At Right Wash in Thorpe Willoughby we know that it's a fact of life that buildings become dirty, particularly those in urban settings. Pollution, dust, moss, algae and mould accumulate to make the wall surface look stained, grimy and unattractive.
Humans and wildlife play a part, too; graffiti damage is an unwelcome sight, spoiling so many buildings, and removal of chewing gum can be a serious problem, too. Bird fouling by pigeons and other roosting birds not only stains masonry but guano is also corrosive and acidic, causing immense damage to brick and stone surfaces.
How do you tackle these problems? There are several solutions, but some are ineffective while other cleaning methods can damage the wall surface.
However, one relatively new method has become extremely popular recently: The DOFF cleaning system. You can read more on “What does DOFF cleaning mean” later on.
This is just one of the tools that the experts at Right Wash in Thorpe Willoughby are trained to use, and it is highly effective. Here's some more information to help you discover whether it is the right choice for your building.
Essentially, it is a form of steam-cleaning using a DOFF machine.
Invented by Stonehealth, the Canadian building restoration company, the DOFF machine is a soft wash system specially designed for removing dirt, removal of graffiti damage and biological matter from walls.
With over 30 years in the business, Stonehealth used its knowledge and experience to design a piece of equipment that would clean stone, brick and other substrates without causing any damage.
Although pressure washers are effective, they can cause significant damage, especially on delicate substrates such as renders, lime mortar and certain types of masonry. With DOFF cleaning, however, you can avoid this completely.
DOFF machines use heated water and steam to break down and remove various types of dirt and contamination. The water is heated to 150ºC and sprayed out of the nozzle end as superheated steam. The high-temperature cuts through all kinds of grime, restoring walls to their former glory.
However, the process itself is much gentler than some other cleaning methods as the super-heated water and steam are applied at low pressure. During the cleaning process, the machine pumps around five litres of water per minute onto the substrate where it dries in a few moments.
This is beneficial, as the wall surface is never saturated so there is no risk that excess moisture will be absorbed that may cause problems later.
This is the beauty of the DOFF system; it can deal with a whole host of foreign substances efficiently and effectively, including:
These are a few of the worst offenders, although there are others that the DOFF cleaning process will cope with.
DOFF cleaning methods can be used for many different kinds of substrate, including:
This makes it ideal for so many jobs, particularly those involving historical buildings. That's why organisations like National Trust and English Heritage often use cleaning contractors with extensive experience in DOFF cleaning as most of our heritage sites and historic buildings have delicate surfaces that require extra attention.
Other cleaning methods can be harsh and abrasive or cause thermal shock, which causes more damage to the surface. For this reason, DOF steam cleaning plays a big role in the restoration process of many of our most treasured heritage sites and listed buildings in the UK.
In addition to its exceptional cleaning capabilities, DOFF steam cleaning systems are a green choice.
The high temperature not only dissolves dirt and kills algae, moss, mould and bacteria, but the steam also kills spores, preventing the regrowth of biological matter in the future. This also means that you don't need to use biocides and herbicides that can run off the wall and enter the local environment where they may pose a risk to humans and wildlife.
There is also no need for harsh detergents or bleaches, as the heat alone is enough to break down the grime.
Also, every drop of water goes into the cleaning process and there is hardly any waste. This means the DOFF machine has a very low carbon footprint compared with various other cleaning systems.
DOFF machines are fairly portable and can be easily transported to a range of settings, both indoors and outdoors. The water is so hot that it evaporates within minutes, leaving very little mess behind, so there's no danger of the building's interior being swamped in dirty water.
The extreme temperature of the steam is hot enough to kill bacteria, making this an ideal method for buildings connected with food production, factories, swimming pools, hospitals, medical centres, etc.
The range of applications is almost endless. For example, you could use DOFF steam cleaning to restore brick colour, or for cleaning stone buildings, along with a host of other jobs, such as:
However you apply DOFF cleaning, you can rest easy knowing that this system is safe for use in food production areas and that it won't cause any damage to your walls, whatever material they are constructed of.
It's highly unlikely that you'll find any tool-hire company in Thorpe Willoughby that will hire out a DOFF system.
While the concept behind the machine is relatively simple, they are pretty complicated to work and require a lot of training to use correctly. Without this training, there is a risk of damaging the equipment as well as getting poor results, not to mention the possibility of being scalded by superheated water.
As with most of these jobs, it's better and safer to leave it to the professionals.
Our team of highly-skilled cleaning experts in Thorpe Willoughby are fully trained in the use of the DOFF cleaning system, so call us today to see how we can help restore your building to its former glory.
When you engage Right Wash to handle your project, you get the best of both worlds: a professional team and an exceptional cleaning method. What's more, there's no fuss or mess, and the DOFF machine doesn't even make much noise.
Of course, the length of each project depends on the size of the property, but we always aim to cause as little disruption as possible. Likewise, the scale of the project is reflected in the overall price. We can offer a free quote, although there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution for any job. As professionals, we strive to deliver the best possible service to all of our clients, and the only way to offer an exact cost is through a thorough assessment of the wall surfaces beforehand.
In the end, the results speak for themselves, and we guarantee that you'll be astonished at just how clean your walls look when our team has finished. It's green, there's no risk of thermal shock or damage from abrasion, it's highly effective at removing foreign substances and it doesn't require powerful detergents. In short, it's the perfect way to get your building clean!
So, contact Right Wash today to book your DOFF cleaning session and give your walls the treatment they deserve and they'll soon be looking clean, fresh and bright once again.
Generally not because these are very specialist machines that are quite difficult to operate and require a lot of training. They are also very expensive.
Yes, the DOFF cleaning system is perfect for cleaning brick walls. It is a hot pressure washing system with a pump and a boiler to get the correct flow and pressure to restore the new look to bricks without leaving marks.
Yes, the DOFF cleaning system is perfect for cleaning historical buildings. It is a hot pressure washing system with a pump and a boiler to get the correct flow and pressure to restore the new look to building materials like stone, masonry, brick & render without leaving marks.
Yes, the DOFF cleaning system is perfect for cleaning exterior rendered walls. It is a hot pressure washing system with a pump and a boiler to get the correct flow and pressure to restore the new look to different types of render.
