Hi all, I need to wash my metal-sided mobile home on the cheap.
My plan is to mix up some bleach and detergent in a pump sprayer, spray down a section, allow some dwell time, and then hose it off. This is my first venture into any type of structure cleaning, so I was hoping for a quick run down or howto.
What type of mix should I run? I have a 2 gallon sprayer, and I’ll be using bleach off the shelf.
What kind of detergent should I add, that I can easily find locally?
Any other tips?
Thanks 
Get the good bleach. It the surface really green with algae or just surface dirt. Depending on how “green” it is start with 1gall of bleach 1 gall of H20 & about 4 to 6 oz of surfactant. Apply from bottom to top. Let dwell & you may have to scrub a little since your not using 12%. Unless you get some from a pool place.
If its store bleach then going 50/50 would get you a 3%.
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Store bleach here is 8.25%. But, you never know how fresh it is.
You must be using the Clorox outdoor bleach
No. The regular bleach, Walmart brand or regular Clorox, is 8.25 here.
Here, too.
Alex, use some non-Ultra Dawn for cling. Either Summertime Showers or Apple Blossom. You might have to go to a dollar store to find it. Or you can use liquid laundry detergent since it’s bleach compatible also.
Wet down the siding and spray a good coat of cleaner. Reapply where needed. Thoroughly rinse with garden hose.
Vi-ola!
How are you figuring that? Clorox from the factory is 6% out the door and Walmart (or any store brand bleach is 3%) Your Clorox outdoor bleach is 8.5%. That’s standard around the country. They add Sodium Hydroxide in it for some stabilization.
That’s how Walmart, Kmart, Dollar general, etc can sell their store brand cheaper. It is regular Clorox cut in half with water. That is why you never buy the store bought brand because you’re getting cheated. Some store bought brand things are ok to buy…like milk. In the produce industry, there are tiers to who gets the better shelving. The dominate brand is usually second grade (or sometimes first grade depending on the product) and just private labeled for the store. Most always, the dominantly displayed milk will be who private labels the milk for Walmart. Around here, it’s Purity milk. Same thing, only a dollar or two cheaper. Store bought bleach is totally different because they are cutting it with water to make it cheaper and sell it cheaper.
When house washing you want around .5% sh applied to the house. Just about everyone here downstreams their solution with a pressure washer. So if you are using a pump up sprayer you want to get to .5% solution you would take the bleach strength say 6% and figure out how much water to add to it. Which is about 10 parts water to 1 part sh. This is the equivalent of down streaming the solution. You will probably need around 30 gals of solution to do your house with a pump up sprayer.
I stand corrected. The new Clorox concentrated is 8.5% Sodium Hypochlorite.
Use the Clorox that they sell for outdoor use. Mix as recommended and adjust your mix if needed.
Also, I never said I am using it. I am using 12.5%, but if you’re in a pinch, the Walmart Great Value is 8.25%. And I’m figuring it by looking at it right now. Not something I would give false info about.
Wyatt, my apologies. I didn’t know Walmart changed how they did their bleach. It USE TO BE only 3% SH because they cut it. Thank you for showing that, as I haven’t kept up to date with it, as I, like you, use 12.5% from a Chem manufacturer.
BTW, now I’m mad…my 12.5 the other day was getting week and I needed to boost it up. I had new fresh SH being delivered the next day, but I had 2 houses to get done, so I bought 3 gallons of Clorox outdoor at $8 a bottle to boost my mix. Now I find out I could have got it for $3 at Walmart lol. I need to check our Walmart here and see if they carry it.
I have used it in the past, due to the fact a car boy 15 gallon tote is $165 at my chem supply. Much cheaper if I would buy the drum, but I don’t use enough. Yet.
Ouch!!! I pay $229 for TWO 55 gallon drums…and that’s delivered! I’m lucky enough that the place I get my SH from is the place they manufacture it at also, so even though they say it’s 12.5%, they told me when they are bringing me a fresh mix that was made the day before, it’s around 15-18%. IIRC, I think they said it’s processed at 18% but quickly degrades to 12.5%
They make it here, too, I was told. The 55 gallon is around the same price as the 15, but the 15 is more manageable for me. The 55 would have to be delivered, too, so that would cost additional. One of these days I hope to use more. Right now, I’m a window cleaner doing a little pressure washing on the side. Some day, I hope to be a pressure washer, doing a little window cleaning on the side. Baby steps.
There is no harm in using store bleach. We made our first million:) on Clorox from Sams Club. And get this, you never have to worry about how fresh it is because every bottle has the packing date code stamped on it. And Jeremy’s :mad: at himself because Thad told him weeks ago that dollar store bleach was stronger than what it used to be.
All we get now is 5 gal sh. No double or triple handling as you have with 55 gal drums.
I’m glad SOMEBODY remembered, Tim.
Just rub it in Tim and add salt to the wound lol
