Wood Shakes & Shingle Siding

IMPORTANT NOTES:

We DO NOT recommend soft washing any wood shakes or siding that is unpainted. Stained or sealed wood can become discolored with a soft wash solution. Additional, Sodium Hypochlorite will dry out the wood over time and lower it's overall life expectancy. Instead, we recommend a wood restoration process. This training module will be coming soon. 

For painted wood surfaces, use the methods below.

DOWNSTREAM METHOD EQUIPMENT:

• Pressure Washer: 4 GPM or better, 2000 PSI or better

• Pressure Washing Wand with Soft Wash Nozzle

• Downstream Injector with 1:10 or 10% Draw Rate

PROPORTIONED METHOD EQUIPMENT:

• Soft Wash System 5 GPM or Better, 60 PSI or Better
• Soft Wash Proportioner
• Soft Wash Wand and J-Rod Nozzle

AVERAGE CLEANING RATE:

1000-1500 sq ft per hour

SCOPE OF WORK:

Before beginning, ensure you have completed all the steps in the Worksite Preparation Guide.

1. PRE-RINSE

   Use a wide mouth, large orifice nozzle (like a black soap nozzle or M5 Twist) to rinse the entire surface. The goal is to clear any loose dirt or debris and to cool down the surface before pre-treating it with chemical.

2. APPLY SOFT WASH SOLUTION

   Turn on your downstream injector or adjust your protportied settings to reach 1-2% sodium hypochlorite dilution levels with a low amount of soap. (See: Soft Wash Mixing Ratios) Apply mixture will begin to break down organics and clean the surface. Apply a even coating across the entire surface. 
   
   Pro Tip: Always apply soft washing solution from the bottom to the top. This will cause the chemical not to run and create streaks. The goal is to coat the surface without much chemical moving.

3. ALLOW TO DWELL

   While keeping the surface wet, allow up to 15 minutes of dwelling time for the soft wash solution to work.
   
   Pro Tip: Do not allow the treatment to dry. Siding facing direct sunlight should be taken care of before moving on. If the soft wash solution is allowed to dry on siding, it can cause oxidation which needs an entirely different method for removing.

4. RINSE & INSPECT

   Once the entire surface has been cleaned, it's time to rinse. Turn off the downstream injector or place the proportioner to only water. Use partially open ball valve or a M5 Nozzle to rinse the entire concrete clean. Inspect the surface for any missed spots. Repeat steps 2-4 as needed.
   
   Pro Tip: Make sure you thoroughly rinse the windows. Sodium Hypochlorite left unrinsed for long or hot periods can cause etching on certain glass.
   
   Pro Tip: Always rinse from the top down.