Pressure-Wash Pros Wrestling Bad Job Conditions
Homeowners are experiencing inconsistent and unsatisfactory results from pressure washing and exterior cleaning services. Common issues include incomplete work, damage to property, and a lack of professionalism from cleaning companies, leaving customers feeling frustrated and dissatisfied with the outcome.
SOURCES (60)
“This underground was pressure washed and then line painted next morning. There is poor ventilation in the garage, so the ground was still somewhat wet when lines were painted. The customer has complained about the white patches. Degreaser was dumped in certain spots to work…”
“How donI get old oil spots out of my driveway. Ive tried a couple of different products and they definitely get a bit lighter but nothing special. My wife thanks you in advance for your help!! submitted by /u/Cool_Audience1325 [link] [comments]”
“I need a way to apply chicals effectively at a strong enough mix. right now i do mostly driveways but would like to get into a softwashing i do not and can not have a truck just my 4gpm i wheel around and take to jobs in the back of my dads truck if needed. was thinking if a x jet. but maybe a downstream injector? submitted by /u/Puzzleheaded_Bat6884 [link] [comments]”
“How do you guys go about removing acrylic latex based paint from exterior concrete pads? Is grinding really the only way to remove paint from concrete? I recently started a pressure washing business and i have a customer who needs the paint removed in order to prepare the surface for a new coat of paint. I thought i could apply chemical and surface clean off no problem, less than a hours work but after doing some asking around ive heard that buffing/grinding with a floor grinder is the only way”
“Looking to get this quoted. Located near Atl GA for reference. Was quote 800 from a guy over the phone. Wanted to see if that was reasonable. submitted by /u/sspelaez [link] [comments]”
“My son was cleaning our vinyl fence and accidentally parked the pressure washer too close to the fence and the exhaust burned the fence. I’ve tried magic eraser- no change I’ve tried bleach - no change Any tips to get this burn off or maybe minimize it? submitted by /u/Fit-Rabbit802 [link] [comments]”
“I am currently running a 3800 psi 2.8 gpm pressure washer and have had a lot of success. I have a brand new 20 inch surface cleaner thats been sitting around collecting dust because I dont have enough gpm. Would this be a good option or should I go brand new submitted by /u/brizzle643 [link] [comments]”
“I need help dealing with this, how would you approach? How can that white mineral limestone be removed? And also, can I use muriatic for that rust stain? I want this to end up looking great, this client is a big opportunity for me in the future. submitted by /u/Redlack- [link] [comments]”
“What’s up wash fam. I’ve got a gutter cleaning bid on this historical home and all I’ve got is a 28ft extension ladder. These gutters are recessed into the roof and I need opinions on access. My first thought is manlift + sidewalk closure permit. Any of you fine folks have a better recommendation? submitted by /u/MountainKing333 [link] [comments]”
“Tried priming a whole job’s worth of siding and trim by hand on site and it was miserable. No matter how careful we were, it always felt like the backs or cut ends got less attention, which are the spots I’m most worried about once everything is installed. On the last job, we tried having the material factory-primed before it arrived. In that case, it came from J. Gibson McIlvain, but the bigger difference for me was the process rather than the supplier. Having the backs and ends already coated”
“Looking for some advice. If this were your job, what would your process be? Siding first or concrete first? Any tips for avoiding water intrusion? submitted by /u/ChingatusMAGA [link] [comments]”
“I haven't bothered to browse them, I used to just hire people, but I'm trying to learn how to handle more things so I can tackle more of my own problems. You'd think the types of people like this would encourage it.”
“Hello people, how would u approach this? Chems for wood seem so controversial, some say sh is the way to go, others say the opposite. submitted by /u/Redlack- [link] [comments]”
“Why not start with rinseless wash as it is quite easy to pick up and needs minimum investment.”
“They will need to be trained on how to use a pressure washer. Too much pressure can hurt you or the car.”
“I’ve soft washed a tile roof and left these marks on the first side, think I have a new problem with my proportioner, maybe too much Surfactant or SH? What do you think? submitted by /u/Ill-Entrance6529 [link] [comments]”
“New pressure washer to kickstart a small business. Time to sweat and grind it out. Anyone experienced with owning this model have any golden tips or trick about care and maintenance or troubleshooting I should expect? submitted by /u/yawnsan [link] [comments]”
“Contractor is saying yes, I’m saying no. The black residue is literally chipping and flaking off. Outside of the chipping and flaking, what do you all think? submitted by /u/Emotional-Night-6697 [link] [comments]”
“I make this comment routinely in here. It absolutely works. Just have to be very careful not to bubble the paint by heating it too much.”
“Maybe he gets lucky and all the uneven digging he did sanding down to metal was fixed when he sanded the primer? And maybe because it’s going to be a non glossy white (turbo cans) no one will notice the waves?”
