# Time machine!



## ExcelPaintingCo (Apr 16, 2011)

I have been stuck in the past with:









I bought her in either 1993 it 1994, I can't remember. I let emotion override logic and kept her for 20 years because she has served me so well. 

Until today:










With:










I'm about to test it on this:










The neglected north side of my house.

I will post the results later.


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## Damon T (Nov 22, 2008)

Right on George! My old one was about that old too! Had a flat tire, melted handle on ignition rope, no DS ability, but it could still blast like a mo-fo until something went wrong with the electrical system in the motor. Now what to do with it? Who wants a 20 y/o not working pressure washer?!


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## Hines Painting (Jun 22, 2013)

Nice! I just bought the 4200psi 4gpm simspon pressure washer about a week ago....hope I dont regret it and wish I would have bought a more "professional" unit.


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## ExcelPaintingCo (Apr 16, 2011)

Damon T said:


> Right on George! My old one was about that old too! Had a flat tire, melted handle on ignition rope, no DS ability, but it could still blast like a mo-fo until something went wrong with the electrical system in the motor. Now what to do with it? Who wants a 20 y/o not working pressure washer?!


My old Honda still works fine. The pressure dial blew off a couple times, and its been through a few pull ropes, etc. I'm hoping to keep it as a backup. Plus she means too much to me to be cast off for a younger model. 

You should get yours repaired, if its only $200-300, it's well worth it IMO.


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## ExcelPaintingCo (Apr 16, 2011)

Hines Painting said:


> Nice! I just bought the 4200psi 4gpm simspon pressure washer about a week ago....hope I dont regret it and wish I would have but a more "professional" unit.












The cart on my new machine is really nice. The motor sits in an aluminum plate isolated from the frame by thick rubber bushings. You can barely feel any vibration on the frame when it's running.


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## ExcelPaintingCo (Apr 16, 2011)

Test completed! I used some soap the sales guy gave me to test out. The DSer worked awesome. I was able to clean 7in clapboards with one pass. The whole job took about as much time as I used to spend spraying chems with a garden sprayer.


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## Dave Mac (May 4, 2007)

Honda rulz


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

I don't know. I think the chemicals you used may have turned their fascia boards purple.


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## ExcelPaintingCo (Apr 16, 2011)

Dave Mac said:


> Honda rulz












Yes!


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## ExcelPaintingCo (Apr 16, 2011)

RH said:


> I don't know. I think the chemicals you used may have turned their fascia boards purple.












I'm fighting the sun and poor photography skills.

The worst area was behind the ferns that have been left unattended for several years. Heavy black mold spots. I had to bleach that area. The remainder got the "non caustic de-greaser" soap. It really loosened up all the dirt for easier, removal.


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## ces (Jul 18, 2013)

I have a Simpson my dad bought back in 1989 and it still runs good as long as the weather is warm out.


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## ExcelPaintingCo (Apr 16, 2011)

I looked up the MSDS on the soap I used. It's got tetrasodium salt of EDTA and ethoxylated alcohols. These are all new to me. 

Any recommendations on good soaps I should try? Thank you!


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## ExcelPaintingCo (Apr 16, 2011)

Come on, lets talk about some soaps up in here! Chemicals, ratios, etc?


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

bleach & dawn will cover 90% of all your cleaning needs


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## Damon T (Nov 22, 2008)

Does Dawn mix with bleach? I tried Palmolive and it started bubbling over. I think both labels say don't mix with bleach.


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## ReNt A PaInTeR (Dec 28, 2008)

Nice thread. Let's hear mixing ratios. How much water, bleach and soap for a fiver.


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## Damon T (Nov 22, 2008)

I'm guessing straight bleach with a shot of detergent thrown in. The DS adds the water. 

I've been adding some of the Eco friendly tsp without the phosphates. I had a box of the powder in the truck. Figured I'd use it up. It said Sodium Metasilicate on the back, which I remember Ken saying was a good cleaner, so I went for it. Works well. I just dumped some in a bottle of bleach and put the cap back on, shook it up and stick in the injector tube. 
Now I gotta get me some of that good pool bleach. The store stuff is now 8.2% which works well! but more is better right!?


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

Bleach, tsp, soap. I have a local chemical company that has an awesome cleaner-degreaser that I have started using as well.


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## Stonehampaintdept (Jan 10, 2013)

Damon T said:


> Right on George! My old one was about that old too! Had a flat tire, melted handle on ignition rope, no DS ability, but it could still blast like a mo-fo until something went wrong with the electrical system in the motor. Now what to do with it? Who wants a 20 y/o not working pressure washer?!


I'll take all the aluminum and copper from it :yes::whistling2:


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## ReNt A PaInTeR (Dec 28, 2008)

straight_lines said:


> Bleach, tsp, soap. I have a local chemical company that has an awesome cleaner-degreaser that I have started using as well.


How much chems? How much water? At what setting do you run the chem injector?

I have an email pending for you. I have been busy with the spackle threads.


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

https://skydrive.live.com/#cid=636B4C91CED45CCB&id=636B4C91CED45CCB!1758&v=3

Don't know if the link works on my phone, but we were washing this morning and I took so.e pics


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## ReNt A PaInTeR (Dec 28, 2008)

It doesn't work


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

Here is what I was trying to post, the 747 has all the good stuff in it already with a pleasant smell. Not sure about this soap, of course I didn't have any booster with me to test it. 

I did add in a little tsp, not in photo. One gallon of bleach per five.


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## Hines Painting (Jun 22, 2013)

So what are the ratios? Gallon of each of those 3 and 2 gallons of water? With a splash of TSP? And what is a booster? I'm trying to learn the ins and outs of down streaming and soap mixtures.


