Need wash mix advice

[jivewalker 16]

I have a 3000psi 2.8gpm w/downstream. My house is grey hardiplank with white wood trim. There is green algae on the hardiplank and almost all of the caulk on trim seams and trim itself is stained black with mold/mildew?? I want to wash it the right way and have been doing some reading on the site. I want to spray a mix on, let it sit and rinse it off. Is there a decent mix I can make using household chemicals, or am I wasting my time by not ordering the simple cherry and some pool chlorine? Is there a good basic mix using just household bleach and detergents? I've read a bunch of different ideas. Thanks for your advice!

Edited April 4, 2013 by jivewalker

[Pat Norman 18]

Just get a five gallon bucket put 4 gallons common bleach two cups of Cascade and a squirt of Dawn, top off with water and downstream it on your siding. Wait about 10 minutes and begin rinsing. With that small a machine only wash / rinse one side at a time. You don't want the soap mix drying on the siding and windows before you rinse. Don't get too close to the siding or windows with high pressure. Contractors use a myriad of spray nozzles to keep the fan pattern and pressure just enough to effectively rinse.

Pat Norman 663-316-7685

[jivewalker 16]

Thank you Pat. I have a push pull soap nozzle that changes from fan to stream. In the past, I used the stream to apply and rinse the high parts and the fan for the lower areas. My only problem has been that my home made concoctions didn't do much cleaning. I will focus on one side at a time, great advice. Thanks again.

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Thank you Pat. I have a push pull soap nozzle that changes from fan to stream. In the past, I used the stream to apply and rinse the high parts and the fan for the lower areas. My only problem has been that my home made concoctions didn't do much cleaning. I will focus on one side at a time, great advice. Thanks again.

[Pat Norman 18]

Okay those push pull nozzles are great. Good luck.

Pat Norman 663-316-7685

[seymore 90]

I have a 3000psi 2.8gpm w/downstream. My house is grey hardiplank with white wood trim. There is green algae on the hardiplank and almost all of the caulk on trim seams and trim itself is stained black with mold/mildew?? I want to wash it the right way and have been doing some reading on the site. I want to spray a mix on, let it sit and rinse it off. Is there a decent mix I can make using household chemicals, or am I wasting my time by not ordering the simple cherry and some pool chlorine? Is there a good basic mix using just household bleach and detergents? I've read a bunch of different ideas. Thanks for your advice!

Welcome to TGS jivewalker please fill out your signature forum rules.

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I have a 3000psi 2.8gpm w/downstream. My house is grey hardiplank with white wood trim. There is green algae on the hardiplank and almost all of the caulk on trim seams and trim itself is stained black with mold/mildew?? I want to wash it the right way and have been doing some reading on the site. I want to spray a mix on, let it sit and rinse it off. Is there a decent mix I can make using household chemicals, or am I wasting my time by not ordering the simple cherry and some pool chlorine? Is there a good basic mix using just household bleach and detergents? I've read a bunch of different ideas. Thanks for your advice!

Welcome to TGS jivewalker please fill out your signature forum rules.

[jivewalker 16]

Welcome to TGS jivewalker please fill out your signature forum rules.

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Welcome to TGS jivewalker please fill out your signature forum rules.

Ok, I'll work on some sort of signature, I must have missed that when I read the forum rules here Pressure Washing and Contractor Cleaning Forums - The Grime Scene - Forum Rules, are there more some where?

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Welcome to TGS jivewalker please fill out your signature forum rules.

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Welcome to TGS jivewalker please fill out your signature forum rules.

Ok, I'll work on some sort of signature, I must have missed that when I read the forum rules here http://www.thegrimescene.com/forums/misc.php?do=vsarules, are there more some where?

[seymore 90]

Well they might have gotten loss on the new server but you're cool....

What all do you clean? How long you been washing?

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Well they might have gotten loss on the new server but you're cool....

What all do you clean? How long you been washing?

[jivewalker 16]

Seymore, been around washers for 20+ years. I'm a professional Facilities Manager. When I started out as a maintenance tech at a shopping mall, I power washed sidewalks, vehicles, and believe it or not the entire exterior of the 30' high mall. I've even removed toilets and urinals from restrooms and power washed them. I've washed HVAC coils with low pressure washers, and I've washed tons of pigeon crap out of many a big box store gutter. I've been around both electric and gas hot and cold commercial power washers by Hydrotek, Landa, etc. I'm past that now and have staff that does it for me, except for my house of course. I bought a craftsman rig with a Honda engine and generac pump on it a while back just to use around the house, it does a good job for what I need. My reason for coming here was to get a good wash mix recipe for my specific house.

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Seymore, been around washers for 20+ years. I'm a professional Facilities Manager. When I started out as a maintenance tech at a shopping mall, I power washed sidewalks, vehicles, and believe it or not the entire exterior of the 30' high mall. I've even removed toilets and urinals from restrooms and power washed them. I've washed HVAC coils with low pressure washers, and I've washed tons of pigeon crap out of many a big box store gutter. I've been around both electric and gas hot and cold commercial power washers by Hydrotek, Landa, etc. I'm past that now and have staff that does it for me, except for my house of course. I bought a craftsman rig with a Honda engine and generac pump on it a while back just to use around the house, it does a good job for what I need. My reason for coming here was to get a good wash mix recipe for my specific house.

