Will Sodium Hypochlorite Damage My Surfaces? Understanding Its Effects in Soft Washing

By Mark Cave December 25, 2024

Will Sodium Hypochlorite Damage My Surfaces? Understanding Its Effects in Soft Washing

Soft washing has become increasingly popular for maintaining clean, aesthetically pleasing outdoor environments, but a common question still looms—will the use of sodium hypochlorite bleach or damage your surfaces? 👀 In this article, we dive deep into the properties and effects of sodium hypochlorite in the soft washing process, addressing your concerns with expert insights.

What is Sodium Hypochlorite?

Sodium hypochlorite is a powerful chemical compound widely used for its bleaching and disinfecting properties. It is often the main ingredient in household bleach and plays a crucial role in soft wash chemicals. When mixed correctly, it performs wonders in cleaning moss, algae, and other contaminants from surfaces, making it a staple in soft washing techniques. To learn more, you can listen to our podcast on what is sodium hypochlorite.

Does Sodium Hypochlorite Bleach Surfaces? 💡

The bleaching potential of sodium hypochlorite is one of the main reasons it is so effective in cleaning and disinfecting. However, it must be handled with care. If not mixed or applied correctly, it can lead to discoloration or damage to your surfaces. For a more detailed discussion, see our podcast episode on surface bleaching.

Safe Usage Tips

Proper Mixing Ratios: Ensure you follow the recommended sodium hypochlorite mixing guide to attain an effective yet safe cleaning solution.
PPE is Important: Use proper personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling sodium hypochlorite, as it can be hazardous to both skin and respiratory health.
Perform a Patch Test: Test the solution on a small, inconspicuous area before full application.
Rinsing: Rinsing surfaces post-treatment is advisable. For more insights, check out our podcast on the importance of rinsing.

What Surfaces Are Most Vulnerable?

It's important to know which surfaces could be most at risk when using sodium hypochlorite. Although sodium hypochlorite can be effective on a wide array of surfaces, materials like wood and certain metals may require more caution:

Wood: Soft washing wood can be tricky; sodium hypochlorite can cause fading if not used properly. For details, refer to whether you can use sodium hypochlorite on wood.
Rendered Walls: When cleaning rendered walls, use sodium hypochlorite cautiously and adhere to this comprehensive guide for effective results without damage.

Alternatives and Compliments to Sodium Hypochlorite

Looking for different options? You might explore using products like Softwash Biocide 50% DDAC, which offer alternative cleaning and disinfecting methods. Additionally, adding surfactants such as Clever Wash Surfactantcan enhance the effectiveness of sodium hypochlorite-based solutions.

The SoftWash UK Difference 🌟

SoftWash UK is dedicated to educating and guiding property owners in safe and effective cleaning practices. Tune into our SoftWash UK Podcast hosted by Mark Cave for more insights or evaluate the best soft washing equipment to meet your needs.

Ready to Get Started?

Want to protect your surfaces while ensuring a pristine look? Visit SoftWash UK today to learn more about safe soft washing practices and explore our wide range of products and resources.

Conclusion

Sodium hypochlorite is a powerful ally in the fight against outdoor grime, but understanding its properties and using it carefully ensures no inadvertent surface damage. Educate yourself, use the right equipment, and consult SoftWash UK for top-tier cleaning solutions.

← Older Post

0 comments

Soft Wash Calculator App

Now you can say I've got an app for that!

Available NOW Click Here To Download

Softwashing calculator is an indispensable tool for juggling complicated chemical mixes. It helps reduce wastage and keeps operating costs down by giving accurate proportions

If you are having difficulty getting your head around the maths, trying to work out what percentage of softwash you need, how much chemical, surfactant and water to add, then this is the App for you.

The Soft Wash Calculator App allows you to work out your soft wash recipe by telling you exactly how much chemical, how much water and how much surfactant to add to get the desired soft wash recipe.
It doesn't stop there!.
- It can also remix your leftover softwash to a new stronger or weaker recipe.
- all controls in one place for see at a glance operation
- ease of input via pre-loaded dials. no more calculator style typing
- instantly responds to changes of complex combinations
- works in both Litres and US Gallons
- tested for Protan and Deutan colourblind users
- links to SoftwashingUK website

Take this scenario
You started with a 1% soft wash recipe of 50 gal (or litres) for a deck clean and you’re left with 13 gallons.

You get a call from a prospective customer to clean their roof. Past experience tells you a 4% soft wash recipe is needed, but what about your leftover mix at 1%?.

Do you waste time and effort driving back to base to transfer into a standby tank?
You could consider the 13 gal as just water, top up the tank and start again.
But that’s throwing away the value of the mix and raising your overhead.

Soft Wash Calculator App to the rescue.

You get to the new job and it requires 100 gal / litres.
Switch into remix mode , confirming the 13 gal already in the tank
Move the dials to your new recipe and the app immediately updates the different amounts to add in front of your eyes including the correct amount of extra surfactant.

You now have a 100 gal / litres tank of 4% soft wash recipe ready for your roof clean job!

Not forgetting you’ve saved money too, all without stress and uncertainty . Don’t underestimate what confident calmness has on your customer putting out referrals.

The same applies if you have a 4% recipe left in your tank and you need to dilute it down to 2%. Again the app will tell you how.

Softwashing calculator will also work for any chemical recipe. For instance you can use it for Sodium Hypochlorite, Bleach, Biocide , TFR traffic film remover and degreaser. Even the mathematically-challenged rocket scientist can top up their booster tanks to new fuel mixes after launch delays caused by changing weather conditions.

Using this app you will know exactly what chemical strength to put on any surface giving you the confidence and the knowledge of a professional soft washer and you’ll save money as well.

So if you have little knowledge of how to mix a soft wash recipe then this app is for you.
If you have little knowledge of how to remix a soft wash recipe then this app is for you.
If you want to save money when mixing a soft wash recipe then this app is for you.

This app is also backward compatible to devices running iOS7. We've done this so you can re-purpose an old iPhone 4 or iPod Touch 5 for what could be hazardous work environments. Just toss one in your cleaning van's toolkit.

Once you learn the methods and procedures of how to apply the soft wash to the different surfaces that need cleaning you’ll be unstoppable!

The app also has a guide to what percentage for what surface. And if you are the lucky owner of a Clever Injector it will remind you the correct setting for the job.
However you should always consider and risk assess what soft wash recipe you need to clean the surface.

** A major iOS code-base change may require a re-purchase. The appiverse at the time will confirm our promise that we won't do so unless the necessity is apparent.

01733 736191 Voicemail