Pressure Washer Chemicals

[dgreen]

In another thread on the board concerning purchasing a pressure washer, there is some discussion of the chemicals doing the dirty work rather than the PSI of the machine.

Can anyone recommend chemicals by brand name or chemical name and ratios for mixing? In particular, I would like to clean my white vinyl siding and my white gutters which are now off-white and brown.

Also, any precautions for safety for user and landscaping? Also, is it worth it to use chemicals on a concrete driveway or just blast away with pressure? Last but not least, I cannot keep my wife's white Infinity clean. Cleaning with small engines is always more fun that with a bucket and a sponge. Any advice on car wash soap that won't strip wax, that will clean when applied and rinsed with a pressure washer, or is this just wishful thinking.

Any other tips or suggestions on what to clean with what chemicals is also welcome.

Thanks

 

[N Heat]

A good mix is 1 small bottle of household bleach mixed with water in a 5 gallon bucket. For tuough areas, you may need more bleach. As far as plants go, just wet them down before hand. Careful not to spray dry grass with water on a hot day. You may burn it with just plain water. Add a splash of Dawn and apply with some kind of sprayer. As far as concrete, if you have natural stains such as leaves, berries, or acorns, a splash of straight bleach should take care of it. Oil, is another problem. Don't even bother trying to get is all up. As far as dirt is concerned, just blast it with water. Also, if you are cleaning concrete with your gun, be ready for "tiger striping". Investing in a turbo nozzle will do wonders for concrete cleaning.

 

[Crashbox]

Be careful- a lot of what you can use in a pressure washer depends on *where* the chemical injection occurs. If it is *before* the pump pressurizes the solution you are much more restricted as some chemicals are very deleterious to the pump's innards. If the injection occurs *after* the pump you have somewhat greater flexibility.

Just my two cents' worth... I assume the chemicals were intended to be fed through the washer...

 

[416Rigby]

I've cleaned mobile homes using 1 gallon of household bleach mixed with 1 cup of a cleaner called "Red Stuff". Red Stuff is usually sold anyplace that sells pressure washers. This mix works well for removing mildew and dirt/grime. Good on concrete, too.

 

[dgreen]

Excellent advice. Thanks for the details.

 

[N Heat]

quote:

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I've cleaned mobile homes using 1 gallon of household bleach mixed with 1 cup of a cleaner called "Red Stuff". Red Stuff is usually sold anyplace that sells pressure washers. This mix works well for removing mildew and dirt/grime. Good on concrete, too.
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I believe Red Stuff is either a Sodium Metasilicate or Sodium Hydroxide based cleaner. They do well for tough stains/oil/dirt. For general house cleaning, Dawn is a great substitute.

 

[H20024.6L]

I've use the 'house cleaners' available from Home Depot and they work well. I dilute it and use it in a pump sprayer, like the ones advertised for decks, I don't use the power washer to apply it. I use the power washer to rinse it off. The cleaner also cleans the gutter faces. A warning, the cleaner is strong and watch out for the wind or a breeze blowing it in your eyes. I use this method everyother year on my siding. Makes a big difference.

 

[N Heat]

Oh, I forgot about the gutters. Use a cleaner with butyl in it. Wesley's Bleach White works well on the streaks.

 

[Master ACiD]

muratic acid dumped all over a concrete driveway removes just about any trace of stains, espically rust.

you just move it around for 5 or 10 mins with a big push broom and some rubber boots and a gas mask.

after that, pressure clean as usual.