Can anyone tell me a product that works for cleaning the black stains off of gutters. I tried a couple of different products but none of them seem to work. I thought I saw a thread on here somewhere but any help would be appreciated Thanks
I've been using Gutter Zap/SH 1:1 sprayed or ~33% x-jetted (no restrictor on medium power) with a little Ammonyx Lo with mixed results. Today it took me three applications with pressure washing after each one and they still were not good imo.
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Midtown Service Solutions
Roof Cleaning Wake ForestNC27587 919-412-2432
Roof Cleaning Wake Forest, Raleigh, Knightdale, Rolesville, Youngsville NC
Dip your soft bristle brush (We use a this one) into the F13 and give it s good 3-4 stroke scrub, let sit for 10-30 seconds and spray off. If you brush too much or let it sit too long, it will take the paint off to bare metal.
If that happens take a pice of the gutter to Home Depot and have them color match it. It matches about 99% enough where nobody notices.
Thank you James for being the only one to come close to naming an actuall chemical. The reason these cleaners will eat the paint off the metal is that the black streaks burn into the oxidized part of the enamel. In order to clean them you must break down the oxidized part of the enamel......so what are they?? Solvents!! That's why citrus works, it eats paint. So do degreasers and butyl. We mix 1gallon of limolene and one gallon ethonal with 5lbs tsp and mix in a 55 gallon drum, then fill it with water. You now have 55 gallons of whatever you want to call it. Envirospec calls it ripper and sells a very similar package. So now that you have 55 gallons of gutter cleaner for about $40 or less here is how you will use it. Mix 1/2 gallon with 4 gallons water and scrub onto gutters with a soft bilevel truck wash brush. Always test first to make sure the enamel is not so oxidized that you will remove it. Never let it dry, have your ground man wet the gutters and rinse behind you. Rinse the windows as well to avoid chem drying on them. If it needs to be stronger add more of your mix to the bucket, or weaken it by adding water. Do not try it full strenghth!!! This solution will last 2 or more years in a sealed barrel. Citrus is different then limolene which is a by product of orange juice. Citrus cleaners are more damaging to the good enamel than necessary and will cause premature enamel loss after multible cleaners. This mix will not harm plants or wood.
A chemical from Northern Tool and Supply called House Wash will remove it. Just apply the chemical full strength when downstreaming with a pressure washer, wait and then wash off. As always if you can lightly scrub it will work even better. It dries faster than you would think so Do Not allow it to dry. On average it cost about $8 a gallon. That usually does two houses. And do not forget to water down the plants.
Be very carefull if the home you are cleaning has ANY oxidation on it. The clemical you are using is removing oxidation. If it splatters on the home you will not realize it until the home is completly dry. Usually when your gone. I've had to go back and correct this a time or two. It will be spots on the vinyl where the chemical touches the home.
There are several good gutter cleaners out there, (I use Pressure Tek's F-13) but I don't do that many gutter brushing jobs but when I do that is what I use.
No matter what brand of gutter cleaner you use, don't put too much on the gutters at one time, keep the dwell time short and rinse so it does not take the paint off.
Good luck.
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Superior Power Washing Chris Chappell 361-853-2513 Cleaning Shingle and Tile Roofs in Corpus Christi Texas No Pressure Roof Cleaning in Corpus Christi Texas Texas Certified Roof Cleaner
I've been trying a mix of F-13, Gutter Zap, and variant of what Bill said. Working great. A lot washes off without brushing. A painter came over and asked if there was a new product on the market. :D
__________________
Midtown Service Solutions
Roof Cleaning Wake ForestNC27587 919-412-2432
Roof Cleaning Wake Forest, Raleigh, Knightdale, Rolesville, Youngsville NC
I have been using purple power. Mixed 50/50 with water. Brush it on and rinse it off. Have had good luck with this. I find it a Wal Mart in the auto area.
Thank you James for being the only one to come close to naming an actuall chemical. The reason these cleaners will eat the paint off the metal is that the black streaks burn into the oxidized part of the enamel. In order to clean them you must break down the oxidized part of the enamel......so what are they?? Solvents!! That's why citrus works, it eats paint. So do degreasers and butyl. We mix 1gallon of limolene and one gallon ethonal with 5lbs tsp and mix in a 55 gallon drum, then fill it with water. You now have 55 gallons of whatever you want to call it. Envirospec calls it ripper and sells a very similar package. So now that you have 55 gallons of gutter cleaner for about $40 or less here is how you will use it. Mix 1/2 gallon with 4 gallons water and scrub onto gutters with a soft bilevel truck wash brush. Always test first to make sure the enamel is not so oxidized that you will remove it. Never let it dry, have your ground man wet the gutters and rinse behind you. Rinse the windows as well to avoid chem drying on them. If it needs to be stronger add more of your mix to the bucket, or weaken it by adding water. Do not try it full strenghth!!! This solution will last 2 or more years in a sealed barrel. Citrus is different then limolene which is a by product of orange juice. Citrus cleaners are more damaging to the good enamel than necessary and will cause premature enamel loss after multible cleaners. This mix will not harm plants or wood.
Thanks a lot for this one! I have been using F13 with great results but this would be a much better on the wallet and i would never have to wait for it!
f13 (gutter grenade) works noticeably better than gutter zap, for me anyway. always wanted to try my house wash mix straight on a brush. anyone have a good way to rinse? i hate using my pw cause its in bypass longer than I'd like when whitening gutters.