PWP RECIPES, FORMULAS & GUIDELINES TO SOFTWASH & ROOF CLEAN

PWP recipes, formulas, or guidelines for soft washing, roof cleaning, degreasing, and rust removal

General formulas: 

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These formulas are general guidelines. Always test an area first and out of sight. Ask when the home or building was last painted. Some soft washers will not wash a home or building if it was painted a year ago. Many soft washers carry cans of spray paint in white, off-white, or gutter touch-up paint to touch up affected surfaces. Educating your customers before providing your service will prevent costly misunderstandings. For example, most algae do not easily adhere or grow on a slick and shiny surface. Once streaked gutters are cleaned, they may appear not as glossy because the damage occurred to the surface before brightening and cleaning the gutters. 

Please keep your recipes simple. Wear the correct PPE for every job. Before adding anything to your recipe, exhaust yourself researching whether it will negatively react with the sodium hypochlorite or anything else including your equipment. 

Always take before and after pictures of every job including dead plants and previously damaged property or roof tile. Having photographic evidence of dead plants, property damage, broken tiles, or shingles before you arrive or against a dirty home or building before providing your services will save you thousands of dollars in replacing plant life or repairs that should not have been your responsibility.

Do not use calcium hypochlorite. It contains an insoluble, inert, white filler that is left behind on the surface that it was applied to. It does not wash clean from windows without the need to re-wash the surface. It does not break down into a product that is good for the plants. Sodium hypochlorite is easy to find, biodegradable, and degrades extremely quickly into salt and water.

Watch Slo-mo in action:"

Tile roof washes: in a 100-gallon container, thoroughly mix the following: 50 gallons of 10-12% fresh sodium hypochlorite 49 gallons of cool water (never hot water) 4-8 ounces of Slo-mo soft wash surfactant (or 2 quarts of HANG TITE).

Shingle or composite roofs: in a 100-gallon container, thoroughly mix the following: 30gallons of 10-12% fresh sodium hypochlorite 69gallons of cool water (never hot water) 4-8 ounces of Slo-mo soft wash surfactant(or 2 quarts of ang HANG TITE) metal roofs: in a 100-gallon container, thoroughly mix the following: 20gallons of 10-12% fresh sodium hypochlorite 79gallons of cool water (never hot water) 4-8 ounces of SLO MO soft wash surfactant(or 2 quarts of HANG TITE) rinse quickly and hit it with a water-based wax or water-based tire dressing for a wet look house-washing including vinyl siding, brick, Hardie plank or siding and stucco: use a watered down version of the roof wash by adding more water and using your software system or your downstream chemical injector or x-jet and your pressure washer. (Downstream injector: extend the length of your 1/4"injector pickup hose to allow you to drop it into your roof wash tank. Most downstream injectors will pick up a solution that will be up to 20% of your roof wash mix. Use your 0030,0040 or 0050 to apply soapy mixtures under eaves many stories up without needing a ladder x-jet: place roof wash mixes in your container and allow the x-jet to apply a diluted ratio of your mix to the house.)  If you need to remove any spider webs or eggs that usually require brushing, use a more concentrated version of the house-wash mix to dissolve the spider webs and eggs.  Our Stampede added to your mix helps remove this mess!

Neutralize the salt that burns the plants leftover from the sodium hypochlorite:

Use gypsum irrigation rust: (not for rust from metal rust, like chairs or tables or rust stains from vehicle radiators) oxalic acid powder or granules 99%(purchased locally in a 50pound bag, white powder; the active ingredient in rust-aid) mix 8 ounces up to 1 pound of oxalic acid per 1 gallon of warm or hot water (heated water helps to dissolve powders) adds SLO MO soft wash surfactant, HANG TITE or dawn dish soap to use as a wetting agent even for horizontal surfaces mix thoroughly use a pump up sprayer to apply to irrigation rust. When it hits the rust, it should bubble up (like using hydrogen peroxide on a flesh wound) rinse thoroughly and let dry complete coats for best results do not mix with roof wash, sodium hypochlorite, sodium percarbonate, or a high pH soap.  Cedar shingles, wood siding, etc. (2 steps) Become familiar with wood structure based on species. Wood can be cleaned with a weaker solution of sodium hypochlorite. Sodium hypochlorite or bleach will permanently damage the wood, breaking down the cellulose or structure of the wood and removing the natural colors and tones if applied incorrectly at a very strong ratio. A wooden surface is like your face. It requires cleaning, sloughing off, moisturizing, and sealing. Become familiar with the wood surface you are working with, ask respected industry experts, test multiple spots in inconspicuous areas, and take before and after photos. Cedarwood can be cleaned effectively with 800 psi and 1000 psi using the 25 and 40-degree spray nozzles.

First step clean 6 ounces of sodium percarbonate per gallon (sodium percarbonate purchased locally in a 50pound bag, white powder) and 1 ounce of caustic soda or sodium hydroxide (purchased locally in a 50pound bag, white powder, granules, or flakes) SLO-MO software surfactant mix thoroughly rinse thoroughly.

2. Second step neutralize Do not use the same sprayer for both steps.

The combination of two chemicals in the first and second steps will cause combustion to occur.  6 ounces of oxalic acid powder or granules 99%per 1 gallon of warm or hot water (purchased locally in a 50-pound bag, white powder; active ingredient in rust-aid) Slo-mo soft wash surfactant mix thoroughly rinse thoroughly. 

Caution: trisodium phosphate or tsp is a white powder often used to etch the layer of gloss on painted or shiny surfaces and frequently used as a cleaning and degreasing agent in paint preparation.  Avoid adding tsp to your soft wash mixes for two primary reasons:

1. If left accidentally dry on glossy surfaces such as windows, shiny gutters, or garage doors, tsp will cause permanent damage to the shiny surfaces and ' ' paint or glass and stain metal and cement surfaces. 

2. Use of tsp will give the possibility of violating the Clean Water Act or CWA. If evidence of pollution by tsp or another pollutant by your company's services causes a fish kill, waterway plant death, or eutrophication of nearby bodies of fresh or salt water, you may be held liable. It is rare but can cost thousands in fines as warnings are rarely heard of. Many states only allow the sale of a tsp substitute.

Degreasers by Pressure Washer Products available locally here in Clearwater, Florida:

1. PWP’s Stampede Plus degreaser: petroleum oil and greases (gas stations, drive-thru, heavy equipment, and driveway stains)

2. PWP’s FOG: fats, oils, and greases from food by-products (restaurant rear entrance, barbecue grill drippings on deck, suntan oil, and restaurant exhaust hoods)

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