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How to Clean a Wood Fence the Right Way

How to Clean a Wood Fence the Right Way

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Painted or varnished, wood fencing is timeless and can add a lot of character to your garden. To keep your wood fence looking as good as new will require some maintenance though. Some of the most important maintenance tasks for wood fencing include cleaning and repainting every once in a while. While fence maintenance might seem easy, you should know how to do it properly. Using the wrong cleaning techniques for a wood fence could cause the wood to crack or warp, so it’s important to know how to clean a wood fence the right way.

Wood Fence Problems: Maintaining Your Wood Fence

Unlike plastic or steel, wood is a plant-based material. The fact that it’s derived from an organic source makes it prone to rot and other forms of decomposing. After all, in nature decomposition of dead organic matter is necessary and helpful. This doesn’t mean that wood isn’t durable, but it takes extra effort to preserve its condition when compared to other materials. Wood can rot, mold, crack and fade quickly when not cared for properly.

When dealing with warm, humid climates (which are often found close to the sea) it’s especially important to clean your wood fence regularly. Cleaning will prevent mold growth and rot.

But while humid weather can cause rot, excessively dry conditions will make your fence to crack and become dusty more quickly. Dust is a sore eye and can mask more serious problems, like cracks.

Hot, sunny conditions also tend to be an issue for wood fencing. UV damage can cause your wood and finishes to fade more rapidly. To fix this, you’ll need to redo the finish on your fence annually or bi-annually. If you’re wondering when you need to repaint, simply check if your current finishing is faded, scratched, chipping or coming off.

When your finishing starts to create bubbles, it’s sign that the wood underneath has absorbed moisture. Don’t leave your fence if you see bubbles in the finishing. Waiting will only cause the wood to start rotting more, in which case you might need to replace your fence all together.

The best way to keep track of the condition of your fence is simply to clean your wood fencing regularly. You’re sure to spot potential issues during cleaning that demand your attention.

How to Clean a Wood Fence Yourself

To clean your wood fence yourself, you will need a wire brush, fence cleaner, garden hose and a soft plastic brush.

For a wood fence cleaner, you can use a commercial product specially designed for cleaning wood decks and fences. Alternatively, you can use oxygenated bleach (dilute according to manufacturer instructions) for a homemade solution. If you want a more natural solution, you can dilute vinegar in water, although this is unlikely to be as effective as other options.

Step 1: Preparing Your Fence

To start cleaning your wood fence, use your wire brush to remove large dried clumps of mud and other debris. Be careful when brushing. Don’t apply too much pressure, as this can scratch and damage the surface of your fence.

Once there are no more clumps of debris on your fence, use your garden hose to rinse it well. Also check for spiderwebs during this stage and rinse them away where possible.

Step 2: Apply a Wood Fence Cleaning Solution

Now that your fence is ready, you can apply your fence cleaning solution. If you’re using oxygenated bleach, apply it all over your fence with a large paint brush. Wait 15 minutes for it to work.

If you’re using a specialized wood deck and fence cleaner, use according to the manufacturer’s guidelines. You should be able to buy a specially formulated wood deck and fence cleaner from your local hardware store.

If you opt for the eco-friendly vinegar and water option, you can make your mixture with half a cup of vinegar diluted in a gallon of water. Use a larger ratio of vinegar to water if your fence is particularly dirty. To wash your fence, apply the mixture using a sponge. Wait 15 minutes.

Step 3: Brush the Fence Down

After waiting for 15 minutes to let your cleaning solution work, it’s time to scrub it. Use your plastic bristle soft brush and thoroughly scrub your fence all over. You can use a bucket of water to dip your brush occasionally while you scrub.

Check your fence for mold, stains and other dirt while scrubbing. Focus on these areas to make sure your fence is properly clean.

To protect yourself, always wear a protective mask while cleaning mold. A gas mask will work best, as it will ensure you aren’t breathing in any spores. Some forms of mold can be very dangerous to your health.

When working with bleach and other harsh chemicals, you should also wear protective gloves. Wear your protective gloves throughout the process, both while applying your solution and while scrubbing the fence.

Step 4: Hose Down with a Hose Pipe

Once you’re satisfied that you’ve covered all the different areas on your fence, it’s time to rinse it down. Rinsing will remove the cleaning solutions and dirt that remain on your fence after scrubbing.

Simply use your hose pipe with an adjustable nozzle that allows you to control the water pressure, or a spray gun attachment. Just make sure you have high enough pressure to properly rinse down the residue left on your fence.

After the final rinse, check your fence again for any remaining stains or mold. Spot treat problem areas with more cleaning solution and repeat the process for these areas.

Pressure Cleaning a Wood Fence

If manually cleaning your wood fence seems like too much effort, why not try pressure cleaning? The benefit of pressure cleaning is that pressure washing your wood fence will blast away dirt quickly and effortlessly compared to manual cleaning. A downside of pressure cleaning is that it can be dangerous. The water beam from the pressure washer nozzle is powerful enough to injure you or damage your fence.

To avoid injury or damage, it’s best to call in a professional power cleaning service to clean your wood fence. Professionals are quick and efficient. As an added bonus, you won’t need to spend your free time doing maintenance work. If there are any other areas around your house that need cleaning, such as your driveway, deck or sidings, you can have the pressure washing company clean them too.

Ask your power cleaning company what cleaning solution they use. If your fence is close to your garden or grassy areas, you’ll need to prevent cleaning chemicals from damaging your garden. One option is to cover your garden with a waterproof plastic cover, although this might not entirely prevent damage to your plants. Another way is to ask your power cleaning company to use eco-friendly cleaners that aren’t damaging to your plants.

Cleaning a Wood Fence before Repainting

You might’ve heard that it’s important to clean your wood fence or deck before repainting it. This is true. Once your fence is clean, you need to sand down the current finishing to remove it before you paint again.

You can also remove paint using a paint remover. Ask an assistant at your local hardware store for a paint remover that’s best suited for wood surfaces. To use paint remover on wood, apply a thick layer of remover with a large, inexpensive paint brush. Wait for about 20 minutes, or until the paint begins to bubble, then use a scraper to gently scrape it off without damaging the surface of the wood.

Another method of removing finishing is with a heat gun. For this method, you will need a heat gun. Follow the instructions of the heat gun manufacturer for how far you need to keep it from your fence. Once you’re done with the heat gun, you’ll need to scrape the fence. Unfortunately, this method is dangerous, so you’ll have to be careful to avoid burning yourself.

Even if you use a paint remover or heat gun, you might still have to sand down some of the finishing that remains once you’re done.

There are multiple ways you can clean your fence for great results. While one way isn’t necessarily better than another, there are ways that are certainly easier. When deciding how to clean your wood fence, consider factors such as how much time you’re willing to spend and your budget. When deciding what cleaning solutions are best, consider the state of your fence. If you have lots of mold, a bleach solution or wood deck and fence cleaner is best. However, if you have a garden, you’ll need to protect it. Consider using a cleaner that’s not damaging to your plants.

How to Clean a Wood Fence the Right Way
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Pressure Washing Checklist for Your House

Pressure Washing Checklist for Your House

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Spring might just be over, but it’s not too late to pressure clean your house for the summer! Pressure cleaning your house will improve its curb appeal and prevent buildup of algae and moss growth. A clean house will also boost your confidence and make you feel better about your residence whenever you invite over friends and family.

While the idea of pressure washing your house seems simple enough, there can be a lot of things that need to be cleaned. Don’t miss a spot! Follow this checklist so your house will be the cleanest you’ve ever seen it.

Pressure Washing Your Home Exterior

When pressure washing your house, starting with the home exterior is the obvious choice. Surprisingly enough, there are areas of your home exterior that you might forget to pressure wash. Make use of this checklist to ensure you don’t forget anything.

Exterior Walls/Sidings

The walls and sidings are the first area that will come to mind when you think about pressure cleaning your house. Pressure cleaning can be a great way to wash away dirt and grime to make your home’s exterior look brighter again.

Eventually, pressure cleaning alone won’t be enough anymore and you’ll need to repaint your house. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pressure clean it though. Pressure cleaning is a great way to prepare your house before you repaint it.

