Sorry if I came across that way, didn’t mean it in any way. I came from a PW background and got into window cleaning 11 years ago. 4gpm you could pick up used for $500 bucks, it doesnt need to be a high dollar unit, you just need more volume to clean quicker.
You can average $150 or more per hour PWing vs $60 or $70 washing windows. The best part is after the house wash you can clean the outside windows, which could and should be sold as part of the package since there will be run off even with the windows being rinsed.
And WFP is pretty cool I have been using it for a few months now. Bought from Shawn Gavin.
No issues here. I just don’t get alot of call for pwing. The only reason I do it at all is because some of my wcing customers asked if I did it and I figured I could increase my revenue on the same stop.
Jug, you don’t need 12% bleach for power washing houses. All you need is regular household bleach which is 6% not 3%.
I know this to be fact because I power wash residential and I do it with 6% household bleach. My mix is:
2.5 to 3 gallons of 6% bleach
10 ounces of Simple Cherry
4 ounces of F-13
a shot of Dawn
and water all mixed in a five gallon X-Jet pail
12% is just overkill and would be a lot rougher on surrounding vegitation. But of course you could use half as much 12% bleach in a 5 gallon bucket and come out fine. This would be an advantage if you can buy 12% local in whatever quantity you need at the time and at a good price.
If you have to drive out of town to get 12% it’s not a good thing. Also don’t buy it in bulk if you’re not going to use it soon. Heat and sunlight will weaken bleach fairly quickly.
I use regular 6% bleach and it’s fast and cleans very well. You really don’t need 12% bleach for cleaning houses.
You would use different ratios for X-Jetting than you would for down streaming.
It may be hard to find 12% in small quantities in your area but you should be able to go to a pool place and get 10% chlorine. Don’t buy the powder form it is different, of course you will need different ratios. A weaker solution (if you’re nervous) as suggested above may work but you will have to increase your dwell time.
Don’t be discouraged, you don’t have to get a new machine today. Look around to see if you can find a used machine, preferably a belt drive with a good motor and a General Pump brand pump. It may look like heck but they can take a lot, and last a long time.
Seems some are pretty definitive about their opinions around here, do yourself a favor CALL BOB!!! at Pressure Tec. He will steer you in the right direction, and not try to sell you something you don’t need! Poke around the residential area in the PT State forum and see what the consensus is about things. And get you some Simple Cherry!
How one arrives at that point can be done in various ways. So X-Jet , downstreaming, 6% bleach, or 12% in a more dilluted ratio (or not more diluted) , etc. are individual choices.
I guess it’s like the dish soap vs. GG4 thing. They both arrive at clean windows but we still each have our preferences.
But I think Micah has a tremendous point with his thoughts on methods and/or chems used by guys that do strictly power washing, every day, for a living, as opposed to say one of us window cleaners who may wash 1 to maybe 5 houses a month.
There is no definitive method or solution but there may be certain advantages with certain methods or solutions for some of us window cleaners who only power wash sporadically.
Case in point: It’s not advantageous for me to drive 60 miles to buy 12% bleach at a not so good price. If I could buy it in bulk at a good price it would degrade well before I could use it all up because I don’t power wash everyday, day in and day out. 6% bleach works great for me. If it takes 2 or 3 minutes more for dwell time per each side of house, at least I didn’t have to spend half a work day (and gas money) to drive out of town to buy a small batch of 12%. It’s just more practical and feasible for me to buy the 6% which works great and is available here in town. As a side note, the slightly longer dwell time with 6% bleach allows you the time needed to water down vegitation and windows which is a good thing.
The X-Jet works well for me but may not for someone else. So equipment is a personal preference too. Again though, I think Micah has excellent points on the X-Jet vs. downstreaming for the average window cleaner who only power washes now and then.
These discussions about power washing are great to have here on this window cleaning forum. Our power washing needs as window cleaners who don’t do it everyday may be slightly different from what the big boys on the power washing forums need.
