1
00:00:00,060 --> 00:00:00,620
Picture this.
2
00:00:01,160 --> 00:00:02,120
You've read the data sheet.
3
00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:04,960
The manufacturer says test first, so you
do.
4
00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:08,660
You pick a neat little square on the front
elevation, right at eye level,
5
00:00:09,220 --> 00:00:11,680
spray it, rinse it, and it looks great.
6
00:00:12,580 --> 00:00:15,320
Then the customer says, "Let me have a
think about it."
7
00:00:16,340 --> 00:00:19,440
And now there's a bright, clean square on
the front of their house.
8
00:00:20,300 --> 00:00:21,620
Nobody wins in that scenario.
9
00:00:21,708 --> 00:00:26,348
I'm Mark Cave from SoftWash UK, and today
I want to talk about what I call the test
10
00:00:26,415 --> 00:00:27,948
patch paradox.
11
00:00:28,081 --> 00:00:31,548
Every standard operating procedure tells
you to do a test patch.
12
00:00:31,828 --> 00:00:33,508
I agree with that completely.
13
00:00:33,598 --> 00:00:37,868
But done badly, a test patch is one of the
leading causes of avoidable customer
14
00:00:37,921 --> 00:00:39,468
disputes and insurance claims.
15
00:00:39,628 --> 00:00:43,788
The very thing meant to protect you can
become the thing that gets you into trouble.
16
00:00:43,792 --> 00:00:45,392
Let's start with that bright square.
17
00:00:45,525 --> 00:00:47,552
It's often called a clean halo.
18
00:00:47,712 --> 00:00:51,952
Over years, a wall picks up a layer of
atmospheric grime and weathering,
19
00:00:52,032 --> 00:00:53,312
a patina if you like.
20
00:00:53,424 --> 00:00:57,152
When you treat a patch, you don't only
remove the algae or biofilm.
21
00:00:57,272 --> 00:00:59,632
You strip that patina off with it.
22
00:00:59,712 --> 00:01:02,832
So that spot comes up brighter than
everything around it.
23
00:01:02,992 --> 00:01:06,512
If the whole elevation gets cleaned, it
all evens out.
24
00:01:06,592 --> 00:01:10,992
If the customer says no, or the quote
falls through, you've effectively defaced the
25
00:01:11,036 --> 00:01:14,112
property with a light square that can't
easily be reversed.
26
00:01:14,192 --> 00:01:16,752
That's a conversation nobody wants to
have.
27
00:01:16,792 --> 00:01:18,392
Now say the job does go ahead.
28
00:01:18,532 --> 00:01:20,232
You'd think you're in the clear.
29
00:01:20,412 --> 00:01:21,672
Not necessarily.
30
00:01:21,816 --> 00:01:25,352
That test patch has now had double
chemical exposure.
31
00:01:25,485 --> 00:01:29,272
It's been treated once on its own, and
then again with the rest of the wall.
32
00:01:29,352 --> 00:01:32,392
The surface porosity there may have
changed too.
33
00:01:32,579 --> 00:01:37,032
If you haven't blended it carefully, the
hard edges of that square can stay visible
34
00:01:37,085 --> 00:01:39,352
as a ghost mark across the finished wall.
35
00:01:39,432 --> 00:01:44,232
Straight lines, in the middle of a panel,
on a surface that otherwise has none.
36
00:01:44,372 --> 00:01:46,952
The customer sees it every single day.
37
00:01:47,092 --> 00:01:50,792
And the customer is not going to say,
"Well, that's just the test patch."
38
00:01:50,872 --> 00:01:54,972
There's another reason contractors
misjudge test patches, and it's a simple one.
39
00:01:55,572 --> 00:01:57,052
They look at it while it's wet.
40
00:01:58,072 --> 00:02:03,312
Water fills the microscopic pores in the
surface and changes how light bounces off
41
00:02:03,372 --> 00:02:03,512
it.
42
00:02:04,212 --> 00:02:07,212
Wet render looks darker, richer and more
even.
43
00:02:07,732 --> 00:02:09,232
It flatters everything.
44
00:02:11,532 --> 00:02:15,972
So you rinse the patch, it looks
fantastic, you give the customer a thumbs up and
45
00:02:16,072 --> 00:02:16,492
crack on.
46
00:02:16,667 --> 00:02:17,387
Then it dries.
47
00:02:17,567 --> 00:02:19,307
Pigment fading shows up.
48
00:02:19,494 --> 00:02:24,827
Chalking you'd accelerated, chemical
whitening, salt efflorescence blooming out of
49
00:02:24,847 --> 00:02:25,547
the masonry.
