Intermediate Question Caustic Soda Expectations

[Doug Dahlke]

What are the cleaning expectations with caustic? If a property has been neglected will one cleaning with caustic bring it back? I recently did a restaurant that had been maintained with a cold water machine and I assume no chems. Black in front of the entrance from the foot traffic and the dumpster pad was bad. I did use F-18 on these areas mixed one pound to two gallons of water and downstreamed on then hot water. The property definitely was cleaner but I think the manager was expecting something better. I will do this property again in a month and have ordered caustic soda beads to try this time.
Will the property look better after each month's cleaning? Is there a point of neglect where no cleaner can restore the concrete or make it better? Is once a month adequate to see continued improvement if that is possible? How do others set the customers expectations?

[One Tough Pressure]

You could mix the F18 stronger and see a difference. Highly neglected areas often do not come 100% on the first time unless you use a really strong mix and have increased dwell time. When I used F18 years ago my mix was 1 pound per gallon in a pump up and results were really nice.

I always tell the customer that first time cleaning may have shadows from the neglect, and may expose damage that can not be seen when dirty.

[tools000]

are you using a hot machine

[tools000]

hot water makes the differance in any cleaning

[Doug Dahlke]

Thanks Alan. You say you used to use F-18. Do you use caustic soda now? Is there a point where the staining can be so bad there is no bringing it back? A local restaurant that has been open for 5 or 6 years now never cleans their concrete and it is nasty. I did do a small section there as a demo last year with just hot water and it didn't make much of a difference. Would caustic with a long dwell time restore something like that, would it take multiple cleanings?