So after being totally sick of the pump up sprayer and not wanting the x jet due to higher pressure, today I got the modified x jet gun with the 1/4 QD at the end so I can use low pressure with my black soap tip to apply SH at a manageable PSI. I love it. BUT, Its not like the pump up as far as how quick it goes through chem. Practiced with it all day spraying soap so I could see whats coming out. The first time I didn’t barely get through a 1/4 of the driveway without burning up a gallon. So I worked on my technique spraying with it and hose management and got it under control. Straight 10% or 12% is a rather hot mix and will fly through chem so im figuring out my dilution rate using a 5 gallon jug. Then need more batch mixed in smaller jugs to top off the big one when doing larger places. In reality I could use a 10 gallon jug strapped to an upright dolly with wheels to prevent spills and have a better volume on hand. But I love the thing. In the name of economics i think for flat surfaces that are not totally black, I should soap pre treat and reserve the SH for post treating. In the end, for the cost of an x jet I got that plus a 5000 psi rated heavy duty gun. It’s been a win win week for Steve’s Pressure Cleaning.
I don’t know how to highlight part of your text but you mentioned soap pre treat and SH post. What soap are you pretreating with or are you using sh for pre and post?
“I should soap pre treat and reserve the SH for post treating.”
I normally pre and post with 3% SH. I was saying that since the x jet gun draws so much, that I should start pre treating with soap, and post treating with SH. Unless of course the driveway is really bad, the pre and post SH.
So here’s the deal. You pre and post treat with the same solution. Your house wash mix. Before you go buying ten gallon tanks to wheel around, take the black tip u are using and throw it down a storm drain. Get a 65 or 100 whatever gallon tank, put it on your truck and get a ds injector. If you need your mic to be a little hotter on concrete, pop out the nozzle and just spray using the gun. 99.9% of concrete doesn’t need a mix hotter than house wash. Bear in mind, Rucker is a vendor, he’s trying to make a buck. Most vendors out there were washing contractors that couldn’t make a living at it so they became salesmen. Your modified xjet should be keeping company with your black nozzle, in the storm drain.
I rarely disagree with @Innocentbystander but don’t take his advice on this one. You’ll probably get fined if you throw it into a storm drain.
Well, not from what I’ve seen around Louisville. Housewash doesn’t touch these bad boys man.
Before I got the trailer mount 12v, I was using a portable unit with 2.2gpm pump and aside from having to huck around 40# of mix it works great.
I did an experiment last year. I used the hottest house wash mix I could pull to pre treat with a 30 minute dwell time on half of a filthy, filthyfilthy driveway. The other half, nothing. Since then, I don’t pre treat or post treat. I just go over it until it’s clean. Works every time. By experimenting, I’ve concluded post treating to be much more effective than pre treating, just based on my findings. No two contractors do these things the same way & that’s why we’re all special!
You’ve got the .001 all in your area
There’s really no need to pretreat, just wet the concrete before you tube the surface cleaner over it. Throw down some housewash mix on it makes you happy when you leave.
Sounds almost like you’ve done this before? Rugg Ducker is gonna harr you one of these days.
Also, big piles of suds running down the driveway is not always good news. No 2 driveways are the same. The main difference I noticed when I stopped pre treating: I could actually see what I was doing & where I’ve been. That tends to come in handy.
Dcbrock im gonna go 50/50 with 12.5% which will give me 2.3 using x jet with 4GPM. Its worth a try. I’m only sold on and have been 3% on all flat because thats how I was taught. Seems like lots of people think 3% is kind of hot on driveways but it has worked well for me.
Yes I hate big sud runs so when I pre treat with soap and water I like to stay low on the soap. As long as I can see a conservative amount of soap that will rinse easy im good as SC and post treat will finish the job. Hate when i see videos of guys pre treating with soap and the driveway is TOTALLY soaked with white soap. It runs in the road and is hard to eliminate.
Yeah I had an open trailer pull with a tank back in the early 90s. Im not a total newbe but I have noticed it is a bit different than back then. Lots more knowledge and education these days. Back then we just sprayed water and cleaned stuff.
I’ll never forget the best bumper sticker I ever saw: “If it works, don’t fix it”. Just figure out what works for you & you’ll be in good shape. It’s different for everybody & there ain’t nuthin wrong with experimenting while you’re at it. I believe you’re headed in the right direction. Keep asking questions & keep banging on that search bar.
Agreed that SH post treat is more important than pre treat. Totally. Ive done driveways with nothing but soaking with water, wash, rinse, then SH post treat and they turned out fine. And weeks later I drive by and still no lines. Moderately dirty driveways, not ones caked with organics.
@Innocentbystander I had some stripes the other day I didn’t see until I was washing the house. I took your advice & post treated with house wash mix. Total game changer! This makes life so much easier. I owe you approximately one pallet of Cheerwine by now.
Lol. Im still 3% as the sweet spot id house mix did it then perfect. Good to know. I got a bad bad black driveway on Monday. On top of that its full of lichens. 3% pre and post wont kill lichens from view. Gotta pump up sprayer them with at least 10% the go back with 1000 psi. They suck as they make the whole job longer. DC Brock taught me about lichens. Pre and post and SC does ■■■■ to them. Gotta wand them fairly close range. Things are going good. Decided to add vinal fence a week ago and picked up an easy job for that this week coming. Have been loosing jobs because of not house washing and doing flat only so pretty soon going to add that as I have just about knoledge, seen the issues other guys have had with it but want to study up a bit more with factors such as oxidation and galvonized trims. I wont touch anything till I can handle it in any situation with all variables that can enter the picture. Flat concrete elementary school I got. Time to go to middle school then high school. Lol. Glad you killed those unsightly lines.
You need to show us some pics of your average driveway.
I want before and after pics.