Windows

Windows are built into the walls, so it’s quite surprising that homeowners sometimes forget them when cleaning the home exterior. It’s easy to overlook windows, or to assume that pressure cleaning your sidings will simultaneously clean your windows as well, but this isn’t necessarily the case.

Pressure cleaning windows properly helps to ensure you get the spotless finish you were hoping for. When pressure cleaning windows, it’s important to use the right technique to avoid stains, dust or even damage are left behind after cleaning.

Always make sure that the caulking is still in a reasonable condition before pressure cleaning your windows. Also avoid using a pressure setting on your pressure washing machine that’s too high.

Decks and Patios

A deck or patio can be the perfect place to spend your time during the summer. Having barbeques and al fresco meals on the deck or patio is way more alluring during the warmer months. You and your family (including your pets) are likely to spend way more time outside during summer.

Pressure cleaning your deck or patio is a great way to get it ready for the summer. After not using your outside space for so long in the winter, there’s a good chance you’ll find cobwebs and everyday dust and grime.
Don’t just prepare your deck or patio for summer, though. After using your deck or patio so often during the summer, there can be a lot of dirt from all the outside meals you enjoyed. Food and drink spills are often oily or sticky, so they can be tough to get rid of without a pressure washer. Pet dander and dust can also accumulate in small crevices – pressure cleaning can help to remove such dirt effectively.

Don’t Forget Your Roof!

Chances are you don’t put a lot of thought into your roof. You probably don’t take a moment to look at your roof regularly, so it’s mostly out of sight and out of mind. If you really want to pressure clean you house properly, though, you’ll definitely make sure your roof also gets a good clean.

Pressure cleaning your roof avoids build up of moss and algae. If you leave your roof too long without giving it a clean, it will eventually develop lichens, which is a combination of algae and moss that presents itself as thick growths that look like mossy plants on your roof. Regularly cleaning your roof will control this problem, which will help to prolong the life of your shingles.

While you’re busy cleaning the roof, it’s good to also have a look at your gutters. Cleaning out your gutters will help water drain from your roof more easily – in turn, this will also help to slow down the algae and moss growth on your roof. Algae and moss readily grow anywhere with constant dampness and moisture, so ensuring your roof is well-drained will inhibit the growth of these unwanted fungi.

Areas Around Your Home to Pressure Clean

A lot of people pressure wash their homes, but forget to wash other areas around the house. If your house is spotless, but its surroundings are grimy, your property will still look neglected.

Driveways and Walkways

Driveways and walkways can be particularly prone to staining. Especially if you have a motor enthusiast at your residence who enjoys to work on cars. Oil spills from vehicles, dust and grime often build up on driveways. Whenever you drive to go anywhere in your car, your tires pick up dirt from road surfaces, a lot of which will end up on your driveway.

When cleaning your driveway, it’s important not to forget your garage floor as well, as this is another areas that’s prone to gathering dirt and stains.

Pressure cleaning is a very effective way to clean driveways. Even oil stains, paint stains and other tough marks can be cleaned or significantly reduced in just one wash.

Outdoor Furniture

Why clean your deck or patio, only to leave the furniture you put on it? Pressure cleaning outdoor furniture is a great way to get an effective, quick clean. Just be sure to keep the pressure on a low setting, as using a setting that’s too high could ruin the finish or even leave chips and marks.

Even outdoor pillows made from heavy duty fabrics can be pressure washed, so you won’t need to worry about taking them to the cleaners.

Fencing
Fencing can add a nice touch of character to your property, but like any other area around your house, it must be maintained. Cleaning your fencing with a pressure washer is great. As with garden furniture, you’ll need to use a lower setting to avoid damage.

Garbage Cans

It’s not surprise that garbage cans collect a ton of dirt, bacteria and even bad odors. Still, if the odors are getting so foul that it smells like a rat died within a few feet of your garbage can, taking out the garbage will become an absolute nightmare.

Pressure cleaning your garbage can is a good way to get rid of the nasty smells while keeping some distance. After all, the prospect of taking a scrubbing brush or sponge to clean the garbage can hands-on is appalling.

Play Areas and Garden Statues

Play areas are best kept clean. You wouldn’t want your child to come home with stained clothes from going down the slide or sitting on the swings. As with most other outdoor things, pressure washers are effective at cleaning play areas.

If you have any outdoor decorations, such as garden statues, fountains or ornaments, pressure washing can get rid of algae and dirt buildup.

Pressure Washing: Should Your Go DIY or Hire a Professional?

With so many things to pressure wash and so little time, hiring a professional is definitely an attractive option. Apart from time and costs, there are other things you should consider when deciding whether you want to do your pressure cleaning yourself or hire a professional.

The first thing to consider is your own experience with pressure washing. If you’ve never picked up a pressure washing machine before, don’t assume it will be easy. Pressure washing isn’t like normal cleaning work. It’s not something you outsource just to save time and get optimal, professional results.

If you want to pressure clean your own property, it can cost you a lot more than time and “optimal results”. Property damage and even personal injury are both very real risks you must take into consideration.

However, you also can’t hire any company. Be sure to check reviews and ask about all the necessary licensing before hiring a Miami pressure washing company. Doing will help you get the best results without the risk for injury and property damage.

Photo Credit https://www.bmstores.co.uk/

Pressure Washing Checklist for Your House
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Causes and Removal of Black Stains on Roofs

Causes and Removal of Black Stains on Roofs

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The outside of your house is your first opportunity to make a good impression on passersby, guests and neighbors. If you’re planning to sell your house, a clean and well-maintained exterior is all the more important.

Keeping your roof clean is a simple, but effective way to improve the curb appeal at your residence. Black stains on your roof can unsightly, and make an otherwise perfect house seem neglected. But what causes black stains on your roof, and how can you fix them?

What’s the Difference Between Mold, Mildew and Algae?

While many homeowners believe that black roof stains come from mold, mildew or even soot, it’s actually caused by an algae. There are a few important differences between algae, mold and mildew.

The good news is that algae is less harmful than mold and mildew, making it more of an aesthetic problem than a health concern. The bad news is that sometimes homeowners struggle to tell the difference between mold, mildew and algae.

What is Mold and Mildew?

Mold and mildew are both fungal growths that can appear in your home. While mold is a broad term which includes a wide variety of different types of fungal growths, mildew is a particular kind of mold which grows mainly on organic materials.

Mold can be very dangerous for your health, especially black mold (also known as stachybotrys chartarum) which often grows in different areas inside the home. Other common household molds include penicillium, aspergillus, alternaria. Many different mold types can appear black, so it’s often difficult to tell the difference between stachybotrys chartarum and other mold types.

Scientifically speaking, mildew grows only on plants – especially certain varieties of plants predisposed to mildew problems. However, when it comes to your house, any flat-growing mold growth can be referred to as mildew. Mildew can also growing indoors can have negative consequences for your health – coughing, headaches and allergies are common symptoms. It’s generally not as dangerous as black mold, but it can be hard to tell the difference.

Common household molds penetrate surface of an area where they grow, with spores reaching even beneath the surface. Mildew, on the other hand, only grows on top of surfaces.

Both mold and mildew are a cause for concern, but if you have a growth in your house and you’re uncertain whether it’s black mold, or just black mildew, a simple bleach test can help. Put a few drops of bleach on the area where you see the growth and leave it for a while. If it becomes lighter, it’s likely to be mildew. Growths that stay dark after applying bleach are more likely to be mold.

If you suspect you have mildew, it can easily be cleaned with some cleaning equipment. Just be sure to wear gloves and a face mask while cleaning. Use bleach, a scrubbing brush, sponges or cloths to clean – whatever works best for you. Just be sure to discard of all your cleaning materials when you’re done, as reusing them on other surfaces can spread spores, causing growths to appear in new areas.

If your fungal growths appear to be mold. It’s always best to call a professional cleaning company. Cleaning mold yourself could cause a major health hazard and any improper practices while cleaning could help the mold spread throughout your house more.

If you’ve performed the bleach test and you’re still uncertain if the growth you have is mold or mildew, have it tested to make sure what you’re dealing with.

