This mix works great!

[Adrian 155]

I spoke with a deck firm that I thought was a supplier at first but he gave me a mix that works great without B-L-E-A-C-H. Plus nor "furring" whatso ever.

Here's the mix.

Home depot:

Oxy clean 1 small tub $12.00

Zep formula 505 $6.00 1 gal.

5 gal bucket, 14 scoops of oxy clean, 1/3 gal 505, then fill bucket.

spray with xjet low flow adapter ( did I mention I love my xjet?)

let dwell for 20 minutes.

sorry, I didn't take pics because I was running like crazy on 2 other jobs as well. ( not enough time in the day).

Al I did was rinse after 20 minutes and remove the haze the formula creats when it lifts the dirt with about 800 P.S.I.. ( you can let it dry too!)

The whole deck (20 x 12) took less than an hour including dwell time.

This stuff works pretty darn good and like I said..... no furring.

:lgmoneyey

[seymore 90]

did you have any mildew on that deck?

[Aplus 525]

Sounds to me like that mix is just for cleaning decks, not for stripping decks. Most deck cleaning recipes will not cause furring. Furring is typically caused from stripping chems being applied too strong, or being allowed to dwell too long. Of course high pressure is a culprit too, but it's mainly the stripper chems that cause the furring.

[Adrian 155]

I wish I would have taken pics now. The finish on the deck was very old, almost nothing left. So there really wasn't alot of old stain to lift off. What the mix did do is lift all the mold and blackness from the grill area and brightened the deck to it's natural look. A bright blonde look. It was a prep job for a contractor I just landed. I went in and cleaned the day before.They will finish with stain and seal today.

The biggest benefit from doing it this way for me is that I don't have to lay down alot of tarp like with using hydroxide based stripper. Just heavy rinse after. Kind of like " in and out asap" for the next crew to come through.

Just wanted to share the mix with anyone interested. For a minimal investment in materials, you get a pretty good cleaning out of this stuff.

[seymore 90]

Zep formula 505 $6.00 1 gal.

This Zep 505 must have oxalic acid in it huh?

Sounds like a good mix to do some light cleaning and i know what you mean about not having to use harsh strippers around plants,painted surfaces etc...:cool:

There is NO chem other than BLeAch/"Sodium Hypochlorite" that will kill the mildew/mold spores.You might get them off the surface but deep down the mildew will return in most cases.

[tropical wave 22]

There is NO chem other than BLeAch/"Sodium Hypochlorite" that will kill the mildew/mold spores.You might get them off the surface but deep down the mildew will return in most cases.

take cover, get the kids in the liferaft, head for the hills, hunker down because HERE IT COMES !!!!!!! lol :)

[seymore 90]

take cover, get the kids in the liferaft, head for the hills, hunker down because HERE IT COMES !!!!!!! lol :)

:lolsign: too funny MIke

If it aint broke why fix it huh :D

I'll use any chem that works for the right job...:cool:

[Celeste 341]

There really are some circumstances that require the use of the most aggressive mildew killer method - bleach is good for that and if properly applied in the correct dilution, it isn't going to cause so much damage that it will be worse than the mildew spores not being eradicated.

AAACCCKKKK - did that come out of my mouth!!!!!!

Celeste

[Aplus 525]

There really are some circumstances that require the use of the most aggressive mildew killer method - bleach is good for that and if properly applied in the correct dilution, it isn't going to cause so much damage that it will be worse than the mildew spores not being eradicated.

AAACCCKKKK - did that come out of my mouth!!!!!!

Celeste

Do you kiss your mom with that mouth????? LOL!!!

Bleach is a tool, just like many others, that when used properly, has it's rightful place. Nothing to be ashamed of.

Real problems arise when bleach is used by inexperienced people.

[Dan B 14]

what is a safe dillution ratio for bleach on wood ? and what is an alltirnitive for us inexperienced wood guys to get ride of the mold ? thanks

[Mike 64]

Doesnt Oxy Clean have optical brightners.... a.k.a. bleach?

[Mike 64]

Just double checked, Oxy Clean is a Chlorinated Cleaner containing Potassium Hydroxide: A caustic white solid, KOH, used as a bleach and in the manufacture of soaps, dyes, alkaline batteries, and many potassium compounds. Also called caustic potash, lye, potas

I think I just remembered reading a news story somewhere in the past where someone used oxyclean to clean their carpets and it actually bleached the dye color out.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

What did you neutralize with?