“Anyone know what these spots are on my vinyl siding? Not 100% sure, but i think they came after pressure washing with no chemicals or soap, just hose water. submitted by /u/Current-Yogurt-5098 [link] [comments]”
“I’m not sure how long these have sat like this. Probably awhile. Helping friend with an old rental and our backs and knees suck. What would be the most efficient way to get these looking the best they can without killing our backs? 😬 submitted by /u/whiskers_biskers [link] [comments]”
“Some background: Live on a property with well water, I can fill a 5 gallon bucket in about 45 seconds. So the GPM isn't the issue. The previous owner use a pressure washer without issue. I am currently on my 3rd pressure washer, all with the same issues. First one, electric. Cheaper model, worked for a LITTLE BIT, then died. I figured it was just a piece of junk. It wouldn't "Catch" or "Engage" so I got no pressure. Went to Mendards and bought a westinghouse pressure”
“Just wondering what yall do to get in the crevice and all that submitted by /u/sukibean13 [link] [comments]”
“I have a BE Whirl A Way 16” Surface Cleaner and I’m trying to switch the factory tips out because they’re too high pressure, and they are not coming off. I’m using a 9/16 wrench with a lot of force. I’ve used it twice so there shouldn’t be any corrosion and there’s no visible rust. I do think there might be some type of tape they used but i’m not too sure. Please let me know what I can do to get this thing off. submitted by /u/etivac68 [link] [comments]”
“I offer a combo of soft washing and pressure washing, and most of my jobs so far have been pretty straightforward patio or driveway cleans, and/or PVC and window cleans. Occasionally I get asked to do a facade clean (most houses here are block/brick, so I'm cleaning rendered walls), so I spray ~3% SH and use stiff brushes on a telescopic water fed pole to agitate and scrub. I do it all from the ground and only have a small van, so no means to transport anything longer than a stepladder. I”
“Hello, can anyone recommend a garden hose and pressure washer nozzle that was the best for exterior house and patio cleaning? Thank you! submitted by /u/Personal-Winter-8111 [link] [comments]”
“Recommendations for a hand cranking pressure washer hose reel? I have the mingle 50FT pressure washing hose so it doesn’t need to come with one. Ideally in the $100-170 range. Found this one but wanted to see if anyone has a better rec or has this one. submitted by /u/Dramatic_Camera7962 [link] [comments]”
“Customer wants all the concrete around the pool pressure washed and the pool cage soft washed, I said 400$, which i personally think is lowish but I could really use the work right now submitted by /u/Complex-Travel1023 [link] [comments]”
“Hey everyone, I’m currently doing a soft wash on a brick house, and the main thing the customer wants addressed is the mortar joints. There’s a lot of algae buildup specifically on the mortar, and it’s pretty old/deep staining — I’d describe it as almost black. Most of my experience has been with vinyl siding, gutters, and similar surfaces, so I’m comfortable with those, but brick is something I haven’t really worked on much. I’m not sure if my SH dilution is correct or if I’m just dealing with”
“Average? The overspray on that was below average. You average 12 year old would do a better job.”
“Looking for professional insight. Hired a local cleaning company to power wash my patio. After washing he brought me out and showed me these streaks. He asked how old the patio was. I told him a little over 1 year old. He said “i’m very sorry i should have asked you how old the patio is. you should not power wash a patio that isn’t at least 7 years old. please call us in 6 years and we’ll be able to get these streaks out.” Obviously I escalated to his manager, not paying, etc. They’re coming out”
“How is everyone achieving that super smooth finish? I know it's 90% prep work, but I feel like I do prep well and can't get that finish 🥲 I shampoo twice and condition. We use IV San Bernard products. I velocity dry and then fluff dry. I feel like it may be my scissoring. But, maybe I'm overthinking it? submitted by /u/MichiG6 [link] [comments]”
“Just noticed this on my wall today. House is 8 years old. Is it just the tape over the seam coming up or something else? Not wet. submitted by /u/StatInformaticistics [link] [comments]”
“Be gentle. Newish contractors. Been doing it about 4 months now. We flip for a specific group. The always have us lay adhesive vct and lvp. When we pull up the old flooring there are always thousands of staples on the subfloor. What is the best and fastest way to get rid of these to level. We sometimes have to replace sections of subfloor, but have to level the rest so the underlay goes flat. It’s eating up so much work time. Thank you! submitted by /u/No-Location-2853 [link] [”
“Does the patio area in front of the flagstone look like it will come out or is that damage? Same question for walkway submitted by /u/LaPoseidon [link] [comments]”
“Hi! Looking for advice on 10 garage floors I have to pressure wash, when doing these is it mandatory to cover the the bottom of drywall? Seeing other guys do it they never cover it, just making sure. A surface cleaner would be used initially then a quick final rinse to minimize the amount of water that could get on the wall. Thanks! submitted by /u/Funny-Frosting-3400 [link] [comments]”
“I’m wanting to start a power washing driveway cleaning business, but after watching probably 50+ videos now at this point and asking AI certain questions, I’m not sure what things to buy and what things won’t be that necessary with what I’m doing. People said I need chemicals, don’t need chemicals, certain types of surface washers, etc etc. So basically, my main question is what items should I purchase, what should I NOT purchase? Specific concerns - do I need chemicals? - what size surface clea”
“like what was the plan here? your dragging it into the dirt, dont have proper straps or lifting points, too small of a machine. Just asking for this.”
“Asking to see if anyone has dealt with a similar issue. Theres an addition to the main house and in the transition way there’s lifting between the foundations i guess and breaking the tiles. Anyways any advice on maybe some kind of rubber transition between the tiles to avoid just more broken tiles if and when it moves. submitted by /u/cesarseizure [link] [comments]”
“The gas pressure washer can be risky - do you know the PSI? You generally don't want to use too high of pressure, though you can alleviate the risk of damage by using 40° tip which gives you a wider spray pattern and lessens the direct pressure. You can use a normal hose instead of a pressure washer, but the pressure washer will be more useful and efficient in cleaning and rinsing. Do you plan to do this with family who'll drive you to/from clients? Or strictly at your home where people”
“If i am using and X-jet what %Sh shoudl i put in the pail if i am softwashing houses ,becuse my pressure washer will dilute the Sh when it comes out submitted by /u/Plus_Sugar_9554 [link] [comments]”
“you're going to have to work smarter not harder at those prices and use a Chem-x style system that uses an alkaline foam followed by an acid foam, will need a wash bay. Bucket washes are left for spot duty in that scenario.”
“What percent SH should I target for the fence? The stone I’m shooting for about 2-2.5%. Any special products I should use? submitted by /u/DeparturePopular7912 [link] [comments]”