How is Algae Different?

By understanding a bit more about mold and how it grows, distinguishing between mold and algae will be easier.

Algae usually grows only on the outside of your home. It’s unsightly, but it causes no threat to your health. Whereas mold and mildew can lead to health problems, algae is nothing but a nuisance.

Although algae can grow anywhere, it prefers to grow in warm, humid weather conditions. This makes Miami, FL one of the worst affected areas in America when it comes to mold growth on rooftops.

Unfortunately, there’s no way to get rid of mold growth on your roof permanently. Spores are always present in the air. In time, algae will reappear on your roof, even if you had it cleaned. How soon after cleaning the algae comes back can depend. In weather conditions that are favorable for algae growth, it tends to reappear sooner.

Mold can spread inside your home if it’s currently growing on the outside surfaces, such as your roof, sidings or deck. Check the inside of your home for any growths. Especially areas that are dark or moist – your bathroom, basement or any other area of your home that’s often exposed to moisture are good places to keep an eye on.

If there’s any mold or mildew growing inside your home, a good clean both inside and out might be necessary.

Gloeocapsa Magma: The Stain-Forming Algae

Keeping an eye out for mold and mildew can save you a lot of effort and money. By identifying and controlling mold growth on your home’s exterior, you could prevent mold from spreading inside as well.

However, black stains on your roof most often aren’t a cause for concern. Usually, these unsightly marks are caused by a kind of algae called gloeocapse magma (often called blue green algae).

It’s usually hard to see gloeocapse magma in the early stages of growth. After a while, however, the growth will begin to show as black streaks on the roof. This is because gloeocapse magma forms a outer layer that’s darkly-pigmented. This coating offers protection against UV rays, helping the algae survive on your roof.

Algae growth can be found on any roof, but it’s most common on asphalt shingles. This is because asphalt shingles contain fillers such as limestone and crushed fiberglass. These fillers, especially the limestone, made asphalt shingles much cheaper, but they provide the perfect place for algae to thrive.

If algae is left uncleaned, it can combine with all kinds of different fungi and form lichen on your roof. Because lichen can have roots, it can be harder to clean than only blue green algae, so it’s always best to take care of algae problems as soon as possible.

How to Clean Black Roof Stains?

Cleaning black roof stains can be done in multiple ways to clean a roof. Using bleach is effective, as it kills off algae and other growths present.

Many professional roof cleaners make use of pressure washers to clean roofs. Pressure washing is combined with a special cleaning agent to kill off fungal growth and spores. While this method can be effective, it’s important to ensure that the company you hire has trained professionals. Too much pressure can damage your roof, which will do more harm than good.

If you don’t want a professional roof cleaner to use a pressure washer to clean your roof, ask about cleaning with a pump-type garden sprayer. This method can take much longer and will probably cost quite a bit more, but there’s less risk of damage to your roof.

If you’re up for a challenge and you have free time on your hands, you could also try to clean your roof yourself. However, this isn’t really recommended, as you can easily slip and fall while cleaning.

If you can put some safety measures in place to prevent a fall, you can clean your roof using bleach and water. Mix bleach and water. One part bleach for 5 parts water is a good ratio for dilution. Using a garden sprayer, you can spray your whole rood down with the bleach solution. After leaving it for 15-20 minutes, you can return and spray down the roof with a garden hose fitted with a spray nozzle.

When cleaning your roof, it’s important to wear protective gear. Gloves, slip resistant shoes and protective clothing are all necessary for protection. Once you’ve treated your roof with the bleach solution, it can become very slippery – avoid walking around on your roof as much as possible. Also consider the safety of your garden, as cleaning chemicals like bleach can run down your rooftop into your garden, poisoning your plants.

Why Hire Professional Roof Cleaners for Algae Removal?

Cleaning your roof yourself is very dangerous and the results won’t be as good as if you hire a professional. If you clean your roof thoroughly on a regular basis, you can prolong its lifetime and avoid the need to replace shingles.

Even though it seems simple, there are many things to take into consideration when cleaning a roof. Practices to reduce the risk of falls, minimize health hazards and protect the integrity of shingles all combine to provide a clean, perfect result. Another important area of consideration is preventing the cleaning solution from running into your garden, where it can cause damage to grass and plants.

For the well-being of your roof, it’s always best to hire professional roof cleaners for your Miami, FL roof. Hiring professionals not only ensures the best results, it also protects you from the potential hazard of falling. Call Kleanway Pressure cleaning today to schedule a cleaning for your roof. By regularly cleaning your roof and home exterior, you’ll not only have the cleanest house in the street, you’ll also control algae and prevent lichens from forming.

Causes and Removal of Black Stains on Roofs
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Cleaning Grease from Restaurant Establishments

Cleaning Grease from Restaurant Establishments

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Seeing as restaurants serve food, customers and authorities have high expectations for the cleanliness of these establishments. After all, no one wants to eat food if it wasn’t prepared in a hygienic environment.

However, the sheer workload restaurants have to handle on a daily basis can lead to a lot of greasy dirt buildup. To make matters worse kitchen staff such as cooks are often responsible for kitchen cleanup after a long day, leading to rushed efforts to clean the cooking area before heading home.

All these problems add up. Sooner or later, many restaurants owners find themselves scratching their heads, wondering how the place got so dirty so fast and, perhaps more importantly, what can be done to clean the mess up.

Grease in Restaurant Kitchens

The problem with restaurant kitchens is that there’s always movement. Oil is constantly used in cooking for frying and preparing food. As such, almost all the areas of the restaurant, like as windows, kitchen floors and even carpets regularly need a good clean.

Cleaning grease can be rather difficult, though. Which is why many restaurants struggle with a grease problem. However, there are some ways that restaurant staff can improve their daily cleaning routines to more effectively clean grease.

Use Different Mops

It helps to have a different mop for the kitchen and dining area, seeing as the kitchen mop is much more likely to be dirty. By marking mops to distinguish between them, the greasy mop used in the kitchen won’t dirty the dining area. Compared to the other mop, the kitchen mop should regularly be replaced. This same method can be used for all cleaning supplies, like cleaning cloths and squeegees too.

Clean Twice Daily

When faced with the problem of restaurant staff not having enough time to clean properly at the end of a work day, the solution can be as simple as getting someone to come in early each morning to clean all the areas missed the previous evening.

Only one person needs to come in early to clean and staff can rotate the responsibility according to a weekly schedule. Even just 30 minutes of cleaning before the day starts can make a difference to the overall cleanliness of the restaurant.

Using the Right Products

Water alone isn’t effective at cleaning grease. As you might’ve noticed, oil and water don’t generally tend to mix. This is because oil molecules are “water-fearing” meaning they aren’t attracted to water molecules. What this means for your grease cleaning, is that a good cleaning product specifically designed to dissolve oil must be used to clean in the restaurant.

Products that are effective at dissolving grease include:

  • Dish soap for general grease cleaning
  • Baking soda and vinegar for tough, old oil stains
  • Alcohol mixed in water for dissolving grease
  • Special de-greasing products

The most important thing is not to try and clean grease stains only with water and products that aren’t effective at cleaning away grease. Because the whole restaurant kitchen can have grease stains, a solution of dish soap (or other mild cleaning agent) and water should be used in all areas of the kitchen, such as counter tops, stoves and even walls.

Cleaning Grease from Floors

Greasy floors can be a problem area in restaurant kitchens. A greasy floor can pose a slipping hazard, so it’s important that the floor be properly de-greased during daily cleaning.

As with any other area in the kitchen, using good cleaning products with de-greasing properties helps, however, following an appropriate cleaning routine is also important. Always clean the kitchen from top to bottom, meaning counters and higher areas should be cleaned first and floor should be left for last. This will help avoid new dirt from getting on the floor when the counters are wiped down, so the floor won’t have to be revisited for cleaning.

For restaurants with carpeted dining areas, occasional food and oil spills can also be a problem. To properly keep carpets clean, it’s important that they are professionally cleaned every once in a while. However, to manage everyday stains between professional cleanings, a waterless carpet cleaner can be used, which can be added on to the stain, left for a while and vacuumed out later. Using such products should help manage the problem until the next professional clean.

