Stucco cleaning

[MPPainting 14]

What would everybody use on a stucco building? I tried simple green, krud cutter and a half-assed mixture of KD100. Is KD100 any good? I have a section of wall that is 200ft long by about 30ft high. I have read about the XJet, would this be good in this situation? And I'm still am a little unclear about what downstreaming is exactely? I just recently purchased a Mi-T-M 3405 hot water machine, did I make a good decision?

[big mike 14]

Is it stucco or EIFS? 200 x 30 seems like commercial building dimensions, and I doubt its stucco if thats the case. Stucco is very easy or difficult depending on what you're cleaning. EIFS is damaged very easily, so low pressure is a must. More info, and a picture or two would help. Also, if you fill out your siganature, folks are more likely to help out.

[MPPainting 14]

I'm not sure what EIFS is. I'm pretty sure its stucco. But I could be wrong. I don't have any pics right now. I've washed most of the building off a lift and step ladders. This wall is in an area where I can't get a lift in and its straight up (almost).

[big mike 14]

I'm going to suggest some light reading for ya. Use the search function at the top of the site and put in "stucco" and then try "soft washing". You'll get tons of helpful info and you'll probably kick yourself for using a ladder or lift for 30' cleaning. Simple equipment is available to reach those heights with a standard pressure washer. Also look up "X-Jet"

[MPPainting 14]

that was a lot of reading. the way I see it is that downstreaming uses my current injector setup but instead of using a soap tip i would use an 0030(just as an example) tip, which is a 0 degree tip with a much much larger orafice? and this would bring the chemical through my pump and my heating coil, is that right? the x-5 is a "tip" that goes on the end of the wand, it has a hose that you put into a bucket and from the water rushing over the tube into the bucket it creates a suction therfore injecting the chemical right at the tip.?

Now my other question, if I have this figured out is: When downstreaming do I put the tube directly into the bucket with the chemical? Or do I put my chemical/mix into a 5 gal bucket(thats all I have right now) with a proportionate amount of water and suck from that?

I used to help a guy out who would put clorox bleach into a 5 gallon bucket and just pull right from that. Is this a good practice? It would clean but sometimes certain windows would turn brown? He called them browners? Is this a common problem?

[Joe Ortiz 14]

NO! you never put chems through the pump! the chemical injector goes on after the coil before the PW hose. then you stick the end with the strainer in the bucket with your chems. it then will draw chems by suction.

[Kemp 14]

that was a lot of reading. the way I see it is that downstreaming uses my current injector setup but instead of using a soap tip i would use an 0030(just as an example) tip, which is a 0 degree tip with a much much larger orafice? and this would bring the chemical through my pump and my heating coil, is that right? the x-5 is a "tip" that goes on the end of the wand, it has a hose that you put into a bucket and from the water rushing over the tube into the bucket it creates a suction therfore injecting the chemical right at the tip.?

You got it.

Now my other question, if I have this figured out is: When downstreaming do I put the tube directly into the bucket with the chemical? Or do I put my chemical/mix into a 5 gal bucket(thats all I have right now) with a proportionate amount of water and suck from that? ?

Diffferent downstreamers will pull differents ratios based on hose lengths, gpm, hose diameter, etc. Try dfferent mix ratios until you get what works for you.

I used to help a guy out who would put clorox bleach into a 5 gallon bucket and just pull right from that. Is this a good practice? It would clean but sometimes certain windows would turn brown? He called them browners? Is this a common problem?

Wrong! Bleach alone does not do the job. Need to use a compatible soap also. You can etch windows if they are not cleaned and rinsed properly! If you cannot leave the property in better shape than when you found it, you ned to stop and learn some more.

[Kemp 14]

Oops, what Joe said about running bleach through your pump. I missed that part. I was referring to downstreaming and x-jet.

[MPPainting 14]

whoops, I guess that shows just how wet behind the ears I am when it comes to pw'ing. I took a better look at my machine and the injector is after the pump before the heater coils.

Can I use something like bleach and dish soap to clean the stucco? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[David O'Connell Jr. 14]

Stucco is easy.

You have a lot of windows - use an X-Jet , wet the windows with water, open the valve shoot some chems. Close valve rinse windows, let dwell and then rinse.

[plainpainter 217]

Lots of new guys here, go over to pressuretek.com and look under the chemicals section for good soaps to clean with.

[PressurePros 248]

Dirty stucco often requires a stronger mix of bleach (applied by X-Jet). Stucco is harder to clean than dryvit because it is capillary.. water is absorbed deep and carries mold spores deep into the substrate. It's also a good idea to use a proper house wash mix, something with the right sufactants and detergent builders (such as sodium metasilicate). We do a ton of stucco up here.

Edited April 6, 2009 by PressurePros

[MPPainting 14]

is it normal wet areas multiple times if the mold/mildew doesn't come out? or does it mean I'm just not using the right mixture?

[clean17 14]

best way to remove black stains from gutter running on stucco,also stucco from wepping holes on windows any special mix thanks

[PressurePros 248]

is it normal wet areas multiple times if the mold/mildew doesn't come out? or does it mean I'm just not using the right mixture?

It means your mix is not strong enough.

[plainpainter 217]

It means your mix is not strong enough.

I respectfully disagree, Ken, I've used the 'standard' ptstate mix - and there are times when you have to reapply to certain areas - especially algae on the bottom rows of vinyl siding. I've had mixes turn mildew instantly yellow {which is a tell-tale sign the mix is too strong} yet had to reapply to algae areas 2-3 times with that same mix! Different organisms die at different rates, some of those real nasty black gutters take 2-3-4 swipes with the downstreamer before they look bright white again. I'd say if you can kill algae in one swoop - then your mix is way way too strong for most ordinary cleaning.

[PressurePros 248]

You're right, Dan. Finding that perfect mixture is what takes awhile in business. I guess when the poster said "multiple areas" I read into the emphasis and generalized my statement. Your clarification is definitely on point.