Gutter Critter, the real story

Tony Shelton

BS Detector, Esquire
As soon as Ken Beckstead introduced the Gutter Critter at Jerry's event the peanut gallery began their attacks. Starting with the Wizard of Garage, Jim Gamble, an Environmental Director for the PWNA.

It seems that anything that helps powerwashers without the burden of having to spend tens of thousands of dollars is offensive to these guys.

Jim's comments show that he is ignorant of what the product does and is more than willing to make attacks based on that ignorance:

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I guess I was ignorant too. At first I just assumed that any cleaning agent was "soap". Out of curiosity I called the company that makes the internal components of the gutter critter and asked about three common cleaning agents and how they reacted with runoff.

The engineer I spoke with enlightened me.

The "Smart Sponge" that is in the gutter critter attacks FOG (fats oils and grease) and bacteriological contaminants at the molecular level. The attach to the the molecules of the sponge. That is why they can't be "wrung out" like an oil sock. These contaminants attach to the sponge and stay there.

So my question to the engineer was.....What is it about soaps that make the sponge ineffective?

The answer was as follows:

It depends on what "soap" you are talking about. When FOG is encapsulated by a surfactant it inhibits the molecular bonding process making the whole batch go around, through and over the sponge.

So then I asked about the three common cleaning agents - Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrochloric Acid, and Sodium Hypochlorite. I received the following answer:

Since those three compounds do not encapsulate the FOG, as they pass through the sponge, the FOG will be removed allowing the agents to flow through the sponge.

What that means is, using the gutter critter one can clean with those three agents and still capture all the FOG. The three agents will continue on through the sponge.

Where does that leave us as cleaners?

Well, once the FOG is taken care of completely by the GC, we have to deal with the remaining SH, SH or HCL.

How can that be done?

First, there are already oil socks that soak them up if you are working on a small enough area.

A second option would be to treat the runoff and neutralize it.

How can that be done?

With science.

SH and HCL both neutralize each other.

This video shows the reaction of neutralizing the two with no dilution:


The result is pure water and table salt. It's simple science.

I plan on doing a video of an experiment showing just how little table salt is left after evaporation when neutralizing the amount of SH needed to clean a dumpster.


So theoretically, a nasty dumpster could be cleaned with SH as follows:

Pre-Clean (sweep, etc)
Screen mesh for debris. - Debris is stopped - FOG goes through
Gutter Critter for FOG - FOG is stopped - SH goes through
Dams for containment - Higher PH water is captured
Neutralize - PH is neutralized - Leaving Water and Table Salt
Let neutralized water go through a fine filter mesh - Salt is captured - (when neutralized the salt is heavier than water and sinks to the bottom rather than mixing with the water)
Allow evaporation and street sweeper to pick up remaining salt. (minimal amounts)

Trade-offs are minimal. There would be no need for a second generator or motor for a vacuum or pump. Nothing has to go in the landscaping. Nothing but pure water enters the drain. Contaminants are captured in the mesh and gutter critter for proper disposal in the landfill.

I will be talking with our local stormwater authority about these options during the next month.

If we can make this work it will keep our costs down and hopefully encourage more frequent cleaning.
 
Could anybody who cleans dumpsters with sodium hydroxide text me at 702-358-7477 and let me know how much in cups of beads you use to clean a double dumpster. I am trying to get a wide range.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2
 
Could anybody who cleans dumpsters with sodium hydroxide text me at 702-358-7477 and let me know how much in cups of beads you use to clean a double dumpster. I am trying to get a wide range.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2

It's about 1/8 of a cup for a bad one. 1/4 gallon water on mild 1/2 on bad one. A cup to two gallons water is plenty strong.

Very little, keep in mind a dumpster is a nasty place.

You know I do not use it but I know how to and the mix amounts.


Oct event San Diego free free text me for more details !!
 
There you go again, using facts to dispel hysteria.
 
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