Oxidation removal

I did a job, I got their gutters all whitened, took a little trial and error but we got it. I kind of got a little concerned when the water in the bucket looked like paint…did I strip their gutters and I’m going to get a call months down the road when their gutters look all screwed up cause I stripped off a protective coating or something?

Next question, I have another house to do Monday. Their gutters are painted dark brown. Still okay to use the F-13?

F13 is one of those “use at your own risk” products. When paint oxidizes, it basically is degrading a very thin layer of the paint. F13 and similar products strip off that thin, damaged paint layer. So it’s normal to see the paint color in your bucket.

If gutters have aftermarket paint, they may or may not hold up to the chems. If it’s factory paint, it “should” be ok. But always spot test if a situation makes you nervous

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Personally, i wouldn’t ever use it dark colored gutters or gutters that have been painted outside of its factory finish. Being that you have to use extra caution on white gutters with the factory finish, I’d say the risk is just too great on any gutters beyond that.

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Honestly, I’d probably do the same. I’m getting less shy about passing on the jobs that just don’t set right with me.

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Ive done some darker colored gutters before and it works. I dont use F13 most of the time i use red raider. With dark gutters it wont make too much of a difference so i wouldn’t do them again since the dark streaks blend with the gutters anyway. If you do them use dragon juice or red raider, it will be less aggressive on the paint, but even still do a test spot.

I dont do gutters as much since i double my price on them.

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I just house washed a brown house today. Did the finger swab and nothing came off. Figured it wasn’t oxidized. The owner stated the house had been painted five years ago. When I was done and leaving, in the upper section in direct sunlight, I noticed some splotchy whiteness. What the heck did I do wrong and what can I possibly expect as far as repercussion??? I’m stressing now!

Likely SH. It shows up on darker siding worst. I saw it crystalize on a window yesterday. You may be called out to rerinse, but on several occasions I’ve had to pull out my watyer fed pole and brush the house out.

So a secondary rinsing should do the trick? The stucco was hot (considering it was still chilly out). I was thinking that may have been the issue, but I’ve never had that happen, this my freaking out. Thanks for the reply.

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Yep, I only remembered having read this after the fact. Lesson learned.

Look, you’ll be fortunate if another rinse is enough. My recommendation isto forget about it, and see if your customer notices, If so, bring a friend to rinse while you brush away the SH if you don’t have a WFP. Remember, that although my buddy IBS has already forgotten more than you and I will ever know about PW, sometimes his advise won’t help you get out of the sh&t, just help you to stay out of it. Right now your hip deep. GOOD LUCK!

Oh yeah, if our customer doesn’t notice, the rain will eventually get it, but they’ll probably notice.

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Nope… nope nope nope never ever… EVER.

If you mess something up, bring it up and fix it. It’s the right thing to do and on occasion you’ll get someone that is far too nice for their own good and won’t bring it up with you… but they’ll sure a heck tell their friends.

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OK, I stand corrected, However, in my own defense, we’re often our own harshest critics, are we not?

When I was in the Navy I learned fast that there are two ways to do anything: right the first time and again.

I also learned a lesson I’ll never forget by watching some other poor chap get obliterated for delaying bad news and delivering it second hand.

Bad news gets delivered fast and from the source.

Next level integrity isn’t just for business. Life is easier when you break bad news first.

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100%. But with a little bit of experience, it’s not hard to tell when you jack something up or if something is still drying.

True story, and documented here: Discounted a ladies housewash, cleaned her small back deck AND front walk free. Noticed those white tell-tale signs, rushed home for my WFP (only several miles away), and brushed out 2 stories, 3 sides of a 2400 Sq. ft. home. Spent almost four hours on a $200 job, and the ■■■■■ gave me 5 stars at HA on everything except value. She still thought I charged her too much. Go figure!

You’re killing me George. You got paid and a great review…

And it sounds like you could’ve just knocked and told her the situation before you started washing. You gotta take some ownership here dude.

If she was unwilling to pay more consider the lost revenue tuition because you learned a valuable lesson.

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Hell, I didn’t see it until it was too late, just like the guy who started this thread. THEN, one does damage control. I’m not complaining about the fix, I’m complaining about the customer. She worked me hard to get me to discount further before I went out, and then dinged me after a four hour job (that turned out beautiful) because I charged her too much. She is one of only three customers who have given me anything but 5 stars, and my rating right now is 4.93.