Stucco Solutions?

[NewYorkBoraPL 22]

I have been researching and reading so much information on cleaning stucco that I am overwhelmed. I am between purchasing Powerhouse @ sunbrite and adding in some Sodium Hypochlorite or making a home made solution. I have read some guys are using Sodium Metasilicate, TSP, and Sodium Hypochlorite. I have looked into the chemistry store and they do not sell Sodium Hypochlorite. Is Sodium Percarbonate a good substitute for Sodium Hypochlorite? This is going to be my first Stucco cleaning and I want to get the job done right. The stucco has not been cleaned in seven years and has it’s fair share of algae, mildew, and black gutter stains. I did not see any rust, but it is possible. I would just use some oxalic acid. Someone tell me if I am on the right track to make my own solution. This is painted stucco, will these chemical fade the paint of worse destroy it? The house is also partially brick, will these solutions be feasible with brick?

[PressurePros 249]

keep reading (and welcome to the board)

[John Orr 206]

Is it stucco or Dryvit? Can you get 12.5% Chlorine? As for the gutters, I use Simple Green (straight - usually) applied with a soft brush on an 24' extension pole and rinse immediately.

[NewYorkBoraPL 22]

Hey

Thanks for the reply, I have read every thread with stucco in the tittle on here and power washing network. I love to do my own research before I ask a question.

1) Sodium Metasilicate, TSP, and Bleach is a mixture that I am positive of. There was a guy on here as well as PWN who showed before and after picturs of stucco which were amazing. I have never mixed my own chemicals and have read that purchasing a solution is in favor considering there are ingrediants which are not listed in the MSDS which are vital. I have read of people using mixtures such as powerhouse produced by sunbrite, as well as citracleen(they did not claim good results with a 12% SH mix which was xjetted at 3-5 %). Once again I have the same questions as previously, is sodium precarbonate as effective as sodium hypoclorite. Also there are no suggestions as to the rations of these chemicals one would use while cleaning stucco. I have done my research and some things are still vague right now. I will continue to read more, this time on dryvit which should be the same procedures.

Thanks again

Rafal

[NewYorkBoraPL 22]

Is it stucco or Dryvit? Can you get 12.5% Chlorine? As for the gutters, I use Simple Green (straight - usually) applied with a soft brush on an 24' extension pole and rinse immediately.

I have read about simple green not being as effective as hoped for on stucco. I am going to call some local chemical stores on monday and find out about the 12.5% chlorine. Have you used this combination with success(12.5 SH + Simple Green)? Did you brush it becouse you had to or was that just a method of applying the solution. I will be using a M5 Xjet and would perfer the chemicals to do the job instead of brushing the whole house. Ofcourse I know I will have to brush the persistent places, but the whole house?

*Edit

It's Stucco

[PressurePros 249]

Hey

Thanks for the reply, I have read every thread with stucco in the tittle on here and power washing network. I love to do my own research before I ask a question.

1) Sodium Metasilicate, TSP, and Bleach is a mixture that I am positive of. There was a guy on here as well as PWN who showed before and after picturs of stucco which were amazing. I have never mixed my own chemicals and have read that purchasing a solution is in favor considering there are ingrediants which are not listed in the MSDS which are vital. I have read of people using mixtures such as powerhouse produced by sunbrite, as well as citracleen(they did not claim good results with a 12% SH mix which was xjetted at 3-5 %). Once again I have the same questions as previously, is sodium precarbonate as effective as sodium hypoclorite. Also there are no suggestions as to the rations of these chemicals one would use while cleaning stucco. I have done my research and some things are still vague right now. I will continue to read more, this time on dryvit which should be the same procedures.

Thanks again

Rafal

That guy was me. Your research now should point towards sodium hypochlorite as a keyword search. Sodium perborate, sodium percarbonate or any peroxide precursor will not be effective when cleaning stucco. The key for cleaning stucco is higher concentrations of sodium hypochlorite (hint: bleach or pool shock)

I am not trying to be a smart a** when i say to kep reading I just think if you continue with your seacrh you will garner more definitve information. I have been on this oard long and often enough to know that the answers you seek are worth your time expenditure in terms of research. John Orr is also a very good source of information of stucco and dryvit cleaning.

