Residential driveway chemials?

want2skydive

want2skydive

New member
Well the door hangers are out and I'm getting a good response I've already got quite a few driveways in the three neighborhoods that I targeted. This will be my first time out. What is the best chemical cleaner and dwell time to use? What psi and temp should I use with the chemicals?

The machine is a Hydrotek 3500 psi at 4.6 GPM and heats to 250 degrees and a flat surface cleaner.

I'm trying to make this as painless and successful as possible.

Thanks in advance,
Jason yahner
(can't change my avatar ...says I don't have permission)
 
Welcome Jason. Glad to hear it's starting well. You will likely get many answers to your questions. What you want to be sure of is what is the dirt, and what substrate are you washing it off of. The answer to these questions will help determine the "best" cleaner to use. For example if it's red clay your washing off of concrete, then you would need some kind of an acid product to be most effective. if it was Motor oil off of concrete, then an alkaline with a sodium-hydroxide base may be a better choice. Understaning what products work for which situations will get you the best results. Feel free to contact me for assistance with this kind of question. I hope you'll check out what we can offer you, and I wish you the best of success with your pressure washing services.
Sincerely,
 
want2skydive said:
Well the door hangers are out and I'm getting a good response I've already got quite a few driveways in the three neighborhoods that I targeted. This will be my first time out. What is the best chemical cleaner and dwell time to use? What psi and temp should I use with the chemicals?

The machine is a Hydrotek 3500 psi at 4.6 GPM and heats to 250 degrees and a flat surface cleaner.

I'm trying to make this as painless and successful as possible.

Thanks in advance,
Jason yahner
(can't change my avatar ...says I don't have permission)[/QUOTE]

Try it again. I noticed there was no URL for your logo. Be sure to enter it and it should load.
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offdutyfireman said:
Nothing for nothing, but would it not have been wiser to find out how to clean driveways before you booked them
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This is true but I can read all the posts till I go blind(sometimes I think I might have). People are ALWAYS going to have different ideas on the best way to do a particular type of job. And only putting the wand to the pavement with your customers best interest in mind (not destroying their property and giving them a quality product) will show a person the best for them to do a job. I have done several driveways, not professionally, using cold water with decent results. If someone here is kind enough to show me a way to speed up the process and provide my clients a better product I am extremely grateful.
 
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I will spot clean the oil stains with a little degrease when necessary. I there are irrigation stains or rust I will use and acid product. Then like Gerald said, surface clean with hot water and the surface cleaner. Then I will detail edges, stained areas and corners with the wand.
 
Paul Kassander said:
If you need an acid product for general concrete cleaning or rust removal I would recommend an oxalic blend.
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Thanks Paul, I use caustic on commercial and have good results, Ive never used oxalic acid but read tons about it.
 
I did a driveway the other day and used cold water on a section then heat on another and the one with heat went so much faster, might just stick with heat
 
You guys are not using a house wash when cleaning cement walkways and patios for residential?(aside from heat and your surface cleaner)Also do some of you hit the cement with straight SH when your finished with the job, and just let it dry?Or are some of you using oxalic to brighten the cement and leaving that to dry? Not sure if it's worth using the chemicals at the end to finish off the cement for a better result. What say you ?
 
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