I would first like to say this is a great site. I have picked up great info. I started p.w.ing twords the end of last season. One piece of equipment that I was told I couldnt live without was the X-jet. This tool has not impressed me that much. I have done about five houses with it and have not got the results that I have read about. yes, I have the right size for my unit, I mix 1.6 gals of clorox with dish soap, tide, and jet dry in a 5 gal bucket. It applies chem well up to 20' and i cant expect more for application. I let chem dwell for 3-5, but when I try to rince at 20' I just don't get the result that I am happy with. At 20' normal dirt and dust will get removed, but mildew or heavy stuff just remains. Is this normal. Most of my houses I have had to app. with the x and rince with a tip. What am I doing Wrong, or is this norm?
X-jet hype
- Thread starter dlevey
- Start date
the_GUNN_man
New member
I do not wash with my x-jet. Some say they do but I only use mine for applying the chemical. I use an extension wand to get up high. I also use a different house wash mix. I too first started using that formula but soon stopped because I didn't get the results I wanted. If you say that the mold still stays then you are using weak bleach. I use chlorine for pools. Bleach is around 6% and chlorine for a pool is around 12%. When I put it on mold it just melts away. I also use other chems that will not strip the surface so harshly. You have to be careful with the dish soap formula. When I was using it I had complaints of the house being chaulky when I was done. I then switched and haven't had any complaints since. I am considering going back to dwonstreaming. A couple people have convinced me of a better way to do things.
Bleach is Losing Strength...
When you add a surfactant to bleach, such as a household
cleaner like tide, joy, etc.. it actually weakens the bleach
the longer the 2 are mixed together the weaker the bleach gets,
there are surfactants that dont deplete the bleach/chlorine, but are pricey
but there is no comparison in results...
When you add a surfactant to bleach, such as a household
cleaner like tide, joy, etc.. it actually weakens the bleach
the longer the 2 are mixed together the weaker the bleach gets,
there are surfactants that dont deplete the bleach/chlorine, but are pricey
but there is no comparison in results...
I have had 1 house "chaulk" up on me and I thought it might just be bad paint. The siding was not the best but what concerned me was a exterior door that chalked up real bad. thats when I cut my clorox down from 2 gal to 1 gal. One other thing is that I ran out of dish soap and I stole my wifes from the sink and is was Ajax brand. Ajax has ammonia in it. Go figure..
Douglas Hicks
Member
Doesn't bleach and ammonia make mustard gas?
Douglas Hicks
General Fire Equipment Co of Eastern Oregon, Inc
Douglas Hicks
General Fire Equipment Co of Eastern Oregon, Inc
Beth & Rod
SR Wood Geek / Moderator
Dlevey,
Are you washing with cold or hot water? If you're using cold, it's part of your problem. Hot water works better onhouse washing. Also, I agree about the bleach, and be careful of how much you add, it can cause "chalking" to occur if not thoroughly rinsed.
Beth
Are you washing with cold or hot water? If you're using cold, it's part of your problem. Hot water works better onhouse washing. Also, I agree about the bleach, and be careful of how much you add, it can cause "chalking" to occur if not thoroughly rinsed.
Beth
ParadiseProWash
Member
Beth no offense but I disagree with using hot water on a house. I use cold water and with good chemicals I never have a problem. The problem with the hot water on a house is usually the grass. In the summer it is hot and the hot water going through the hose will kill or scorch the grass and I dont think my customers would like their grass killed. Also when its 100 degrees outside washing a house with cold water when you get hot you just aim the water so it will jet back at ya lol Feels good for a minute. I know the argument that hot water cleans better than cold but like with wood care its all in the chemical the water is their just to rinse. You are just rinsing with high pressure the chemical does all the work.
Hot Or Cold ?
I would definitely disagree with you on the hot cold theory,
when you wash clothes, dishes, hands etc.. using the exact same
chemicals, there is no question things in general get cleaner
better, faster, etc.. with hot water, I have done this test on my
van, same chems, cold wash, then, week later, hot wash
and same vehicle cleaned much better, much faster with heat ?