Keep in mind, which was also discussed on the PWN thread, often times stucco needs a 100% cleaning. That is, every inch of stucco will need to be washed with soe pressure (usually around 300 psi) This can require scaffolding or extension wands. Its not often but learning to identify the real bad ones can save your shirt on a misquoted estimate. Hope this helps. -- KF

[Keth 15]

I have great results on stucco be it real or Dryvit using a 50/50 mix of Sunbrite citrus and 12.5% SH (bleach, chlorine, pool shock, its all the same). If it is really nasty I will up the percentage of SH to close to 2:1 with the Citrus cleaner. Let it dwell for about 10 minutes and a low pressure rinse off will have the crap just flooding down the sides of the house. Just don't let it dry.

That all being said I would listen to Ken as he is a seasoned pro and I am just in my first real year. Good luck.

PS Sunbrite Citrus contains Sodium Metasilicate

[John Orr 206]

The Simple Green is for the gutters only.

[NewYorkBoraPL 22]

I mixed my detergent tonight with a butyl degreasers from a chem supply store on LI, 12.5% SH in the form of pool schock, and TSP phosphate free that I picked up at a local store. I mixed 2 gallons of 12.5% SH with two gallons of the butyl degreases and toped it off with one gallon of TSP. This leaves a 5% SH level in the mixture. I am going to be X-Jetting this solution without a proportioner which will be roughly a 1.0-1.0 ration which brings the SH % to 2.5 on the house. I will let you know what the results are. If there is anything wrong with my math on the SH% in the mixture and what will hit the house let me know please. I am doing the project on Sunday.

[PressurePros 249]

If the mix doesn't do what its supposed to, cut back on the detergent and add another gallon of 12.5%.

Let me give you a heads up. The mix you are talking about will kill plants almost on conttact and will etch glass especialy if you let it dry. Pre-wet everything!

[NewYorkBoraPL 22]

If the mix doesn't do what its supposed to, cut back on the detergent and add another gallon of 12.5%.

Let me give you a heads up. The mix you are talking about will kill plants almost on conttact and will etch glass especialy if you let it dry. Pre-wet everything!

Thanks for the heads up. Will pre-wet everything and make sure it does not dry. Will this solution be harmful to brick by any chance? I have read nothing about SH being used for red brick. The reason I ask is that the house is about 30% red brick. The butyl degreaser is actually made for masonary and I hope this solotion will not effect the color of the brick in a negative way especialy if I pre-wet the brick. What do you think(know)?

[John T 744]

Hey Lindenhurst.

This is John From Kings Park about a 1/2 hour from you. In cleaning stucco I would use a strong solution of Sodium Hypoclorite(Pool Shock) which is 12.5% sodium Hypoclorite and mix it with Tide and liquid cascade. This is the same mix I used for vinyl but I would use more Sodium hypoclorite in my mix to clean Stucco. Like Ken said you may need a little pressure from the Powerwasher via Extension wand also to get the stucco cleaned. First off rinse the stucco and windows and the surrounding Landscaping. Then with your x-jet shoot up the solution onto the Stucco. Then when done rinse again the windows so the solution does not dry on them. Also rinse again the Landscaping so not to kill anything. Make sure while doing all this the solution does not dry on the house. Mist it if you have to, to keep the solution wet so it can keep cleaning the stucco. Now Powerwash the stucco with the least amount of pressure possible. When done once again rinse the windows and the landscaping and also the house. This is what works for me when cleaning Stucco.

Good Luck and If you have to you can call me at 631-544-4971. Hey I bet you have stopped in at Industrial Equipment in Farmingdale in the past. If you stop in there again in the future mention my name..They know me well. Oh in case you don't know who they are there a distributer in our area. www.indequipment.com I had a roundtable there 2 yrs ago.

[NewYorkBoraPL 22]

First of all thank you for all the guidance that was received for deriving a stucco solution. All went well on Sunday and the solution did as it was supposed to. All the green was removed along with dirt but there were some stubborn parts where the dirt was removed and the coloring of the paint was noticeably darker. The stucco was painted white and the most bottom part of the house was covered in pure dirt in one location, this is where it was noticeably darker. The home owners were thrilled with the job although I feel I could have done better, maybe my expectations were to high. I couldn’t have done it without the SH although I X Jetted it from 5% in the mixture I could have just used a household bleach and saved the extra cash on buying the 12.5% pool shock. No vegetation has died as of yet and I assume it’s safe to say that at this point and time it will not die. BTW, the butyl degreaser was nothing special, next time I will use a tide and cascade detergent as recommended by John with some TSP and SH.

Cheers

Rafal