[zesty]

The simplest way would be to grab a watering can, add sodium hypo and water (maybe start with 1-4 mix) and pour on the sandstone.

Leave for a fair few mins.

Rinse off with a hose.

If that doesn’t shift it all, add more sodium hypo to the mix and try again.

That is literally how simple softwashing can be 👍🏼

It wont do as good as job as pressure washing then applying hypo though.

Painfull
https://youtu.be/rfytcEJZ-K4

Agree - waste of chemical - get on and turbo the bl**dy areas then treat with chemical - job done in 1/4 of the time he spent on that - ah well we see it differently I suppose

Darran

I love how it was a video on how to do it,   I honestly don't know why he decided to post it.  A lot of faff and waste of time.
Nope I agree, it could have been done in no time at all, that small area. I'm one for the turbo, (love the thing) /fsc first and remove as much ofthe surface dirt as possible so the Hypo can do its job on what's left, then a final rinse.

Posted vid i saw, to counter act the comment of just using a watering can to sprinkle on and it's that simple.  Yep, watch all the chemical just rinse of as there's no suffactant either..... 😂

Nathan, what are you going on about?

Softwashing doesn’t need to be done with a machine, though I was one of the first to buy a roller pump softwash system from Ben at Rutland pumps (before he sold them to the public)

I use my softwash system for most jobs, the point was, the OP doesn’t need a machine necessarily. It can be done very easily with a watering can. You don’t need surfactant, it’s not essential.

I’d have thought you of all people Nathan, would know all about the simple ways of doing things, after all, your flyers, van, backpack gubbins and everything else is usually simple and basic 😎

A standard hard patio etc, then pressure wash every time - for some reason I had it in my head the OP was on about Indian sandstone - his title. 🙄

So on the basis of sandstone, softwash is the way to go if it’s too soft to pressure wash. That is all.

[nathankaye]

The simplest way would be to grab a watering can, add sodium hypo and water (maybe start with 1-4 mix) and pour on the sandstone.

Leave for a fair few mins.

Rinse off with a hose.

If that doesn’t shift it all, add more sodium hypo to the mix and try again.

That is literally how simple softwashing can be 👍🏼

It wont do as good as job as pressure washing then applying hypo though.

Painfull
https://youtu.be/rfytcEJZ-K4

Agree - waste of chemical - get on and turbo the bl**dy areas then treat with chemical - job done in 1/4 of the time he spent on that - ah well we see it differently I suppose

Darran

I love how it was a video on how to do it,   I honestly don't know why he decided to post it.  A lot of faff and waste of time.
Nope I agree, it could have been done in no time at all, that small area. I'm one for the turbo, (love the thing) /fsc first and remove as much ofthe surface dirt as possible so the Hypo can do its job on what's left, then a final rinse.

Posted vid i saw, to counter act the comment of just using a watering can to sprinkle on and it's that simple.  Yep, watch all the chemical just rinse of as there's no suffactant either..... 😂

Nathan, what are you going on about?

Softwashing doesn’t need to be done with a machine, though I was one of the first to buy a roller pump softwash system from Ben at Rutland pumps (before he sold them to the public)

I use my softwash system for most jobs, the point was, the OP doesn’t need a machine necessarily. It can be done very easily with a watering can. You don’t need surfactant, it’s not essential.

I’d have thought you of all people Nathan, would know all about the simple ways of doing things, after all, your flyers, van, backpack gubbins and everything else is usually simple and basic 😎

A standard hard patio etc, then pressure wash every time - for some reason I had it in my head the OP was on about Indian sandstone - his title. 🙄

So on the basis of sandstone, softwash is the way to go if it’s too soft to pressure wash. That is all.

Zesty,  a bit lemon zesty with this post aren't we mate, a bit sour.
My comments on machinery is a reply to Darren's post.
Just pouring bleach on its own on the slabs without any agitating as suggested in your post and simply rinsing with a hose will not be an effective simple way of doing so a d this is also where the suffactant would help.
Hey mate, is there anything else you want to try n insult of my business,  or shall we keep it simple and have a meet up, pistols at dawn 😂😂

[zesty]

https://youtu.be/SVmm4Npyi-w

https://youtu.be/ZkGMcJy4tps

Of course you might need to brush if with a stiff brush, but not always. This guy has also got a video doing the same thing without any brushing.

You do not need surfactant on a level surface Nathan, the surfactant is mainly used to keep the solution on vertical surfaces for longer. In fact I’ve got to the stage where I only add a small amount to render and cladding, I find it doesn’t really make any difference either way.

So yes, for a soft sandstone that perhaps cannot be pressure washed. A very simple and effective alternative is to softwash it. With a bucket, watering can, or similar.

Obviously any hard surface will best done with a pressure washer, but as the OP’s title was sandstone, I was thinking on the lines of softwash.

This isn’t mere theory Nathan, I’ve done it myself on soft stone, and it works brilliantly 😎

[Kev Martin]

I don't care if you use a pressure washer, soft washer, hypo or witches brew in a cauldron nothing works better or achieves the same results on stone than pre wetting it, applying a correctly diluted alkaline cleaner, agitating with a soft to medium brush fitted on a Mono rotary machine, allow it to dwell, agitate again then  extract with a wet vacuum.  It takes a bit longer but causes no mess, reduces clean up,  uses a lot less water, zero damage to the stone or the surrounding plants, lawn or buildings and the results are amazing.

[Ooooooog]

Dilute caustic soda and apply with stiff brush. Allow to cook and then hose off or pressure wash.