When making your own softwash mix from sodium hypochlorite at 15% it needs to be diluted from its neat form. Block paving for example requires a 5% strength softwash mix. So to make a 5% strength softwash solution you must add 2 part water to 1 part neat sodium hypochlorite.
In order to increase the effectiveness of softwash solutions, a surfactant is also added. This gives your softwash mixes a soap like appearance and allows the solutions to cling to the surfaces for longer, boosting its cleaning effectiveness of the sodium hypochlorite
Wearing PPR is extremely important when handling harsh chemicals. So taking extreme care ensuring you're wearing eye protection, a mask that protects against organic vapours, Nylon based gloves and suitable clothing. Mixing your own softwash mixes by hand carries risks where having a systemised approach to proportioning your mixes by a machine wouldn't have.
We have created a van mounted pressure washing and softwash system that eliminates the need to mix any solutions by hand
But most commonly for beginner mixing softwash solutions into a bucket or a pump up strayer is a common way we all get started in the softwash business. Allowing us to easily cleaning patios and driveways.
Before mixing your solutions ensure you have enough room and plenty of ventilation. This is not a task to be completed indoors due to the fumes that come off sodium hypochlorite specifically.
Your base sodium hypochlorite strength is 15%, this is how it typically comes from your chemical suppliers
If you would like to create 10 litres of a final 3% softwash solution
You would need to add to your bucket or tank:
- 2L of 15% sodium hypochlorite
- 8L of water
The water dilutes the neat strength of your sodium hypochlorite down to a 3% softwash solution suitable for cleaning surfaces such as render.
If you're looking for a simpler way to work out your softwash solutions mixes
The pressure Washing calculator is the fastest way to go
the app is called the Pressure Washing Calculator, but comes with a free batch mix calculator
It take the guess work out of softwashing and is a really jhandy tool to have inside of your pressure wasing business, Check out a little more about the calculator by hitting the button below. Or get straight to the action and download if for free on the app store
