Spring time power washing

[Chris_Pallet]

I got some patio magic on amazon daily deal and it worked wonder left for a few hours then jet wash..

Nothing compared to you tube
Bournemouth power washer though, very satisfying to watch lol

 

[Phil Russell]

Re: spinning brush attachment. There are several posts above praising them. I have one, bought specifically to clean a year's worth of whatever off our patio paving slabs. Pressure washer is a mid size Karcher. The spinner worked of a fashion but not too well. After a good try, I reverted to a lance and made better, faster, cleaner, progress. The spinner did not remove the need for protective clothing although the spray bounce back was not as severe as from the lance. So: protective clothing is a must whatever you do including face shield/goggles as you will, yes will, get wet.
Yes, it can blast cement 'grout' from between slabs but only if it is loose anyway. A couple of extra hours re-grouting is a small price to pay for non-slip slabs again.
I have never tried an additive cleaner with the washer.
Cheers, Phil

 

[SBD]

Apoligies for a slight hijack bi it is in the spirit of the OP...

Will the skinny thing work on wood decking? I'm loathe to use the lancecdirect as it drives water into the grain and makes oiling patchy even after a few sunny days

TIA

SBD

 

[Delwood]

I have not had to power clean this year, last year I sprayed with a product called "Greengone" dilute it down and used a hand sprayer great job.

I use a similar product called Wet & Forget (made in New Zealand) that is applied in the same way. You do not get instant results but the product works over a period of months aided by the elements. I applied it to my brick block driveway last year and it now looks as if it has been pressure washer cleaned.
I hate pressure washing as it is such a messy procedure, having to avoid splash back onto painted walls and then having to dispose of the debris it produces.

 

[Phill05]

I used to work for a stone company told them about Green Gone and now they use it on Memorials they find they are not called back to clean as often.

Edit wrong product added "GreenGone"

 

[Selwyn]

Is it more effective than bleach? Never tried anything else to be honest as bleach was cheap and readily available .

Its a better moss killer less staining killer than bleach.

All these moss killers eg wet and forget, patio magic have it

 

[Rorschach]

Its a better moss killer less staining killer than bleach.

All these moss killers eg wet and forget, patio magic have it

Is it as environmentally friendly as bleach though? That's one of the reasons I like it, within an hour or so in the sunlight there is nothing toxic left.

 

[AlanY]

Is it as environmentally friendly as bleach though? That's one of the reasons I like it, within an hour or so in the sunlight there is nothing toxic left.

Where do you think it goes when the sunlight burns it away? Chlorine is not at all environmentally friendly!

 

[Phill05]

Household bleach is very toxic. When cleaning with bleach you should always be in a well-ventilated room or area. Bleach is a chemical, meaning it is not environmentally friendly. It is harmful to aquatic life when poured down the drain or toilet and can be especially harmful to pets and children.

 

[Rorschach]

Where do you think it goes when the sunlight burns it away? Chlorine is not at all environmentally friendly!

It doesn't burn away. Bleach, sodium hypochlorite in solution, breaks down into water and NaCl, otherwise known as salt. This is the reason it is safe to pour gallons of it down your toilet and drains.

https://waterandhealth.org/disinfect/myths-chlorine-bleach/

" A Risk Assessment Report (RAR) conducted by the European Union on sodium hypochlorite conducted under Regulation EEC 793/93 concluded that this substance is safe for the environment in all its current, normal uses.[26] This is due to its high reactivity and instability. The disappearance of hypochlorite is practically immediate in the natural aquatic environment, reaching in a short time concentration as low as 10−22 μg/L or less in all emission scenarios. In addition, it was found that while volatile chlorine species may be relevant in some indoor scenarios, they have a negligible impact in open environmental conditions. Further, the role of hypochlorite pollution is assumed as negligible in soils. "

 

[AlanY]

It doesn't burn away. Bleach, sodium hypochlorite in solution, breaks down into water and NaCl, otherwise known as salt. This is the reason it is safe to pour gallons of it down your toilet and drains.

https://waterandhealth.org/disinfect/myths-chlorine-bleach/

" A Risk Assessment Report (RAR) conducted by the European Union on sodium hypochlorite conducted under Regulation EEC 793/93 concluded that this substance is safe for the environment in all its current, normal uses.[26] This is due to its high reactivity and instability. The disappearance of hypochlorite is practically immediate in the natural aquatic environment, reaching in a short time concentration as low as 10−22 μg/L or less in all emission scenarios. In addition, it was found that while volatile chlorine species may be relevant in some indoor scenarios, they have a negligible impact in open environmental conditions. Further, the role of hypochlorite pollution is assumed as negligible in soils. "

I did not know that. my apologies.

Makes me feel a bit better about the shedload of the stuff I use to sanitise the swimming pool each year.

 

[Selwyn]

Is it as environmentally friendly as bleach though? That's one of the reasons I like it, within an hour or so in the sunlight there is nothing toxic left.

