Prep work

taselton2

taselton2

Softwashing Instructor/Moderator
How much time do you spend prepping a structure to wash it? This is priority for us and our customers know it. We use duct tape, caulk, and plastic to protect doors, electrical outlets, fans, light fixtures, plants, etc... I think this is a very important step in the cleaning process.
 
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taselton2 said:
How much time do you spend prepping a stucture to wash it? This is priority for us and our customers know it. We use duct tape, caulk, and plastic to protect doors, electrical outlets, fans, light fixtures, plants, etc... I think this is a very important step in the cleaning process.
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i guess it's more or less what chems are being used.
 
Garage door/security panels and outlets are the only thing we seal off. If the homeowner has A/C window units they are given the option at the time of estimate to have them covered (charged accordingly), pull them out or sign a disclaimer. Light fixtures, plants, caulking and doors are left exposed unless doing a masonry restoration using acid.
 
taselton2 said:
How much time do you spend prepping a stucture to wash it? This is priority for us and our customers know it. We use duct tape, caulk, and plastic to protect doors, electrical outlets, fans, light fixtures, plants, etc... I think this is a very important step in the cleaning process.
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on residential only we do the extra prep just as you describe , it is also part of our justification process on our pricing
 
Cover all outlets, garage door key pads, and porch light fixtures. Takes 10 -15 minutes or so to make sure that everything is sealed off properly.

I'll ask this question. What kind of tape and plastic do you prefer to use to cover items such as outlets, keypads, and lights?

Thanks,

Mike
 
The more time you spend in prep the less you spend multi. times at the end of the service. In cleaning hoods, the prep is the most important step-it alone gives you the directions on what not to do, & what to do.
 
On condo complexes we cover all exit signs, all fire related equipment, pull stations, alarms, we cover all eleavators. Control room (fire panels)doors and vents we tape. we aoften will cover electric outlets. I use this as a selling tool, it is now in all my proposals and I try to talk to PM's and properties about it also. Have us clean the property and cover everything or have someone else PW and not cover things, they will be paying later

I know of one property that had to replace over 100 of those lighted Exit light signs. The PW contractor didnt cover any of them and they all were not working either right away or within a couple months. The SH ate the wires. Those Exit signs are garbage and if you dont cover them their toast
 
mikew said:
Cover all outlets, garage door key pads, and porch light fixtures. Takes 10 -15 minutes or so to make sure that everything is sealed off properly.

I'll ask this question. What kind of tape and plastic do you prefer to use to cover items such as outlets, keypads, and lights?

Thanks,

Mike
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We tape outlets, etc.. with ductape. We cover light fixtures when needed with publix plastic bags, plastic rolls we buy from HD 9x12 is good for doors, fans, etc..
 
Russ S said:
on residential only we do the extra prep just as you describe , it is also part of our justification process on our pricing
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Exactly, we sell a lot of work because we take a few extra minutes looking out for our customers. Trip a GFI and their trophy fish, or $300 in meat goes bad in the garage freezer. Wife wakes up in the morning and can't blow dry her hair in front of the mirror, not good. It is the little things that set businesses apart.
 
taselton2 said:
We tape outlets, etc.. with ductape. We cover light fixtures when needed with publix plastic bags, plastic rolls we buy from HD 9x12 is good for doors, fans, etc..
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Same here. I usually use masking tape and walmart plastic bags.

Mike
 
mikew said:
Same here. I usually use masking tape and walmart plastic bags.

Mike
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I love those rolls of walmart white trash. Good price

As for taping I usually use the blue painters tape. Its more expensive but is so much easier to handle and remove. I buy it by the box. I'll send 1 or two guys to cover everything on several buildings and when their done they wash, then it removes real easy at the end of the day, it saves a lot of time, which is$$$
 
We use the "ducktape" brand of ductape because it doesn't leave any residue and its water tight. Stucco & brick homes are the most challenging as far as outlet taping goes. We run a bead or silicone across the top and sides usually, then tape from bottom up. I will take some pictures next week of some of our taping practices.
 
We do not tape outlets, nor do we "seal " doors either :rolleyes:
We clean houses starting at 39.95
We "MAKE our money" by shooting chemicals into outlets and under doors.
THEN, we refer our Electrician friends and carpet guys, and get a kickback :rolleyes:
That IS, if the house don't catch on fire first.

JUST KIDING :)
 
Chris Francis said:
Thank you for starting this thread I am new to PW never though about covering outlets out side the house I asumed that they were sealed off from weather. Ok let me ask this around the doors do you seal them off and how.
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We only tape door jams/seals if there is an obvious gap. We generally ask the customer if they had any areas of concern, as far as leaking doors or windows. We taped plastic over an exterior sink with wooden cabinets today and my camera was in the other truck. We also wrapped 2 Hunter exterior fans in same screenroom. The last person she had wash in there trashed her fans so she didn't even want us in there at all. She was impressed at the effort we put forth to keep her things safe and dry.

Exterior plugs should be fairly water resistant, but they seldom hold up to cleaning. Most don't realize they have tripped them, how would you know if you did? We use those plugs, so we know if it has been tripped. We always notify our customers if we can't get them to reset before we leave.
 
Thank you for informative information, what do you guys do about garage doors and wall mounted lights how do you cover them so water does not get behind them Do you tape and bag them. I know this going to sound like moms boy but my mother wants to get her house painted this winter I said that I will wash it before they paint but she has lights on both sides of the garage door that are mounted to wall donnot want to kill them.
 
Most lights are ok to wet, covering is optional and depends on the lights themselves. We use a very mild mix for house washing and don't run into to many problems. The only garage doors to worry about are the solid wood ones with a nice finish on, these are rare.
 
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