Power Washing and Roof Cleaning Forum

Art O · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Sodium Hydroxide

BlueRidge · Approved Exterior Cleaner

It's great stuff and works great in many different applications.

It does a great job cleaning concrete with a small surfactant or a degreaser added.

I add it to sodium percarbonate mixture for stripping cedar siding and wood decks with an oil finish.

It is some nasty stuff! If you get the beads/flakes on your hands don't get them wet. Wipe it off before you rinse, and rinse well. This stuff burns fast! Gloves are a really good idea around Sodium Hydroxide also known as caustic soda and lye.

Sodium hydroxide is a strong alkalide.

Strong alkalis will disolve most things organic, including skin fat and flesh. Generally an alkali burn is going to occur faster and go deeper than an acid burn, as alkalis react with fats/oils in your skin and flesh, turning them into soap (hence the soapy feeling if you get them on your skin), whereas most acids won't react or penetrate fatty acids, unless it gets in your eyes, a quick wash in a cheap weak acid such as vinegar or citric acid solution will neutralize the alkali.

Philip McCullough · RIP

I haven't used it much but the little bit that I bought came from the local ACE hardware store on plumbing isle 100% LYE in a 1lb container for like $6-7$.

Jeff Wible · Approved Exterior Cleaner

And it is 100% compatible with Sodium Hypochlorite. A mixture of SH/SH will clean VERY well,..whether it be concrete or siding,..just different amounts for each surface. In cooler temps I will add some to my regular house wash mix,..gives it a nice boost,..and I will also add it if I come across some really dirty bug poopy, siding.

I DS it onto gray decks. And will direct apply it to strip semi-transparent stains.

*Yes, although I think buying 50 Lbs. at a time is more economical,..buying the Rooto brand from Ace or from Amazon is very convenient,..and it also stays nice and dry in the 1 LB. sealed container until it's ready for use.

When buying 50 Lbs. I prefer the flakes,..they dissolve easier than the beads,..the beads when first opened are fine,..but they collect moisture over time and tend to clump more,...and the flakes also mix easier due to the air gaps the flakes have,..compared to the small uniform beads.

Always add the NAOH to water,..NOT water to NAOH. Adding water second can cause the NAOH to super heat and stick together instantly.

*It is also used to stabilize Sodium Hypochlorite allowing for longer shelf life. NAOH increases the PH,..which I think is why it becomes more stable and slows down the decomposition.

Jeff

Liberty SoftWash · PWS Vender

We use it on hood cleaning jobs.

Dave · Approved Exterior Cleaner

We use it on really bad grease build up dumpster pads

waxman18324 · Founding Member Rest in Peace

Agreed with all of the above. I've used it on heavy oil stains during a gas station cleaning or heavy grease. As I witnessed last night it is used in KEC(Hood Cleaning). I get it from my local distributor. Bob from Pressure Tek has it (beads) if you're doing some small decks and concrete.

As everyone has mentioned here and in person it can be nasty. PPE + some (common sense) is mandatory.

Hank

Pinky · Approved Exterior Cleaner

I use it for decks and pour some down my sinks when they get clogged.

-- Edited by Pinky on Sunday 22nd of January 2017 09:01:45 AM

Liberty SoftWash · PWS Vender

waxman18324 wrote:
Agreed with all of the above. I've used it on heavy oil stains during a gas station cleaning or heavy grease. As I witnessed last night it is used in KEC(Hood Cleaning). I get it from my local distributor. Bob from Pressure Tek has it (beads) if you're doing some small decks and concrete.

As everyone has mentioned here and in person it can be nasty. PPE + some (common sense) is mandatory.

Hank

Yes PPE! Right Hank.

Pinky · Approved Exterior Cleaner

When I was in Va. I got my chems from

Roxxon Corp Chemical Cleaning 5056 Swope Rd. Dayton, VA 22821 - Rockingham County
(540) 879-2468
Small very personable company. Wild Bill is the son. You won't find a nicer guy. I mean that. There isn't a nicer person out there. They delivered to me in Fairfax. Plus I went to them when they didn't have a load scheduled right away. If anyone in the Va. area calls them tell Bill hi for me. I haven't talked to him in a while.
Down here I use Brainerd 1600 S. Wilson Avenue Dunn NC. 910-980-1088

P.S. What is PPE?

-- Edited by Pinky on Sunday 22nd of January 2017 12:23:06 PM

Maverick Contracting · Approved Exterior Cleaner

When working with any water based chems either SH mix or paint/stain stripper aka S-hydroxide I keep a 5 gal pail of clean water and rag near by to wash immediately if get anything on me or my ground guys

Safety setups are a must before they start even mixing a batch of "sauce"

Mr Pink, PPE is personal protection equipment

-- Edited by Maverick Contracting on Sunday 22nd of January 2017 12:46:01 PM

-- Edited by Maverick Contracting on Sunday 22nd of January 2017 12:46:36 PM

BlueRidge · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Pinky wrote:
When I was in Va. I got my chems from

Roxxon Corp Chemical Cleaning 5056 Swope Rd. Dayton, VA 22821 - Rockingham County
(540) 879-2468
Small very personable company. Wild Bill is the son. You won't find a nicer guy. I mean that. There isn't a nicer person out there. They delivered to me in Fairfax. Plus I went to them when they didn't have a load scheduled right away. If anyone in the Va. area calls them tell Bill hi for me. I haven't talked to him in a while.
Down here I use Brainerd 1600 S. Wilson Avenue Dunn NC. 910-980-1088

P.S. What is PPE?

-- Edited by Pinky on Sunday 22nd of January 2017 12:23:06 PM

You saw and talked to Bill when you came up here to help strip the Cyprus sided house.

Steve Salley · Approved Exterior Cleaner

PPE equals Personal Protection Equipment ie gloves, eye protection, hearing protection, and steel toes shoes, etc etc depending on the work you are doing.

Maverick Contracting · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Steve Salley wrote:
PPE equals Personal Protection Equipment ie gloves, eye protection, hearing protection, and steel toes shoes, etc etc depending on the work you are doing.

Yeah something like this

Pinky · Approved Exterior Cleaner

I wear none of those...lol

Admin · Head Quarters

www.bulkapothecary.com/raw-ingredients/other-ingredients-and-chemicals/sodium-hydroxide-lye/