50
00:02:25,771 --> 00:02:31,947
None of that is visible until the moisture
has gone, and I mean 100 percent
51
00:02:32,107 --> 00:02:32,827
gone.
52
00:02:33,387 --> 00:02:38,667
A patch that looks acceptable wet can
reveal real discolouration once it's dry.
53
00:02:38,934 --> 00:02:43,387
If you've already committed to the full
mix by then, well, you've already made the
54
00:02:43,437 --> 00:02:44,987
mistake across the whole building.
55
00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:48,980
Now let's talk about where this gets
properly serious, and that's testing for
56
00:02:49,019 --> 00:02:49,820
mineral stains.
57
00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:52,760
Rust streaks, efflorescence, that sort of
thing.
58
00:02:53,420 --> 00:02:57,520
Specialist rust removers, like our Rust X
Pro, are oxalic acid based,
59
00:02:57,840 --> 00:02:58,760
and they have their place.
60
00:02:59,180 --> 00:03:02,280
But acids and cementitious surfaces need
real respect.
61
00:03:02,780 --> 00:03:07,740
Monocouche, K Rend, mortar, and acid
sensitive stones like limestone and soft
62
00:03:07,820 --> 00:03:10,860
sandstone can react with the calcium
carbonate binder.
63
00:03:11,083 --> 00:03:14,763
If the acid is too strong, or it's left un
rinsed on dry masonry,
64
00:03:14,816 --> 00:03:17,483
it can chemically etch the surface and
strip the pigment.
65
00:03:17,623 --> 00:03:19,803
You end up with a bleached white burn.
66
00:03:19,963 --> 00:03:21,563
And that's not dirt.
67
00:03:21,663 --> 00:03:25,563
You can't wash it off, because it's the
surface itself that has changed.
68
00:03:25,923 --> 00:03:30,523
A test patch that goes wrong here doesn't
just look odd, it's permanent.
69
00:03:30,683 --> 00:03:33,083
That's why testing isn't a formality.
70
00:03:33,270 --> 00:03:37,003
It's the point where you find out what the
surface thinks of your chemistry,
71
00:03:37,030 --> 00:03:40,043
on the smallest, least visible area you
can find.
72
00:03:40,223 --> 00:03:41,763
So here's the protocol I'd have you
follow.
73
00:03:42,183 --> 00:03:42,763
Five steps.
74
00:03:43,383 --> 00:03:46,063
One, choose the location strategically.
75
00:03:46,623 --> 00:03:48,503
Somewhere obscure and low visibility.
76
00:03:49,043 --> 00:03:53,043
Behind a rainwater downpipe, behind a heat
pump or an air conditioning unit,
77
00:03:53,623 --> 00:03:57,223
low down behind dense shrubbery, or on a
sheltered side return.
78
00:03:57,743 --> 00:03:59,963
Never at eye level on the main elevation.
79
00:04:00,923 --> 00:04:02,583
Two, start weak.
80
00:04:03,203 --> 00:04:07,463
Begin at the lowest recommended strength
and dwell time, and only step up if the
81
00:04:07,543 --> 00:04:09,223
staining genuinely doesn't respond.
82
00:04:09,458 --> 00:04:11,458
Three, manage your edges.
83
00:04:11,578 --> 00:04:14,658
Don't tape off a hard geometric box in the
middle of a panel.
84
00:04:14,818 --> 00:04:18,098
If you do need to demonstrate something to
a facilities manager,
85
00:04:18,151 --> 00:04:20,098
carry the test out to a natural boundary.
86
00:04:20,194 --> 00:04:23,538
From a corner bead to a downpipe, say, or
along a plinth line.
87
00:04:23,751 --> 00:04:28,498
Or feather the outer perimeter with a
light, low pressure mist so there's no sharp
88
00:04:28,562 --> 00:04:29,258
line.
89
00:04:29,346 --> 00:04:31,778
Four, wait for the full dry down.
90
00:04:31,918 --> 00:04:36,578
Set a strict drying window before you
judge anything or commit to the full job.
91
00:04:36,786 --> 00:04:38,898
Five, document it.
92
00:04:38,994 --> 00:04:43,378
Take date stamped photographs of the dry
test area, explain the outcome to the
93
00:04:43,422 --> 00:04:46,978
property owner, and get written
confirmation before you treat the building.
94
00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:49,040
A good surfactant helps here too.
95
00:04:49,068 --> 00:04:52,600
Something like Clever Wash gives you more
even wetting and cling,
96
00:04:52,627 --> 00:04:55,800
so you're not fighting patchy coverage on
top of everything else.
97
00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:58,360
But the product doesn't replace judgement.
