What kind of chlorine should I use for pressure washing?

There are so many different chemicals for cleaning your house on the market today. It makes the task of finding what’s best for your chore a hassle. No need to feel overwhelmed when it comes to picking the right cleaning chemicals because I have all the information you will need right below.

Will Any Chemical Get your House Clean?

Absolutely not! Some cleaning chemicals are just not powerful enough to cut through the mildew and grime that get stuck to the outside of your home. Then there are other chemicals that will not only get the job done but also eat through your exterior causing damage.

We don’t want that!

So, what should you use?

I have an answer but its not just one answer, so you will have several different options to choose from. Regular detergent is great for cleaning your home. It cuts through nasty bugs and removes stubborn dirt. You could just squirt some on the side of your home and pressure wash away and it’s pretty harmless.

Soap doesn’t always wash like you need it too though. Bleach seems to work the best. You can put it in your pressure washer and power wash away. Bleach seems to be effective and is used often in conjunction with pressure washers. Simple Green seems to work well and you can pretty much get the entire home done in one including the glass and such.

What About Chlorine?

I know at some point you have probably heard about the use of chlorine in your pressure washer for cleaning your home, but is that a good idea? I would say for sure, but only the amount that is in bleach. Chlorinated bleach will get the job done. The professionals from Pressure Washing Katy (pressurewashingkaty.com) say, “do not use plain chlorine on your home because it is very corrosive”, but when used in bleach that already has it, you should have more than enough.

You can get a regular gallon of bleach that has chlorine in it and it will clean all the mold and mildew off just as good if not better than just chlorine alone. You are also not left trying to make sure that the powerful chemical is not too overbearing on your structure. You can get regularly chlorinated bleach on Amazon for $6.99. Your local store should carry it too. Just make sure it is chlorinated. Most bleach is unless stated otherwise. If they are unchlorinated, they should have in writing, non-chlorinated bleach.

Can I Just Paint Over the Dirt on My House?

The quick answer is no. You never want to just paint over the mildew or bugs. Imagine spider web behind paint when you paint the outside. Eventually, the spider web will fall off then you will have pieces of paint missing all over and your money and hard work will be all for nothing. Washing your house off before you paint is always key.

If you want your house looking clean and presentable you should never just paint over what was already there. It creates a bigger mess and in turn, you are better off not doing anything to it. Plus, it cost way too much money to buy paint than it would be to pressure wash your house anyway.

If your paint is good just wash it. Even if you wanted to paint your house, it would be good to pressure wash first to remove mildew and everything so all in all you are stuck with the chore of the house needing to be cleaned either way. If you want to remove the paint with a pressure washer you could use bleach for that too and that would probably be your best bet. The Family Handy Man gives out great instructions on how to clean your house with a pressure washer on his website familyhandman.com.

There are many chemicals to choose from, but I think it is best sometimes to always go back and be a little basic. Some of the best items to clean your house with are the traditional chlorine bleach or maybe even soap. It just seems to make things brighter and you know that things are getting clean. The simple green is great too. It has other things in it that help break down dust and grime that soap just won’t get.

I believe that either of those products will do a tremendously great job when used in conjunction with your pressure washer on the right settings. Either way, your pick and your budget is unique to you. Some people have an allergy to chlorine, so options are always good and there is plenty out there. I hope this narrowed down your search and gave you all the answers you were looking for. Stay safe and use these chemicals responsibly.

J. Racenstein Company, LLC3201 S Harbor BlvdSANTA ANA, CA 92704UNITED STATES

 Call (201) 809-7500 for Product Price.

When pressure washing with bleach, make sure your workers have all the required power washer safety gear, including goggles, apron, impervious gloves, and waterproof boots. If any of the bleach solution splashes on skin, follow the manufacturer’s directions regarding first aid, which usually includes rinsing with lots of clear water. When using a bleach solution on the outside of a house, the surrounding grass and vegetation should be flushed with large quantities of fresh water to prevent the runoff from killing the vegetation.

Bleaches are highly reactive compounds. In layman’s terms, that means they have a nasty habit of causing chemical reactions. When bleach is mixed with acid, chlorine gas will form, which will irritate skin and burn lung tissue. When bleach is mixed with ammonia, the gas produced can be explosive. Consequently, when you are pressure washing with bleach, never combine bleach with another cleaning solutions unless that detergent is compatible with bleach. You should also make sure, when storing liquid bleach solutions, never to store them in containers which were used for other compounds, unless those containers have been thoroughly rinsed.

Liquid bleach will slowly lose chlorine content over time, and exposure to heat, air and sunlight will speed up that loss. The best way to store bleach is in a powdered form until just before it is needed, then mix it with water. If you must store liquid bleach, use a solid-color container in a cool, dark area.

Bleach should not be avoided – it is an effective compound when used correctly. When pressure washing with bleach, though, you should stay aware of its limitations and nasty habits.

The publisher of these pages is in no way responsible for any damage caused to you, your pressure washer, anyone else, your property, or anyone else's property by trying to implement or by successfully implementing the above-mentioned performance and services.

