In short.... YES.
The main issue is they do not work nearly as close as a good soft washing mix with a surfactant. Many on the shelve products do not work fast as the way sodium hypochlorite reacts with organic growth, the results are instant, literally right infront of your eyes.
On the Shelve Products
On the shelf products like wet and forget, 30 Second Outdoor cleaner, Home Armor and more simply dont work. The only situation we maybe can see this being effect is if the surface has little to no organic growth build up and by using the product without diluting, by that time..... all your profit on the job has gone up in smoke.
Customers do not want to wait days, weeks or even months for the service they paid for to work. They want the results FASTER than amazon and it can be done...... but with the proper soft washing mix.
Other Honorable Mentions
In my years of pressure cleaning and soft washing I have seen many weird cleaning products used sometimes by my competitors that i try to stray the right way but to no avail. I have seen other companies use degreasers, acids and just plan soap to clean roofs (well supposedly).
Each product has its specific use to complete the project. Simply put the degreaser is for grease/oil. The acids are used for etching concrete,efflo and calcium. The soap or surfactant is used to stick sodium hypochlorite to a surface being roofs, walls, windows or flatwork.
All these companies or individual sadly do not care enough to educate themselves on how to properly clean and surface. Always seeks mentorship from others who have been in the game and have a reputation to back it up.
Nothing Beats the BEST
The best way to clean a roof is SOFTWASHING. When used properly it is safer for the technician on the roof and safer for the roof as it is deemed by roofing manufactures.
Directly from the ARMA Page
"ARMA (Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association) guidelines recommend a low-pressure cleaning method using a chemical solution of bleach and water, typically a 50/50 solution of household-strength bleach and water. This method is intended to remove algae and moss without damaging the asphalt shingles. Key recommendations include applying the solution gently, avoiding scrubbing that dislodges granules, and rinsing thoroughly with water. ARMA specifically advises against pressure washing, as high pressure can damage shingles and void roof warranties"
We use a 50/50 mix of water and chlorine bleach (industrial grade 10%) with our premium grade surfactant to wash roofs in south florida everyday. Making big time money I might add.
When done properly the job will go as smooth as butter but if not educated or without having a cleaning procedure in mind, it will get ugly and fast.
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