[Mike Halliday]

All of it was lightly soiled, some areas were green. I decided to hypo clean it all.  when  I had finished only 3 areas out of 20-25 samples were good enough to leave, the rest I had to set up the powerwasher, although they showed a massive improvement they still were not fully clean.

Hypo does not remove dirt, it removes nothing it chemically alters the appearance. .....(ok this is slightly wrong it has a very limiting cleaning effect) but not enough to Use it as a stand alone cleaning system.

Trust me I'm a lazy bars tart if I could get away with just using hypo I would be the first to develop a softwash system for drives & patios but you need an extra part of the pie to complete the system either mechanical aggating like a scrubber or a pressure washer

[John Peacock]

Smurf & Mike BIG THANK YOU to both of you!

GREAT INFO its helped me out a lot, I like the pics you posted Mike.

I only intend to do residential work.
What i'll do is buy a second-hand power washer of fleabay to start, what do ya reckon on something like this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/petrol-pressure-washer-6-5hp-kraftstahl-made-in-Germany-/262919343560?hash=item3d3736cdc8:g:aWsAAOSwOgdYwCJt

and work this over the weekends and evenings and see how it goes...if things go well will reinvest profits into better power washer.

It seems most of what these guys that advertise their secret cleaners/or machines on YT are just leading folks up the garden path!

My only other concern is about the water supply, do you think this will be a problem with a small van, also using custards water supply (if they have an outside tap) would look unprofessional?

Mike, the 1st pic you posted did you kill all those weeds with weedkiller to start or does the turbo nozzle blast out that much weed?

Do you ever use a rotary head with hood cleaner or do you just the turbo nozzle?

Sorry for all the questions, but finally i do understand whats needed.

Thanks in advance.
Kind regards,
John.

[Mike Halliday]

If I ever do a job with weeds ( like the first photo) I always put weedkiller down a couple of days beforehand, not to make it clean easier just to stop the customer complaining 3-4 weeks after the clean about the weeds returning.

Putting weedkiller down does not make the weeds easier to remove unless you leave it a month to completely die from the route to the tips and wither down. The turbo lance does remove weeds that bad without weedkiller but they will return

I have a FSC and a turbo, I use what's every the most applicable for the job

[John Peacock]

Thanks again Mike for your reply.

Just a couple more questions if i may, PROMISE these will be the last!     

1/ My only other concern is about the water supply, do you think this will be a problem with a small van, also using custards water supply (if they have an outside tap) would look unprofessional?

2/ Mike you posted a really interesting/insightful reply at an another thread:
http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=207064.0

RE: "I disagree with Adam about how long it takes to be successful, I believe I could move to any place in England and within 4 weeks be running a successful pressure washing bussiness."

Would that success be JUST because of leaflet advertising or something else, for example...door knocking?

Any input is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
Kind regards,
John.

[Mike Halliday]

Most customer expect  you to use thier water, often they will point out where the outside tap is, I don't think it's seen as unprofessional.

My comment about 'anywhere & 4 weeks' is totally Based on leaflets and I honestly  believe it.

But there  is a big provision, which  is my comment is about me not anyone else,  most people are not willing or capable of doing what I do, this is not being big headed or saying I'm better than anyone else it's just  I have a couple of very special talents  one is called getting out of bed....but not just getting out of bed...... but getting out of bed very early .............The second is accepting putting out leaflets is a part of my day.

So I now it's summer I get up at 5:30, I'm in mc Donald's having a coffee by 5;45 and putting out leaflets by 6:15-6:30 ( in winter I start an hour later) then I start my normal work day at 8:00-8:30 depending on where it is.

I'm busy all the time but still continue this routine ( that's why I'm busy all the time)  like I said it's not for everyone it's just what I do

[Smurf]

Most customer expect  you to use thier water, often they will point out where the outside tap is, I don't think it's seen as unprofessional.

My comment about 'anywhere & 4 weeks' is totally Based on leaflets and I honestly  believe it.

But there  is a big provision, which  is my comment is about me not anyone else,  most people are not willing or capable of doing what I do, this is not being big headed or saying I'm better than anyone else it's just  I have a couple of very special talents  one is called getting out of bed....but not just getting out of bed...... but getting out of bed very early .............The second is accepting putting out leaflets is a part of my day.

So I now it's summer I get up at 5:30, I'm in mc Donald's having a coffee by 5;45 and putting out leaflets by 6:15-6:30 ( in winter I start an hour later) then I start my normal work day at 8:00-8:30 depending on where it is.

I'm busy all the time but still continue this routine ( that's why I'm busy all the time)  like I said it's not for everyone it's just what I do

So it's true then most old people don't need much sleep... Fair play to you.
The only time I get up really early is to take a wee then go back to bed as have been up half the night . lol

[Mike Halliday]

You'd be surprised how many of the worlds greatest business gurus advocate getting up early, Abraham Lincoln quoted 'the sun will never catch me in bed'

Been out this morning , just finished and now sat in a premier inn Having their all you can eat breakfast 

The rest of the day is at leisure but I have a warm fuzzy fealing inside knowing while my competitors were sleeping I was out creating business 

[Smurf]

You'd be surprised how many of the worlds greatest business gurus advocate getting up early, Abraham Lincoln quoted 'the sun will never catch me in bed'

Been out this morning , just finished and now sat in a premier inn Having their all you can eat breakfast 

The rest of the day is at leisure but I have a warm fuzzy fealing inside knowing while my competitors were sleeping I was out creating business 

I like your work methodology Mike. Still being it's silly season and all I've done bugger all this morning  except answer the phone.
Now just need to get my arse in gear to pop out to quote them. I find on quotes the easy bit is gaining work but I'm not so keen on "the work doing bit" afterwards. lol.

[nathankaye]

Going to start a biz specialising in soft washing drives/patios, and do NOT want to use power washing to remove the weeds/moss from between the blocks/paving slabs.

Will the hypo kill/remove the weeds/moss?

If not what is the easiest way to kill/remove the weeds/moss between the blocks/paving slabs?

The Hypo at my local swimming pool supply outlet sell 25L barrels & is 15% strength so mixing this 1/10 or a bit stronger (will be experimenting).

Anyway once sodium hydrochloride is mixed....

Is sodium hydrochloride biodegradable?

Also what do you guys say when the custy asks: whats the cleaning chemical and is it safe?

Thanks in advance.
Kind regards,
John.

Not sure whats been on the many threads before, just read a number on page one, but come on mate, your going to start up a business that your asking advice on here how basically to do your job?? And your going to be specialising in soft wash but dont know anything about it.  Think a change of plans might be needed