Cleaning Greasy Restaurant Windows and Glass

Windows and glass panels are an area often forgotten during daily cleaning. In restaurant kitchens, windows often become full of oil splatter buildup, which can be very tough to clean if left for too long. To manage this problem, it’s important to wipe windows with a de-greasing agent once a day during regular cleaning.

A lot of restaurants have a layout where a glass panel allows customers from the dining area to see into the kitchen where the staff are preparing food, this is often a problem area where grease is exceptionally prone to accumulate. However, any windows and glass panels close to where the food is being prepared are a potential problem area and should be checked for dirt buildup regularly.

If all windows are still looking good, wiping them once a day should be good enough. But if any windows are found to be exceptionally dirty, it’s always best to call in the help of a professional window cleaning service.

Booking regular cleanings will not only help keep all your windows clean, but will also ensure that window areas that are missed during regular cleaning don’t go unwashed for months at a time. Often times, even hard to reach windows that are high up can accumulate some greasiness, especially when they’re located close to the stove.

Restaurant Grease Buildup: When to Call in Professional Help

Training staff to follow a proper cleaning routine, stocking up on effective degreasing agents and often replacing greasy cleaning equipment are all effective ways to control grease in your restaurant on a day to day basis. However, every now and then, it’s good to call in professional help to do some spring cleaning.

Professionals can help clean all the areas often forgotten during daily cleaning and can also assist in hard to clean areas where staff are unable to reach, or dirt is too tough.

Restaurant Power Cleaning for Fire Safety

Scheduling regular cleaning sessions with a professional cleaning company will control potential health hazards in the restaurant in more than one way. Everyone knows that keeping a restaurant kitchen clean is important to control mold, bacteria and other harmful pathogens from growing in the kitchen, but keeping the kitchen clean of grease is also important to control fire hazards.

Oil and grease are both highly flammable substances. When set alight, the resulting fire can spread rapidly. Health and safety comes first in such situations and the fire can spread so fast, staff members are unable to reach for a fire extinguisher before fleeing the scene.

Luckily restaurants do have built in safety equipment to control potential fire hazards. Restaurant hood systems are responsible for ventilating air in restaurant kitchens, maintaining lower levels of oil and smoke in the air.

Restaurant hoods also control the risk of gas fires by cutting gas flow when a fire risk arises. Lastly, most restaurant hoods are equipped with a secondary fire extinguishing system to dispense a fire extinguishing mixture to put out grease fires when necessary.

Hood systems are an integral part of safety in all commercial kitchens and should be kept clean to ensure the safety of staff and other building occupants. However, the restaurant hood does tend to accumulate a lot of grease while performing its function. Left uncleaned, this grease buildup presents an extreme fire hazard.

This is where restaurant power cleaning comes in. Power cleaning is an effective way to clean grease buildup from restaurant hoods, walls and other areas, ensuring that safety measures are met and fire grease hazards are controlled effectively.

Power Cleaning Other Restaurant Areas

Cleaning restaurant hoods is important to ensure fire safety, but there are other areas of the restaurant that might need to be cleaned regularly. Walk in fridges and freezers, restaurant fryers hard and even floors might need a proper cleaning on a regular basis.

For instance, daily floor cleaning might control dirt on floor tiles, but grouting between tiles will also accumulate dirt and grease buildup over time. As with grease in the restaurant hood, grease on the floor can also pose as a fire hazard, although less extreme than in the case of a greasy hood. Another potential health risk associated with greasy floors is a slipping hazard. Although it might not seem so serious, staff members could get very hurt from slipping on a greasy floor – especially in a kitchen area, where stove tops, counters and other objects are always close by.

For restaurant power cleaning in Miami, Kleanway Pressure cleaning is here to help. We provide professional power cleaning services, using the best cleaning equipment for every job. We also offer window cleaning to ensure that all restaurant windows are kept free of dirt. Contact us today to book regular cleaning sessions for your restaurant establishment.

Cleaning Grease from Restaurant Establishments
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Mistakes You Should Avoid When Window Caulking

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Window caulking, the process of sealing off cracks around a window with a waterproof sealant, is a simple job with a big pay-off.

A well-done caulking job can protect your home against moisture intrusion, drafts and heat leakage for many years. Completing this task now will make the transition much easier.

Before you begin, consider these common caulking mistakes so you can be sure to avoid them.

1. Not Getting the Right Product

When it comes to window caulking products, you get what you pay for. For long-lasting protection around your windows, choose a high quality caulk made from silicone or polyurethane.

100% silicone caulk or a mix of silicone and latex, is waterproof, flexible, shrink-proof and will last over 20 years. It is also commonly found in hardware stores. The downside of silicone caulk is that it cannot be painted and can give off a strong odour as it dries.

Polyurethane caulk will last from 10 – 20 years, can be painted over and adheres well. Polyurethane spray foams are heavy duty and tend to expand as they dry. This is a common option for exterior window caulking.

Less expensive options such as butyl rubber or oil or resin based caulks aren’t generally as flexible and won’t adhere to surfaces for as long. Resist the urge to save money on caulk.

2. Not Removing Old Caulk Remains

Caulk tends to harden as it ages, usually breaking away from its surface leaving moisture to accumulate beneath. Without sufficiently removing old caulk you risk leaving old moisture on the surface of the window. Use a putty knife or sharp tool to remove it.

To remove extra-hard caulk, you may choose to apply a caulk remover gel. Leave it on at least 2 – 3 hours to loosen caulk before scraping. Then clean the surface with a household cleaner or rubbing alcohol and ensure the surface is clean and dry before caulking.

Hint: to find out if you’ve missed any cracks, try the incense test. Hold a smouldering stick of incense against the edges of a window. If there’s a draft, the smoke will be blown out horizontally. If not, it will rise as normal.

3. Not Using the Wrong Applicator

The cartridge of caulk you buy from the hardware store isn’t designed to double as a tool for direct application. You’ll need a good quality caulking gun to dispense it properly. When shopping or a caulk gun, look for a model that has a comfortable grip and a smooth plunger rod.

Inexpensive guns that use a racheting plunger tend to apply caulk unevenly, making the job look messy. Cut the nozzle of the caulk cartridge to your desired bead size, pierce the inside seal, then insert into the caulking gun. Seal cracks with caulk at an even, consistent pressure, holding the gun at a 45-degree angle.

4. Using Too Much Caulk

If the crack you’re sealing exceeds 1/2 inch wide or 1/2 inch deep, don’t be tempted to simply add more caulk. Instead, fill the gap with a backer rod (a small segment of foam rope), to fill the gap before caulking over.

5. Skipping Steps

Tooling is the process of smoothing out caulk after it’s been applied. This important step ensures your job is effective and looks neat and professional. Your hands are often the best tool to use for this process. After applying a bead of caulk, run your finger along the bead to ensure it fills the gap.

Maintaining your windows is one way to ensure your home stays in peak condition through the seasons. We are the professionals you need to get the job done. Contact us today to see how we can help.

Mistakes You Should Avoid When Window Caulking
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Best Types of Roof Coatings for South Florida Homes

Best Types of Roof Coatings for South Florida Homes

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Building owners can use various exertions of roof coating to eliminate roof leaks and protect the roof against the elements and physical ware. Studies have shown roof coatings can add up to 20 or more years of active service to the roof. The coatings act by lowering the roof temperatures, which can curtail the energy cost. The extended lifespan will also reduce the amount of roofing materials that goes into the landfills. Lastly, choosing the right coating and having it properly installed will improve the overall aesthetics of the building.

The choice of coating will depend on factors like weather and the locking substrates. A well-rested roofing membrane will adhere to the surface and expand as needed, depending on the weather and physical pressures. It is important to note that the thickness of the paint film will vary based on the underlying roof system or composite membrane. The three main components of the roof coating are the top coat, base coat and primer. The top most layer acts as a vital protection against elements, i.e. hail storm, rain, physical pressure and Ultraviolet and Infrared from the sun.

