[Timmy Boy]

Hi all

I know its not a large area but going to be cleaning the brickwork above the signage and was initially thinking of brick acid, brush and rinse but I am concerned about the powder coated sign below. As long as I rinse well, am I opening up a can of worms or does anyone have any suggestions on an alternative product / method.

Many thanks

Tim

[Smudger]

possibly  really depends on how careful you are but you dont need brick acid for that  steam cleaning will do it 100% enviromentally safe - i'd worry more about passers by if using acid


this was done using steam...

[chris scott]

Pressure wash it...no need for steam or Acid.

[Kev Martin]

What’s wrong with you all just use Spray and Walk Away

[Smudger]

whats right with it 

seriously that would be better than just pressure washing it with cold as you will at least kill the algae spores

Darran

[Splash & dash]

Doff will kill all the spores and won’t damage the surface pressure washer if not careful will damage the surface of brick and won’t kill off the lichen and mould spores

[Smudger]

But Chris knows best 👍

[Timmy Boy]

Many thanks for the responses. Normally cleanitup sends me notifications when someone has replied but didn’t on this occasion so apologies. I don’t have a bowser and didn’t have access to water as it was done at 06:00 in the morning. My van is in Cornwall being refitted out so will have my tank back soon. Really want to look into softwashing - can anyone recommend a good supplier /training course?

[Splash & dash]

Many thanks for the responses. Normally cleanitup sends me notifications when someone has replied but didn’t on this occasion so apologies. I don’t have a bowser and didn’t have access to water as it was done at 06:00 in the morning. My van is in Cornwall being refitted out so will have my tank back soon. Really want to look into softwashing - can anyone recommend a good supplier /training course?

Darran smith at purple rhino is your man very good course and helpful without a hard sell

[Timmy Boy]

many thanks

[chris scott]

Look its bad architecture that is causing the problem....bleaching or Doffing it will not "solve" the problem. The front of the building needs ripping out and rebuilding. It's not rocket science.

[Splash & dash]

Look its bad architecture that is causing the problem....bleaching or Doffing it will not "solve" the problem. The front of the building needs ripping out and rebuilding. It's not rocket science.

I wouldn’t say it’s bad architecture but very poor building looking at that brick work I think I could do better , but the op is asking about cleaning it doff will clean it up well as will softwashing ,pressurewashing will likely damage the face of the brick or worse still remove the very poor pointing , personally think it’s a hideous looking building but if they want it cleaning Ime sure we would all be intrested in doing that if the price is right

[Timmy Boy]

if I went round telling my construction customers that I can’t clean it because they have done a bad job, I wouldn’t be in business very long  .

[chris scott]

I did not say it was badly built ...I said it was bad architecture, there is a difference.  There is absolutely no need to steam that building....a pressure washer will work fine. The Doff is overrated and often sold to those that know no different. 

[Splash & dash]

I did not say it was badly built ...I said it was bad architecture, there is a difference.  There is absolutely no need to steam that building....a pressure washer will work fine. The Doff is overrated and often sold to those that know no different.

If that’s so why do English heritage , and the national trust say that that it’s the only acceptable way to clean older buildings ? It’s there policy that a doff is used and they name it as doff ,cleaning is the only acceptable way to clean there buildings The reason is that the doff will kill bacteria ,algy,lichen  etc without damaging the substrate, a preasure washer cannot do that and will cause damage . Different jobs require different equipment to clean the surface pressurewashing has its place but it’s not suitable for everything

[chris scott]

That's a complete misconception. Brian Crowe in the late 80's did a very good job of "educating " conservation groups on this new superheated way of cleaning things. It is still specified today...he did a good job. He also created himself a very niche market. Today it the "doff" is bought by the uneducated to clean drives, walls etc. It's most prevalent recent use is the cleaning of render....although K rend state a maximum of 60 centigrade only. Again sales are based on a niche market.

Saying the Doff sterilises the surface is true... albeit shortlived. These microorganisms are air bourne and will grow and multiply given the right conditions. The doff does nothing to address the environment in which they grow, so they will come back.

"Adjust" the environment and the use of a biodegradable biocide will give better long-term results. Whilst not biodegradable bleach would work ,but the mechanism by which it works is not ideal when metal window frames and the likes are present.
The Yanks like to shout about it's use but a) it aint biodegradable and b) it; highly corrosive
I have two DOFF machines and I was "trained " at Stonehealth  15 years ago

[Splash & dash]

That's a complete misconception. Brian Crowe in the late 80's did a very good job of "educating " conservation groups on this new superheated way of cleaning things. It is still specified today...he did a good job. He also created himself a very niche market. Today it the "doff" is bought by the uneducated to clean drives, walls etc. It's most prevalent recent use is the cleaning of render....although K rend state a maximum of 60 centigrade only. Again sales are based on a niche market.

Saying the Doff sterilises the surface is true... albeit shortlived. These microorganisms are air bourne and will grow and multiply given the right conditions. The doff does nothing to address the environment in which they grow, so they will come back.

"Adjust" the environment and the use of a biodegradable biocide will give better long-term results. Whilst not biodegradable bleach would work ,but the mechanism by which it works is not ideal when metal window frames and the likes are present.
The Yanks like to shout about it's use but a) it aint biodegradable and b) it; highly corrosive
I have two DOFF machines and I was "trained " at Stonehealth  15 years ago

I do agree about the spores returning and yes bio products will slow that return down , but hypo will sterilise the building but again it will still return , as a side point I was talking to a customer of mine who is a chemist for glaxo smith  cline he said that hypo or bleach is totally biodegradable in 21 days and will return to salt by that time, he went into great detail about the chemical reactions that went straight over my head , but he said that it’s a very environmentally friendly product when used properly as it’s made from salt water with electricity passed through the salt water turning it into bleach ,bleach naturally occurs in lakes in a number of places in the world there are several of theses bleach lakes in America  he evan showed me pictures of them , again yes it can be corrosive but if used correctly it isn’t a problem , softwashing is coming to this country from America very quickly weather that’s good or bad I don’t know but there is a place for it , but again you need to know what you are doing there is a lot of false and misleading information out there about this way of cleaning we have been doing it for around 10 years and not had a single problem, I think all of us in the cleaning industry do need to be prepared to accept theses new ways of doing things other wise we would still be using a bucket and chamois leather

[chris scott]

Bleach is not Biodegradable .
Not  "can be"  corrosive...it is . It has a Ph of 12.
The Americans have been over he trying to convert us....they have gone back to their church now.
There is video evidence of them destroying everything they touched.
Their "bleach machines"  are illegal and impractical to use in the UK

[Splash & dash]

Bleach is not Biodegradable .
Not  "can be"  corrosive...it is . It has a Ph of 12.
The Americans have been over he trying to convert us....they have gone back to their church now.
There is video evidence of them destroying everything they touched.
Their "bleach machines"  are illegal and impractical to use in the UK

So you are a qualified chemist are you ? There is nothing illegal about softwashing , I always looked up to you as someone who was an authority on cleaning but it’s now quite clear that you don’t know as much as you think you know ,go away and do some research on the subject before making sweeping and inaccurate statements 

[chris scott]

Which bit don't you like and I will explain it to you?
I never said Softwashing was illegal. What I did imply is that it's illegal to mix your own chemicals as you cannot produce MSDS for your "new" chemicals. Most imported additives have no European data sheets which compound the problem.
Bleach contains no Carbon. Salt is inorganic ...it cannot biodegrade.