Power wash your house

Power wash your house

 

Would you rather spend $125 or $10 to power spray wash your doublewide house??  If your answer is $125, just scroll on to the next item. You do not need the following wonderful information. The answer to the $10 wash is that it is a do-it-yourself project.  It is not difficult and if you are machoistic, you might even enjoy it.  The secret is to have the right tools.

  The first thing you need is a 1 ½ gallon sprayer.  You can get a good “bleach sprayer” at Home Depot for $17.  I have included a picture of the one that I just purchased.  Don’t be cheap and get the one that costs a few bucks less or you will be sorry.  Trust me.

  Cleaning Ingredients are Clorox, water and laundry soap.  It also helps to have some ratty clothes to wear.  You will always end up with some interesting Rohrbach blots on your clothes.  Pour a half gallon of bleach into the sprayer.  Fill the empty bottle with water and pour that into the sprayer.  Finally add a cup of laundry soap.  Add the ingredients in order as listed.  Remember that I told you so.  DO NOT TRY TO SKIMP ON THE BLEACH.  You need a strong mixture to do the job.  Pump up the sprayer and you are ready to go. (note). Buy the Clorox in ½ gallon bottles.  That makes it much easier to get the proper mix.

  Start spraying at the bottom of the siding.  Aim for the seam between the two pieces of siding.  The reason for starting at the bottom is to assure that you do not miss any spots. Keep spraying only the dry surfaces.   Only spray an area about 5 feet wide.  This eliminates frequent moving of the sprayer.  Picking a handy reference point will aid in doing a complete job.  It is VERY important to keep the sprayer wand in motion.  You are not spraying a wasp nest so there is no need to keep a steady stream on one spot.

  The only place you will need a ladder is on the gable ends above the windows.  Be sure to have someone with you when you are on the ladder.  Safety first.  Wait until the sprayer is almost empty before doing the gable.  That sprayer can get very heavy when holding it on a ladder.

  Don’t be in a hurry to wash down the siding.  Let the solution work for a while before you rinse it off.  A good rule of thumb is to wash down the completed area after you run out of cleaner and need a refill.  The time between sprayer refills is a good time to stop and have a beer, maybe two.  There is no need to rush things.

  It will take one refill, or two (2) sprayer loads of spray mix to do the entire house.  If you are a picky person, it may take three.  When you are all done, stand back and admire your work.  You should be able to do the whole house and enjoy your beer in about an hour and a half.  It is also a good idea to have another beer after you are finished