The weather is arguably the most critical factor to consider when it comes to the choice of roof coating. According to Trip Savvy, the weather in South Florida places is generally warm and fairly humid. If you live in Miami and the Florida Keys areas, expect average high and low temperatures of between 83F to 69F. The average rainfall here stands at 59 inches. During the rainy seasons, South Florida experiences high instances of thunderstorms and lightning. The hurricane season runs from June to November while the tornadoes usually peak around April and May.

Because of the weather, a good coating should come with warranty on issues like water ponding. If you have a large roof with water ponding problems and leaks, a professional roofing expert should be called in to help. For a small roof, a do-it-yourself approach will suffice. Some of the tools needed in coating application include: high pressure airless spray equipment, roof repair equipment, pressure washers and painting tools like rollers and brushes. The roofing coatings are broadly divided into three classes; water based coatings, solvent coatings and 100% solids.

The solvent based coatings use organic solvent carriers while water based roofing coatings use water as a carrier. When buying a roof coating you need pay serious consideration to the coating’s performance and limitations. The Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association (RCMA) brings together the manufacturers and suppliers of reflective roof coatings. The entity is focused on promoting the benefits of roof coating, spelling the building codes and setting quality standards. Below are four most widely used reflective roof coatings in South Florida:

1. Acrylic roof coating

This type of roofing is preferred by many homeowners because it is cheaper and easy to install. The water based roof coating is made from durable acrylic polymers, which makes it strong and highly protective against the effects of the Ultraviolet rays and associated damage. This protection can minimize the wear and tear of the roof. Another advantage of applying the acrylic roof coating is the cooling and reflective effect. The impression helps keep the building cool under the fierce Florida summer. If you are looking for durable roof protection, but are working on a tight budget, the acrylic roof coating is an ideal choice.
Pros
• Made using environment friendly, organic materials
• Cost effective solution for a wide variety of roofs
• Easy to apply using sprayer and roller
• High reflective and UV resistant

Cons
• Poor chemical resistance
• Cannot be applied under imminent rain
• Lose thickness under extreme weathering. Must be applied at 50F or higher temperatures
• Unstable when exposed to extended water ponding conditions
• Most manufacturers do not offer water ponding warranty on acrylic roof coating

2. Asphalt emulsion roof coating

This popular roof coating is made from long-lasting emulsified asphalt. The ingrained organic and inorganic properties in the asphalt emulsion roof coating make it one of the most durable and desired roofing coatings. The waterproofing attributes in asphalt emulsion coating comes from the bentonite clay emulsifying agent and the water dispersed properties in asphalt.
Pros
• Sturdy and durable with waterproofing properties
• Wide range of colors and mixes well with metal pigmentation to enhance reflectivity
• Easy to apply
• Inexpensive compared to other reflective roof coatings

Cons
• Asphalt roof sealant is difficult to apply during cold days
• The coatings can produce small cracks when temperatures fall dramatically

3. Silicone roof coating

If you own a residential home, you may consider using the silicone roof coating. The moisture resistant coating is aptly designed to provide durable and resilient cover against the hurricanes, rains, wind and debris. If you are conscious about saving the environment, silicone based roof coating is made from eco-friendly natural materials. The amount of silicone coating to be applied on the roof will depend on the underlying substrate.

The application process is fairly simple as it can be done via spraying and rolling. Homeowners can choose from a wide array of colors depending on individual taste or expert advice. The other benefits of choosing silicone roofing coatings include the ability to repel ponding water for lengthy periods and adherence to most substrates found in South Florida. In case of the later, you do not need a primer to apply the coating.
Pros
• Proven longevity and performance
• Totally adherence with excellent wind resistance capabilities
• Exceptional expansion and contraction capabilities
• Energy Star roofing system offering proper insulation and environmental benefits
• LEED credit qualification
• Ability to overcome incidental water ponding
• Liquid cured coating that can conquer extreme temperatures
• Excellent chemical resistance properties

Cons
• Holds dirt but washes under rain, which diminishes the reflectivity quotient
• The resistance to tearing can lead to undesirable mechanical weakness

4. Polyurethane roofing coatings

Polyurethane is highly resistant and can withstand traffic very well. The other advantage of using the Polyurethane roof is better adapted to water ponding conditions. This type of roof coating is sold as either aliphatic or aromatic roof coating. In terms of cost, the aliphatic coating is costlier compared to the aromatic coating. The high cost is largely attributed to better UV stability. The Aromatic coatings are mostly used as base coating.
Pros
• Urethane roofs are durable and resistant to water ponding
• Aromatic coating variant is inexpensive compared to other coatings
• Aliphatic coatings are UV stable, cleaner and better at retaining color

Cons
• Aromatic coatings are not UV stable and work best as base coating
• The Polyurethane coating are costlier than acrylic coatings
• The Urethane coatings usually emit strong odors

Call Your Local Roof Cleaning Experts!

Roofing experts believe a good coating can go a long way to minimize building maintenance and repair cost. Roof cleaning service is a critical component of maintenance. The pressure cleaning experts at Kleanway Pressure Cleaning have 15 years of experience in the cleaning industry. The company holds a BBB+ rating and is proud to provide high quality service.

The full service covers residential, HOA communities and commercial property cleaning in South Florida and surrounding areas. The other areas include warehouses, roofs and driveways. The company staffs are aptly trained to use advanced cleaning equipment’s and techniques. If you need roof cleaning services in Miami or the Florida keys, simply call Kleanway Pressure Cleaning offices.

Best Types of Roof Coatings for South Florida Homes
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How to Choose Miami Pressure Cleaning?

How to Choose Miami Pressure Cleaning?

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When choosing a Miami pressure cleaning company, it’s important to know what to look for. You need professionals who know the cleaning industry and can offer top notch results. But it can be difficult to know what to look for before choosing what company to work with. Here’s what you need to know to choose a Miami pressure cleaning company.

Choose A Trustworthy Miami Pressure Cleaning Service

Before you even start looking at companies you could hire, it’s good to know the minimum standards pressure washing services need to fulfil. To legally operate in Florida, pressure cleaners must be licensed.

For Florida pressure cleaning companies, this means having a general contractor’s license such as an occupational business license or permit.

Also be sure that whatever company you choose to work with is adequately insured. Many states require pressure cleaning services to have a minimum insurance policy. At the very least, a company must be insured to cover any losses if any of their staff are injured on the job. Without cover for their employees, you might personally be held accountable for any injuries.

Ideally, however, you should only work with pressure cleaning businesses that will cover damages as well. If company staff cause damage to any of your property while busy on the job, you want to make sure the company has the means to cover the repair costs.

Avoid Pressure Cleaning Scams

It’s important to know that all the companies you approach for quotes are reliable and trustworthy. To make sure the company you work with is trustworthy, there are a few common scams you should look out for to void them.

Door to Door Sales

Door to door sales aren’t always scams, but when it comes to anything in the home maintenance industry, they often are. Some companies that aren’t properly registered and insured opt for door to door sales as a way of attracting business. Advertising door to door is a great way to stay off the radar, making it an attractive sales tactic for these companies.

Worse yet, sometimes the contractors that advertise in this way are simply individuals and not businesses.

Be careful about hiring any company that can’t provide credentials. Always ask about a company website, social media profiles and necessary licenses and permits. Never allow a sales person at your door to pressure you into making a buying decision right then and there, especially not if they ask for a deposit.

Asking for Full Upfront Payment

If you’re dealing with a company for the first time, be careful about paying for their service in full upfront. Most pressure washing services only require payment after delivering the service.

Some home maintenance companies that require full payment upfront aren’t registered businesses. In some cases, they’re simply cunning individuals who won’t even deliver the promised services upon payment.

Unusually Low Quotes

It’s important to know the average price of pressure cleaning in Miami when shopping for quotes. Knowing what the general going rate is for pressure cleaning services can not only help you avoid paying too much, it can also help you avoid scams.

To offer the most competitive quotes, some pressure cleaning businesses will send quotes that are far below the market price for their services. Once you accept this quote, there will inevitably be extra costs on your final bill. These extra costs are often blamed on “unforeseen problems”, like that your property was dirtier than expected and took longer to clean.

