Rinsing Bleach Wash? - Certified SoftWash Roof Cleaning

Mark Fermoyle · Lead Tech Certified

Rinsing Bleach Wash?

AC Lockyer · Administrator

YES, rinsing the Bleach Wash Buffering Soap with COLD water actually bonds the wax to the surface and almost buffs it.

AC

Mark Fermoyle · Lead Tech Certified

SWEET!! I actually used it to even out the finish on an approx. 15 year old vinyl siding the other day, but did not rinse it off, only the windows. Customer called that evening and said it looked beautiful. Can't wait to see what it will look like next time when I rinse with the cold water.

Thanks AC

Mike Paris · Freshmen Member

What kind of price do you put on the upsell of the bleach wash?

AC Lockyer · Administrator

mikeparis wrote:
What kind of price do you put on the upsell of the bleach wash?

Depends on what your doing with it? Waxing the vinyl on a house I just throw in because I was charging such a premimum anyhow. I like to add the extras and ask for a higher price.

AC

Jeff Thompson · Junior Member

How much bleach wash should you use per gallon for rinsing a vinyl sided home....is it pretty consistent regardless of what you are rinsing...will more BW in the rinse mix help make the siding more glossy?

Danny Cronauer · SoftWash Systems Certified

AC Lockyer wrote:
mikeparis wrote:
What kind of price do you put on the upsell of the bleach wash?
Depends on what your doing with it? Waxing the vinyl on a house I just throw in because I was charging such a premimum anyhow. I like to add the extras and ask for a higher price.
AC

This is how I do it, We know longer offer "exterior cleaning" its now "exterior wash and wax"

Tim Teed · SoftWash Systems 5-Star Professional

Its hard to get more than $350 - $400 per house for siding. I dont promote bleach wash as a siding enhancement. I promote as a neautralizer on glass and metal. No one else does this. I just shoot for packages they go for $200 - $300 per hour on the job.

Ryan Freidline · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

In Va.,D.C., MD, we are charging $125-$150 per side. Usually our "hot wash & wax" is an up sell from the roof. We give a 10% multiple line discount ( if we have to ) to get the job.
Our pipeline's pretty full too....so far this season is going well, it would be better if trainees were a little farther along- both in the office, and the field. We will try for larger start up budget next year to counteract and get going earlier so when the poo hits in April, everybody can go at 100mph!

Doug G · Junior Member

Do most people just spray the roof and not rinse or what are the opinions here?

Eric Seitz · Sophmore Member

Charles Trins wrote:
Do most people just spray the roof and not rinse or what are the opinions here?

Just spray the roof.

Zach Maynard · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

Eric is correct we are treating the roof surface, would you rinse a treatment?
There are exceptions to the rule of course.

John Aloisio · SoftWash Systems 5-Star Professional

Typically no, but like Zach said there are exceptions. If there are no gutters we rinse the roof.

Doug G · Junior Member

John Aloisio wrote:
Typically no, but like Zach said there are exceptions. If there are no gutters we rinse the roof.

Can you explain this one?

I was thinking it was probably because a rain could cause plant damage or streaks on the home but would love to know your thoughts.

Shaun Harton · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

All that info is in detail in the Plant, Property Protection Module. Alot of info to try and explain on a forum. LOl. I was asking the same questions a while back, and that is where I was directed, and I am glad I watched it.

Dan Dykstra · Senior Member

The plant damage is the biggest reason for rinsing a roof when the house has no gutters, if you were to wash a roof and a few days later you got a light rain, all the chemical that is still on the roof would run down and drip from the edge onto any plants below. Without a good soaking rain this could cause some plant damage.

Vic Irish · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

Doug Trins wrote:
John Aloisio wrote:
Typically no, but like Zach said there are exceptions. If there are no gutters we rinse the roof.

Can you explain this one?
I was thinking it was probably because a rain could cause plant damage or streaks on the home but would love to know your thoughts.

Hey, Doug!

