So after being on this forum for a little over a month, I’ve been itching to do a house cleaning utilizing some of the things I learned on here. After doing a few dozen homes last year, this was my first home “kicking off” this season I guess you could say and I was stoked to finally be able to use my new j-rod, hi-draw chem injector, and elemonator that I just received from Pressure Tek. I also upgraded my SH from just regular Clorox outdoor bleach and ended up trying the Pool Essentials chlorinating liquid from Walmart (it’s only 10% SH, but better then what I was using).
I still used my 3.5 gpm, 4,000 psi DeWalt direct drive, wheeled power washer, a 100-ft garden hose plumbed straight to the house spigot, 40-ft pressure hose and the standard gun that came with the washer originally. So, no, I haven’t upgraded everything, but for as few houses as I do right now, I am okay with my set up currently.
The house was a little under 2,300 sq ft, two-story, vinyl siding with some mildew build up. Typical house in my area that I try to cater to and have cleaned before. However, the introduction of better chemicals, better injector and the j-rod made a world of difference! It was cold, and very windy, yesterday morning when I pulled up to the house at 8:30 but I immediately started taping off outlets, doorbells, keyholes, meter boxes, etc. After getting all my equipment set up, water on, and actually started cleaning closer to 8:45. Using the j-rod and the upgraded chemicals was a night and day difference from what I had been using ((weaker SH and the standard quick disconnect tips (red, green, white, black, yellow) that came with the power washer in addition to the two-story nozzles (pink and blue) I had purchased last year. )) I left the house at noon, so 3.5 hours for me to tape, set up, take before photos, clean, move my equipment one time to the opposite corner of the house, clean, remove tape, walk around with customer, get paid, small talk for 5 minutes or so, rinse equipment and lines, pack up, take after photos and then turn the key in the trucks’ ignition. And, with the wind blowing as fierce as it was, I spent about 15 minutes having to utilize a 24ft ladder in a few spots that I just couldn’t get chemical onto from the ground. Temp when I started was around 40 F and although it did warm up to around 50 F by the time I was done, the wind didn’t let up.
I know that isn’t record breaking by any means, but for me, it was awesome to see that I could shave so much time off of a house cleaning with just a simple $100 order to Pressure Tek and getting better SH - which the Pool Essentials is about 1/2 the price of the Clorox Outdoor - bonus! In the past, I would have spent at least half a day, if not longer on a similar house. I think with my current set-up and more time utilizing the improved practices/equipment I should be able to cut that same job from 3.5 hours down to 2 or less. For me, that would be ideal. I know that most on here with could have likely knocked that house out in 45 minutes or less, but keep in mind that I am working out of the back of a pick up truck, with a home depot washer being wheeled around, with zero hose reels of any type, no buffer tanks, by myself, and still green to the industry.
Most importantly though, the customer was happy and I was happy.
I’ve said it before, but it is worth saying it again - THANK YOU to this forum. Everyone here (ok, most of ya’ll on here 
) are great with sharing of advice or asking questions that invoke a deeper thought process from us newer guys.
