Chemical Additives

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Chemical Additives

Pressure Washing Chemical Additives

Straight SH cleans, but it runs off the wall before it finishes the job. The right chemical additive fixes that for pennies per gallon of mix. Sun Brite Supply keeps surfactants, scent maskers, water conditioners, and wax additives on the shelf in Gaithersburg, MD. Call 301-519-9274, tell us what you wash, and we will tell you what belongs in the tank.

What Chemical Additives Do for a House Wash Mix

A soft wash mix is mostly water and 12.5% sodium hypochlorite. The additive is the small third ingredient that decides how well the first two work. Typical dose is 1 to 2 ounces per gallon of finished mix, so one jug treats hundreds of gallons. That math is why contractors who skip additives are leaving money on the wall.

Surfactants add cling and dwell time

Bleach and water have almost no cling. Spray it on vinyl siding and gravity takes half of it before the algae dies. A surfactant cuts surface tension so the mix wets into pores, then thickens the sheet so it hangs on vertical surfaces. Longer dwell time means the SH finishes its work before it dries, and you burn less chemical per house. Stick-It Foamer is our shelf pick for this. The foam also marks where you sprayed, so you skip nothing and double-treat nothing.

Scent maskers keep customers happy

The number one homeowner complaint on wash day is the chlorine smell. Cherry Xtreme and Lemon Xtreme are surfactant and fragrance blends that cover the bleach odor while they boost cling. Worth the $20 on occupied homes, storefronts, and any job where people are breathing nearby while you work.

Water conditioners fight hard water

Hard fill water does two bad things. Dissolved calcium and iron eat your SH strength faster than age does, and the minerals dry as spots on glass. So Soft Water Conditioner ties up those minerals so the mix stays hot and windows rinse clean. If you fill from wells or older hydrants, condition the water before you blame the bleach.

Wax additives for fleet and vehicle work

Super Wet Wax goes in the rinse. It sheets water off paint so trucks dry faster with fewer spots and pick up a light sacrificial gloss. Fleet accounts notice the difference, and a spotted rinse is the fastest way to lose one.

Stick-It Foamer surfactant chemical additive for pressure washing mixes

Pick Your Additive by the Problem

Problem on the Job Additive Typical Dose Price
Need the base chemical itself 12.5% Sodium Hypochlorite Diluted to 1-2% at the wall $4.95/gal
Mix runs off siding before it works Stick-It Foamer 1-2 oz per gallon of mix $22.97
Customer complains about bleach smell Cherry Xtreme 1-2 oz per gallon of mix $20.84
Same complaint, citrus preferred Lemon Xtreme 1-2 oz per gallon of mix $20.84
Hard water spots, mix loses strength So Soft Water Conditioner Per label, by water hardness $28.14
Fleet rinse dries spotty and dull Super Wet Wax Metered in final rinse $29.95

All six were in stock when this page was updated. One call confirms today's count.

From the Field

Fresh SH beats any additive. Sodium hypochlorite loses strength with heat and age, so the 10% jug that sat in a big box store all summer may be testing at 6% by the time it hits your tank. We turn our SH stock constantly, which is why local contractors fill here. Two more counter rules. Never let acids or off-label chemicals touch an SH mix, because that reaction makes chlorine gas. And do not double-dose surfactant hoping for more cling. Past 2 ounces per gallon you get stubborn foam that slows your rinse and can film the glass. If a mix is not performing, the fix is usually fresher SH or conditioned water, not more soap.

Related Collections

Local to Montgomery County? Fill your SH jugs at our Gaithersburg pressure washer store and skip the hazmat shipping.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much surfactant goes in a gallon of house wash mix?

1 to 2 ounces per gallon of finished mix covers most siding work. Start at 1 ounce. Add more only if the mix still sheets off too fast, because extra soap just means extra rinsing.

What SH percentage should actually hit the wall?

About 1 to 2% for vinyl and painted siding, 3 to 4% for roofs and heavy algae, and up to 6% on stubborn organic growth. You get there by diluting 12.5% SH with water, downstreaming at roughly 10 to 1 or batch mixing for soft wash.

Will a surfactant clog my downstream injector?

Professional additives like Stick-It Foamer are built to draw clean through injectors. The clogs come from household bleach thickeners and dried residue. Pull clean water through the injector for a minute at the end of each day and it stays open.

Does hard water really weaken a bleach mix?

Yes. Iron and calcium in fill water break down sodium hypochlorite ahead of schedule and leave mineral spots on windows. A water conditioner like So Soft keeps the mix at strength and cuts the spotting complaints.

Can I run a scent masker and a surfactant in the same tank?

You can, but you rarely need to. Cherry Xtreme and Lemon Xtreme already carry surfactant, so they handle cling and odor in one dose. Keep total additive under about 2 ounces per gallon either way.

Is a wax additive safe on glass and trim?

Rinse-applied wax like Super Wet Wax is formulated for full vehicle exteriors, glass included. It sheets water rather than coating it in film. Keep it out of your SH mix though. Wax belongs in the rinse, not the wash.