# oxizidation on vinyl siding??



## Dave Mac

How do you remove it??


How do you tell its thier before you start the job?


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## PressurePros

Dave, you can tell by running your finger over it. Chalky=oxidation.

You can remove it by adding a caustic to your mix but that is risky, imo. You can get streaks. You can etch glass. And sometimes the only fix is either hitting the entire house with pressue (ie washing every inch) or brushing. 

A second method we have used is to two-step. First you apply an acid, then you apply your regular (slightly caustic) bleach/wash mix.

This is to do nothing special but use a mild cleaner with no caustic then apply a polymer/wax.


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## Dave Mac

Ken

what type of acid??


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## johnpaint

I brush wash them like I would a car wash and they turn out great.In fact you really don't even need a pw to do it, just brush and rinse off with water.


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## PressurePros

Dave Mac said:


> Ken
> 
> what type of acid??


That's a loaded question I won't answer because it gets too far into the trade secret realm ( a sore spot as you know from being on PT State). Oxalic is a starter choice and hydroflouric acid is the king. But before you jump to that extreme read this on HF acid.

http://www.fap.pdx.edu/safety/hydrofluoric_acid/


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## johnpaint

Just make sure if you brush them to cover ever inch because where you miss it will be a dull sheen left


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## plainpainter

Or you could ignore the oxidation. I find by the time vinyl is heavily oxidized, it's also very brittle and you can make breaks into it with ladder use. The occasional ladder rested along siding is not a big problem - but when you do oxidation removal, you have to put a ladder all over a home and you are bound to make a break somewhere. I know how to get rid of it - but the selling price is so high and the rewards nil. I've learned over time the different colored vinyl siding will yield unsatisfactory results - and I just pass on those jobs. Choose your battles wisely.


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## PressurePros

I agree with, Dan. I don't even offer it anymore. its too labor intensive and there are way too many get-in-get-out jobs to get into safety hazards with acids, or brushing a house. If you are paint prepping, spray the house down with butyl/TSP/bleach.


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## Dave Mac

Dan I agree with you on its probally nothing Im gonna mess with(remoing it), hower I beleive if properly communicated to the client you can still get the house to wash of the dirt and mold etc... its all about communication when selling. imo and to let them have the option before you start the job,everybody is covered


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## aaron61

Hers a thought....Paint it!


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## Dave Mac

aaron61 said:


> Hers a thought....Paint it!


their aint no money in painting lol:icon_cheesygrin:


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## plainpainter

Dave - I don't educate homeowners 100% anymore. You can literally scare a homeowner to death. You learn what jobs have a high probability of success, and then 'eat' the occasional misunderstanding. If I identify a home with a huge probability of customer non-satisfaction, I won't even bother educating a homeowner, or try to have them sign off on having a house washed that won't look clean. I just don't bother anymore - I just see it as potential for a competitor pissing off a homeowner by taking on such a project. 

Most homeowners don't know what oxidation is, why bother bringing it up then? Don't think for a second you'll be able to 'clean' up with high dollar price tags. It won't differentiate you from your competition. You'll just be suspect of trying to rip them off at best, or doing a 'restoration' cleaning for normal house wash price at worst. Not to mention, you will need high pressure washing techniques even if you do brush - and now every possible ingress will be exposed. And the only way to protect yourself is to abandon high flow machines with low flow machines, in order to keep the water situation under control, which means even slower progress. 

Dave - just learn to see where the high probability rates of success are and stick with it. Trust me - you can 'educate' a homeowner all you want and even have them sign off on something - but if they're unhappy, you will get screwed out of money. If I think a house will still look like a$$ even after it's cleaned, sayonora - that's just a perfect opportunity to let your hack/lowballer competitor make even more 'enemies'.


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