Just my opinion, the eyes dont lie..?
I would definitely disagree with you on the hot cold theory,
when you wash clothes, dishes, hands etc.. using the exact same
chemicals, there is no question things in general get cleaner
better, faster, etc.. with hot water, I have done this test on my
van, same chems, cold wash, then, week later, hot wash
and same vehicle cleaned much better, much faster with heat ?
Just my opinion, the eyes dont lie..?
ParadiseProWash
Member
Rob I think you missed the point that I was trying to make which is I know hot water cleans better than cold I cannot argue that fact however the point I was trying to make was that the hot water will do damage to the grass which is a down fall for using it. It you use good chemicals you can achieve the same or close to results with cold and not do damage.
Steven Rowlett
Member
DLC, Drive up one day and I will show you how to obtain the proper results. Tide is for washing clothes and dishsoap is for dishes. That is why you are not seeing the results you want.
anyone out there a chemist.
bleach-has a ph of 12.5 When water is added the ph changes and you get FREE CHLORINE[hypoclorus acid] and HCL[MURATIC ACID][Some womder why bleach will take stains of cement-it's because you are useing a weak muratic acid]. The free chlorine is what takes the color out of mold. When you add 1 oz of bleach to tap water the PH drops to 10.25,1 cup to 1 gal of water it drops to 11.30 at these levels of PH there is very little hyp. acid. [free chlorine] and makes it diffacult to work. To get the most free chlorine you need a PH of 9 or less.
With homemade brews and diffent PH of tap water. Diffrent people get diffent levels of succsess.
I guess most people know that a 6% sh household bleach contains about 12% LYE. That the LYE is what kills the plants not the chlorine. Lye can make any painted surface chaulky. LYE is some nasty stuff. Lye is used to stablise the bleach.
Bleach will lose 50% of it's strangth in 60 days of sitting in a box in a wharehouse, it will be much quicker on a shelf near sunlight.
CL2 + H20 = HOCL[free chlorine] and HCI[muratic acid]
I am currently looking at a system that has cartridges that apply just free chlorine and NO LYE.
This would have all the power to kill mold and no lye, so there wont be any plant damage.
So now that i know that water and bleach make a weak muratic acid i will wet down the cement the use a shur-flow to apply bleach. This should help clean,kill mold,and return to salt water.
I will wait for someone to come and kick me in the head on this bleach thing. I know it's comeing.
bleach-has a ph of 12.5 When water is added the ph changes and you get FREE CHLORINE[hypoclorus acid] and HCL[MURATIC ACID][Some womder why bleach will take stains of cement-it's because you are useing a weak muratic acid]. The free chlorine is what takes the color out of mold. When you add 1 oz of bleach to tap water the PH drops to 10.25,1 cup to 1 gal of water it drops to 11.30 at these levels of PH there is very little hyp. acid. [free chlorine] and makes it diffacult to work. To get the most free chlorine you need a PH of 9 or less.
With homemade brews and diffent PH of tap water. Diffrent people get diffent levels of succsess.
I guess most people know that a 6% sh household bleach contains about 12% LYE. That the LYE is what kills the plants not the chlorine. Lye can make any painted surface chaulky. LYE is some nasty stuff. Lye is used to stablise the bleach.
Bleach will lose 50% of it's strangth in 60 days of sitting in a box in a wharehouse, it will be much quicker on a shelf near sunlight.
CL2 + H20 = HOCL[free chlorine] and HCI[muratic acid]
I am currently looking at a system that has cartridges that apply just free chlorine and NO LYE.
This would have all the power to kill mold and no lye, so there wont be any plant damage.
So now that i know that water and bleach make a weak muratic acid i will wet down the cement the use a shur-flow to apply bleach. This should help clean,kill mold,and return to salt water.
I will wait for someone to come and kick me in the head on this bleach thing. I know it's comeing.
