Soft Wash set up. Back pack?

Hello all,

Wfp cleaner in Dorset, I don’t pressure wash, only have done for family and my own garden etc. But the last few months been reading all about this Soft washing.

Ive taken the advice I’ve read on here about doing ‘the home work’ etc. I’ve watched every (uk made) YouTube video at least once, spent hours reading all the soft washing discussions on here etc. Read a lot of the info on Benz wash website as well.

Unfortunately I don’t know anyone personally & locally who does it, otherwise I would offer to pay just to watch & be taught etc (open to offers if anyone in Bournemouth, I’m not doing it to be a empire, I have pretty much enough customers, just want to offer them a extra service and something to do on a odd Saturday etc)

 If I do offer this, I only will if I feel 100% confident with plenty of practice and look & talk professional.

The reasons why I’m interested are: Obviously it seems to pay better per hour etc. And over the last 6 months I’ve had several of my customers ask me ‘Do you do patios’ or ‘do you walls & rendering?’ Etc. I like the idea of offering a complete external clean. I do the basics (Gutter clearing, cleaning & con roofs) 

I do have a good health & safety conscience (I was a flat roofer for 6yrs, so worked on some very strict sites, even fawley oil refinery off & on which was so hot on H&S you honestly wouldn’t believe it till you saw it!!) So if I do offer it, I will DEFINITELY be doing it properly, taping off  areas where I’m using hypo, informing customers before during and after job what’s happening and when safe to go on, the FULL ppe etc.

I live in a rendered house with a small patio outside, I’m planning to practice in the next few weeks. I’ve decided to go for Benz Blackwash & Bio if I do go through with offering it (I’m open to hear reasons for and against using their product or another one though from people that do soft wash)

I don’t want to spend loads of equipment yet as I’m only going to experiment on my house then a customer for free with a small patio who I’ve spoken to and they’re really nice & laid back. I will obviously spend what needs to be on: ppe (goggles, face shield, appropriate gloves coat & trousers & boots etc) unless I’m missing something??

But to start with in was going to use my Gardiner back pack, I have a spare old 22clx as well. I was planning to buy a Medium Sill fan yet brush?? (Opinions on brush though please)

**** So the bit I still don’t fully get, once I put my mix into the back pack, what’s the best way to apply it?.. Attach my pole & brush then spray with it the fan jets??

Or to buy this ‘adapter’ I keep hearing about?? If so, does that fit on my pole ok?? What else do I need??

Then to rinse, shall I use my Wfp set up from my van and rinse with the pure with fan jets on a powerful flow?

Or some seem to say about a garden tap etc, do you plug in your hose reel?? Or fill up the back pack with tap water and rinse with the back pack & fan jets brush??

I will invest in better equipment long term if I like it etc.

Sorry for the long (and maybe boring post for some) I really appreciate your help & time. 

Thank you.

Ryan 

What you have suggested as to how to apply it is good you can do it with the back pack that’s what we do you can app,y it to the wall with the jets in the brush and give it a light scrub at the same time or you can app,y it by spray but normal fan jets atomise it to much you need a courser-spray Ben Marriot at Rutland pumps sell thenozzles that will fit straight into the end of a Gardiner pole Benz also sell a similar thing but it’s dearer and not as good a quality as Rutland pumps one , as for blackwash it’s a personal thing but it’s a very expensive way of buying what is predominately a hypo mix we use hypo from a farm supply store it currently retails at £20 for 2x 20 ltr drums at 10% strength I hear good reports about Benz stuff but why pay around £60 for 25 ltr it’s way to expensive we do dozens of properties every year from small 3 bed semis to very large 5 bed detached houses and always get a 100% clean job the end result won’t be any better using Benz stuff but you will make less profit by buying the mix : also it has to be shipped from Ireland not cheap and takes a long time for delivery 

for rinsing the garden hose is best copious amounts of fresh water diluted and rinse away all traces of the hypo 

this job was done in freezing conditions with farm dairy hypochlorite Benz stuff wouldn’t do any better and it cost less than £10 in hypo 

Pjj said:

What you have suggested as to how to apply it is good you can do it with the back pack that’s what we do you can app,y it to the wall with the jets in the brush and give it a light scrub at the same time or you can app,y it by spray but normal fan jets atomise it to much you need a courser-spray Ben Marriot at Rutland pumps sell thenozzles that will fit straight into the end of a Gardiner pole Benz also sell a similar thing but it’s dearer and not as good a quality as Rutland pumps one , as for blackwash it’s a personal thing but it’s a very expensive way of buying what is predominately a hypo mix we use hypo from a farm supply store it currently retails at £20 for 2x 20 ltr drums at 10% strength I hear good reports about Benz stuff but why pay around £60 for 25 ltr it’s way to expensive we do dozens of properties every year from small 3 bed semis to very large 5 bed detached houses and always get a 100% clean job the end result won’t be any better using Benz stuff but you will make less profit by buying the mix : also it has to be shipped from Ireland not cheap and takes a long time for delivery 
for rinsing the garden hose is best copious amounts of fresh water diluted and rinse away all traces of the hypo 
this job was done in freezing conditions with farm dairy hypochlorite Benz stuff wouldn’t do any better and it cost less than £10 in hypo 
View attachment 13062
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How such straight lines? This appeals to my ocd haha

Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

Jordiebarrett said:

How such straight lines? This appeals to my ocd haha

Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app
 

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Lol that’s not to difficult as there is a plastic strip in the wall between the properties it’s not100 % straight but fairly close 

Ok thanks, I’ll order that nozzle next week. And yep I take your point I suppose regardless hypo/black wash. The only thing I’m a little worried about with hypo is getting the wrong %mix. Read & heard of a quite a few mess ups with a top stronger mix etc. I’m not too much of a ‘trail & error’ kind of person.

I like the idea of a that app.. does anyone have it? Worth the £50?  Benz soft wash website had quite a good guide sheet of how much to use their blackwash on what kind of surface, that’s why I was leaning towards them.

Anyone use this 

https://www.softwashtechnology.co.uk/products/benz-spray-nozzle-push-fit-type

THL4KEL said:

Anyone use this 

https://www.softwashtechnology.co.uk/products/benz-spray-nozzle-push-fit-type

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Yes yes that’s the same as the ones I have very good 

https://www.wintecs.co.uk/water-fed-pole-window-cleaning/water-fed-poles-and-brushes/brushes/vikan-waterfed-brushes-pencil-jets/

I bought the above with fans.  I find the bristles keep any spray drift to a minimum.  So i spray, then scrub, spray then scrub.  Leave.  Connect to tap and rinse.  Might fit some pencils to it to help rinsing..

THL4KEL said:

Anyone use this 

https://www.softwashtechnology.co.uk/products/benz-spray-nozzle-push-fit-type

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So as a newbie, using the back pack, do you recommend the 6.5 or 10 nozzle ?

thanks.

[email protected] said:

So as a newbie, using the back pack, do you recommend the 6.5 or 10 nozzle ?

thanks.

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I have both and to be totaly honest don’t see much difference between the two they are both very good for soft washing 

Pjj said:

I have both and to be totaly honest don’t see much difference between the two they are both very good for soft washing 

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Ok. I’ll go for the 10, middle of the road and all that