Power Washing and Roof Cleaning Forum

Michael Hickey · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Cover Scent

Maverick Contracting · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Laundry scent beads have been touted in the past few years

Fred W · Guru

-- Edited by Baton Rouge Roof Cleaner on Thursday 9th of February 2017 09:23:10 PM

BlueRidge · Approved Exterior Cleaner

We have been using Purex crystals because they dissolve better than the beads. Since there are hard to see on the ground I guess you could put some down before you water. We just put it in the mix.

Jeff Wible · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Bleach,..especially at stronger percentages is very hard to mask from people who aren't used to it. when we think it's masked,.I can almost guarantee you that someone with a more sensitive nose can smell it. Smelling like a pool isn't a bad thing,..and bleach typically smells sanitary. The things that smells the worse is the runoff from the gutters,.after it's contaminated with the GM.

Unless someone is lying to the customer when asked about the product used,..there is no reason to hide the smell. It doesn't last long anyhow.
We aren't doing anything wrong or using a product that isn't approved for what we're doing.

Jeff

Dave O · Retired Member

We used Gain Fireworks fragrance for most of last year as a trial. It is in bead form but we used a cheap coffee grinder to grind them down to powder form to dissolve easy. Our findings was that HOs still smelled the SH. And yes we used a lot. For those very few customers that make a statement such as "it smells like a pool", we respond "yes it smells sanitized like an algae free pool". We since stopped using fragrance.

http://www.advantageroofcleaning.com/soft-washing-exterior-siding-cleaning/

John Aloisio · Approved Exterior Cleaner

We tell the customer up front in our sales pitch that we are using SH/bleach. Very rarely do we get any push back, but on those occasions we inform them of all the things that bleach is in, that we use/consume every day. Basically we tell them its part of our process and that is it. It's like telling your mechanic not to use oil when they service your car.

Art O · Approved Exterior Cleaner

For my House washing, I like Pinalen Max "Floral". Leaves the windows clean and the people love the smell and its cheap!

Maverick Contracting · Approved Exterior Cleaner

I like cheap.
Unless it's the customer

BlueRidge · Approved Exterior Cleaner

John Aloisio wrote:
We tell the customer up front in our sales pitch that we are using SH/bleach. Very rarely do we get any push back, but on those occasions we inform them of all the things that bleach is in, that we use/consume every day. Basically we tell them its part of our process and that is it. It's like telling your mechanic not to use oil when they service your car.

I couldn't agree more. I don't tell them anything different.

Michael Hickey · Approved Exterior Cleaner

John, Jeff your both right. I would like to mask the smell a bit more though. Maybe spray a nice scent around the property before we leave.

John Aloisio · Approved Exterior Cleaner

I know some guys are taking a scent like SWS Rain Fresh and keeping it in a 2 gallon pump sprayer On the truck. At the end of the job going around and spraying the doorway areas and decks with a quick mist. Basically the entry points so the customer smells that strongly.

Jeff Wible · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Spraying a scent around at the end of a job? Is the customer going to really care, or is it to make the contractor feel better about what they are leaving behind? I don't know, I don't think customers care that much, and I think most customers realize whatever is left behind is part of what they hired someone to do. But, it's up to the contractor I guess,..seems way over thought to me. Not going to hurt anything to do it though.

Jeff

Art O · Approved Exterior Cleaner

When we leave a Homeowners house smelling Fresh and clean it makes them Happy. Nothing wrong with putting a smile on there face. Besides I've had more then one neighbor come over and ask what am I doing when I'm washing a roof and saying, It stinks!

John Aloisio · Approved Exterior Cleaner

We don't do it on every house but there are some people who are extremely bleach sensitive and it can help a little with that. Also, on apartments and commercial work where there is a ton of actual foot traffic it can help. it can help on the point you mentioned earlier, when the GM stink comes out of the downspouts.

Fred W · Guru

We used to dissolve the crystals then mix them in water....what a pain. Then I started to just sprinkle a capful around the house at the end of the job and that works the best.

Try this: At the end of the job just sprinkle the crystals at the downspouts and where people walk. Sprinkle them in front of the carport or garage and just outside each door. When the rain comes and washes down the gutters it helps cover the nasty odor. Where people walk is best because when they step on the crystals they release the smell and it is very pleasing.

We don't use it on every job and it certainly is not hiding anything from anyone. Using a cover scent is in no way being deceptive either.

DirtyRoofcom · Approved Exterior Cleaner

Pinalen works pretty well. But i always get some who complain about the smell. I've used the beads as well and the Purex does dissolve better and does a decent job at covering it up.

Ive learned over the years to just be more confident/direct with the client. "its part of the process, it wont last forever. It is what it is"