Beth & Rod
SR Wood Geek / Moderator
Morgan,
It depends on the temp of the water. Our machine goes up to 250 degrees, and is variable. We can use it as cold, warm, hot or steam. If you are spraying warm water, depending on the distance from your surface and the air temp, it will have cooled before hitting the surface.
I don't think you are going to kill any plants, at least not out here, most times of the year. By the time you hit the surface, and between the air, the surface, and how much it has dispersed, it will have cooled dramatically. Maybe it would be a problem for units that produce either hot (210) or cold, (a.k.a. Betty 210's).
In the summer, let's say 90 degree temps., you don't need to be hotter than say 130 degrees.
Of course, you could also mix the soap with hot water, then inject it down stream, up onto the house with a mixture of cold and lower your water temp that way... then a cold rinse, right? There is also the thought of a cold water rinse to plants prior to washing the house.
You can use this same principle without soap, to lower your water temp if your machine is not variable. Down stream inject hot water to mix with cold, to get a warm only water.
Sure hope this is helpful.
Also the product you use does make a difference. I can talk to folks in another forum about that as well, such as chems., or you can email or call me. (There's a new product coming to town...)
Beth & Rod
It depends on the temp of the water. Our machine goes up to 250 degrees, and is variable. We can use it as cold, warm, hot or steam. If you are spraying warm water, depending on the distance from your surface and the air temp, it will have cooled before hitting the surface.
I don't think you are going to kill any plants, at least not out here, most times of the year. By the time you hit the surface, and between the air, the surface, and how much it has dispersed, it will have cooled dramatically. Maybe it would be a problem for units that produce either hot (210) or cold, (a.k.a. Betty 210's).
In the summer, let's say 90 degree temps., you don't need to be hotter than say 130 degrees.
Of course, you could also mix the soap with hot water, then inject it down stream, up onto the house with a mixture of cold and lower your water temp that way... then a cold rinse, right? There is also the thought of a cold water rinse to plants prior to washing the house.
You can use this same principle without soap, to lower your water temp if your machine is not variable. Down stream inject hot water to mix with cold, to get a warm only water.
Sure hope this is helpful.
Also the product you use does make a difference. I can talk to folks in another forum about that as well, such as chems., or you can email or call me. (There's a new product coming to town...)
Beth & Rod
ParadiseProWash
Member
Well I guess it all boils down to use what works best for you. I wasnt trying to come down on anyone I was just trying to make a point. I wouldnt want a newbie on the board reading it and thinking he needs to use hot water doing house washes. I will stick with cold water and really good chemcials works great for me. Yes its true using cold water uses more chemical however using hot water uses fuel so I guess it all comes out about the same even if it doesnt I will still stick with cold water. I already sweat enough in the summer that Im not going to add into the mix hot water when its not needed.
Thanks for all the input. I think I will concentrate on my chemical. I thought that what I was using was sufficient and cost effective. I am starting to see now why the prices on houswashes are so high. My problem is trying to find people who want to pay to get their house wahed the right way. I could'nt get any customers with the prices I was quoting so I lowered them until I got a positive responce. I am not making alot, but yet by costomers have increased. I dont have alot of overhead due to the fact that I have started small, but how do I get business without tainting pressure washing and low-balling jobs. I also hold into account the region ond economic factors, but I also realize that the full-time professionals like your self are getting the shaft do to people like me charging low prices just to get business. Keep in mind I dont do shabby work, and I take pride in everything I do but it is hard to convince a hame owner to pay $130 to get their 1800 sq ft house cleaned in my area.
Seems very low
maybe it is just me, but i WOULDNT touch a house, for less
than .10 cents a sq ft full time or part time, put a value
on your service, it cost's $75.00 for a plumber just to knock
on my door, if he does work, that is more, in this biz you must make at least $100 an hour minimum, and that is low,
shoot for 125.00 to $150.00 now you are making a decent wage
and the homeowner is getting a good deal...
Just My Opinion
maybe it is just me, but i WOULDNT touch a house, for less
than .10 cents a sq ft full time or part time, put a value
on your service, it cost's $75.00 for a plumber just to knock
on my door, if he does work, that is more, in this biz you must make at least $100 an hour minimum, and that is low,
shoot for 125.00 to $150.00 now you are making a decent wage
and the homeowner is getting a good deal...