98
00:04:58,536 --> 00:05:02,760
Last time we looked at physical surveys,
checking for chalking and coating failure
99
00:05:02,787 --> 00:05:03,640
on painted render.
100
00:05:03,736 --> 00:05:06,520
This is the chemical side of the same
diligence.
101
00:05:06,611 --> 00:05:10,760
Survey first, test second, and only then
spray.
102
00:05:11,083 --> 00:05:12,843
This is really what I keep coming back to.
103
00:05:12,923 --> 00:05:15,483
Knowledge comes before products.
104
00:05:15,599 --> 00:05:21,323
Exterior cleaning is an applied science,
and it rewards diagnosis and risk control,
105
00:05:21,423 --> 00:05:23,083
not casual trial and error.
106
00:05:23,233 --> 00:05:27,723
Podcasts like this are a great starting
point, but if you're serious about offering
107
00:05:27,755 --> 00:05:32,923
this professionally, the CPD Certified
Softwash Training Course at softwashing.uk
108
00:05:33,035 --> 00:05:34,363
goes much deeper.
109
00:05:34,503 --> 00:05:39,403
Surface identification, chemical
selection, testing, safety,
110
00:05:39,473 --> 00:05:40,923
pricing, the lot.
111
00:05:41,110 --> 00:05:45,403
It's an online course, so you learn at
your own pace, and it comes from years of
112
00:05:45,467 --> 00:05:49,643
real world experience, to help you avoid
exactly these mistakes.
113
00:05:49,741 --> 00:05:54,283
Complete it and you can become an Approved
Softwash Applicator,
114
00:05:54,323 --> 00:05:58,363
get your listing in the directory, and
join the National Association of Softwash
115
00:05:58,419 --> 00:05:59,083
community.
116
00:05:59,083 --> 00:06:01,043
So here's your challenge for the next job.
117
00:06:01,094 --> 00:06:05,403
Before you spray anything, find your test
location and say out loud why you picked
118
00:06:05,483 --> 00:06:05,963
it.
119
00:06:06,150 --> 00:06:10,123
If the answer is "because it was easy to
reach", move it.
120
00:06:10,219 --> 00:06:14,443
Then wait for it to dry, photograph it,
and get that sign off in writing.
121
00:06:14,546 --> 00:06:17,083
Thanks for listening, and I'll catch you
in the next one.
00:00:00,060 --> 00:00:00,620
Picture this.
2
00:00:01,160 --> 00:00:02,120
You've read the data sheet.
3
00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:04,960
The manufacturer says test first, so you
do.
4
00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:08,660
You pick a neat little square on the front
elevation, right at eye level,
5
00:00:09,220 --> 00:00:11,680
spray it, rinse it, and it looks great.
6
00:00:12,580 --> 00:00:15,320
Then the customer says, "Let me have a
think about it."
7
00:00:16,340 --> 00:00:19,440
And now there's a bright, clean square on
the front of their house.
8
00:00:20,300 --> 00:00:21,620
Nobody wins in that scenario.
9
00:00:21,708 --> 00:00:26,348
I'm Mark Cave from SoftWash UK, and today
I want to talk about what I call the test
10
00:00:26,415 --> 00:00:27,948
patch paradox.
11
00:00:28,081 --> 00:00:31,548
Every standard operating procedure tells
you to do a test patch.
12
00:00:31,828 --> 00:00:33,508
I agree with that completely.
13
00:00:33,598 --> 00:00:37,868
But done badly, a test patch is one of the
leading causes of avoidable customer
14
00:00:37,921 --> 00:00:39,468
disputes and insurance claims.
15
00:00:39,628 --> 00:00:43,788
The very thing meant to protect you can
become the thing that gets you into trouble.
16
00:00:43,792 --> 00:00:45,392
Let's start with that bright square.
17
00:00:45,525 --> 00:00:47,552
It's often called a clean halo.
18
00:00:47,712 --> 00:00:51,952
Over years, a wall picks up a layer of
atmospheric grime and weathering,
19
00:00:52,032 --> 00:00:53,312
a patina if you like.
20
00:00:53,424 --> 00:00:57,152
When you treat a patch, you don't only
remove the algae or biofilm.
21
00:00:57,272 --> 00:00:59,632
You strip that patina off with it.
22
00:00:59,712 --> 00:01:02,832
So that spot comes up brighter than
everything around it.
23
00:01:02,992 --> 00:01:06,512
If the whole elevation gets cleaned, it
all evens out.
24
00:01:06,592 --> 00:01:10,992
If the customer says no, or the quote
falls through, you've effectively defaced the
25
00:01:11,036 --> 00:01:14,112
property with a light square that can't
easily be reversed.
