What not Hiring a Professional Get's you

[Doug Rucker]

I was called out to a Church this week in Houston Texas to provide a quote for Removing Rust Stains caused by leaking batteries from a Golf Cart. The Church had previously tried to either do it themselves or possibly hired someone with the end resluts in the pictures you see here. It is always best when needing to remove stains such as these to call a professional insured Pressure Washing Contractor so that damage like this can be prevented. We have provided a quote to remove the rust stains and have informed the Church that unfortuantely the damage done can not be repaired.

 

[The Cleaner]

No fixing that mess, I love when that happens to stupid people.

 

[TheCleaningDoc]

Shot blasting or grinding is now their only option other than replacement or overlay.

 

[al9226]

Doug - what is the best way to remove battery stains. I've tried oxalic acid with limited results.

 

[Paul Kassander]

oops that looks a little damaged. What a shame when you don't hire a professional it costs you in the long run.

 

[Alexy]

Be careful when you quote those kind of clients ( churches and non-profits) Many times they try and do it in house first for the cost and the number of "people who want to help out" in those organizations.
Do not "bad mouth" what was done since there is a high probability that the person you are talking to is the person who is responsible for the damage.

 

[Doug Rucker]

Doug - what is the best way to remove battery stains. I've tried oxalic acid with limited results.

Every one I have done is different, and I haven't done a lot. A lot I think depends on how long it has been there, age of concrete, etc. Some will come off with aluminum brightner, and I have removed some with oxalic, mixed very strong,a nd allowed to sit a long time. I never use muriatic on rust. Here is pic after they tried muriatic. I usually just keep trying a small test spot till I find something that works.

 

[Christopher]

I have never had any luck with Oxalic on anything here, rust stains, battery acid stains or fertilizer stains.

I have not tried Muriatic as that is one very strong chemical, very dangerous and it can easily eat concrete at the wrong dilution.

I have always had good luck with Safe Restore (Now called One Restore).

I tried the Super Iron Out and did not have good results.

I have tried a lot of other products but I have had some good luck with some of my aluminum brighteners.

It all depends on the stain, what you have to try out and your experience.

There are a lot of good chemicals for rust stains that Larry knows about over there in Florida.

I have come across those jobs where the homeowner or PM or GM tried to clean the area themselves and Alexy is right, be careful about what you say, you don't want to offend them as they are trying what they can to save money, you don't want to burn a bridge before you get close to it. I would definately point out the permanent damage and how it will not change with the cleaning but point it out in case they did not see it (they might not have been the one that did the cleaning) so that you don't get the blame later on when it is noticed.

 

[Pat Norman]

The first pic here is what a homeowner considered ready for re staining. They just wanted me to finish prepping the rest of the house.

 

[outdoorprowash]

I have never had any luck with Oxalic on anything here, rust stains, battery acid stains or fertilizer stains.

I have not tried Muriatic as that is one very strong chemical, very dangerous and it can easily eat concrete at the wrong dilution.

I have always had good luck with Safe Restore (Now called One Restore).

I tried the Super Iron Out and did not have good results.

I have tried a lot of other products but I have had some good luck with some of my aluminum brighteners.

It all depends on the stain, what you have to try out and your experience.

There are a lot of good chemicals for rust stains that Larry knows about over there in Florida.

I have come across those jobs where the homeowner or PM or GM tried to clean the area themselves and Alexy is right, be careful about what you say, you don't want to offend them as they are trying what they can to save money, you don't want to burn a bridge before you get close to it. I would definately point out the permanent damage and how it will not change with the cleaning but point it out in case they did not see it (they might not have been the one that did the cleaning) so that you don't get the blame later on when it is noticed.

You can make a paste with oxalic if you have a really heavy rust stain. I would wet the surface first, keep it wet and rinse well after the stain disappears. You might lightly mist the surrounding area as the oxalic may brighten the concrete where the stains were. I have never studied it under a microscope, but that is my experience.

 

[Pat Norman]

I have had some pretty good luck with Oxalic and rust. Many times I will downstream a fairly strong mix on it. The secret is to keep spraying it for a minute or so and dwell, then re-spray. It's not instantaneous but sprays will usually get a pretty nasty stain out of broom finished concrete. Now that said I have had bad luck on troweled concrete where the stain is old. Ox usually leaves troweled concrete not looking right, I guess it is etching it.

 

[scottwash]

I was called out to a Church this week in Houston Texas to provide a quote for Removing Rust Stains caused by leaking batteries from a Golf Cart. The Church had previously tried to either do it themselves or possibly hired someone with the end resluts in the pictures you see here. It is always best when needing to remove stains such as these to call a professional insured Pressure Washing Contractor so that damage like this can be prevented. We have provided a quote to remove the rust stains and have informed the Church that unfortuantely the damage done can not be repaired.

ouch thats to bad
With great power comes great responsibility

 

[jon chapman]

quoting some paver sealing cpl weeks ago and the husband tells me it was pressure washed last week. I tell him I dont seal anything that I have not prepped and go about measuring. time to present the proposal and I grab the wife to point out where the last pressure washer has used the zero tip and made nice designs in the old sealer on the coping. Ill try to get those out I say but the last pressure washer did a number. Seeing her face, I could tell it was the husband.
Fortunately I can work magic and saved the husband a lot of greaf.