I believe you don't rinse shingle, tile, Cedar shake, Flat, Asbestos, natural slate, or stone coat metal. You do rinse metal roofs like aluminum. Thoroughly.

I haven't done any soft washing on my own, yet, and am using my research here to find out where I'm wrong ;).

I am confident any mistakes will be shared for everyone's benefit.

Michael Derose · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

Cedar shake has to be rinsed and neutralized.

Vic Irish · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

Michael Derose wrote:
Cedar shake has to be rinsed and neutralized.

Thank you, Michael! You are right. I changed my notes...

John Aloisio · SoftWash Systems 5-Star Professional

no gutters need a rinse also.

Eric Seitz · Sophmore Member

John Aloisio wrote:
no gutters need a rinse also.

Just a 1/3 of the way up.

Michael Derose · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

Eric I would rinse the whole thing if there is no gutters. That's just me.

Eric Seitz · Sophmore Member

Ok Mike. We always have gutters in PA. I have only did one house and we didn't rinse. It was in the summer and we have nice weather, we got paid and never heard from them again so I guess it went well.

John Aloisio · SoftWash Systems 5-Star Professional

With no gutters we rinse the whole roof. We cover all the bushels in the rinse line while spraying and rinsing also. Two houses we did this year, we also sprayed Plant wash on the roof all the way around 3' up. This was for anything that might drip after we leave or with morning dew. The PW is an ultimate bleach neutralizer. We had a run of houses last year down the shore with no gutters....like a dozen of them.

Vic Irish · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

Michael Derose wrote:
Eric I would rinse the whole thing if there is no gutters. That's just me.

I'm gearing up to use CH. Shouldn't hurt if it drips should it? If it discolors, add some gypsum powder...

Even if it was SH, isn't the danger to plant life most likely when you have multiple coats of mix and the percentage of dried bleach left up there is higher?

It is good to leave a complimentary bottle of PlantWash and ask the homeowner to water and treat daily till the danger is past.

They should follow the instructions on the back of the receipt, right? I need to buy that starter package, when I know I know what I'm doing.

Cleaning the roof is still an algae treatment and we remove it with every rinse.

Maybe I was confusing rinsing with Bleachwashing, but I was going by my notes, and my notes show only metal roofs, Cedar Shakes are rinsed (thank you, Michael). They may be wrong in other areas, also, and that is why I'm asking here.

My notes say to treat Stone Coat Metal the same as shingle roofs, but then they do say to BleachWash Stone Coat Metal.

Should I change my notes to read rinse everything if there are no gutters? I made a 2 sided softwash application guide in Excel that boils down a lot of information, and will be happy to share it with anyone who will help me edit it and make it 100% perfect. Then I would like to share it with everybody in this Community.

Thank everybody for your patience and your help...

John Aloisio · SoftWash Systems 5-Star Professional

Vic,

even CH at a roof mix strength can damage plants if left on them. CH will be less harmful, but will still cause damage if not rinsed off plants. I would rinse any roof without gutters regardless of the type, unless it drip off absolutely no plants or anything else it could damage or discolor.

i would not leave any homeowner with any chemicals. that is why they hired you, to do it. Just let hem know to water everything for a week or two after the cleaning and that is good enough if you id your job properly. There is also a liability issue when giving someone chemicals they are not trained to use.

Vic Irish · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

Thank you, John!

Sounds like good advice to follow, and I just added this line to my guide:

*Rinse all roofs that don't have gutters but do have plants or grass under them.

I see what you and Zach meant when you said there are exceptions...

Still easy to say I won't rinse flat roofs? <grin>

John Aloisio wrote:
Vic,
even CH at a roof mix strength can damage plants if left on them. CH will be less harmful, but will still cause damage if not rinsed off plants. I would rinse any roof without gutters regardless of the type, unless it drip off absolutely no plants or anything else it could damage or discolor.
i would not leave any homeowner with any chemicals. that is why they hired you, to do it. Just let hem know to water everything for a week or two after the cleaning and that is good enough if you id your job properly. There is also a liability issue when giving someone chemicals they are not trained to use.