Of course, the company always planned to charge the higher rate they’ll bill later and simply quoted far below cost to get you hooked. This scam can be particularly problematic if you’re working with a tight budget, as you might be unable to pay their final bill, which is often considerably higher than average cost of pressure cleaning services.

Paying for Quotes

Although it’s 100% illegal, there are companies across multiple industries that try to convince you to pay for quotes. As a consumer, you have the right to know what products and services will cost before buying them. You shouldn’t have to pay for costing information either. Just like you can clearly see prices on supermarket shelves before buying, quotes should also be free. It’s your right to scope costs before making buying decisions.

No pressure cleaning service should be making money off sending quotes, as their services should be their income source. Although it does take some time to put quotes together, companies should have permanent admin personnel for this task, so there should be no “admin fee” involved in obtaining a quote.

Shop Around for Quotes

Once you know the minimum standards that a company should fulfil, shopping around for quotes will be easy. Simply do a search for Miami pressure cleaning companies and have a look through the results that come up.

When considering which companies to approach for quotes, consider the following:

  • Does the company have a lot of good reviews?
  • Does the business have a physical address listed on their Google listing, website or Facebook?
  • Can you visit this pressure cleaning company’s brick and mortar business premises?
    It’s much safer to work with businesses that have a strong online presence with full transparency. Make sure that the pressure cleaning service you choose has experience in the industry.

Be sure to ask specifically for all-inclusive quotes from every pressure cleaning service you approach. All-inclusive should mean that costs such as travel expenses are considered. If you garden plants that need to be covered with plastic wrap, also be sure to mention this when requesting your quote.

When choosing what company is ultimately best to work with, base your decision on more than just price. Yes, good prices are always great, but as mentioned earlier, low quotes can often lead to inflated bills. More importantly, be sure the pressure cleaners are experienced and established. It’s normally better to work with a business that’s been around for a few years.

What Should Miami Pressure Cleaning Cost?

Pressure cleaning prices can range depending on the type of property you’re cleaning and the size of the property. Prices can also differ depending on the area a business is located. Generally, the average cost to pressure clean a house is approximately $0.40 per square foot. However, the cost can depend on whether you’re cleaning house sidings or a driveway, for instance.

Commercial customers also generally pay less per square foot than residential customers. Although this may sound unfair, it’s normally because commercial customers have larger areas that need to be cleaned, qualifying them for the equivalent of a bulk discount.

There aren’t exact guidelines for what pressure cleaning a property should cost. This is why shopping for quotes is your best option. You can get a sense of the average cost to pressure clean your property specifically when you get quotes from multiple companies.

To make sure quotes are accurate, try to give companies reliable information. Measure the square footage of your property rather than estimating it, for instance. By doing this you avoid having to pay more then you were quoted.

While scammers often charge much more than they quote, reliable pressure cleaners can also charge more if you don’t provide them with accurate information of the work you need done. If your property larger than you specified when getting quotes, the company will charge you for the extra area cleaned. It’s as simple as that.

Knowing the size of your property also helps you avoid overcharging. You’ll be able to catch any pressure cleaning service if they try to bill you for a larger area that’s your property.

Conclusion

Hiring a Miami pressure cleaning company doesn’t have to be difficult. While there are some scams to watch out for, most companies are trustworthy. When choosing the best service, consider more than just price. Ensure you’re getting the best service possible and that the cleaners are experienced in handling pressure cleaning equipment.

How to Choose Miami Pressure Cleaning?
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How Often Should You Pressure Wash Your House?

How Often Should You Pressure Wash Your House?

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When thinking about your cleaning checklist for your home, it’s easy to only think about the inside. However, your home’s exterior is just as important as the interior, requiring the same attention. A great way of removing dirt and buildup from your home exterior is to pressure wash your house. Pressure washing gets rid of stubborn dirt and stains that can’t be removed by simply scrubbing it. But what exactly can you pressure wash and how often should you pressure wash your house?

What Can You Pressure Wash?

The exterior of your house is constantly exposed to the elements. Problems like mold, mildew, algae, dust and debris are common. Apart from these issues, bird droppings, pollution, smoke, oil stains and chemical residue also cause your home exterior to get dirty. Over time your house will start to look dirty.

Ignoring a dirty house can have potentially serious consequences, so having a pressure washing schedule is essential for your home’s maintenance. In Florida, the salty deposits from the ocean (which are present in water vapor in the air) can also exacerbate natural buildup of dirt. The salt naturally present in the air can cause steel structures, like garage doors or steel roofs, to rust when left too long.

When it comes to pressure washing your house exterior, think about more than just sidings. Many areas of your house can be pressure washed, including your roof, wooden fencing, deck, patio, pool area, statues, railings, walkways, driveways, garage floors and outdoor furniture, for example.

Weather and Pressure Washing

Although it might not seem like it, the weather plays an important role in pressure washing your house. In fact, the weather even determines when you should pressure wash.

The humid climate in Florida creates a breeding ground for mold and mildew accumulation. This makes frequent pressure cleaning an important task in the Sunshine state.

Florida region also experiences a lot of strong winds, which adds dust, debris and dirt on your home’s surface. A good idea is to pressure wash after the rainy season when hindrances will be limited. The fall or spring seasons are good options due to the better climate and temperatures.

How Often Should You Pressure Wash Your House?

How often should you pressure wash your house? Generally speaking, pressure washing once a year can be enough. However, since location and climate determine the frequency you need to pressure wash, it depends on your situation. This is why it’s good to clean whenever it’s necessary rather than strictly doing pressure washing once every year.

Just take note that you don’t over-clean as well, as cleaning more than is necessary can cause wear and tear.

The Area You Live In

Because of Florida’s humid climate, houses in Florida deal with a lot of mold, mildew, and algae. Be watchful of when these start growing and use that to determine the timeframe between each cleaning. The frequency in which you should pressure clean ultimately depends on where you live.

Before Repainting Your House

Pressure washing is ideal for when you’re planning to repaint your house. A thorough clean before repainting helps remove dirt from the surface. This ensures there’s no residue between the old and new layer of paint. If there’s any residue on the surface you’re repainting, the new paint will cling to the residue rather than the building, causing it to peel away more easily.

So, always pressure wash before applying any new paint – even if you recently had your house cleaned and it still looks clean.

If You Want to Resell Your House

Nobody wants to buy a dirty, nasty-looking house. The dirtier it is, the less appealing it will be to potential buyers.

Cleanliness can increase the value of your house substantially. When potential buyers look at a house that isn’t kept clean, they easily assume the overall maintenance of the property is lacking. As a result, they’ll lower their bidding prices, seeing as they expect to pay a lot of maintenance to get the house up to snuff.

Construction

If there’s a lot of construction in your area, or you’re having some renovations done, you’ll know it can get dusty. The dust and other debris can cling to your house and cause it to look extremely dirty. If this happens, you’ll need to clean your home regularly to get rid of the mess.

Alternatively, you can wait for the construction work to stop before scheduling a cleaning. If you’re having your house renovated over a three-month period, it makes sense to wait until construction is done. But if a new building is being built next to your home over a year or more, it’s best to schedule more regular cleanings.

Pressure Washing Your House: The Benefits

Improves Your Curb Appeal

Dirt buildup may seem insignificant initially, but as time goes by, it can become more visible. One of the main reasons to frequently pressure wash your home is probably the most obvious – it makes your home look good.

In a way, your home is a representation of who you are. Making a good impression on passersby and guests is important. Besides that, it just feels much better to come home to a beautiful, fresh and clean house.

Keep Your Family Healthy

Mold and mildew are very dangerous to your health and should not be left untreated. Harmful airborne contaminants like dust and byproducts released by algae, allergens, rot, and mold can cause respiratory problems, which can be life-threatening.

Pressure washing can prevent dirt from spreading and contaminating the air inside your home. Additionally, if not removed, mold can grow within your walls as well, which means it can affect your home’s interior too.

Keeps Your Home in Great Shape

Cleaning prevents your home from deteriorating and becoming unsafe to live in. Also, it keeps your home safe from contaminants responsible for mold growth and dry rot, which can lead to the breakdown of materials such as wood.