[seymore 90]

Seymore, been around washers for 20+ years. I'm a professional Facilities Manager. When I started out as a maintenance tech at a shopping mall, I power washed sidewalks, vehicles, and believe it or not the entire exterior of the 30' high mall. I've even removed toilets and urinals from restrooms and power washed them. I've washed HVAC coils with low pressure washers, and I've washed tons of pigeon crap out of many a big box store gutter. I've been around both electric and gas hot and cold commercial power washers by Hydrotek, Landa, etc. I'm past that now and have staff that does it for me, except for my house of course. I bought a craftsman rig with a Honda engine and generac pump on it a while back just to use around the house, it does a good job for what I need. My reason for coming here was to get a good wash mix recipe for my specific house.

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Seymore, been around washers for 20+ years. I'm a professional Facilities Manager. When I started out as a maintenance tech at a shopping mall, I power washed sidewalks, vehicles, and believe it or not the entire exterior of the 30' high mall. I've even removed toilets and urinals from restrooms and power washed them. I've washed HVAC coils with low pressure washers, and I've washed tons of pigeon crap out of many a big box store gutter. I've been around both electric and gas hot and cold commercial power washers by Hydrotek, Landa, etc. I'm past that now and have staff that does it for me, except for my house of course. I bought a craftsman rig with a Honda engine and generac pump on it a while back just to use around the house, it does a good job for what I need. My reason for coming here was to get a good wash mix recipe for my specific house.

Nice 20 + yrs we can't never have to much experience here on the TGS ..

BTW sorry didn't notice you were in the DIY section where no sig is needed.

[jivewalker 16]

Most of my experience is in a commercial setting, big buildings, but I am by no means a pro at pressure washing. I'm a pro at managing and maintaining big buildings and the associated systems and equipment. I rely on people that are specialists such as the people on this forum and highly respect the advice. I've been around a lot of people who think they are pros at lots of different things and the truth usually comes out when they can't walk the talk. In the Facilities world I have to know a lot about a lot of things, but don't have to be a specialist at any. Anyway, I'm going to try the mix Pat Norman suggested above and hopefully get all this stuff off my house. BTW, in 20+ years, very rarely have I had to use chemicals for washing, usually cold water pressure was enough. Only used chems on grease and oil.

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Most of my experience is in a commercial setting, big buildings, but I am by no means a pro at pressure washing. I'm a pro at managing and maintaining big buildings and the associated systems and equipment. I rely on people that are specialists such as the people on this forum and highly respect the advice. I've been around a lot of people who think they are pros at lots of different things and the truth usually comes out when they can't walk the talk. In the Facilities world I have to know a lot about a lot of things, but don't have to be a specialist at any. Anyway, I'm going to try the mix Pat Norman suggested above and hopefully get all this stuff off my house. BTW, in 20+ years, very rarely have I had to use chemicals for washing, usually cold water pressure was enough. Only used chems on grease and oil.

[Pat Norman 18]

Why is everything double posting?

Pat Norman 663-316-7685

[Douglas Hicks 128]

Why is everything double posting?

Pat Norman 663-316-7685

The problem is your eyes. you need to turn your head 90°, then the images will merge perfectly. Trust me, have you ever caught me lying to you ?

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Why is everything double posting?

Pat Norman 663-316-7685

The problem is your eyes. you need to turn your head 90°, then the images will merge perfectly. Trust me, have you ever caught me lying to you ?

[Cyclone 25]

BTW, in 20+ years, very rarely have I had to use chemicals for washing, usually cold water pressure was enough. Only used chems on grease and oil.

You are not alone...most people outside of the professional cleaning contractors aren't savvy to the tips and tricks. I'm sure most of the contractors that began from scratch as opposed to having worked for someone else also assumed that pressure was all you needed....I did.

Today.....I don't clean anything without some sort of detergent blend and in some cases, I don't use pressure at all.

Here is an unedited video of us cleaning the side of a 2 story house in about 10 minutes. You can see the detergent do all the work. We use rinse tips and you could stick your hand in front of the tip and not break skin.

We did this demo with one machine. As you can see, it took about 10 minutes to do this side. We usually roll with 2 machines....one soaping and one rinsing and can clean a 2 story home like this in a little over an hour.

Edited April 5, 2013 by Cyclone

[jivewalker 16]

You are not alone...most people outside of the professional cleaning contractors aren't savvy to the tips and tricks. I'm sure most of the contractors that began from scratch as opposed to having worked for someone else also assumed that pressure was all you needed....I did.

Today.....I don't clean anything without some sort of detergent blend and in some cases, I don't use pressure at all.

Here is an unedited video of us cleaning the side of a 2 story house in about 10 minutes. You can see the detergent do all the work. We use rinse tips and you could stick your hand in front of the tip and not break skin.

We did this demo with one machine. As you can see, it took about 10 minutes to do this side. We usually roll with 2 machines....one soaping and one rinsing and can clean a 2 story home like this in a little over an hour.