Vic Irish · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

Michael Derose wrote:
Eric I would rinse the whole thing if there is no gutters. That's just me.

Do you still offer a 5 year warrantee, Michael?

AC, how does that 5 year warrantee work? Does it mean that if the GM returns within 5 years that you will do the whole roof all over, or that you just "spot" it?

I think you said to do it all, at no charge, right? Great word of mouth advertising?

What if you did the whole house, and it gets dirty from a dust storm? That would not be that unusual, here on this side of WA state. disbelief

AC Lockyer · Administrator

Vic Irish wrote:
Michael Derose wrote:
Eric I would rinse the whole thing if there is no gutters. That's just me.
Do you still offer a 5 year warrantee, Michael?
AC, how does that 5 year warrantee work? Does it mean that if the GM returns within 5 years that you will do the whole roof all over, or that you just "spot" it?
I think you said to do it all, at no charge, right? Great word of mouth advertising?
What if you did the whole house, and it gets dirty from a dust storm? That would not be that unusual, here on this side of WA state.

Vic,

It is pro rated like a tire or battery. We don't discuss the warranty openly on the BB.

AC

Brandon Vaughn · SoftWash Systems Pro Staff

Vic Irish wrote:
Michael Derose wrote:
Eric I would rinse the whole thing if there is no gutters. That's just me.
I'm gearing up to use CH. Shouldn't hurt if it drips should it? If it discolors, add some gypsum powder...

Vic, I actually have never come across a home in the NW that does not have gutters on it! You and I will nearly NEVER have to rinse.

Vic Irish · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

AC Lockyer wrote:
Vic Irish wrote:
Michael Derose wrote:
Eric I would rinse the whole thing if there is no gutters. That's just me.
Do you still offer a 5 year warrantee, Michael?
AC, how does that 5 year warrantee work? Does it mean that if the GM returns within 5 years that you will do the whole roof all over, or that you just "spot" it?
I think you said to do it all, at no charge, right? Great word of mouth advertising?
What if you did the whole house, and it gets dirty from a dust storm? That would not be that unusual, here on this side of WA state.
Ok, thank you, AC!

Vic Irish · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

Brandon Vaughn wrote:
Vic Irish wrote:
Michael Derose wrote:
Eric I would rinse the whole thing if there is no gutters. That's just me.
I'm gearing up to use CH. Shouldn't hurt if it drips should it? If it discolors, add some gypsum powder...
Vic, I actually have never come across a home in the NW that does not have gutters on it! You and I will nearly NEVER have to rinse.

You're singing my song, Brandon! Hope to see you soon up there close to the birthplace of Paul Revere and the Raiders!!

Mike Wedge · SoftWash Systems Master Certified Applicator

Hey John,

Did you mean Bleach Wash or are you really putting plant wash on the roofs?

John Aloisio · SoftWash Systems 5-Star Professional

Mike,

we actually use Plant Wash on a couple of roofs, with no gutters, and a lot of plants. we covered the bushes, sprayed the roof, rinsed everything, and while we were doing our PlantWash application to the plants, we also sprayed it on the shingles approx. three feet up the roof, all the way around the house. The concept is that any left over mix on the roof, that is rehydrated by morning dew or a little rain, will flow through the PW before it drips onto the bushes. You just need to make sure you rinse any PW overspray off the house and windows.

Doug G · Junior Member

I would think using bleach wash would be a better way to go?
That way any bleach would just be neutralized before it rolls off the roof.

Zach Maynard · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

Plant wash does not last forever once its mixed with water. Just so you know..

Michael Derose · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

Bleach wash dosent fully nuetralize bleach. You would be better with plant wash.

Mike Wedge · SoftWash Systems Master Certified Applicator

Very Interesting concept John. I may have to utilize that sometimes as we have a lot of homes without gutters and I have stopped rinsing roofs. Thanks for the tip.