Over time, your driveway or walkway may become slippery from algae growing on it, which presents a serious slipping hazard for you and your loved. Algae removal can prevent slipping incidents from occurring.

Save Money

Regular pressure washing helps you keep your home in tip-top shape. Cleaning can help you detect potential issues sooner, before they become worse. Anything from a misplaced roof to paint chipping off your sidings is easier to see when your house is clean.

By having small issues fixed sooner, you’ll prevent bigger, more expensive problems.

Save Time and Effort

Another fantastic benefit of pressure washing your home is that it saves you a lot of time. Compared to other cleaning methods that demand a lot of elbow grease, pressure washing makes cleaning your surfaces simple and fast.

DIY vs Going Professional

Anyone can buy a pressure washing machine and clean their home, but it’s safer to hire pressure washing experts. Professionals can clean your home and surrounding areas without causing damage to your property.

Pressure cleaning can be dangerous, the high pressure water beams from the machine can literally inflict injuries and damage property. If you don’t know what you are doing, you can remove paint off your walls, chip away pieces of wood off of your deck, knock siding loose and even cause mortar to break away if you have a brick house.

So, without taking the risk, call in an expert who’ll easily take care of everything. The cost of hiring a professional is well worth it.

How Often Should You Pressure Wash Your House: Conclusion

You can’t focus on your home’s interior and ignore the exterior. The outside of your home is endlessly vulnerable to the environment and that takes its toll eventually.

Pressure washing can be likened to a restart button that makes your home look brand new again. It’s an easy and inexpensive way to maintain your home, reduce health risks from mold, preserve your home’s appeal and give it an instant facelift. Most importantly, regular pressure washing helps you protect your investment. Be sure to always pressure clean your house before repainting and whenever it seems dirty.

How Often Should You Pressure Wash Your House?
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Should You Pressure Wash Your House?

Should You Pressure Wash Your House?

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Pressure washing is quick, effective and all-round convenient. But it can be difficult to know whether your house needs to be cleaned. At the same time, a lot of homeowners reject pressure washing altogether as a means to clean home exteriors. With all of the conflicting information regarding the effectiveness and suitability of pressure washing, should you pressure wash your house, or are there other cleaning methods you can consider?

Conflicting Opinions Regarding Pressure Washing

To a lot of homeowners, pressure washing is so normal, they wouldn’t even question it. On the other hand, there are also homeowners who view pressure washing such a taboo, they’d never consider it. People belonging to both schools of thought use seemingly valid arguments to back their opinion on the matter.

In a way, both views are valid. There are instances when pressure washing isn’t a good method to clean a house, but this doesn’t mean pressure washing is never a good choice.

Why Pressure Washing Your Home is Good?

Those who advocate for pressure washing have solid arguments to back their views. Some of the main arguments that support pressure washing as a good cleaning method include:

  • Pressure washing is the best way to deep clean a house and other areas around your property.
  • Using a pressure cleaner is the quickest way to clean large surfaces effectively
  • The efficacy of pressure cleaning means it’s effective at removing moss and algae that would otherwise be left behind.
  • Different pressure washing nozzles mean that using a pressure cleaner is effective for a wide variety of applications.
  • One of the best ways to remove tough stains, dirt and grime is pressure cleaning
  • Because pressure cleaning removes algae and moss, regular cleaning can prolong the lifespan of your roof
  • Pressure washing results make your house look as good as new
  • The best way to clean a deck, siding or fence before repainting is pressure cleaning

All the above arguments are valid. While many homeowners believe pressure washing to be damaging, leaving dirt and moss growth on your house can be just as bad, if not more.

If your house is always dirty, you’ll likely find that you have to repaint is more often than if it were clean. Another issue with dirt on your house is that is can mask more serious issues, like cracks in your walls or roof shingles.

Moss and algae keep moisture on the surface of your roof or sidings. This moisture can make the structures of your home prone to rotting and other damage. Seeing as pressure washing is the best way to get a pristine clean, there’s no doubt that pressure cleaning your home can have its benefits.

Can Pressure Cleaning Be Harmful?

Although pressure cleaning is effective when cleaning a home, there are some objections. Many homeowners believe that pressure cleaning is harmful. Some arguments against using a pressure cleaner for your home include:

  • Powerful pressure washer beams will damage the surface of your sidings and roof shingles
  • The high-pressure water will absorb into your home structure, making it more prone to mold and rot
  • Pressure washer water beams are so powerful, using a pressure cleaner to clean your house is a dangerous undertaking
  • In some cases, pressure washing can damage window seals, causing leaks

Homeowners who don’t like pressure cleaning argue that it’s an overall damaging method to clean a house. They believe that having a house that appears brand new isn’t worth the potential damage pressure washing can cause.

Many homeowners prefer different methods to clean their homes. Although alternative methods take much longer than pressure cleaning, they believe it to be sufficiently effective. Unfortunately, alternative cleaning methods are seldom as effective as pressure cleaning. That said, alternative cleaning methods can still be effective – even if it is to a lesser degree.

On the extreme side, there are homeowners who choose not to clean certain parts of their homes, such as their roofs, at all. Instead, these homeowners argue that roofing isn’t manufactured to withstand any kind of cleaning. Realistically though, roofing is made to withstand rain, hail, snow and harsh winds. To argue that even manual roof cleaning methods are harmful is reasonably far-fetched.

Verdict: Should You Pressure Wash Your House?

Whether or not you should pressure clean your house is a personal choice. No one can force you to choose one cleaning method above another. However, there are some factors you should consider when making your choice:

  • Your homeowner’s insurance policy: Some homeowner’s insurance policies will require that you do regular maintenance on your house, often including pressure cleaning your roof as a mandatory maintenance. Neglecting to fulfil such policy requirements means you might not be able to claim for damages.
  • Your cleanliness standards: Pressure cleaning will leave your house looking cleaner than other cleaning methods, so if a good appearance is important to you, it’s definitely the better choice.
  • The current state of your house: In some cases, your house might not be dirty enough to warrant pressure cleaning.
  • Personal preference: There’s no denying that personal preference will play a factor in your decision. It’s up to you to do what you feel most comfortable with.

Homeowners who choose to pressure wash their houses often place high value on curb appeal. Since pressure cleaning is the most effective way to clean a house, it often leaves the paint and finishes looking brand new.

This is a major benefit when trying to sell a house. Buyers prefer homes that are in immaculate condition. Consequently, most buyers are willing to pay more for houses that appear clean and well-kept. Pressure cleaning offers a cheap way to improve the overall appeal of a house when selling.

Pressure Washing Mistakes: Things You Shouldn’t Pressure Clean

In most cases, choosing to pressure clean or not is a matter of preference, but there are cases where you definitely shouldn’t consider pressure cleaning. Pressure cleaning can be harmful or potentially dangerous in the following instances:

  • Wood siding: Especially when unpainted, pressure cleaning wood sidings can do more harm than good. An unpainted wood siding isn’t waterproof and will absorb water if you pressure clean it. This water will stay in the wood and can cause rot and mold growth, as well as interfere with electrical wiring. Even if the water dries from the wood panels, it can cause the wood to warp or crack.
  • Lead paint: Lead paint is no longer in use, as using it can cause lead poisoning. Because the only remaining lead paint is old, the finish is often cracked and chipping. Using a pressure washer will blast small pieces of paint everywhere, which can poses a health risk.
  • Plants: Garden plants can become quite dusty sometimes, but resist the urge to pressure clean them. The intensity of the water from the pressure washer is enough to damage all living things, including the plants in your garden.
  • Electrical equipment: This could include anything from your electrical panel, to outside light fixtures or your air-conditioning unit. If something works with electricity, it’s best to steer clear of pressure cleaning it.

It’s good to use sound logic when deciding whether you can pressure wash something. If you have any doubts about a particular surface, avoid pressure cleaning it until further notice.

Benefits of Professional Pressure Cleaning Services

While pressure cleaning is entirely bad, you have to hire a professional for the best results. It might seem tempting to rent a pressure washer and start cleaning yourself, but this isn’t advisable.