They have great knowledge and advice so I definitely listen to them. But I also listen to window cleaners who do power washing because they have something extra to say that I need to hear.
Yes call him. I spoke with his company last week and ended up having him on the phone. Nice guy. He reminds me of Chris and Alex. Type of guy who is not scared to put out free info and help where he can. Got a nice tip from him regarding the simple cherry. Was told not to bother, get Mr. Clean Citrus. Same stuff according to them. Don’t know as I have not used it yet. I got my 12% from the pool store, if you go to the big chain stores they will look at you like you are crazy to ask for a 12% bleach lol. One thing I have gathered is mixing is a something everyone seems to do a little differant. I don’t like to start out on a job full strength. Take today for example. I was cleaning a deck and only used 1/2 a gallon in my 5 gallon bucket. Barely noticed anything getting clean. I waited 15 minutes and still nothing. Scrubbed with a little brush and that got some junk out but I was not about to sit an scrub like that all day. Put the rest of the gallon in the mix and presto. Clean as a babies bum. I have gotten a few PM’s about this. I want to make something clear I am no expert on this subject at all. Some days I am flying by the seat of my pants regarding PW’ing. The Pw’rs in my area don’t show up for gigs when I try to sub them out and 1/2 the ones that do smell like they drank the full bottle the night before. So at this point I’m going at it on my own, learning everything I can where I can. So if you need advice I would recommend you ask publicly on the board and let an expert give better advice.
I met him about three years ago and have hung out with him several times since then. That has nothing to do with the fact that he is my main supplier of PW stuff. He is a totally stand-up guy and a great resource of PW knowledge. He not only has helped me tremendously with product and equipment knowledge he has saved me a lot of money, too- even to the point of refusing to sell me something that I ordered and he said I didn’t need. That was a surreal but defining moment.
We had a great time in New Orleans last year and I can’t wait until August so we can hang out again.
I agree, Bob is great. He’s got tons of experience and always willing to help. Pete Marantay and Tracy Handel from SunBrite Supply in Atlanta are also very helpful. I’ve had the opportunity to meet them all, and they’re just as helpful in person as they are on the phone.
Juggernaut, (Ray’s your name, right?) 12.5% has a pretty short shelf life. If it stays cool and out of sunlight it helps. I’ve been told that it keeps better if it’s in large quantities, like more then 55 gallons. So once it’s in a 5 gallon or so, it starts to go down hill quick. It’s possible you may have gotten a weak mix, and that’s why you had to double your mixture.
I’ve gotten some 12.5% before that was basically salt water. I dabbed a small amount on my shirt because I suspected it to be extremely weak - it didn’t even stain - and this is like 3 days after purchase. I’m not sure if it sat around or something, or the place diluted it on purpose. It wasn’t my favorite chemical supply house…
On a side note to some who may not know - 12.5% may be the most dangerous chemical you’ll ever use. Be EXTREMELY careful with mixing any chemical with it. Make sure anything you pour it into has been rinsed completely. Deadly gases, explosions, chemical burns and more can happen when 12.5% is accidently mixed with other chemicals.
Never pour chemical in and then water. Always water first, then chemical.
Sorry for the safety rant, but everybody needs to know how dangerous the stuff can be!
Juggernaut, could you explain more about your conversation with Bob about the Simple Cherry. I’ve heard of guys using Apple Blossom Dawn for a wax like finish on vinyl.
Gotta toss Pete Marentay into any conversation regarding PWing supplies or helpful knowledge. Pete is always available to give a customer any knowledge they are searching for. I spent an hour on the phone with him a few weeks ago just bending his ear about various pressure washing scenarios. It was great having him speak at the MWCoA Seminar also. Sunbrite Supply is a viable business mainly because of him.
I got to spend a litle time with Pete and Nichole at the Alabama Round Table.
Good people and a lot of knowledge!
Pete is definitely an elder statesman in the PW world.