Beth

[PressurePros 249]

In case any home owners weren't paying attention...

If your deck's looking mean,

Just look for OxyClean.

So why pay a pro

When there's Home Dee-poh?

Just joking, Adrian. I had to rag on you a little.

[seymore 90]

In case any home owners weren't paying attention...

If your deck's looking mean,

Just look for OxyClean.

So why pay a pro

When there's Home Dee-poh?

Just joking, Adrian. I had to rag on you a little.

You killing me Ken!!:lolsign: :lolsign:

[Dan B 14]

Anyone Care to answer my question ?

[seymore 90]

what is a safe dillution ratio for bleach on wood ? and what is an alltirnitive for us inexperienced wood guys to get ride of the mold ? thanks

Dan,

You will get many people telling you there is no safe dillution of bleach when wood.Bleach will dry the wood up very much and cause cracks peeling etc.

The key is to use a good pennetrating oil base stain to moisten the wood up and to prevent the cracking!The SUN does more dammage than the bleach..the sun will dry that wood up like match sticks if not kept oiled up

Most of my jobs are mixed 12% Hypochlorite: 3:2 if not 4:1 with liquid soap of course.Now some jobs will be dirtier than others so you have to adjust ratios accordingly.You have to let the mixture set just like using strippers...the longer you dwell and keep damp the easier it will come clean.

Well in my 9 yrs of restoring wood and using bleach/soap it's all i have ever used to clean decks,fences arbors etc.

Hope this helps you can call me anytime. :cool:

[tropical wave 22]

what is an alltirnitive for us inexperienced wood guys to get ride of the mold ?

nothing.... chlorine kills mold and mildew

[Dan B 14]

Thanks guys for takeing the time to Answer Shane is your 3:2 4:1 mix include Water or is the just liquid soap and Bleach ? thanks agin

[PressurePros 249]

Actually sodium percarbonate is an effective fingicide/mildewcide, its just SLOWWWW.

I read that someone posted sodium hydroxide does not kill the mold? If that's true, I am in trouble.

[seymore 90]

Thanks guys for takeing the time to Answer Shane is your 3:2 4:1 mix include Water or is the just liquid soap and Bleach ? thanks agin

Dan

Let me correct myself.....2 Parts 12% bleach/soap"a few squirts soap"....3 parts water

Light mixture is 1 part 12% bleach /4 parts water

[the_GUNN_man 14]

Actually sodium percarbonate is an effective fingicide/mildewcide, its just SLOWWWW.

I read that someone posted sodium hydroxide does not kill the mold? If that's true, I am in trouble.

It always seemed to get rid of it for me. I figure if it can eat my skin it can eat mold. And since my skin is 95% mold it must work.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

I did a deck recently that was totally covered even on the spindles with green algae. It had not had anything done to it for 11 years. You could have played golf on it it was so bad.

I decided to try the bleach thing and see what results I could get aside from the usual regimen I am used to. I worked fine getting rid of the algae, but had absolutely no effect on the tar and pitch from the preponderance of tree coverage it was blessed with.

After the initial wash, I went back to the HD-80 and Citralic 2 step to get the results I needed. All in all, this deck was a 3 step job but I dont feel that it was any more of a benefit than just using the usual 2 step with the exception that I would have had to use HD-80 twice (once to remove the algae so I could see the deck below it and the second to tend to the remnants in the woods substrate). Then neutralize.

Just some feedback on my experience with bleach for others to consider.

Rod~

[Aplus 525]

I agree 100% with Rod.

Usually with havy mold, I'll apply the HD-80 and wash, and if any mold spores are left behind I either apply another coat of HD-80, or apply a mix of about 6% bleach to kill the remaining mold. Either way usually does the trick. The last step is the citric acid application.

I too have not found bleach/chlorine alone to be 100% effective on a first pass cleaning up heavy mold.

[seymore 90]

I too have not found bleach/chlorine alone to be 100% effective on a first pass cleaning up heavy mold.

I agree with Rod &Tony also when cleaning a NASTY moldy deck.. using a stripper/cleaner first to remove the first layer of gunk.Then if there is still some signs of mildew below then you spray a light mixture or bleach,

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Do you guys realize you are all agreeing... on bleach....

Alert the press! Alert the press! Alert the press!

Beth :cup: :sunshine: :dancing: