how do you clean ....

[johny]

Hello !
I run into this problem a few times last fall, and decided since i havent come up with nothing yet ,i need to ask you guys.
There are lots of houses around here that have mulch around them and siding is basicy touching it.There is no brick ,blocks etc,just siding to the ground and mulch right on it.
The question is ,how do you clean that close to the mulch??What my problem was,trying to get the lowest part of siding clean and mulch is splashin everywere.When i rinse the house ,it washes mulch away .Somethimes it takes some pressure to get those stains off amd then mulch is all over the hose.There has to be another way of doing it,what do you do????
I was thinking i could cover it with plastic,that might work or pressure might try to blow it away.Anybody has any techniques that would help.???How can you go that low without spashing it everywhere??
Thanks a lot to anybody willing to share your expierence,that would save me lots of trouble this summer.
Thanks
Johny

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[Tim]

Johny,
I have run into this problem before. I too used plastic sheeting to cover the mulch, but this is lighter than the mulch in most cases and blew around as well. I ended up cutting a piece of 1/4" plywood 12" wide x 4' long and throw that up against the foundation. This is usually wide enough to allow room so that you don't crush plants, bushes, etc that lie in close proximity to the foundation. I used to have a 8' piece , but there were flower beds that were much shorter. You won't be able to keep ALL the mulch from blowing around, but the majority should stay in place as long as the plywood stays in place. Whatever blows around you'll just have to rake back into place after you're done. Hope this helps.
Good luck.


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Tim Srader
X-Stream Kleen

 

[Jim&Shirley]

We have also had this problem before.
what we do is if tarp is needed it also helps run the water off and not the mulch, but take our tip off the end of the wand and rinse like water hose, and if it has stains use pump-up sprayer then rinse this way or you can just use your chemical tip to rinse either way this works for us.


JIM & SHIRLEY

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[Glenn]

Johnny,
Just a couple more... Try a heavy rubber mat and you can also use a brush instead of the pressure on the lower parts to clean the siding. Just make sure nobody sees you with the brush. If the homeowner finds out it can be cleaned this way, might be out of a job next spring.
Ohhh, yes bigboy, I did say brush.
so brushie brushie,
Glenn

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"Hmmm, If everyone has a photographic memory... mine must be out of film."

 

[johny]

Thanks a lot guys,this information will help me out a lot this season and save a lots of time.I was also thinking of placing a board at the foundation ,but i never had one with me,plywood sounds great to me,thats what i need to try.
What about dual wand to rinse ,i dont have one ,but would it work to rinse if i turned the pressure very low?
Glenn,one time i was so aggravated that i was about to wash the house with a brush and water hose.There was mulch,about 2 feet of siding and rest of it screen for the screen porch.I didnt want to get any chemical on their carpet.Man was that aggravating,but like you said might be out of work if homeowner sees,i agree.
Thanks a bunch to all,
Johny

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[Mike Hughes]

<FONT COLOR="Red">I HATE MULCH.</FONT c>

OK......that being said......I use paneling instead of plywood, it is thinner and lighter. Tarps would be too much of a hassle.

Also, when you are washing near the bottom like that, or the edge of a sidewalk, a turbo nozzle reduces the amount of stuff that spashes up on you. Of course, you want to be careful with a turbo nozzle on siding........its ok on vinyl, but could tear up aluminum

if you are not careful.

After the siding is washed, I always rinse off the little particles of mulch that spashed up by taking the tip off of the wand and just using it like a hose........if you use pressure, you just mess it up even more. Frustrating.

I had a house last year that had rocks around it instead of mulch.......I wish more people would do that!

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Mike Hughes
Everclear
Souderton, PA

 

[PUREPOWER]

Hey guys,

If I run into this problem, I put my chem tip on and rinse that way. It works really well.

As for washing and blowing it all over, I try to use plastic. I also tell the homeowner when bidding the job that they might lose some. They are always ok with that.

Jordan

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[This message has been edited by PUREPOWER (edited March 06, 2001).]

 

[Barry Loy]

Putting on the chem tip sounds great, just remember to remove your chemical line or you'll be drawing soap due to the low pressure.

Barry Loy

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Barry & Debbie Loy
Bar-De Pressure Washing
Graham, NC

 

[JR Wood]

This is a constant problem around houses,decks and walkways.I just use a rake and move the mulch back and clean away,There is always going to be dirt splashing on your legs and back on the deck,lattice or house but it just rinses away(fences are a very dirty affair).I do not worry about splashback as long as I know I am getting the stubborn embedded dirt and stains off.When I am done with the area in question I just rinse down the area with low pressure and rake back the mulch or whatever back into place.It hasn't failed me yet and it saves alot of useless worries.If you do try a board use Luan it is a lot easier to lug around.I carry two on the back of my pickup so I can slide 1 out underneath the other without a problem.

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<FONT size="2"><FONT COLOR="red">
DID SOMEONE SAY DIVERSIFY?</FONT s></FONT c>

 

[Mike Hughes]

John,

I like the rake idea..........doesn't it make you feel like a landscaper though? Oh yea.......DIVERSIFY!!!

Mike

 

[JR Wood]

Mike,
Exactly! That is the landscaper coming out in me.I landscaped for 10 years before starting my own businesses.As a matter of fact I will be landscaping next week after the snow melts.I always start out the season helping my buddy out before I can get back my own biz.

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<FONT size="1"><FONT COLOR="Black">J.R WOOD POWER WASHING*1-800-782-9919
ABACUS DECK CARE*1-866-7-ABACUS
J&B SNOW PLOW*1-973-328-6650
SHOWCASE LAWNS OF NEW JERSEY*1-866-SHOCASE</FONT s></FONT c>

<FONT size="2"><FONT COLOR="red">
DID SOMEONE SAY DIVERSIFY?</FONT s></FONT c>

 

[Straight Shot]

Hey Johny -
With my previous company we painted houses. We would carry a role of roofing felt in the trucks and simply roll it out along the bottom edge of the houses keeping the blowback from the sprayers under control. Haven't tried it PW houses - yet. But it is easily stored, waterproof, and cheap. Not sure if the weight is there, though. Good Luck!

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Christopher Vaughn
www.StraightShotPressureWashing.com
559.816.2402

 

[johny]

Thank you all for your replies.I will tell this to anybody-This board is THE BEST !!!
Good luck to all,
Johny

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