in your area that is willing to teach you in exchange for free labor.

[Mtxz453 14]

well jim, where in nj are you located?