ipe wood - Certified SoftWash Roof Cleaning

Jason Rapisarda · Freshmen Member

ipe wood

AC Lockyer · Administrator

Jason Rapisarda wrote:
Have a gob coming up with a huge ipe wood decks. What are you guys using to clean them?

Jason,

IPE wood is great for softwashing. It is a very hard and resilient wood. I start with a 1% bleach softwashing mix with Green Wash. If I have a really heavily stained deck I will go up two a 2% solution of bleach. DO NOT EXCEED 2%. Remember sometimes you need to just scrub it. I would use a med bristle brush and scrub in the same direction as the wood grain. DO NOT SCRUB ACROSS THE GRAIN. Scrubbing across the grain can leave undesirable marks and scratches.

Rinse with plain water and final rinse with SoftWash Systems Bleach Wash to HALT the bleaching reaction and buffer the wood against the caustic effects of the residual bleach. Then rinse with clear,cool water for the wax in the Bleach Wash to adhere.

***Of special not is the fact that anywhere there has been heavy foot traffic an / or UV sun damage the wood may clean up to be lighter than the wood that has been protected and the stain / seal has not been compromised.

Thanks,

AC

Jeff Thompson · Junior Member

The only concern I would have with AC's response is using the Bleach Wash. It's my understanding that IPE is so dense owners are lucky to get a year out of the stain before it starts to come off. The stain cannot penetrate deep enough into the wood to begin with. Having said that, I would be concerned the wax in the Bleach Wash would keep the stain from penetrating at all......

Jeff Thompson · Junior Member

I re-read the original post. My statement was assuming the decks were going to be stained afterwards. It doesn't mention staining. If not staining then AC's response was right on the money. If you are going to stain afterwards I would be concerned with having a wax barrier between the stain and the wood.

Michael Derose · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

Actually the best way to wash this type of wood is to use Sodium Hydroxide and just around 3-500 psi. Then come thru and use Oxalic Acid. It will look beautiful when done and it is very easy to do.

This advice is from a contractor that has been cleaning wood for thirty years. Everett Abrams.

-- Edited by Michael Derose on Monday 7th of July 2014 04:07:59 PM

Lee Kendall · Junior Member

also ipe will needed to be re oiled after the cleaning. Don't forget to upsell that!! like mentioned above, it needs to be re oiled about every year

Danny Cronauer · SoftWash Systems Certified

I cleaned an ipe deck earlier this year, it was big and neglected( it had lichen growing on it) Everyone gave great advice, you must use a brightener after your done, I don't know if Bleach Wash constitutes as a brightener, thats where I would ask AC.

Tim Teed · SoftWash Systems 5-Star Professional

Make sure you advise the homeowner that if the deck was stained with one of the oil stains it will most likely remove the stain, not just the dirt and grime. We are doing a mahogony or IPE today that was painted. I did test and it will clean nicely with SH. I may go back and strip the old paint and use an Armstong oil.

Jeff Thompson · Junior Member

Bleach Wash isn't the same as a brightener. Oxalic Acid or Citralic Acid are actually used to restore the PH in wood after using Strippers that contain sodium hydroxide. When stripping decks the wood will actually turn black in some instances....the acids restore the PH and that is actually the "brightening" you see taking place.

Oxalic is more hazardous to the body than Citralic. But Oxalic will clean the rust off nail or screw heads as well as brighten where Citrlic will only brighten.