26
00:01:14,192 --> 00:01:16,752
That's a conversation nobody wants to
have.
27
00:01:16,792 --> 00:01:18,392
Now say the job does go ahead.
28
00:01:18,532 --> 00:01:20,232
You'd think you're in the clear.
29
00:01:20,412 --> 00:01:21,672
Not necessarily.
30
00:01:21,816 --> 00:01:25,352
That test patch has now had double
chemical exposure.
31
00:01:25,485 --> 00:01:29,272
It's been treated once on its own, and
then again with the rest of the wall.
32
00:01:29,352 --> 00:01:32,392
The surface porosity there may have
changed too.
33
00:01:32,579 --> 00:01:37,032
If you haven't blended it carefully, the
hard edges of that square can stay visible
34
00:01:37,085 --> 00:01:39,352
as a ghost mark across the finished wall.
35
00:01:39,432 --> 00:01:44,232
Straight lines, in the middle of a panel,
on a surface that otherwise has none.
36
00:01:44,372 --> 00:01:46,952
The customer sees it every single day.
37
00:01:47,092 --> 00:01:50,792
And the customer is not going to say,
"Well, that's just the test patch."
38
00:01:50,872 --> 00:01:54,972
There's another reason contractors
misjudge test patches, and it's a simple one.
39
00:01:55,572 --> 00:01:57,052
They look at it while it's wet.
40
00:01:58,072 --> 00:02:03,312
Water fills the microscopic pores in the
surface and changes how light bounces off
41
00:02:03,372 --> 00:02:03,512
it.
42
00:02:04,212 --> 00:02:07,212
Wet render looks darker, richer and more
even.
43
00:02:07,732 --> 00:02:09,232
It flatters everything.
44
00:02:11,532 --> 00:02:15,972
So you rinse the patch, it looks
fantastic, you give the customer a thumbs up and
45
00:02:16,072 --> 00:02:16,492
crack on.
46
00:02:16,667 --> 00:02:17,387
Then it dries.
47
00:02:17,567 --> 00:02:19,307
Pigment fading shows up.
48
00:02:19,494 --> 00:02:24,827
Chalking you'd accelerated, chemical
whitening, salt efflorescence blooming out of
49
00:02:24,847 --> 00:02:25,547
the masonry.
50
00:02:25,771 --> 00:02:31,947
None of that is visible until the moisture
has gone, and I mean 100 percent
51
00:02:32,107 --> 00:02:32,827
gone.
52
00:02:33,387 --> 00:02:38,667
A patch that looks acceptable wet can
reveal real discolouration once it's dry.
53
00:02:38,934 --> 00:02:43,387
If you've already committed to the full
mix by then, well, you've already made the
54
00:02:43,437 --> 00:02:44,987
mistake across the whole building.
55
00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:48,980
Now let's talk about where this gets
properly serious, and that's testing for
56
00:02:49,019 --> 00:02:49,820
mineral stains.
57
00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:52,760
Rust streaks, efflorescence, that sort of
thing.
58
00:02:53,420 --> 00:02:57,520
Specialist rust removers, like our Rust X
Pro, are oxalic acid based,
59
00:02:57,840 --> 00:02:58,760
and they have their place.
60
00:02:59,180 --> 00:03:02,280
But acids and cementitious surfaces need
real respect.
61
00:03:02,780 --> 00:03:07,740
Monocouche, K Rend, mortar, and acid
sensitive stones like limestone and soft
62
00:03:07,820 --> 00:03:10,860
sandstone can react with the calcium
carbonate binder.
63
00:03:11,083 --> 00:03:14,763
If the acid is too strong, or it's left un
rinsed on dry masonry,
64
00:03:14,816 --> 00:03:17,483
it can chemically etch the surface and
strip the pigment.
65
00:03:17,623 --> 00:03:19,803
You end up with a bleached white burn.
66
00:03:19,963 --> 00:03:21,563
And that's not dirt.
67
00:03:21,663 --> 00:03:25,563
You can't wash it off, because it's the
surface itself that has changed.
68
00:03:25,923 --> 00:03:30,523
A test patch that goes wrong here doesn't
just look odd, it's permanent.
69
00:03:30,683 --> 00:03:33,083
That's why testing isn't a formality.
70
00:03:33,270 --> 00:03:37,003
It's the point where you find out what the
surface thinks of your chemistry,
71
00:03:37,030 --> 00:03:40,043
on the smallest, least visible area you
can find.
72
00:03:40,223 --> 00:03:41,763
So here's the protocol I'd have you
follow.