Better

 

[Peterm1000]

It doesn't burn away. Bleach, sodium hypochlorite in solution, breaks down into water and NaCl, otherwise known as salt. This is the reason it is safe to pour gallons of it down your toilet and drains.

https://waterandhealth.org/disinfect/myths-chlorine-bleach/

" A Risk Assessment Report (RAR) conducted by the European Union on sodium hypochlorite conducted under Regulation EEC 793/93 concluded that this substance is safe for the environment in all its current, normal uses.[26] This is due to its high reactivity and instability. The disappearance of hypochlorite is practically immediate in the natural aquatic environment, reaching in a short time concentration as low as 10−22 μg/L or less in all emission scenarios. In addition, it was found that while volatile chlorine species may be relevant in some indoor scenarios, they have a negligible impact in open environmental conditions. Further, the role of hypochlorite pollution is assumed as negligible in soils. "

I think you have to be a little careful here... That group that produced that information say the following:

" The Water Quality & Health Council is an independent, multidisciplinary group sponsored by the Chlorine Chemistry Division of the American Chemistry Council, an industry trade association. The group comprises scientific experts, health professionals, and consumer advocates who serve as advisors to the Chlorine Chemistry Division of the American Chemistry Council. Our mission is to promote science-based practices and policies to enhance water quality and health by advising industry, health professionals, policymakers, and the public. "

That's a bit like asking Philip Morris if cigarettes are addictive.

I know Wikipedia isn't the source of the truth, but it does present an alternate view:

""Sodium Hypochlorite (household bleach)[edit]
Sodium Hypochlorite (SH) is the chemical commonly known as household bleach. SH is a strong chemical used for anti-microbial purposes. Bleach is also a common ingredient in formulas to unclog drains, to wash clothing, and to clean toilets. This means that it is being poured directly into wastewater, which bioaccumulates and cannot be fully filtered out.[6] This chemical poses environmental hazards because it reacts to cause halogenated volatile organic compounds (VOCs).[6] Such emissions react with other chemicals to cause the destruction of stratospheric ozone.[6] Sodium Hypochlorite also has carcinogenic properties, which can be cancerous for living organisms. Thus, this chemical contributes greatly to the accumulation of air pollution and smog formation.[7]"

I think we can all agree that bleach will kill your plants. That shouldn't be a surprise - the algae you are trying to kill is also a form of plant life. For me, the proximity of plants means I wouldn't use any chemicals on my patio.

 

[Rorschach]

@Peterm1000 Your quote was also from a page with an agenda, a company selling non-bleach cleaning products.

Note the quote on my post, that was also from the Wiki page for bleach. Any chemical that is used to kill bacteria etc is going to have toxic properties, otherwise it wouldn't do it's job. Bleach is indeed hazardous, but no more so than most other cleaning products and the fact that it is quite literally advertised on TV to pour down your toilet/sink should tell you that it is a pretty safe product to use.

Any product designed to kill moss/algae is also going to be toxic to other plants so you need to take care. I have had no problem using it myself, I apply it only to the area I need it and I don't rinse it, there is no need, as I said it will quickly turn into salty water and will evaporate, the minute amount of salt remaining will not harm plants later on.

 

[Amateur]

In going to try Jayes Fluid.
I clean and sterilized my green house with it and it removes any moss that gets between the glass.
On the bleach front, my mum and gran used it when I was a child. It was the only thing they had.
However, I'm not going to the extent of my grandma who religiously cleaned her front step on her hands and knees with a donkey stone.......imagine cleaning a patio like that!!
At least it didn't pollute the environment....which is a stupid statement when all the cotten mills around her were pouring out all those pollutants and making it impossible to see to the next lamp in post in her street because of the smog.

 

[JAW911]

To novices like me Selwyn, what is it please or should I say how nasty is it, will it destroy the grass?

BAC is also used as a preservative in eye drops (second largest ingredient in Optrex) and has been proved to affect the cornea!! ......and you can use it to clean your patio? !!

 

[DougT]

I have used Patio Magic and Wet and Forget for years and both work fine. Couple of years ago I sealed my patio and paths with Thompsons sealer from B&Q £26 for 5 ltrs. I now use just water and brush and I can recommend it.

 

[Sheptonphil]

I used Sodium hypocrite 15% diluted three parts water to 1 part hypo to clean this wall of black algae. Power washer, even with the pointed lance was ineffective. I brushed this solution on, left for one hour and brushed off with a hose fed brush And final wash with the wide blade power wash. Cost £9 for 5l and I’ve got 4litres left. Works for patios as well, but you do need to really soak any nearby or adjacent vegetation before and after and don’t consider using near a fish pond.

 

[Cabinetman]

Wow, that’s good, i’m glad you didn’t do the top of the wall it looks better like that.

 

[Sheptonphil]

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