September 03, 2019
How can you use Benz powerful Tornado Cleanze thick gel cleaning product for soft washing sandstone?
1. Apply liberally by brush and leave Tornado Cleanze for 15-60 minutes to activate on porous surfaces, such as sandstone.
Quick tip: On non-porous surfaces such as industrial cladding you will see results in less than 10 minutes, even when the product is greatly diluted. Experience will inform you how to approach the various materials and local conditions, and what strength of Tornado Cleanze to use.
2. Use a medium soft brush to brush-in Tornado Cleanze. A 9 inch brush can be useful for awkward areas. Sometimes, for heavy black lichen for example, you may find a slightly stiffer brush useful.
3. Do not use high pressure washing on sandstone. This will damage the surface layer of the stone, and if live growths are present will rip out the roots, further damaging the soft stone.
4. Give the sandstone a light, low pressure, jet wash prior to treating with Tornado Cleanze. This is to remove loose matter from the surface, remove some of the more shallow-rooted growths, and will remove some of the skin from the remaining growths. Pre-cleaning sandstone like this will allow Tornado Cleanze to work faster.
Quick tips:
5. Giving a biocidal treatment with Benz Lightning Cleanze biocide, to kill the growths and sanitise the sandstone prior to cleaning with Tornado Cleanze, can produce the most effective results. This also serves to pre-wet the surface, making the application of Tornado Cleanze easier, quicker and more effective.
6. Sandstone can be slower to come clean than hard stone like granite. This is why some "less than ethical" contractors employ high pressure washing, and dangerously high concentrations of sodium hypochlorite, to quickly produce a "Wow!" result that impresses customers who know no better.
In their pursuit of a fast buck they ignore the damage they do to their customer's property and the damage that long-term chlorine exposure does to their, and their employees, lungs. They rarely get repeat business ...
7. Complete the treatment of sandstone with an application of Benz Bio Cleanze (Max 50:1 if children & animals will walk on it soon after treatment, otherwise it can be applied at up to 20:1 dilution).
Determine the strength at which to use Bio Cleanze by assessing factors such as a) how long since the sandstone was last cleaned b) how bad the colonisation of the sandstone is c) the local environment in which the sandstone lives.
Quick tips:
1) Bio Cleanze continues to deep clean porous surfaces such as sandstone up to a year following treatment.
2) Bio Cleanze imparts a degree of residual protection against re-colonisation that neither jet washing nor any sodium hypochlorite product/mix can offer.
How to find answers to most soft washing questions: Simply enter a relevant "keyword" or short phrase – e.g. keyword for the above link = "tornado" – into our in-site Search Engine (magnifying glass icon on the main menu).
GB (England, Scotland, Wales)
Phone: 0800 70 74 222
Online: www.benzsoftwash.co.uk
Ireland and other countries
Phone: 00353 214 622 978
Online: www.benzsoftwash.com
Lines open Monday - Friday, 9am – 5pm
Please note: The above numbers are for orders only (click here for tech support)
We hope this information is helpful and sincerely wish you great success in your soft washing business,
Ben, Leo, Fiona, Stevie & Anthony
PS: After completing the first soft wash treatment, put your customer on a "Clean & Maintain" ongoing maintenance programme. Your customers will enjoy a permanently clean property and you will enjoy a steady stream of repeat business.
This is clearly a win-win arrangement for both customer and contractor.
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May 17, 2022
Is it safe to use a sodium hypochlorite (sh) based product – such as Benz Lightning Cleanze softwash biocide – with ropes, or will it damage them?
Click the link on this page to find out ...
May 11, 2022
Why should you use Benz Tornado Cleanze, a powerful softwash cleaning gel? What are its uses and advantages?
Click the link on this page to find out ...
May 03, 2022
Shadow, or "ghost" staining may sometimes remain after soft washing. Customers can misinterpret this as poor workmanship. But fortunately there's a simple solution that keeps everyone happy.
Click the link on this page to find out what it is ...
It's a free resource for people wanting to learn about the soft washing industry, to expand an existing business, or build a new business.
Soft washing reduces, or even eliminates, the need to use high-pressure washing.
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