Safe Gum Removal?

scawtee

Member
Is asphalt tuff enough to handle hot water and pressure for gum removal or what chemical and lower pressure should be used? Thanks, Scott
 
Scott,

That’s a really tough Question. I stay away from trying to remove gum from asphalt. You cannot use high pressure on the concrete. Heat is also bad for the asphalt and the types of chemicals that break gum down will also hurt the asphalt.

Can it be taken up safely? Yes low pressure being very careful not to take any asphalt with it.

If someone has a safe effective chemical they could sell me about 110 gallons.
 
Options for removal

I do not know how big of an area you are talking about but one of the options to remove gum from asphalt might to use a buffer with a brush attached to it. Some simple type of degreaser might break-down the gum without hurting the pavement. After you are finished with this process, then use the hard surface cleaner to go over the surface. I am not sure if this will work but it is just a suggestion. Good luck! Keith:)
 
The $64,000 question. Don't you know this is why they pay us the big bucks? :)

Most people look at us spraying our pressure washers on cement and think any moron can do what we do. But try and blast gum off with hot water and full pressure and not scar the cement. That's the hard part. Lower pressure and hot water works though, just be careful not to spend too much time in any one spot on the cement. Asphalt is another story. Try and hit it quickly with lower pressure making a few passes over it but don't spend a lot of time in that one area or you run the risk of damaging or digging into the asphalt.
 
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