How's this for clean gutters?

[Aplus 525]

So many times I have customers tell me that no one has been able to get their gutters to look good again. I can tell they are apprehensive when I tell them I can do it.

Well as they say, the proof is in the pudding.....have a look see.

[Aplus 525]

Squeeky clean gutters.

Even though I pre-wet everything before I began, I still got super clean spots on all the aluminum trim. So after the gutters were clean, I went ahead and sprayed cleaner on the trim and did it all. The homeowner could not believe her eyes.

[Littlefield 65]

Tony, Gutter Zap???

[Aplus 525]

Yes, mixed at 50/50, applied with a pump up sprayer. For second story applications, I use a 12" brush on an extendable pole.

[Aplus 525]

I've also found that if I mix a little HD-80 along with the gutter zap, it works even better!

Actually I mixed the gutter zap at 1 part per 3 parts water, and added a dash of HD-80.

Gutter zap is pretty expensive compared to HD-80, so why not take advantage of cost savings?

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Cool! Nice looking gutters! :cool:

Beth

[Aplus 525]

I think the gutter zap is primarily sodium hydroxide with butyl cellusolve.

Before I knew about gutter zap, I was using a truck degreaser that the sales person at the local power wash supply store recommended. It was KO, and I mixed it 1 part to 3 parts water. It worked ok, but required extensive brushing. It was the only solution I had.

I tried simple green, and that worked a bit, but also required brushing.

If it weren't so darned expensive, I wouldn't even fool around with home brews.

[Lenny Schrec 14]

Tony,

They look good. I use gutter zap also and I mix it 3 to 1 and then apply it with the x-jet to second story. On a single story I mix it weaker and use a brush on it to cut the cost.

[the_GUNN_man 14]

Tony you say you add gutter zap 1 to 3 with water and then a dash of HD-80. Say I had 1/4 gallon gutter zap and 3/4 gallon water equaling one gallon. How much HD-80 would you now put in that? Yesterday I had a standard size spray bottle mixed 50/50 with gutter zap and water. I put a dash of HD-80 in that and the gutters turned out beautiful. The only problem I seemed to have was that is was a aluminum sided house and that mix would leave spots on the siding. Did I add to much HD-80 to it? I added a dash to about 1 quart of solution. When you say you add a dash, to how much gutter zap/water are you adding it to?

[Aplus 525]

Steve,

The gutter zap itself is made up primarily of sodium hydroxide and a butyl degreaser. It can damage aluminum siding finish by itself if exposed for too long.

It's important to keep constantly rinsing the aluminum siding.

The last mix I made, I used about 1/2 gallon gutter zap to about 1.5 gallons water. It wasn't quite strong enough, so I added about 1/4 cup hd-80, and it worked like a charm.

The reason I added the hd-80 was because I didn't have enough gutter zap on my trailer at the time. I had an order in for a 15 gallon barrel, but it wasn't here yet. Improvising became suddenly necessary.

You will probably need to experiment with what works for you on any given job. Start out with a small amount, and add more until you get the desired results.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Tony,

Looks like you installed new gutters! :)

WOW!

Beth

[Earl Johnson 14]

When you X-jet the ZAP to the 2nd story, Don't you have to use a brush? I've got a strip mall to do and I tested a area (metal) and spray and rinse won't do it, have to brush it. Wish I could find something that would just rinse off. Mall is 800ft. Time consuming to brush all of that Earl

[Aplus 525]

Earl,

Try boosting the amount of gutter zap. I've found that if I have to brush, then I probably haven't mixed the cleaner strong enough. Sometimes just a few more ounces of gz makes all the difference. It's especially noticeable using the xjet, because you're diluting a mix that's already too weak.

The hardness of the water, air tempurature, and other factors can affect the way products work. I always figure the directions on a product label to be a starting point. Then, I can adjust as necessary for each job.

[Earl Johnson 14]

Do you mean boost the GZ with HD-80? If so, will this hurt painted surfaces and, will it hurt Tin roofing that is colored. You know, the new type of tin used on alot of commerical blds.

Earl

[Aplus 525]

Earl,

Add more gutter zap to your mix. I tried to explain to you that sometimes you need to mix it a little stronger for certain jobs. You need to go out and do some testing, and learn from that.

Painted surfaces can be damaged by either gz or hd80. You need to prewet the surface and keep rinsing it as you go.

As for tin roofs, we don't have those here in Michigan, so I can't tell you from experience. Gut feeling tells me you need to keep them wet too so you don't get any discoloration.