As mentioned, there is a risk that pressure cleaning can cause injury, especially when done by an inexperienced person. Another important thing to realize is that renting one pressure washer usually isn’t enough to clean all the different areas of your house.

Different areas of your house will require varying levels of pressure to clean. Some pressure washers have a lower range of pressure options, while other machines are made for heavy duty tasks. You can’t use the same machine for your driveway as you’d use for your roof, for instance. Driveways can be cleaned with a much more powerful machine than roofs.

Hiring professionals is the easiest way to ensure all the right techniques and equipment are used when cleaning your home. This reduces the risk of property damage or personal injury significantly. As an added benefit, hiring professionals means you wouldn’t have to worry about hiring more than one machine and learning to use all the accessories.

Contact Kleanway Pressure Cleaning for a Miami pressure cleaning service you can trust.

Should You Pressure Wash Your House?
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Miami Warehouse Cleaning: How to Clean a Warehouse Floor

Miami Warehouse Cleaning: How to Clean a Warehouse Floor

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At Kleanway, we offer various cleaning services for both residential and commercial properties. As for as commercial property is concerned, there’s one area that seems to be problematic for property owners: warehouses. We offer Miami warehouse cleaning services to pressure clean warehouse floors and other problematic areas. To help warehouse owners and managers, we’re dedicating the post today on how to clean a warehouse floor. We’ll discuss ways to maintain the cleanliness of your warehouse, as well as why maintaining a clean floor is essential. Furthermore, we’ll go over when it’s time to schedule a warehouse clean.

Why Keeping a Warehouse Clean is so Difficult?

Warehouses are big and often stacked with a lot of things. This is the first reason why keeping a warehouse clean can be such a difficult task. There’s never a time when a warehouse is empty, so there are always spots that collect dust and other debris.

Another reason why keeping a warehouse clean is so challenging, is because it’s always busy. A lot of warehouses ship goods that people order from online stores. People are always buying from online stores and expect their deliveries to arrive promptly. As a result, many warehouses operate seven days a week, often with long hours.

To make matters worse, there are always fork lifts and other light vehicles operating on the warehouse floor. These light vehicles often spill oil onto the floors. Warehouses where foods are stocked may also gather dirt buildup on the floors due to spills.

Many warehouses don’t have dedicated cleaning staff, so on top of all the factors that contribute to dirty floors, there’s no one to make sure everything stays clean.

Why Warehouse Cleaning is Essential?

Despite the understandable difficulty of cleaning warehouses, it’s still imperative for many warehouses to stay clean.

Warehouses that store foods, medical supplies and other health-related products must stay clean to adhere to safety standards. The thought of rats or coachroaches in a warehouse that stocks comestibles and health products is unsettling – vermin and pests must be controlled at all costs.

But even warehouses that don’t stock health products have to stay clean. Dirty floors can pose a health risk to staff. One of the main health risks associated with dirty warehouse floors is slip-and-fall accidents. Floors dirtied by oil spills or packaging materials are especially hazardous.

The National Floor Safety Institute states the following:

Compensation & medical costs associated with employee slip/fall accidents is approximately $70 billion annually.

Maintaining the cleanliness of your warehouse is, of course, much cheaper and safer than paying out injured employees.

Another concern in warehouse cleanliness is air quality. A warehouse that isn’t regularly cleaned is at risk for mold and other growths. Once the spores fill the air, they’ll pose a risk to the respiratory health of warehouse employees.

Clean Warehouse Floors Boost Efficiency

One reason why some warehouses are surprisingly filthy is because many warehouse managers simply don’t realize how important clean floors are for the warehouse to operate at full capacity. Dirty working conditions can slow down turnaround times on work. Poor hygiene in the warehouse can also mean employees will fall ill more often. As a result, employees might regularly call in sick.

Keeping the warehouse floor clean and well-organized should be considered part of the standard maintenance schedule. A clean floor will offer a better work environment for employees and boost productivity.

If customers occasionally visit the warehouse, clean floors will also help make a good impression. Clean floors look professional, whereas dirty floors can come across as a lack in professionality. No one would like to buy from a shop that’s dirty. People expect clean shopping environments, so why should the warehouse where the shop’s supplies come from be any different?

How to Clean a Warehouse Floor: Everyday Maintenance

To start off with, all warehouses should ideally have some cleaning equipment. It’s also good to assign the responsibility of cleaning to a group of employees. To ensure that floors stay clean, supervisors must inspect the floors every day.

Sweeping is an important daily cleaning task in warehouses. Neglecting to sweep before cleaning the floor will damage the floor surface. Over time, the scratches will make the warehouse floor appear dirty even when it’s clean.

When you logically think about it, you can’t effectively clean any floor without sweeping first. The dust and debris on the floor will simply mix with water when the floor is being cleaned. This means that cleaning will simply muddy the dirt and spread it out on the floor rather than removing it.

Once the floor is swept, workers can proceed to cleaning the scrubber. It’s important that warehouse managers acquire all the necessary cleaning equipment for daily sweeping and scrubbing. Without the right equipment, managing the cleanliness of warehouse floors will be near impossible.

Areas where sweeping and scrubbing machines can’t operate will, however, still need to be cleaned manually with industrial cleaning equipment.

Lastly, oil spills and other possible slipping hazards should always be cleaned from the floor immediately to avoid accidents.

Pressure Cleaning Warehouse Floors: Developing a Schedule

While daily sweeping followed by scrubbing is good to maintain floors, it’s not enough to keep them clean permanently. A lot of warehouse managers feel discouraged by dirty floors, even after implementing rigorous cleaning protocols. To clean warehouse floors properly, warehouse managers must schedule regular professional cleaning sessions.

Pressure cleaning a warehouse floor is an ideal way to remove grit and dirt that’s left behind after everyday cleaning. The pressure of the water blasts deep cleans floors and removes even the toughest dirt and stains. Hiring a Miami warehouse cleaning service will ensure warehouses are cleaned properly and that all dirt residue is removed from floors.

Your warehouse cleaning schedule will depend on how clean you want to keep the warehouse. While some warehouses can afford a bit of dirt, others have to be kept spotless. The cleaner a warehouse needs to be, the more often warehouse floors will need to be pressure cleaned.

Unfortunately, floor areas that need to be pressure cleaned have to be empty. All stock in these areas will have to be removed. As most warehouses can’t be emptied out entirely for cleaning, the warehouse floor might need to be divided into sections so each section can be emptied before cleaning.

If cleaning the warehouse floor involves sectioning it off to clean it one section at a time, cleaning might take longer, but the results will be well worthwhile.

Benefits of Pressure Cleaning Warehouse Floors

Pressure cleaning is a great way to remove tough grit, oil stains and other dirt from concrete floors. Because most warehouse floors are concrete, floors can be pressure cleaned at high pressures, allowing for a flawless finish.

Assuming the surface of a warehouse floor isn’t scratched to a point where it’s coarser than it should be, oil stains can often be removed completely after one cleaning session.

Pressure cleaning is also a good way to control mold and other respiratory hazards. The deep cleaning nature of pressure cleaning means it’s ideal for warehouses where strict hygiene is essential. Various cleaning agents can be used to deliver a hygienic end result where mold, bacteria and other organisms are significantly reduced.

Is Pressure Cleaning Suitable for Painted Concrete Floors?

Painted concrete floors can also be pressure cleaning. As with any other concrete floor, everyday cleaning for a painted concrete floor should involve sweeping it before cleaning it with a scrubber. There’s little difference between cleaning a painted floor compared to one that isn’t painted. The only really difference is maintenance – a painted floor will need to be repainted when the paint gets old. As far as cleaning goes, everything can be done the same.

Miami Warehouse Cleaning

Kleanway has many years’ experience pressure cleaning various commercial properties and can assist with all your Miami warehouse cleaning needs. We provide professional pressure cleaning services that will ensure your warehouse is always in an immaculate condition. Our team can work with you to establish a suitable cleaning schedule for your commercial property based on your specific needs.

Miami Warehouse Cleaning: How to Clean a Warehouse Floor
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