Cyclone, Great video! If you don't mind me asking, what mix do you typically use for your house wash? Have you done hardiplank? Would you use the same mix on all building materials? Thanks for the reply!

[810F250 14]

I agree, the use of detergents will offer a better cleaning and the duration of clean will be longer.

Sodium Hypochlorite and other oxidisers, remove the color from the spores and also kill the spores and optically brighten the surface, the surfactants in a complex detergent modify the water properties and forms a bond between the detergent and dirt/pollutant allowing it to release from the substrate (amongst other things), after which you rinse.

[Thad 135]

I like the way you talk, Nigel.

Mmm hmm!

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I like the way you talk, Nigel.

Mmm hmm!

[Cyclone 25]

Cyclone, Great video! If you don't mind me asking, what mix do you typically use for your house wash? Have you done hardiplank? Would you use the same mix on all building materials? Thanks for the reply!

I use a DS of Sodium Hypochlorite, Simple Cherry and a dash of Potassium hydroxide (10% liquid)

Yes....I use that on all types of siding except aluminum and usually test painted siding for a reaction. Sometimes I'll hit the foundation of brick, block or stone with a stronger mix in a pump-up if the algae, moss and lichens are real heavy. Most of my calls are for vinyl....I know other areas of the country don't have as much vinyl as we do here.

I decline most aluminum siding jobs unless it's a paint prep....they are usually so old that oxidation is all the color they have left. Aluminum gets dents and dings over the years and many home owners don't notice them until they inspect the cleaning and many assume were done in the cleaning. I don't get many aluminum calls.

[jivewalker 16]

Just get a five gallon bucket put 4 gallons common bleach two cups of Cascade and a squirt of Dawn, top off with water and downstream it on your siding. Wait about 10 minutes and begin rinsing. With that small a machine only wash / rinse one side at a time. You don't want the soap mix drying on the siding and windows before you rinse. Don't get too close to the siding or windows with high pressure. Contractors use a myriad of spray nozzles to keep the fan pattern and pressure just enough to effectively rinse.

Pat Norman 663-316-7685

Pat, are you talking about the regular old Cascade powder or the liquid? Sorry, there's so many different types, want to do this right.

[Pat Norman 18]

Cascade powder or Tide powder.

Pat Norman 663-316-7685

[Pat Norman 18]

Hey Jivewalker better idea! This will give you a little better results I think. Go to Lowes or similar and get a product in the paint department called TSP SUBSTITUTE it is a sodium metasilicate based product and will give you better results than common soap powder.

Pat Norman 663-316-7685

Edited April 6, 2013 by Pat Norman

[810F250 14]

I like the way you talk, Nigel.

Mmm hmm!

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I like the way you talk, Nigel.

Mmm hmm!

I heard you were thinking of making a trip to the land of the Scarlet Ibis and Cocrico, you should go enjoy.

[jivewalker 16]

Hey Jivewalker better idea! This will give you a little better results I think. Go to Lowes or similar and get a product in the paint department called TSP SUBSTITUTE it is a sodium metasilicate based product and will give you better results than common soap powder.

Pat Norman 663-316-7685

I will get that today! Thanks again Pat! Should I stick with the two cups you suggested or a different amount? Should I worry about glass with this?

Edited April 6, 2013 by jivewalker

[Cyclone 25]

Hey Jivewalker better idea! This will give you a little better results I think. Go to Lowes or similar and get a product in the paint department called TSP SUBSTITUTE it is a sodium metasilicate based product and will give you better results than common soap powder.

Pat Norman 663-316-7685

Have you clicked your sig link recently by chance?

[jivewalker 16]

ok, washed the house on Saturday. I used 3 gals of 9% bleach, 2 cups of cascade, 1 large squirt of dawn. I downstreamed with my 2.8GPM 3000psi machine with a push/pull soab nozzle. Here is what I learned:

* I couldnt reach the peaks with my nozzle, barely reached the tops of my 2nd story windows. Any reccomendations given my machine specs?

* I learned how important it is to hold the bleach mix on the surface, my mix was running off too fast. I may break down and buy the simple cherry or equivalent.

* Rinsing was a pain, I need a different rinsing nozzle or something. A garden hose reached higher than the washer.

* my house is spotty the next day. The trim, where I could reach, looks great. The hardiplank has dark/light spots. I figure it will even out after a couple of rains, blaming it on poor rinsing. Next time, I'll do it when lots of rain is forecast.

* cascade did good job on lower windows, upper not that great but better. May need an extension brush or something.

I saw a set of 2 story soap nozzles at HD, are they worth it?

Thanks for everyones help. I want to wash it again in a couple months, but want to be better prepared. Any suggestions? Should I get an xjet? A soap shooter? What can I do to rinse better? How can I reach the gable peaks with my current machine?

[Pat Norman 18]

Sorry to hear but that's pretty much the limitations of a small gpm home owner machine. When you said you had the variable fan push/pull nozzle I thought you might me in pretty good shape to spray those high gables. With my 8gpm machine I can spray almost as high with one of those push / pull nozzles as I can with a shooter nozzle. I guess it all boils down to higher gpm.

Pat Norman 663-316-7685