Wet & Forget on roof

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scuwp

3888 posts

Uber Geek

#2084478 5-Sep-2018 18:31

Tried 30 seconds last year, did absolutely nothing. Apparently the wet and forget product is better. I plan on using that once I get some fine days to apply it.

Got a “pro” in the year before. That was also a disappointing result.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

Mike61

110 posts

Master Geek

#2084481 5-Sep-2018 18:40

I was leaning towards 30 seconds as it is half the price of wet and forget. I found a couple of msds's for each product and they both specified the same active ingredient at < 10%. Once when I was in Bunnings I saw that had a few different products, think I'll call in tomorrow and see what they have.

tdgeek

29753 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2084483 5-Sep-2018 18:45

kryptonjohn:

Often wondered what the active ingredient of W&F is... that stuff is extremely expensive and I suspect the contents are only worth a few bucks... as is the case with the HTD deck cleaner.

[edit]

Duh! Google says it is Alkyl Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride.

Yes, its just a disinfectant. Eco friendly so its organic. Quite expensive for organic, I'd want a super toxic kills everything for that price. I checked Eco Store recently they do home products. They are all either vinegar (acetic acid) based or alkaline (sodium bicarb) based. Plus the usual surfactants, fragrance added.

As for moss I rate white vinegar, it kills. Bleach can do (sodium hydrochlorite) but it doesnt kill deep down. I see they are doing Roundup with Vinegar instead of glyphosate which is in the news. IMO there is a big gap between super cool cleaners and actual cleaners. I prefer green, and green does work, acid based (acetic/citrus) or alkaline (bicarb)

Nudibranch

86 posts

Master Geek

ID Verified

#2085158 6-Sep-2018 17:54

Could try researching Caskade lichen and algae remover.

Mike61

110 posts

Master Geek

#2085984 8-Sep-2018 08:47

Had a look at Caskade and it's looks like a better deal. Then went to Bunnings and saw the Glitz product. Looks like has the same ingredient as the rest but only costs $25. Going to give it a try.

Bung

6501 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#2085997 8-Sep-2018 10:01

Mike61: Had a look at Caskade and it's looks like a better deal. Then went to Bunnings and saw the Glitz product. Looks like has the same ingredient as the rest but only costs $25. Going to give it a try.

If I'm picking the same one that's 5l @ 99gms/litre. There's 2l Hy-Clor Green Blaster swimming pool algaecide 250gms/l $20.99 that gives you effectively the same amount of concentrate. I've used that diluted 10:1 on mossy paths and the moss is dead and brown in a couple of days. I suspect that you could dilute it further, the important thing is to wet the whole area.

aucklander

477 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2086303 9-Sep-2018 08:27

trig42:

Also, on Wet and Forget products - off topic, but their Deck Cleaner is really good - did our decks last year and they pretty much came up as good as new (Kwila). I've since found out that the active ingredient is the same as Napisan (which is about a quarter or less the price).

Napisan - good find! In what sort of proportions does it need to be diluted? How can you spray it afterwards on a 45 deg sloped roof on a 2-storey house with garage under (ridge is 10m off the ground). Can a spray applicator be bought separately, to use it with the garden hose? Might worth a try... but I need to reach (spray) up to the ridge (5.5m away from gutters) without climbing on the 45 deg roof - oh no, I am not getting up there! But I can reach the gutters safely off the ladder , with the gutter at chest level.

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Bung

6501 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#2086353 9-Sep-2018 09:28

I think you've missed the jump from roof cleaner to deck cleaner. Napisan and other "oxy" cleaners contain sodium percarbonate a hydrogen peroxide source. AFAIK they need a bit of elbow grease and a scrubbing brush rather than being a spray and leave product.

scuwp

3888 posts

Uber Geek

#2086371 9-Sep-2018 11:02

Using ‘home made’ chemical cleaners untested on whatever roofing material worth 10’s of thousands of dollars is not a gamble I am willing to take to save a handful of $$$ up front.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

SATTV

1648 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

#2091322 16-Sep-2018 09:44

@Trig

I did the small back deck yesterday using Sard which is half the price of Napisan and contains 148g of sodium per-carbonate per kg.

I mixed 2cups Sard, 1/4 cup dishwashing liquid and 9 litres of hot water in a watering can. The paint can stirrer on the cordless drill did a great job of mixing.

I hosed down the deck then put on the cleaning solution and gently agitated with the broom and let soak for 15 minutes.

Some videos I have seen online say to use a high pressure hose, I used my hose on jet and was pleased in heavily soiled parts of the deck and disappointed on lightly soiled.

Out with boom again and gave a good scrub, and boy did the gunk come off.

Again a little disappointed as it looked like nothing that I saw on line I poured some Sard crystals on the steps of the deck and had a scrub and more gunge came up.

Just as I was putting stuff away about an hour after the initial pour I noticed some bubbles and I went to scrub and wash and more gung came off the deck, it looked like I either made the solution a little weak as maybe Sard does not have the same concentration as Naplisan and hit the deck, so scrub the deck again and let dry.

Has taken a long time to dry, and now and quite happy with the resilt, I can see there are some patches that I missed but all in all very happy, much faster than waterblasting and way easier than scrubbing alone.

I will redo the deck again today but let it sit for an hour first, I have read online that the soloution deactivates after five hours so that should be fine.

I also have found some more concentrated product online https://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=1768779049 and I will use this for the back deck to see how it goes.

John

I know enough to be dangerous

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