Removing Black Spots and Lichen with Soft Washing - The Ultimate Guide

By Mark Cave September 26, 2024

Removing Black Spots and Lichen with Soft Washing - The Ultimate Guide

Welcome to the ultimate guide on using Soft Washing 🧼 to remove black spots and lichen effectively. These unsightly invaders can make your exterior surfaces look neglected, but with the right techniques and equipment, you can restore them to their former glory. In this article, we will delve deep into the best practices, the ideal chemicals, and the must-have equipment for soft washing. Ready to transform your surfaces? Let's dive in!

Understanding the Problem: Black Spots and Lichen

Black spots and lichen are common issues that affect various exterior surfaces, including roofs, walls, driveways, and patios. They are not just aesthetic nuisances; they can also cause structural damage if left unchecked. Lichen, in particular, is a symbiotic organism consisting of fungi and algae that can penetrate surfaces, making it difficult to remove.

Why Traditional Cleaning Methods Fail

Traditional cleaning methods, such as pressure washing, often fall short in tackling black spots and lichen. High-pressure water can damage surfaces and only provides a temporary solution, as it doesn't kill the spores. This is where soft washing comes into play, offering a more effective and gentle approach.

What is Soft Washing?

Soft washing is a cleaning technique that uses low pressure and specialized solutions to remove organic growths like algae, mold, mildew, moss, and lichen. Learn more about the basics of soft washing from SoftWash UK.

Benefits of Soft Washing

✅ Gentle on Surfaces: Low-pressure application reduces the risk of damage.
✅ Long-lasting Results: The chemicals used kill the spores, preventing regrowth.
✅ Eco-friendly: Biodegradable solutions are safer for the environment.

The Soft Washing Process

The soft washing process involves several key steps to ensure effective removal of black spots and lichen:

1. Surface Preparation

Before you start, clear any loose debris and ensure the surface is dry. This improves the effectiveness of the chemical solutions.

2. Mixing the Solution

Creating the perfect soft wash mix is crucial. Refer to this Sodium Hypochlorite Mixing Guide for detailed instructions. Using a surfactant like Clever Wash can enhance the effectiveness of your solution.

3. Application

Use a soft wash system like the Soft Washing Dosatron to apply the solution evenly. Ensure you cover all affected areas thoroughly.

4. Dwell Time

Allow the solution to sit on the surface for 15-20 minutes. This gives it enough time to break down the organic matter.

5. Rinsing

After the dwell time, rinse the surface with low-pressure water. This removes the dead lichen and black spots, revealing a clean surface underneath.

Choosing the Right Chemicals

The effectiveness of soft washing largely depends on the chemicals used. At SoftWash UK, we offer a range of high-quality chemicals:

The Essential Soft Washing Equipment

Having the right equipment is just as important as the chemicals. SoftWash UK provides a variety of Soft Washing Equipmentto suit all your needs:

Safety Precautions

Handling chemicals requires proper safety measures. Consider taking a Soft Wash Training Course or a Self Study Course to ensure you handle these materials safely.

Conclusion

Soft washing is an effective, gentle, and long-lasting solution for removing black spots and lichen from exterior surfaces. With the right process, chemicals, and equipment, you can achieve outstanding results. Visit SoftWash UK to explore more products and training courses. Don't let black spots and lichen ruin the beauty of your property. Start soft washing today! 🌟

Learn More and Shop Now

Ready to get started? Visit SoftWash UK for all your soft washing needs.

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Soft Wash Calculator App

Now you can say I've got an app for that!

Available NOW Click Here To Download

Softwashing calculator is an indispensable tool for juggling complicated chemical mixes. It helps reduce wastage and keeps operating costs down by giving accurate proportions

If you are having difficulty getting your head around the maths, trying to work out what percentage of softwash you need, how much chemical, surfactant and water to add, then this is the App for you.

The Soft Wash Calculator App allows you to work out your soft wash recipe by telling you exactly how much chemical, how much water and how much surfactant to add to get the desired soft wash recipe.
It doesn't stop there!.
- It can also remix your leftover softwash to a new stronger or weaker recipe.
- all controls in one place for see at a glance operation
- ease of input via pre-loaded dials. no more calculator style typing
- instantly responds to changes of complex combinations
- works in both Litres and US Gallons
- tested for Protan and Deutan colourblind users
- links to SoftwashingUK website

Take this scenario
You started with a 1% soft wash recipe of 50 gal (or litres) for a deck clean and you’re left with 13 gallons.

You get a call from a prospective customer to clean their roof. Past experience tells you a 4% soft wash recipe is needed, but what about your leftover mix at 1%?.

Do you waste time and effort driving back to base to transfer into a standby tank?
You could consider the 13 gal as just water, top up the tank and start again.
But that’s throwing away the value of the mix and raising your overhead.

Soft Wash Calculator App to the rescue.

You get to the new job and it requires 100 gal / litres.
Switch into remix mode , confirming the 13 gal already in the tank
Move the dials to your new recipe and the app immediately updates the different amounts to add in front of your eyes including the correct amount of extra surfactant.

You now have a 100 gal / litres tank of 4% soft wash recipe ready for your roof clean job!

Not forgetting you’ve saved money too, all without stress and uncertainty . Don’t underestimate what confident calmness has on your customer putting out referrals.

The same applies if you have a 4% recipe left in your tank and you need to dilute it down to 2%. Again the app will tell you how.

Softwashing calculator will also work for any chemical recipe. For instance you can use it for Sodium Hypochlorite, Bleach, Biocide , TFR traffic film remover and degreaser. Even the mathematically-challenged rocket scientist can top up their booster tanks to new fuel mixes after launch delays caused by changing weather conditions.

Using this app you will know exactly what chemical strength to put on any surface giving you the confidence and the knowledge of a professional soft washer and you’ll save money as well.

So if you have little knowledge of how to mix a soft wash recipe then this app is for you.
If you have little knowledge of how to remix a soft wash recipe then this app is for you.
If you want to save money when mixing a soft wash recipe then this app is for you.

This app is also backward compatible to devices running iOS7. We've done this so you can re-purpose an old iPhone 4 or iPod Touch 5 for what could be hazardous work environments. Just toss one in your cleaning van's toolkit.

Once you learn the methods and procedures of how to apply the soft wash to the different surfaces that need cleaning you’ll be unstoppable!

The app also has a guide to what percentage for what surface. And if you are the lucky owner of a Clever Injector it will remind you the correct setting for the job.
However you should always consider and risk assess what soft wash recipe you need to clean the surface.

** A major iOS code-base change may require a re-purchase. The appiverse at the time will confirm our promise that we won't do so unless the necessity is apparent.

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