Showing posts with label foamer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label foamer. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Selling That Attachment? Why?

Selling that attachment? Why?

I see alot of power washers selling off tools and attachments, I know sometimes we miss the boat and buy the wrong thing. A surface cleaner is a good example we buy a floater and find out that one with wheels would fit our needs better. We buy one to big for our washer and pump out put. Most times you take a big hit when you sell off your equipment or attachments.

I see lots of power washers selling their old X-jet, they don't use any more, I only down-stream now. Really why? I mean why sell it off it's paid for and it is not eating anything. There are times I use an item or tool that may have not been used for 6 months I have it and it is right tool for the job. When I was a motorcycle tech I many not have used my 1/2" wrench each and every day but would I sell it? No, the same thing now applies to my power washing tools. You may not use it everyday but boy is it handy to have when you need it.

I may just be a tool or attachment hoarder the more I have the more I want if for nothing else to see if they work. Why do you need all those tools an attachments some may ask? I can simply answer to do the best job. Sometimes a job throws you a curve and if you have the right attachment it will save you. One example is this since the "long range nozzles" came out there is not much need for the old water cannon. I was on a job a couple months back when due to the angle of the roof, a close fence and an ill planted tree I could not get to a dormer on the upper part of a home. It was covered with algae and need cleaning in the worst way. I could not get to it all with the long range nozzle no matter what I did. Some how the water cannon reached it and I was able to clean and rinse it with this tool. I did not want to crawl up on the roof or put a ladder on the guttering the fence was to close for this also. Having the right tool or attachment for the job saved me time and labor. You never know when a customer will have an add-on. The other day I did a house wash and up on completion they asked if I could was the RV? I had a brush and a foamer in the toolbox and it was a quick $50 dollars for having the tools to do the extra job.

If I had sold this or put it on the shelf I'm not sure what I would have done that day. Again back to working on motorcycles my fork seal drivers were use at least once a month but some sizes did not see use for a year or better did I sell them off? No I made money with them having them when you need them. Why do some sell off attachments or equipment if they are not using them on a regular bases? I'm not sure why do you shelf them if they don't see action daily or weekly? I would rather have it in the tool box just encase than a few dollars in my pocket to spend on something. Having extra tools and attachments may come in handy if something should break or go down. Finishing a job is a must it helps to show and prove to yourself if nothing else you are a professional. I know of a washer who sold his yellow noodle said he never used it cause of the uses of down-streaming and long range nozzles. He had to borrow it back from who he sold it to about 4 months later due to cleaning a wall over a open patio basement. It was an odd clean and a pole was the only way to do it. It had hung in the shop for a year with not action so he sold it, just luck he was able to borrow it back, buy another for a onetime job would have cut into the profits. I was looking at the local "want adds" the other day here was a almost new 12" surface cleaner it was one of the better ones BE brand I believe. Said "Used once now don't need", it was only $10 dollars off the original price. I asked the dealer that sells them about it he said ya we sold it to him (one of the other local power washing companies), he did the job now he wants to sell it. Why get rid of it will this be the only time it will ever be used? I found all types of uses for my 12" surface cleaner. Keep it in the truck all the time use it at least once a week for something. Did you not include buying or upgrading in your estimate? Do you need to sell it to keep your busy going tight margins? We all hope not.

Like I said selling off a large item you won't use as a surface cleaner that is too big or does not work with your set-up would make sense, but selling off an x-jet, the small 12" surface cleaner or say a foamer simply because you are not using it every day does not make a lot of sense to me. You may want to reconsider selling those tools, attachments, or equipment it may prove to be a better investment keeping it.