[Earl Johnson 14]

I thought you meant you added something to the Gutter Zap. I have tested what I have and the Gutter Zap full strength won't do the job unless I brush. I was hoping to find something that I could X-jet (20+ ft.) and just rinse off. If brushing has to be done,thats not a problem, just thought I could save some time and trouble,Its pretty high off the ground and would require extension pole or a lift. Thanks , Earl

[Aplus 525]

Earl,

OK, if full strength gutter zap won't remove streaks without brushing, you might try a little hd-80 in the mix. Start with 1/4 cup in five gallons.

It sounds like the streaks in the gutters may be permanant. Have the gutters been painted?

You may still have to brush. 2nd story gutters are no problem with the right extension pole. Not all are created equal.

Good luck.

[Earl Johnson 14]

Gotcha on the 1/4 cup of HD......Its not gutters, it's metal fascia and vinyl siding. It's the electrostactic bonding stuff. Gutter Zap will get it off if I brush. I'm thinking there must be a better way rather than brushing 800+ feet . Earl

[ron p 500]

what goes up, must come down. Be safe.

Have you tried limonlene to clean them gutter's?

Also, do you know about 2 stepping?

When an acid meet's a base, it cause's an exsplosion. In this case the exsplosion is more of a pop and pop's the dirt off.

Find out the PH of GZ and after you apply and let dwell. Hit it with the opisite end of the PH scale. Thus, 2 stepping it.

Try GZ followed by limonlene, then rinse.

It's all in the chemistry.

[Earl Johnson 14]

I haven't tried the lemonene, but I ordered the bond breaker today from them. They said this would work,,,,we'll see.

Don't no about the 2 step other than what you just wrote. I think I'm too new and uneducated about chemicals to try this at this point. I would like to no more about it though. Do you no anywhere I can find more info on this, or can you elaberate? I'm going again to night and do more testing to see if I can find something that will clean without having to brush.

Gutter zap has sodium hydroxide in it I think.

Thanks Ron, Earl

[patrick k 14]

Hi Tony. Where can you find the gutter zap? Any websites you can recomend?

Thanks,

Patrick

[Lenny Schrec 14]

Ron Strickland at Xterior sales has the gutter zap. go to xterior.com or call 1-800-xterior. If I order mine by 2:00 I have it about noon the next day. It just happens to be the path UPS takes at no extra cost.

[Guest rfitz]

I have found, because of applying, brushing, dwelling , rinsing,

I am having to charge almost as much for gutters as I am for the house wash

it actually takes longer for me to do the gutters than it does for the housewash, I just ordered the Gutterzap, and will try X-jetting at a

2-1 ratio, and dwelling, then rinsing, if I still have to brush I will still have to go with my $1.00 a ft charge, just way too time consuming, If I can get

$250.00 for a housewash that takes an hour, why would I charge say

$75.00 for gutters that take 1.5 hours more ? after chems, and time its almost like Im doing them for FREE

[Aplus 525]

In my opinion, washing a house without doing the gutters is an incomplete job. Sort of like washing your car, and not cleaning the wheels and tires.

If you're getting $250 for an average sized house wash, without cleaning the gutters, and doing it in an hour, then you've been making out very well!

Even on two story homes, gutter cleaning, via brush only takes me about 30 minutes. So for the same $250, my customers get a complete job, and it takes me between 1.5 and 2 hours. Considering my house wash mix and supplies costs me about $10, I don't have a problem with $240 for two hours work.

I wish I could wash all houses in an hour, but the fact is that there are usually too many obstructions, like flower beds, patio furniture, trees, fences, etc in the way which slow me down.

[Guest rfitz]

Hey Tony,

What are your techniques, etc.. I found a great chem recipe,

I downstream everything, no more Xjet, that thing sucks for me

doing houses, but decks its great, by the way, do you happen to have a pic of your chem sprayer, either I will build one, or buy one from sunbrite, the deckster.. ?

Anyway, Iget the house and gutters done with same wash recipe, its just that the blk streaks wont come off with the housewash, and I advise the cust of that upfront, but the gutters do look cleaner, I have a gallon of Gutter Zap coming and I will try that, I dont want to buy too much, Ive been burned by alot of people saying oh I have this and it makes gutters like new no scrubbing, and I get it, and Im scrubbing the gutters like crazy,

anyway it takes me about 15 min per side of a house typical 2 story

wash and rinse, 5 min washing 8-10 min rinsing average home size is 2500 to 3000 sq ft..

Hope this helps