Do I need a certain kind of filter for my mask? I don't see why my landlord wants to use pool chlorine. Seems unsafe and unnecessary. But I'm kind of being forced into it.

Properly using and maintaining your pressure washer will increase its lifespan and as a result save you money on repairs or replacements.

For pressure washing business owners, ensuring that their pressure washers are in proper working condition is of utmost importance.

Educating employees as to the best usage and maintenance practices for using their machines is crucial.

There are a number of important usage guidelines to be aware of when operating a pressure washer.

One question that we have encountered quite often is concerning whether or not you can use bleach in a pressure washer.

Is it safe for the machine? How can you use it properly?

Let’s discuss this common area of interest in more detail, and provide insight for casual cleaners and business owners alike.

Is It Safe To Use Bleach In A Pressure Washer?

The short answer to this question is that no, it generally is not safe for your machine to use bleach in a pressure washer.

If you were planning on filling up your tank with straight bleach in order to have it sprayed all over those grimy surfaces that you want nicely cleaned, you should definitely scrap that idea.

Bleach is a general term given to products that are used to remove color from fabric or to remove stains from surfaces in a process known as bleaching. These bleaches commonly consist of a diluted solution of sodium hypochlorite, or “liquid bleach”.

Bleaches work by reacting with pigmented or coloured compounds, and changing them into colourless compounds, which will give them a clean look. This is often a technique applied to household surfaces that have been affected by heavy mould or grime that has caused discolouration.

The problem with using pure bleach in a pressure washer is the real potential for the chemicals in the bleach to corrode the internal workings of the pressure washer, as well as the hose and nozzle.

If the corrosion build up is left unattended, it will likely render the pressure washer useless within a short period of time, especially if the machine is being operated with pure bleach frequently.

It is also important to note that damage to a pressure washer caused by bleach will often void the manufacturer’s warranty.

How Much Bleach Is Safe To Use?

As we discussed previously, using pure bleach in your pressure washer will almost surely cause damage that is potentially irreparable.

However, it is possible to incorporate bleach into an acceptable mixture that has been diluted enough to prevent the harsh chemical compounds from affecting the machine’s function and integrity.

The most important part of creating a bleach solution that is safe to use in your pressure washer is finding the right ratio of bleach to water and other important components.

Below we have provided a step by step process guide to create a safe bleach mixture for your machine.

1. Mix together four parts water to one part chlorine bleach. This is best for a 5 – 6 percent bleach mix. If you are using a 3 percent mix, a three part water to one part bleach ratio will work.
2. Once you have created your bleach solution, put together your pressure washer lance and connect it to the hose, then connect your hose to the washer.
3. If you have access to a soap tip for your pressure washer lance, these are typically going to work best with bleach solutions.
4. Keep the stream pressure on a low setting when using the pressure washer to spray your bleach mixture. A low pressure will help mix the solution and provide a consistent spray pattern to evenly coat your surface(s).
5. When you have finished spraying your bleach solution, be sure to clean out your pressure washer by running a few cycles of pure water through the machine. This will help remove any leftover bleach that could settle and cause corrosion damage.

How To Work With Bleach Safely

It is incredibly important, especially as a business owner, to ensure that your workers have all of the necessary power washing safety gear for working with bleach.

This includes equipment like protective goggles or other eyewear, an apron, full skin coverage clothing, bleach impervious gloves and bleach proof footwear.

If a situation arises in which bleach comes into contact with the skin, follow the manufacturer’s first aid recommendations and directions.

It is also important for operators to be aware of the potential for bleach to cause chemical reactions. When it is mixed with an acid, chlorine gas will form, which is commonly known to irritate the skin and cause damage to lung tissue if inhaled.

If mixed with ammonia, the gas produced can potentially be explosive.

Educate yourself and/or your employees on the dangers of working with bleach to ensure a safe and healthy work environment.

Bleach Alternatives

There are a number of potential bleach alternatives that can be used if you decide that bleach is not the best choice for your cleaning plans.

We have listed a few of these alternatives below for your consideration.

1. Distilled White Vinegar
2. Hydrogen Peroxide
3. Baking Soda

These three bleach alternatives will provide a less toxic and corrosive cleaning agent. While you can use these by manually applying/scrubbing on the surface you’re cleaning, it’s probably not a good idea to run them through your machine.

The best alternative is to purchase soap or detergent that is formulated to use in pressure washers. These are made for the machines and would be the safest to use.

You can also choose the type of soap or detergent depending on the surface type you are looking to clean (e.g., wood fence, cleaning a concrete driveway, vinyl siding on a house).

Conclusion

Pressure washing with bleach can be a very effective method for achieving that bright and shiny surface clean that you are looking for.

However, if used improperly, bleach can cause significant damage to your pressure washer, and can also create health and safety hazards for machine operators.

We cover these topics in detail so that homeowners and business owners can feel confident in their ability to work with bleach safely and efficiently.