Just My Opinion
Rob
Yes, I do aree, I would like to make that profit that you make. I just get a drop dead look when give the a competative price. I may just be concentrating in the wrong areas. Low-balling is just a loose loose situation for every one. Cant make a good profit, and if you try to make a profit, youi cant get anyone to pay the price.
Steve,
If you are aut there how far are you from the Ga/Tn line on I-75
Yes, I do aree, I would like to make that profit that you make. I just get a drop dead look when give the a competative price. I may just be concentrating in the wrong areas. Low-balling is just a loose loose situation for every one. Cant make a good profit, and if you try to make a profit, youi cant get anyone to pay the price.
Steve,
If you are aut there how far are you from the Ga/Tn line on I-75
Last edited:
Joel Hawley
New member
DCL, I f you are talking about Steve Rowlett he is about 475 miles from Valdosta, if that helps you any
dlevey
fitz said to CHARGE $100 per hour.
That sounds good but truth be told i would guess less then 10% of all one man crews bill out $4000 in a 40 hr week.[FOR HOMEOWNER WORK]
Also dont confuse billing with profit.
A one story house 75x75 with dirty gutters[outside only],vynial siding,25 ft of cement walk and a 8x10 cement porch with 3 steps.
How long will it take you to wash this from the time you stop your truck till the time you pull away?
What do you want to charge? What do you have to charge to get the job?
Park in the street and 50 ft to the water spigot/front door.
This means pre-wetting the grass,washing the house,washing the flatwork,doing the gutters,and rinse the house and second rinse of plants/grass.[use your house wash chem for the flat work].
Just the truth, no BS.
fitz said to CHARGE $100 per hour.
That sounds good but truth be told i would guess less then 10% of all one man crews bill out $4000 in a 40 hr week.[FOR HOMEOWNER WORK]
Also dont confuse billing with profit.
A one story house 75x75 with dirty gutters[outside only],vynial siding,25 ft of cement walk and a 8x10 cement porch with 3 steps.
How long will it take you to wash this from the time you stop your truck till the time you pull away?
What do you want to charge? What do you have to charge to get the job?
Park in the street and 50 ft to the water spigot/front door.
This means pre-wetting the grass,washing the house,washing the flatwork,doing the gutters,and rinse the house and second rinse of plants/grass.[use your house wash chem for the flat work].
Just the truth, no BS.
Cant work 40 hours..
Hey Ron,
Unless you want to work 70 hours a week you cant wash
40 hours a week, if you are a 1 man show, at most say
$100 X 6 hrs a day washing = 600 a day washing 4 hours a day
driving, bidding, paper work, phones X 6 days a week=36 hours
washing =3600.00 a week You should be able to wash just the
house no gutters thats extra 1-2 dollars a foot, no concrete thats
extra, water down shrubs grass 10-15 minutes wash
2500 sq ft home 45 minutes thats about 1.5 hours at $250.00
you can wash 3 a day X 250 = 750.00 and in most cases you can
get an extra $100 in add ons for another 45 min work,
myself I work 7 days a week 10-12 hours a day, but thats just me..?
Hope this Helps
Hey Ron,
Unless you want to work 70 hours a week you cant wash
40 hours a week, if you are a 1 man show, at most say
$100 X 6 hrs a day washing = 600 a day washing 4 hours a day
driving, bidding, paper work, phones X 6 days a week=36 hours
washing =3600.00 a week You should be able to wash just the
house no gutters thats extra 1-2 dollars a foot, no concrete thats
extra, water down shrubs grass 10-15 minutes wash
2500 sq ft home 45 minutes thats about 1.5 hours at $250.00
you can wash 3 a day X 250 = 750.00 and in most cases you can
get an extra $100 in add ons for another 45 min work,
myself I work 7 days a week 10-12 hours a day, but thats just me..?
Hope this Helps