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## ReNt A PaInTeR (Dec 28, 2008)

Hines Painting said:


> So what are the ratios? Gallon of each of those 3 and 2 gallons of water? With a splash of TSP? And what is a booster? I'm trying to learn the ins and outs of down streaming and soap mixtures.


I have been trying to get that response for a few months now. I check my PM box every day to see if someone has sent me the magic numbers.


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

For this house I only used 6 oz of both the soap and degreaser with a whole gal of bleach per five. 

NC, was mostly painted 10 mths ago we were called in to finish. Brick, azek, mirtech.

A booster is something to soften the water. Makes soap work a lot better. Borax is a booster, but there are several others.


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## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

1 gallon of bleach per 5 does not do anything for us on mildew.


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

DeanV said:


> 1 gallon of bleach per 5 does not do anything for us on mildew.


 Me either. For down streaming, I use straight bleach. Sometimes even that is a little weak. Guess it depends on the ratio of your down stream set up.


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## ReNt A PaInTeR (Dec 28, 2008)

Jmayspaint said:


> Me either. For down streaming, I use straight bleach. Sometimes even that is a little weak. Guess it depends on the ratio of your down stream set up.


What ratio do you use?


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

DeanV said:


> 1 gallon of bleach per 5 does not do anything for us on mildew.


No not for really moldy ones, but like I said this house is new. This was mostly to clean off surface dust. I normally buy powder pool shock from a local supplier.

Edit, also wanted to add that if you get your soap right and really get it to cling you will be surprised how much better it will be at killing to mold. Without soap most of the bleach runs off onto the ground before it can go to work.


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## Ultimate (Mar 20, 2011)

That's a true and good point Tommy. The trick is finding a good surfactant. What makes a surfactant good is both it's ability to allow the mildew disinfectant to cling to the surface long enough to kill the spores, but also rinse easily enough so as to not leave any leftover residue. Equally important for both time considerations and quality control. This soap has recently been introduced and tested by some long term veterans to the pressure washing industry. I haven't heard a complaint yet. Lots of rave reviews. Many that were loyal to other surfactants for their house wash have switched. 

For anyone interested in learning more about the active ingredient in bleach which is used by many in pressure washing. This is a good link for starters. There are various elements that affect the quality and strength of this chemical. Once there is an understanding of the information in this link, then learning ratios through various means of application such as down streaming, x jetting or applying direct begin to make more sense. - Choosing a source for the 'bleach' used for the job becomes something to consider as well. 

Point is, one person's recipe that includes a gallon of bleach may not work for another. Not all bleaches are the same kind of like all paints aren't the same. Even if the bottle says 8%, 6%, all purpose primer, or primer and paint in one.... So, if there is a genuine interest, there is a plethora of data out there to learn from. Figuring it out overnight isn't going to happen though. Learning it will definitely help any PC's business whereas it is a critical part of preparation prior to painting as well as an additional service including proper maintenance afterwards.


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

ReNt A PaInTeR said:


> What ratio do you use?


 I think it's 14/1 on my big machine.


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## Damon T (Nov 22, 2008)

Man I tried to read that bleach manual, holy moly. Good thing I didn't try to be a chemistry major. 
Thanks for the feedback on the other cleaner. I gotta get me some of that.


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## Ultimate (Mar 20, 2011)

Damon T said:


> Man I tried to read that bleach manual, holy moly. Good thing I didn't try to be a chemistry major. Thanks for the feedback on the other cleaner. I gotta get me some of that.


Oh yea some of that is way over my head, but in my middle years I am finding myself interested in misc information solely for the sake of learning. The key points of that PDF that relate to us I think are how the chemical strength is measured, degradation, quality characteristics, manufacture, transport and storage. Sometimes people just provide a simple answer of 'get a gallon of bleach and mix w x,y,z', with an assumption that everyone is using the same thing. With an understanding that there are different characteristics to 'bleach' that affect our provision of service, knowing what you are getting can make low pressure washing services a better experience for all parties involved. I recently switched suppliers for my sodium hypochlorite. I notice through numerous trips their transport methods, transfer and storage methods. I notice about a dozen 5000 gallon tanks full of this chemical. I've also noticed a difference between this and another I used to use which many swear by. I get it for half as much also. MAJOR pool suppliers are definitely the way to go. I currently pay just at 2 bucks a gallon including tax for this I am getting now. I was paying 4 plus tax for some that was stepped on, with not as good transport and storage procedures. It's saved me big time to research and network a bit. 

Here's the simple version of what I would recommend as a starting point for a good recipe for down streaming. 

-2 gallons 12.5% liquid sodium hypochlorite
-3 gallons water
-5 ounces elemonator

Cost < $5.00 to clean average homes

This is a starting point. Specific washing systems and condition of home will of course affect it. Dealing with one specific supplier relative to the washing system makes it easier to determine what works and keep it consistently working. That's why bob at pttek is so valuable. Once a recipe is figured out its time to focus on other ways to be more efficient.


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## ReNt A PaInTeR (Dec 28, 2008)

Do you have any experience with panel bright?


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## Damon T (Nov 22, 2008)

What confuses me is why cut the bleach at all? I thought you wanted at least a 1% strength to hit the house, at least when you are trying to remove mildew. Maybe you are talking about just general cleaning, like when you talked about the warranty jobs? I guess you are still saving a bundle if getting it at $2-4 a gallon since store bought bleach is typically about $4 a gallon for 8% strength. I hear what you're saying that different suppliers have different quality. I think I read in the manual that the stuff sold at stores actually had to be a higher quality, extra filtered or something like that.


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## ReNt A PaInTeR (Dec 28, 2008)

I will have my system ready soon I will post some pics.


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

Your supplier can get you going with a good set up, what you add to bleach can really help or hurt you. For those that don't have one the site John linked above has someone on the other end that *will *help you.


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