Pressure washing contractors use degreasers, cleaners, rust removers, mineral deposit removers, restorers, and efflorescence removers when pressure washing. These cleaning solutions are mixed in the water stream of pressure washers so that they can be applied efficiently on any surface.
It’s important to know what kind of chemicals professionals use in pressure washing and soft washing. Being informed about these procedures will help you decide the best approach for your home.
In this blog, we’ll talk more about the chemicals used in soft washing, what they do, and how you can make your own homemade house wash.
What Chemicals Do I Need for Soft Washing?
The following are the main chemicals you’ll need for soft washing:
Sodium Hypochlorite
Sodium hypochlorite is a chlorine compound that professional hot water pressure washing experts use as a bleaching agent or disinfectant. Oftentimes when soft washing, they also dilute their mixture of sodium hypochlorite with tri-sodium phosphate together with a surfactant.
This chemical is highly effective at disinfecting and sanitizing a wide range of surfaces. That’s why they are often used in cleaning areas with significant accumulation of mould, grime, and dirt.
Surfactant
Surfactants, also called surface acting agents, work by reducing the surface tension found in water so that it spreads evenly in a mixture. Thanks to its properties, surfactants help sodium hypochlorite eliminate the organic matter.
It’s also beneficial in penetrating and loosening grime, dirt, and other unwanted substances on surfaces. This makes them easier to rinse off once you’re almost done with the soft washing process.
Scented Odour Maskers
Scented odour maskers are designed to mask the unappealing smell of sodium hypochlorite and surfactants. Professionals usually just need 4 ounces of these chemicals in every 200 litres of soft washing mix they prepare.
Besides hiding the smell of the main chemicals used, these scented odour maskers also eliminate other scents, such as urine, vomit, and faeces. This makes scented odour maskers ideal for use in hotels, schools, and nursing homes.
How Do You Make a Homemade House Wash?
To make a homemade house wash, you’ll need chlorine bleach, liquid dish soap, tri-sodium phosphate, and borax. You can find borax and bleach, often sold together with laundry supplies.
At the same time, tri-sodium phosphate is readily available at a pool supply shop. You might also find it in the outdoor or paint sections of your local home improvement store.
With that said, consider these steps below to create your homemade house wash:
- Fill an 18-litre bucket halfway with warm water.
- Stir the warm water and add 3 litres of liquid chlorine bleach.
- Continue stirring while adding 2 cups of tri-sodium phosphate.
- Add a cup of borax next and continue to stir the mixture.
- Once all substances have been mixed thoroughly, add ¼ cup of liquid dish detergent next. Keep stirring until the solution starts to become thick and even.
- In case it doesn’t thicken, you can add a few more drops of dish soap and mix.
The combination of all these chemicals should provide you with at least 18 litres of soft washing solution you can use for your home.If you want to learn about the benefits of pressure cleaning, read our blog to find out.