73
00:03:42,183 --> 00:03:42,763
Five steps.
74
00:03:43,383 --> 00:03:46,063
One, choose the location strategically.
75
00:03:46,623 --> 00:03:48,503
Somewhere obscure and low visibility.
76
00:03:49,043 --> 00:03:53,043
Behind a rainwater downpipe, behind a heat
pump or an air conditioning unit,
77
00:03:53,623 --> 00:03:57,223
low down behind dense shrubbery, or on a
sheltered side return.
78
00:03:57,743 --> 00:03:59,963
Never at eye level on the main elevation.
79
00:04:00,923 --> 00:04:02,583
Two, start weak.
80
00:04:03,203 --> 00:04:07,463
Begin at the lowest recommended strength
and dwell time, and only step up if the
81
00:04:07,543 --> 00:04:09,223
staining genuinely doesn't respond.
82
00:04:09,458 --> 00:04:11,458
Three, manage your edges.
83
00:04:11,578 --> 00:04:14,658
Don't tape off a hard geometric box in the
middle of a panel.
84
00:04:14,818 --> 00:04:18,098
If you do need to demonstrate something to
a facilities manager,
85
00:04:18,151 --> 00:04:20,098
carry the test out to a natural boundary.
86
00:04:20,194 --> 00:04:23,538
From a corner bead to a downpipe, say, or
along a plinth line.
87
00:04:23,751 --> 00:04:28,498
Or feather the outer perimeter with a
light, low pressure mist so there's no sharp
88
00:04:28,562 --> 00:04:29,258
line.
89
00:04:29,346 --> 00:04:31,778
Four, wait for the full dry down.
90
00:04:31,918 --> 00:04:36,578
Set a strict drying window before you
judge anything or commit to the full job.
91
00:04:36,786 --> 00:04:38,898
Five, document it.
92
00:04:38,994 --> 00:04:43,378
Take date stamped photographs of the dry
test area, explain the outcome to the
93
00:04:43,422 --> 00:04:46,978
property owner, and get written
confirmation before you treat the building.
94
00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:49,040
A good surfactant helps here too.
95
00:04:49,068 --> 00:04:52,600
Something like Clever Wash gives you more
even wetting and cling,
96
00:04:52,627 --> 00:04:55,800
so you're not fighting patchy coverage on
top of everything else.
97
00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:58,360
But the product doesn't replace judgement.
98
00:04:58,536 --> 00:05:02,760
Last time we looked at physical surveys,
checking for chalking and coating failure
99
00:05:02,787 --> 00:05:03,640
on painted render.
100
00:05:03,736 --> 00:05:06,520
This is the chemical side of the same
diligence.
101
00:05:06,611 --> 00:05:10,760
Survey first, test second, and only then
spray.
102
00:05:11,083 --> 00:05:12,843
This is really what I keep coming back to.
103
00:05:12,923 --> 00:05:15,483
Knowledge comes before products.
104
00:05:15,599 --> 00:05:21,323
Exterior cleaning is an applied science,
and it rewards diagnosis and risk control,
105
00:05:21,423 --> 00:05:23,083
not casual trial and error.
106
00:05:23,233 --> 00:05:27,723
Podcasts like this are a great starting
point, but if you're serious about offering
107
00:05:27,755 --> 00:05:32,923
this professionally, the CPD Certified
Softwash Training Course at softwashing.uk
108
00:05:33,035 --> 00:05:34,363
goes much deeper.
109
00:05:34,503 --> 00:05:39,403
Surface identification, chemical
selection, testing, safety,
110
00:05:39,473 --> 00:05:40,923
pricing, the lot.
111
00:05:41,110 --> 00:05:45,403
It's an online course, so you learn at
your own pace, and it comes from years of
112
00:05:45,467 --> 00:05:49,643
real world experience, to help you avoid
exactly these mistakes.
113
00:05:49,741 --> 00:05:54,283
Complete it and you can become an Approved
Softwash Applicator,
114
00:05:54,323 --> 00:05:58,363
get your listing in the directory, and
join the National Association of Softwash
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00:05:58,419 --> 00:05:59,083
community.
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00:05:59,083 --> 00:06:01,043
So here's your challenge for the next job.
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00:06:01,094 --> 00:06:05,403
Before you spray anything, find your test
location and say out loud why you picked
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00:06:05,483 --> 00:06:05,963
it.
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00:06:06,150 --> 00:06:10,123
If the answer is "because it was easy to
reach", move it.
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00:06:10,219 --> 00:06:14,443
Then wait for it to dry, photograph it,
and get that sign off in writing.
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Thanks for listening, and I'll catch you
in the next one.
