Older home, badly oxidized white aluminum siding, heavy fallout on front, had a letter “H” (think it was blue/black) on it that was removed. I can’t get the letter’s shading off the aluminum siding. I told them to get it painted.
Not posting pics of it as I didn’t get owner’s permission, but I will provide a “internet image sample”.
Process
- HW mix first on house - no difference (didn’t expect it either) the letter H spit in my face.
- Purple stuff full strength and brushed- It laughed at me and mocked my cleaning skills
- Cleansol BC (less diluted than recommended) - It laughed and said is that the best you got punk?
- Cleansol BC(called company twice) used scrub brush (stiff) pump up sprayer, levitated in air (cause I can’t walk on roofs for insurance) - the H reached over and smacked me and said try harder.
- I used a diluted acid a microfiber towel and levitated again and hand scrubbed it, rinsed, resprayed it, rescrubbed by hand again - It told me I was a fighter but not the champ, and it stood there and looked down on me.
I hung my head in shame and aplogized to the homeowner. Told them they needed a wizard and not a cleaner, and maybe they should paint over it (the aluminum siding). I did some other work for them too while battling my nemesis. For reference the lady down the street thinks that the letter “H” was on the house for at least 20 years.
I’ll find a suitable pic. Anyone got a suggestion?
The American Sign Museum: September 2011 not quite the same
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What I want to know, is how you weren’t down to bare metal after all those chems and scrubbing?
It’s pretty hard to undo the effects of years and years of uneven UV exposure on a surface. Painting sounds like it was the only viable option. Sometimes we can burn a lot of time trying to be the hero.
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Oh the paint was thin, you betcha, warned them several times and put it in my estimate (due to the oxidation) that I couldn’t make any guarantees. The move to microfiber towel was to stop the complete paint removal on my part.
This was, without a doubt, an IBS “walkaway” gig. I figured if I could knock it out (since work is slow) it would be great advertisement. That house is whiter/cleaner than it’s been in over 20 years, but I wouldn’t call it white. I won’t also advertise it, because I am not happy.
I went back the next day to give them time to look it over, voice concerns, and walked around the property with them. Showed them a ton of problems with their home. I gave them a reduced price from my estimate. They weren’t mad or upset at all. I am probably more upset then they are. I want to know how to beat the “H”.
I would go get some flat white gutter paint and just do a quick mist. Only other option is to keep on rubbing and remove all the paint. I’m with Alex though, I can’t believe you didn’t strip the paint. Most people here turn down aluminum siding because the sh alone can strip it down to bare metal in spots.
Don’t worry about getting people’s permissions to post a picture of their house. Just make sure there’s nothing in the picture that will give away any information such as license plate, house number, etc. There house is already on Google Maps and most are on realtor websites just not listed for sale.
