# How not to kill lawn and plants with cleaners?



## TrueColors (Jul 30, 2010)

Hey guys,

I've always been curious as to what you do to protect HO lawns and plants or even siding for that matter when pressure washing exterior siding or decks with cleaners? I'm talking brightners or renewing products or strippers?

I know they say to pre soak areas where you don't want damaged... But still makes me a bit nervous. 

Makes me wonder about the over spray from the pressure washer and chemicals landing on windows or siding and perhaps causing damage? Not sure it this happens? Maybe I'm being to carful?

Any thoughts?

-Mitch


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## NCPaint1 (Aug 6, 2009)

Use safe products, rinse before and after.


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## ReNt A PaInTeR (Dec 28, 2008)

I use this product from Wash Safe to clean decks and fences.


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## tntpainting (Apr 3, 2008)

I always rinse / soak Down any plants or lawns that I think may come in contact with my chems never had problem I try to steer the chems away from plants though to b safe


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## alanbarrington (Apr 30, 2013)

tntpainting said:


> I always rinse / soak Down any plants or lawns that I think may come in contact with my chems never had problem I try to steer the chems away from plants though to b safe


That's a good system been doing my power washing jobs like for years.havent found any better yet.

Sent from my iPhone using PaintTalk


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## Damon T (Nov 22, 2008)

ReNt A PaInTeR said:


> I use this product from Wash Safe to clean decks and fences.


The oxy powered ones don't brighten cedar and redwood tho, correct?


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## ReNt A PaInTeR (Dec 28, 2008)

Damon T said:


> The oxy powered ones don't brighten cedar and redwood tho, correct?


No, it only cleans. is formulated to penetrate wood and uses oxygen bubbles to extract debris from the decking so it can be easily cleaned off. 

Here is a video from the product.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6zvoaDAthSs


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

ReNt A PaInTeR said:


> No, it only cleans. is formulated to penetrate wood and uses oxygen bubbles to extract debris from the decking so it can be easily cleaned off.
> 
> Here is a video from the product.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6zvoaDAthSs


 Looks like the product works great. The guys wash method was far from 'professional' though. 
I've seen so many decks marked up from washing like that.


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## ReNt A PaInTeR (Dec 28, 2008)

joshmays1976 said:


> Looks like the product works great. The guys wash method was far from 'professional' though.
> I've seen so many decks marked up from washing like that.


Yes Josh. I completely agree with you.


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## PressurePros (May 6, 2007)

That video was a joke, right? 0 degree high pressure rinsing? And it still didn't remove the crap easily. I started a product/company called Restore-A-Deck years ago that I have since sold off. The product is a ramped up version of the cleaner in that video. Its still not pro level stuff but much better than what that video showed. www.restore-a-deck.com


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## 1camper (Feb 17, 2013)

I leave hanging baskets hanging, always. Anything that gets chemical on it will get rinsed as you wash the house.

Edit to add: Rinsing plants first is counterproductive. Plants have the ability to shut down the intake of water thru the leaves. Roundup and other herbicides recommend applying to wet weeds because they are already taking in water thru the leaves and will take in the poison. If applied to dry plants they just shut down the intake of water and the poison takes longer to work.

I wash with a bleach and degreaser solution and it never harms even blooming plants that get soaked with the stuff. It will spot cotton fabrics tho.


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

1camper said:


> I
> 
> Edit to add: Rinsing plants first is counterproductive. Plants have the ability to shut down the intake of water thru the leaves. Roundup and other herbicides recommend applying to wet weeds because they are already taking in water thru the leaves and will take in the poison. If applied to dry plants they just shut down the intake of water and the poison takes longer to work.
> 
> .



Very interesting idea. I always rinse before, and never any probs either. 
I thought wetting the plants heavily before hand was so the chems would get diluted further and be less harmful when they hit the plant, or if they did get absorbed. 

I wonder though, if plants don't shut down absorption after getting a certain amount of water anyway. Like in a rain storm, surely the plants will only absorb so much through the leaves then stop taking it in. 
So maybe a drizzle of water will make them open looking for more, thus taking in chems more readily. But soaking them would do the opposite? 
I'm not a botanist, just a thought.


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## 1camper (Feb 17, 2013)

I think you're right about that. Heavily soaking them would probaby protect them as well.

Why go to that trouble and use that water?, a waste of time resources and makes the yard muddier than it would have been from just cleaning. If what you're using is killing plants, use something else.


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

1camper said:


> Why go to that trouble and use that water?, a waste of time resources and makes the yard muddier than it would have been from just cleaning. If what you're using is killing plants, use something else.




That's a good point. I will sometimes use 1k gallons + on a detailed prep wash. Been trying to cut that down. 
Lately I've been strongly advised by reps to incorporate TSP into most prep washing. And using that stuff worries me even more about damage. Not just plants, but windows, doors, etc.. I do a lot of rinsing out of paranoia I'm sure. 

I know TSP substitutes are gentler, but i dont know if they really work the same.


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## 1camper (Feb 17, 2013)

I haven't used TSP since the '80's.. that's when there was a campaign to stop using phosphates around the bay. Bleach and degreaser. Washed more than 10,000 houses that way. Now that they are selling 8.25% in the stores, there is no need to use 12.5% ever, imho.


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## 1camper (Feb 17, 2013)

..prepping to stain or paint I may follow with an oxalic acid, but for washing siding and trim, just bleach and degreaser.


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## Roof Cleaning (Jun 29, 2011)

We use tarps and plastic and always spend a good amount of time watering plants in. Just like how painters prep the area correctly before spraying.


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