Sodium hypochlorite (bleach) Referred to as SH for short, household bleach is the most commonly used roofing cleaning chemical, as it is the preferred cleaning agent of almost all pressure washing companies in North America. The chemical most used by roof cleaners today is still “bleach” or sodium hypochlorite. It's also the chemical of choice for ARMA, the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association, ¹ But it's no longer true to say that today's roof shingles are mostly made of asphalt. The products listed below are some of the best ceiling cleaners you can buy to remove ugly stains, algae, and dirt.
In the end, what most contractors who are profitable at cleaning roofs have discovered is that using bleach is the quickest and most effective way to clean a roof. We introduced some elements of roof cleaning in a blog post about the basics of building for roof cleaning, such as the idea that you can walk on the roof during the cleaning process. A chemical that you can spray on the ceiling and let it do its job is by far the easiest way to clean the ceiling. This bleach-based formula is worth checking out if you're looking for an intensive cleaner that gives you almost instant results.
Sodium hydroxide cleans dirt, mold and algae, but cleaning solutions must be used at adequate dilution rates and with a limited time, and must be thoroughly rinsed at high flow rates, but not at high pressures, to remove the chemical and thus stop any residual action. All other cleaners focus on removing stains and mold, but not many of them offer the invisible barrier option that protects your home in the future. Green cleaners are safe for your children, plants and wildlife that can roam your property. For some, a gentle wash is simply using more gpm (gallons per minute) of water to remove roof cleaning solutions, rather than using high water pressure (pounds per square inch) to flush chemicals or, as others call it, a low pressure wash.
If you buy one gallon of 12.5% bleach, it has exactly the same cleaning power as 2.2 gallons of 5.75% bleach. People need to start to realize how important it is to clean their roofs, especially when they see that the roof has some moss and algae growing on top. The ammonia formula reactivates every time it rains, allowing for follow-up cleaning for up to 24 months in a row.
