Grave subject. - Certified SoftWash Roof Cleaning

Thomas Pendleton · Lead Technician

Grave subject.

AC Lockyer · Administrator

As long as you don't go too strong. 2% and use a brush. All will be fine. Rinse well and use Bleach Wash to finish off.

AC

Micheal Pumphrey · Junior Member

Eh

Ac how easy does ch burn grass?

Using sh will be tough to keep grass from burning. Even if you used a pump up sprayer to spray the stones you'd still have run off. Keeping the areas wet might not work so good in a gravesite

John Smith · Lead Tech Certified

CH doesn't burn grass, it feeds it

Tim Teed · SoftWash Systems 5-Star Professional

CH doesn't kill the grass, but it will kill the bacteria in soil, which starves the plant. It will just be brown grass at bottom of stone. Just spray well with plant wash. Just advise there may be temporary browning

Micheal Pumphrey · Junior Member

Tim Teed wrote:
CH doesn't kill the grass, but it will kill the bacteria in soil, which starves the plant. It will just be brown grass at bottom of stone. Just spray well with plant wash. Just advise there may be temporary browning

Cool that might work then. I don't use ch that's why I asked.

Thomas Pendleton · Lead Technician

Great info guys! Looks like if I do choose to use sh then I will pretreat grass areas with PW, rinse all areas well, and finish up with BW. Still getting a hang of ch. Need to get my sock ordered to help with mixing. I want to make sure I don't have a whole graveyard full of chalky grave stones. Should I put a little extra GW in the mix to help with vertical surfaces and penetration on uncultured areas?

Michael Derose · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

Honestly a light pressure wash would be ideal. We have done some head stones and there is always a water source close by.

John Aloisio · SoftWash Systems 5-Star Professional

We sprayed about a dozen last Spring, with minimal rinsing. The customer was just told up front that the grass would brown out around the base. They had no issue with it, most just said...the grass was really weeds anyway. Mike is right, most cemeteries have plenty of water sources.

Thomas Pendleton · Lead Technician

Excellent. I know a gentleman in my town that works close with the local DNR and parks department. I was educating him about soft washing and he asked me if we can do grave stones. It seems that the township is responsible for upkeep, and some of the stones are pretty nasty. They were quoted a HUGE number per stone. Not that I looking to lowball, but around $200 per stone seemed steep to me. It seemed steep to the township too. I wanted to first make sure that it is possible to clean without etching anything. Which it looks like it is ok with care. Now I need to inspect the stones and do a test with them to get the ball rolling. Thanks for all the info!

John Smith · Lead Tech Certified

I've discharged 25 gallons of 3% Ch directly into my yard, straight from the tank. The only thing it did was change the tint of green for a few days, then it changed back to the same color it was before. Maybe I had super grass ( shrug)

John Aloisio · SoftWash Systems 5-Star Professional

That grass is called Cannibus.

Thomas Pendleton · Lead Technician

Is that the kind of grass that grows around Bob Marley's grave? I think I will rinse the ground with PW regarless of CH or SH to make sure the soil is refortified. Especially in some of the "nicer" cemetaries. The ones maintained by the township tend to have more rye grasses and weeds than nicer grasses, but regardless the growth I'd hate to kill anyone's crop despite its intention. :)

Mike Wedge · SoftWash Systems Master Certified Applicator

I agree Pressure Washer between 1500-2500Psi no damages, (stay at least 6-8 inches from the surface) no worries $25-$35 each. After getting quotes of $200 they won't think twice and you will be establishing a key business relationship. You should be able to do a hundred per day@ 1stone every five minutes. Thats $2500-$3500 per day. Give a better price for quantity. Or start at $35 and for every 500 stones drop it $5 you will still make some good money and have a busy schedule. If you have a two man crew make it a competition for $$$ and have two machines and you will see huge production. Guys will work extra hard for bragging rights and $$$. Just make sure that the quality of work is not affected.

Thomas Pendleton · Lead Technician

Thanks again for the info. I can see where a pressure washer would work on some. Some of the older ones look to be pretty set in with whatever it is. Those are the ones they are most concerned about. I want to be able to let the solution dwell a bit to allow time for penetration. Achieve a deeper clean.
Maybe I will tell them whoever cleans the most stones won't have to spend the night there.

Doug G · Junior Member

Thomas Pendleton wrote:

Maybe I will tell them whoever cleans the most stones won't have to spend the night there.

That's motivation!

Vic Irish · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

John Smith said: "I've discharged 25 gallons of 3% Ch directly into my yard, straight from the tank. The only thing it did was change the tint of green for a few days, then it changed back to the same color it was before. Maybe I had super grass ( shrug)"

John Aloisio wrote:

That grass is called Cannibus.

Good one, John!

Matt Jennemann · Junior Member

I did some very old gravestone's for a personal graveyard with ch. They were limestone from the 1800's, if you hit these with any pressure they will disintegrate so make sure you know what your pointing the no no blaster at before you hit the trigger...

Thomas Pendleton · Lead Technician

Good point. That's why I like the dwell time with Green Wash and a soft rinse.

Chad Eneix · SoftWash Systems Authorized Professional

If you want to give back a little, and maybe get some publicity as a side benefit, consider donating your time and equipment for a day. I have for several years teamed with the local Fire Department Honor Guard and the VFW. They are the ones who put the flags up on the veterans grave markers at all the local cemeteries before memorial day. (Scouts take them down.)

One of my guys and I spend the day helping clean the markers with help from the FD. We use hot water pressure skids, and have never done any damage. This year I am going to use SWing as well, if for no reason to kill everything after the pressure washing and make the cleaning last longer.

Did it for years with no publicity, that wasn't the point, then a few news stories. I was thinking of offering services to the public while we were there cleaning family markers for a donation to be split between the Honor Guard and a Vets charity. I did a couple of the VFW guys houses because of this, they were small, and I did them real cheap, but it paid for my overhead.

Thomas Pendleton · Lead Technician

Excellent idea Chad. Charity work is important. I also like the idea of being able to help out while reaching more people and have the chance to educate them about our process. I get a lot of blank stares here.