"The products used to clean the drive are second to none, so gentle, non-abrasive but remarkably effective. Previously I had my drive power-washed and found that while it was certainly clean afterwards, it did not last through the winter. The whole process was quite harsh and even moved some of the paving slabs. I cannot recommend this product – Benz Bio Cleanze – highly enough."

- Muireann Curtin 

Pressure Points

1. Temperature

The soft washing business is heating up in more ways than one. Temperature plays a significant role, so let’s explore the challenges.

• Application Boil-Off: Mitigate by pre-wetting or using two weaker dilution applications instead of one stronger application, e.g. apply twice at 25:1 instead of once at 50:1.

• Storage of Chemicals: Store your chemical products in as cool conditions as possible to maintain their efficacy. While some sheds and outbuildings stay cool during summer, others can become hot boxes that rapidly degrade chemicals. Extra precautions may be needed during warmer weeks.

• Chemical Reactions: Chemicals are more reactive at higher temperatures, so lower dilutions can provide similar cleaning results as stronger solutions in colder weather. Treated algae may flare up brighter, and the black dye might turn orange. This can be disconcerting but will wash off and disperse in a couple of days.

2. How Busy is Too Busy?

At the height of the season, most contractors are extremely busy and fully booked. The temptation to say yes to every phone call can have unwelcome consequences.

• Scheduling and Time Management: Overcommitting can lead to overwhelming schedules and a decline in work quality. Quality control must always be a priority.

• Unforeseen Circumstances: A stretched schedule can suffer significantly from unexpected delays, such as staff issues, equipment problems, or personal matters, which can have a huge knock-on effect on subsequent jobs.

Stay cool and manage wisely to ensure a successful and efficient summer season.

Case Studies

Case 1: Residential Weber through-colour render.

          

The key to soft washing is knowing the correct product to use, with the correct application, at the correct dilution.

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Case 2: Commercial business park unit (ongoing)

          

We treated all the render with Bio Cleanze at 30:1 and the worst affected areas of the cladding. ( check out the video in which Ben walks you through the process and gives you the reasons why he chose to tackle this large and challenging contract in the way he did.)


We then returned three weeks later to apply Lightning Cleanze at 5:1 and rinsed down with water.

          

Subscribe to our You Tube channel here for part 2 and to follow along the journey.

Other News

Approval renewal
This quarter, we received our reviewed and approved product notifications and approvals from the Irish and UK governments. You can rest assured that our biocidal products will continue to remain approved and available for the next 4 years.

Carbon footprint
We have also been working with an outside agency on gathering and analysing data with regards to the carbon footprint of soft washing. This has been interesting especially when comparing to traditional cleaning details to follow shortly. Watch this space.

New Webpage
We have uploaded a new webpage to our site. It has easy access to the dilution guides and explains the nuances of both of our flagship biocides. Click here to take a look.