Help! White siding got stained after I cleaned it

Do you use something else in your house wash mix that most don’t that would be able to get the stain off?

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If I didn’t have this forum and it wasn’t my mother’s house, I’d be out buying every detergent at Lowe’s or HD and trying it. But someone recommended giving it time to see what happens so I was following that advice.

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That was the second thing I did after trying to rinse it off with water.

It’s a reaction with the white old siding and the SH…

Just leave it, let it go away.

Spraying more chemicals on it is not going to fix it.

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My strength bleach was 6%. I used Dawn soap as my surfactant (I know I’m not supposed to use soap but I still haven’t figured out why exactly–even with all the posts I’ve been reading. And another site had a few people actually recommending soap.)

I considered myself a part-time pro until I found this site. Sheesh, now I’m not even sure I’m a semi-pro.

I’m still learning. I take great pride in my work which is why I’m on here reading and studying. This forum is a God-send. So I’m totally open to learning and fixing where I’m falling short.

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This is the surfactant that most use.

Also, save some money and buy liquid pool shock. Bleach is called Sodium Hypochlorite. Liquid pool shock is 12.5% Sodium Hypochlorite. Twice as strong as household bleach at about the same price. You just dilute it to the strength you need. You’ll eventually graduate to buying 55 gallon drums or 275 gallon totes.

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Yes, thank you! I shouldn’t be calling it bleach. I’m a newb. SH it is. I called around a few days ago to all the pool places in my area and only one place sold 12.5%. Thankfully, it’s about 15 minutes away. I still had a small stock of 6% SH so I decided to use it up.

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Brown stuff

What’s the shelf life for this stuff? If I’m only doing a few houses, will it last more than a few months?

Yup. It’ll last a while. Just buy a gallon if you don’t do many houses. Mix about .75-1oz per gallon of house wash mix.

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Thanks! Seems like it’d be way cheaper to use this than to use Dawn or other soap!

You mentioned in another thread about doing windows with hot water when down streaming windex. Do you use hot water on houses too when using that brown stuff? What are the benefits of using this brown stuff? I’m not questioning your method I’m just curious cause I’ve never seen anyone mention using anything but the sh and surfactant.

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Brown stuff is typically a sodium hydroxide based degreaser. Some hw surfactants already have sodium hydroxide in them. Elemonator, I believe, does not. I used one for a while that did (GA Chemical/soap warehouse brand citrus hw), then bought a 5er of elemonator. I honestly think the citrus hw with sodium hydroxide in it cleans slightly better than elemonator, and will probably go back to it, and I can buy it locally.

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Brown stuff will neutralize your sh in 4 hours. It also breaks down spider webs bee nest things like that. I wouldn’t not wash a house without it. Yes I use hot water to wash houses. Brown stuff is a alkaline based cleaner which is also good for grease, soot, you know the nasty stuff

Dont use dawn just get slo mo and be done

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Is slo-mo the “brown stuff”? And do you have a link where to get it?

You can only buy brown stuff at pressure works. Slo mo is a pressure washing products thing just Google it

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There seems to be similar products as Brown Stuff at different places around the country. I wonder if there’s a main manufacturer and then places put their own name on it? It seems like @Hotshot mentioned something about buying brown stuff from a guy in Louisiana awhile back. I might not be remembering that right though.

Think these are the same? They’re all about the same price if that means anything.

https://www.powerwash.com/r-111-classic-brown-car-wash-detergent-50-lbs.html

http://shop.soapwarehouse.biz/store/p/27-Brown-Derby-1-gallon.aspx

I dont know they keep its recipe a secret. I have tried to figure it out with no luck. I heard brown derby is close. All I know is that it works I buy it 55 gallons at a time

Not true ive only been to 4 different vendors in my area but they all sold brown stuff. All simular in the name but different packaging. For alot cheaper than pressure works. They are high on about everything.

I want to try some. Is there any risks or things you should not spray that you usaully could with elemonator?

How much is is your a gallon i haven’t seen the price on 55 gallons