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Pressure washer detergent.

17K views 33 replies 14 participants last post by  Ultimate  
#1 ·
I need a replacement for simple cherry detergent. The stuff smells nice, but it doesn't dissolve into the solution and I really haven't been all that impressed by it's performance. What else are you guys using? I need something that will clean wood, vinyl, brick, and painted surfaces without spotting the windows too bad, and is strong enough to run through my downstreamer. That seems to be a tall order, and I'm open to suggestions. Thanks for the input!
 
#3 ·
I'm using 12.5% bleach from the pool store, Jomax, simple cherry, and water in a five gallon bucket. The simple cherry doesn't dissolve and it's pretty frustrating. Ken recommended that I try about 12 oz. of Dawn in the mix as a replacement for the simple cherry. Mildew isn't an issue, its the grime and environmental contaminates that I'm having a problem with.
 
#5 ·
We used to use joMax and bleach, prior to that just bleach and water. Last year, we switched to dawn and bleach and are staying with that this year. We use laudry bleach however. We probably should make the switch to pool bleach, just need to figure out how to adjust the strength for downstreaming it with the higher concentration of pool bleach.
 
#9 ·
work way faster,

clean deeper, just better

mixing is way easier

once you do the math using only 5oz per 5 galls its cheap cheap per house

first house of the day was a nasty white house with black mold all over it deep black mildew, could not believe how fast this stuff went to work, and how white it came out, then we did a small sidewalk with red mud never thought it would get that clean it looked like new, I'm sold

Yea I saw Mike talk about on FB so I order some, lot of good feed back on their about this product
 
#34 ·
The less than 2% bleach or 12.5 SH? I get a premixed solution with 12.5% that works every time that I have become familiar enough with that I know how much to dilute where. If you are raving about the fresh wash I would try it just for fun. What are the active ingredients that make it do what you like it doing?
 
#14 ·
I do not have a 8gpm machine, would the same ratio work on a 4 gpm? We have been doing something like 50:50 bleach to water with a detergent added and downstreaming it.
Being a smaller machine, you won't need as concentrated mix.
 
#19 ·
Most painters are running 50 feet of high pressure line and wheeling their machine where they need to go. They don't have the same issues as pressure washers that are running 100, 150, 200, & 250 of line - so they don't need such a concentrated soap mix for downstreaming.
 
#21 · (Edited)
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using Paint Talk


Wow .. T-Mobile huh :clap: ........... May I suggest ? , Auto signature to the off position . Ohh and to keep the thread on track , I use 50 ft of line and a secret power washing mix that none of you can know about because it's a secret !:jester:
 
#23 ·
Wash Detergent

I use a great local detergent called "Our Detergent" from Mansfield, Ohio. It is technically a truck wash, but it works great for houses and gutters. I use a brush for all of my washing, especially gutters - but if it is really tough, I just mix a stronger solution, and it works great! No need for multiple chemicals...

I think that my ratio is about 3/4 gallon of detergent per 5 gallon of water, and I run it through an X-jet. For mildew, I do add about 1 gallon of bleach, and top off with water..
 
#24 ·
With the correct ratios and chemicals no need to brush a whole house. Brushing gutters? Yes. But not with a truck wash detergent.

We use chemicals which make the gutters look brand new again and that is their purpose. "Gutter Grenade, Viper Venom and Gutter Zap" either of those 3 are a fine choice for gutters melts that black oxidation on contact.

As for washing the house - bleach, soap, water downstream or xjet, no brushing. We wash a 2500 sq ft house in about an hour - hour and 10 minutes and it is CLEAN.
 
#25 ·
I have a buddy that was adding Dawn to his mix also. I know this is common practice, but you should avoid it IMO. He used this mix for years, we chat a lot and I told him I use TSP. He did not like the common pitfalls of using TSP and stayed with the Dawn. Well 2 years or so ago he called me up and told me that he was having breathing issues and blames the Dawn.

IMO shop local and purchase your detergents from a local supplier. The bene's outweigh online tremendously.

  • quick ready and can be obtained same day
  • supporting your local suppliers will make them want to support you(leads)
you can get tsp at home depot, but it is s metascillate (spelling?) works great but isn't the same as the real deal.



Hang tite is absolutely the bee's knee's...it can be found in clearwater at pwp or if you have a chem supplier hint hint ask them for amlo same thing.
 
#32 ·
They have it in home depot made by Savogran. Will say TSP on the box...it is good stuff.

On a side note, I picked up some TSP from sherwin williams that said on the box 'phosphate free". We are doing a bunch of foreclosure home interior repaints and the walls are filthy. So I make up a bucket with HOT water and this stuff really cleans...around the stoves and kitchen areas, bathrooms etc..
 
#33 ·
They have it in home depot made by Savogran. Will say TSP on the box...it is good stuff.

On a side note, I picked up some TSP from sherwin williams that said on the box 'phosphate free". We are doing a bunch of foreclosure home interior repaints and the walls are filthy. So I make up a bucket with HOT water and this stuff really cleans...around the stoves and kitchen areas, bathrooms etc..
THAT is sodium metasilicate. Its also known as TSP substitute.