Cleaned by Pete
just a power washer serving the greater Springfield MO area
417.459.7869

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Washing Warriors, Time To Get Your Kling-on: foam lances foam cannons

Washing Warrior, Time to get your Kling-on

You have to be a "Trekie" to get the pun in the title but with that aside, this entry is about how I have been using a foam cannon. Now even the term "foam cannon" is outdated. If you look for one you now have to search for foam lances for better results. What is a foam cannon or foam lance? my best explanation is: A foam cannon is an attachment to your gun, unlike anything you may have ever used before. The cannon delivers a thick, frothy foam that clings (Kling-on reference in the title, what still don't get it?", to the surface you are cleaning. Dirt and grease begin loosening their hold on surfaces immediately. A foam cannon with your pressure washer make it easy to cover large areas that need to be cleaned making washing easier. Often, you'll find less agitation, cleaners and it covers evenly, a real plus when needed to remove grime. Most foaming cannons are self contained and your cleaners are in an attached tank or can be drrawn through a hose. Self contained foam cannons come in may different styles and types, many manufacture but all will work in the same manner. Here are few photos of foam cannons gleamed off the internet.





The workings inside are "top secret" and can't be discussed......
The last statement is completely untrue but there is alot of science, physics and tech-knowledge in them. On a basic level what makes a foamer work is it is drawing air in, and then running the soap / cleaner through a metal puck or mesh which aireates it into a lather. That is the noise you will here in the videos is this process. Whipping up the soap which will be mixed with the cleaners and then applied to the surface with a low pressure water flow provided by the power washer. Foaming is gaining a new look because of the may benifits, which I have mentioned below. Videos are from Cleaned by Pete.


 The metal puck is much like compressed steel wool or a tightly packed screen mesh. There also is a venturi inside them to aid in drawing in the soap / cleaners. I place in my cleaners car-washing soap for a great lather.

Cleaned by Pete  will use this method for laying down their cleaners using less water and using less cleaners. Helping once again to use less and help out mother nature. Just because you use more cleaners does not mean they are working better, Foaming can add up to 50% less cleaners in some cleaning applications. Cleaners are starting to work immediately on contact. Again using new technological ideas to help be more "Eco friendly". Yes "Eco friendly" come up once again. The longer we can get the cleaner to cling on or hang on the surface the better it will work, foam provides the grip the cleaners can do there job. Since it is hanging around longer you can now see why it we can use less cleaners they are just there longer doing their job.

Foam cannons have been around for a while but are now coming into more use in the power washing field. Foam expands the cleaning area and the small bubbles popping and expanding in the layer of foam help to work up dirt and grime. Do you remember those "Scrubbing Little Bubbles" 
 from commercials of years ago? Well they work and now we are employing the same idea here. The idea of applying to a larger coverage area mean using less water, gas and oil in the power washer again trying to do small parts for the environment.

I have had foam lances and or cannons they usually give us service for a year or two they are great and add in a new damnation to your cleaning arsenal. Simply by adding longer lances and extensions you can reach higher areas.

Below are some picture of Cleaned by Pete using the foam cannon.
Cleaned by Pete applying foamed cleaner to this deck via a foam cannon.

Cleaned by Pete using a foam cannon to apply foamed cleaners which cling and stay in place longer being more effective.

Cleaned by Pete's foaming methods start working instantly when applied and getting a even coverage means better results.

Cleaned by Pete has foamed this deck and is letting the scrubbing bubble action work.

Cleaned by Pete has foamed this home's siding and awnings and is now letting the scrubbing action of the foam work.
So from fleet washing, car washing, wooden fences to decks, houses to concrete and most surfaces from residential to industrial you may find a foamer of foam cannon in you future. Saving time, money, cleaners, and even water, being more "Eco friendly" all in one attachment what more can you ask for.

Results from Cleaned by Pete.

Results from Cleaned by Pete.

Results from Cleaned by Pete.

Results from Cleaned by Pete.
Before photos are below for some idea of what we saw when we arrived :
Before Cleaned by Pete

Before Cleaned by Pete

Before Cleaned by Pete

Before Cleaned by Pete

Before Cleaned by Pete

Before Cleaned by Pete

 Even on concrete Cleaned by Pete can get you home or business clean
Cleaned by Pete 
serving the great Springfield MO area
417.459.7869


A Cleaned by Pete video working over head with the foam cannon. Working under a deck cleaning and freshening it up of the coming season of entertaining,  BBQ'ing, or just sitting out on the porch watching "the time go by".