Cleaning a metal roof

[Codyboy]

My roof on my shop looks horrible and needs a good cleaning.
There's a lot of residue from just dirt and all the pine trees around here.
It's a pretty hard scum on it and doesn't scrape off easily.
With a wet finger I can rub it off. (Lol, phrasing)

I have some jo max house cleaner that is meant yo be mixed with bleach, but wondering if there's something better.
I haven't tried it yet.

 

[southalabama]

I’d find something other than bleach. But it’s probably cheapest if algae involved. I’d try Dawn. Then diluted bleach if needed.

 

[PCustoms]

Have you tried a PW yet?

 

[tncatadjuster]

JoMax is the product to use. if mixed properly and used within the time limits it works better than anything for mold and mildew. I have not used it to remove pine sap, that might require something else on second wash.

 

[Codyboy]

Have you tried a PW yet?

No, I haven't tried anything yet, not even the water hose. This stuff is really dry and hard and needs to be softened up first I think.
At first i thougjt the paint was damaged and i was lookiing at just metal or the galvalume underneath

JoMax is the product to use. if mixed properly and used within the time limits it works better than anything for mold and mildew. I have not used it to remove pine sap, that might require something else on second wash.

I know it worked on the house (hardie ) before the painters painted. Mostly just dirty but some mildew also.

 

[Codyboy]

I’d find something other than bleach. But it’s probably cheapest if algae involved. I’d try Dawn. Then diluted bleach if needed.

Yes the bleach is diluted by the jomax.
I can't remember the ratio at the moment.

 

[Beauregard]

I had the same issue with elm tree sap. I used Zep cleaner applied with a pump-up garden sprayer, and then a pressure washer. The pressure washer was a smaller electric one that I carried up onto the roof. It was only a 1/12 pitch, but it became slippery. Be careful around the edges.
I considered a spray-on automotive wax on the roof panels to help with the sap not sticking so badly.
https://www.amazon.com/ZEP-Stain-Mildew-Remover-ZUMILDEW128/dp/B079ZL7M45?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[PopcornSutton]

Another fan of Jomax.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I think I might try some Wet & Forget.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Wet-and-Forget-Wet-and-Forget-1-Gal-Outdoor-Cleaner-Moss-Mold-Mildew-and-Algae-Stain-Remover/5015148751

 

[PopcornSutton]

I think I might try some Wet & Forget.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Wet-and-Forget-Wet-and-Forget-1-Gal-Outdoor-Cleaner-Moss-Mold-Mildew-and-Algae-Stain-Remover/5015148751

In my opinion, W&F is a scam. It shows no cleaning once applied, and after several rains which they say does the work for them, did nothing.

 

[NUTTSGT]

In my opinion, W&F is a scam. It shows no cleaning once applied, and after several rains which they say does the work for them, did nothing.

Have you actually used it ?

 

[mreisner]

It works fantastic, it just takes time.

 

[tlc1976]

I'm in the same predicament, and looking for what to do this coming summer. Last 2 years I've found that the snow won't slide off like it used to 10 years ago. Last year I went through $60 of diesel in the torpedo heater to make it move about 1-2"/hour over 3 days, and that was when it was above freezing outside. The storm the last few days I got a 20 ft roof rake, but man I'm beat from using it, and still hard to reach. I was thinking I'd have get up there and scrub, but these products seem to be spray on and off which is nice. I have an electric pressure washer too. As someone else posted, I'm also considering some sort of wax to help the snow come down. No worries if it all comes down in a landslide, all the better, it's not in the path of anything or anyone.

 

[PopcornSutton]

Have you actually used it ?

Yes. I saw it advertised, and bought a jug of it to try. With the old siding on my house, cleaning the siding was needed at least every other year. Jomax did a good job, but climbing a ladder and spraying Jomax on, then hosing it down takes time. So I tried the hype, and it was worthless.

 

[Codyboy]

Looks like I'll i have to get the pressure washer set up to get this stuff off.
The jomax didnt really do anything even with using a brush.
I think its just too thick for it to penetrate. It will scrape off, so I know it "will" come off.

 

[gleman]

I'm in the same predicament, and looking for what to do this coming summer. Last 2 years I've found that the snow won't slide off like it used to 10 years ago. Last year I went through $60 of diesel in the torpedo heater to make it move about 1-2"/hour over 3 days, and that was when it was above freezing outside. The storm the last few days I got a 20 ft roof rake, but man I'm beat from using it, and still hard to reach. I was thinking I'd have get up there and scrub, but these products seem to be spray on and off which is nice. I have an electric pressure washer too. As someone else posted, I'm also considering some sort of wax to help the snow come down. No worries if it all comes down in a landslide, all the better, it's not in the path of anything or anyone.

I thought I was in decent shape until I had to use the roof rake. I use to get on the roof and shovel but I figured I was getting too old so I bought this.



I had to do the roof in quadrants and take long breaks in between.

 

[gahrajmahal]

Codyboy, I have used Wet and Forget several time on the North side of our roof with excellent results. A pump sprayer when it’s not windy, then a MONTH later all the moss is gone. It has failed to work well on our aluminum bench seats that get green and also on my mother-in-laws concrete patio which was green on the shady side of her Cleveland home.

Could you try cleaning products and a brush after a rainy spell followed up with a pressure washer? Careful to not force water under the panels.

 

[mreisner]

I did this as an experiment three and a half years ago the left side sprayed with wet and forget, the right side with nothing. It's aluminum siding and on the south side of a garage under a large maple tree so it's shaded most of the year. It took it a while but all of a sudden it came up clean and you can see how long the weather forget has been keeping it clean from that fungus or whatever it is. The stuff is amazing.