By our favorite South Austin contributor–Patti P.

I have a really hard time aiming a leaf blower in the right direction.  My last attempt sent leaves blowing backwards up against our window screens.  And, yep, the windows were wide open.  While the dogs on the inside got a kick out of snuffing up & identifying all the lovely leaf particles plastered on the screens (”Yo, Dusty, Rikki the spaniel left her calling card on our lawn-woo hoo!” ) I aimed the blower toward the sky and yelped for help. 

So when I recently entertained the idea of renting a power washer to scrub the exterior of our home, my husband replied (and with kindness), “are you nuts?”  Hmmm, no, not nuts but we both know I am dyslexic (right is left, back is forward, off is on and up is down…) so being armed with a power washer kicking out water at 2500 PSI (pounds per square inch) would definitely be a little too much pressure for my cross-wired noggin. 

But since I’ve already researched quite a bit about power washing, I shall pass some good tidbits on to you–the DIY’er who is without directional challenges and a possesses a phlethora of common sense.

Why power wash your home? Well, why exfoliate your face?  According to power washing experts, grit on the exterior of your home can “grind away like sandpaper in the wind & rain”.  Ouch.   So whether your goal is to rid your house of cobwebs, bird doo, mold & mildew to give it a face lift and make sparkling ready for sale or just performing regular maintenance, power washing sounds like a must-do.

Planning on doing it yourself? Some important tips:

1.You can use a power washer on houses made of stone, granite, bricks, steel, aluminum and vinyl…but be especially careful if using on wood-sided homes.  Be sure your wood is wood and a hard wood at that.  Cedar can be too soft, and fiber board would surely look like swiss cheese after a few well aimed water shots.  If your house is sided with horizontal slats, don’t spray the water under the slats–you’ll end up lifting them right up (and maybe off!). If your house is hard wood and painted, be very very careful to move the hose along the house; don’t hold the spray gun at one point for extended periods–this is how contractors REMOVE paint from homes for repainting!  Have lead paint?  Call in a professional for safe removal.

2. Use a power washer that sprays between 1800-2500 PSI (again, pounds per square inch).  You can go a little lower than 1800, but lower than 1200 won’t do the trick and higher than 2500 has potential to blast holes in your house.  To give you an idea of the pressure behind these pounds, your average garden hose flows at 60 PSI.

3. You’ll experience some recoil from the water pressure so you’ll need your feet planted firmly on the terra. Don’t ever stand on a ladder using the power washer.  I’m serious.

4. Power washers filled with clear water (and not mixed with chemical cleaners) will still do a good job of cleaning your house.  You certainly would not want to drench your lawn & shrubs around the house with any chemical cleaner coming out of the power washer.  Even using just clear water, you may want to put some plastic cloths over any tender plants near your foundation…(but you know here in Texas not to be planting right up to your foundation, don’t you?).  Another “Don’t”: never put bleach in the power washer–it can damage parts of the washer.

5. In Austin, you have to use a cold water power washer.  Because we live on Aquiver recharge zones, hot water power washers are illegal–the hot water releases too much dirt into the sewer systems.  Using a hot water power washer in Austin is reportedly a fineable offense at the tune of $10,000 fine to the contractor (if you hired someone to do it) and another $10,000 fine to you–the hiree or homeowner.   Hint: if you are dead set on using hot water in your power washer in Austin, you can ONLY use hot water with a filtration system (that removes the dirt before the drainage heads for the sewers).  You’d have to be really compulsive though as filtratrion systems cost about $4,000.  And you’d have to be really hard hearted to let hot water pour down on your plants & shrubs.  So hot water in Austin is only for the compulsive and cold hearted and deep pocketed.

6. Never point the power washing wand (it’s not Darth Vader time) at a person or animal.  Again, I’m deadly serious.  (Notice how I switch from puns to severity?  It’s not intended to make your head spin, and I sincerely hope you can keep up…)

7. DO NOT operate the power washer close to overhead power lines–stay at least 10 feet away, and have a buddy with you to ensure you are clear of power lines at all times.  I lost a high school buddy who tried working alone after school–he died instantly when his machinery touched a low power line.

8. Prepare first:

·                     Cover all electrical outlets & avoid outdoor lighting fixtures–water in the fixtures could cause a short circuit and you could blast holes in glass fixtures.  Use plastic bags over your light fixtures and seal good with duct tape.

·                     Take off all shutters (and watch out for spiders and wasps when removing).

·                     Seal any tiny holes in the exterior of your home.

·                     Notice any black spots on your exterior?  Test it first with some bleach.  If the black spot fades, then you have mold (a blasted fungus that I am becoming all too familiar with–in my nose, not my house).  In the case of correctly identified mold, you’ll have to get out goggles, repirator mask, rubber gloves, bleach/water, wear funky clothes or put a plastic garbage bag over your clothing, and grab a scrub brush.  If your test reveals that the black spot does NOT fade, then you just have dirt which can be removed with the power washer.

·                     Practice BEFORE you attempt to wash the house–use the driveway (without cars & kids) as a practice ground.  Start with lowest pressure until you get the handle…

9. Ready to wash? (I so admire you!).  Make sure you pick a good day (not a windy day). Back away 3-4 feet and use a downward spray (a 15-25 degree nozzle reportedly is best).  Start power washing from the bottom and work your way up.  And, no, this is not a misprint.  I admit my cross-wired brain had to question this method for a minute.  When you wash from bottom up you eliminate all the dirty streaks that would come streaming down your house siding.  When you’re ready to rinse, THEN you wash from the top down.  If you have used any detergent in your washer (make sure it’s biodegradable and kind to people, plants & pets) you need to rinse within 10 minutes.

10. Oh, and never spray at your windows or you’ll soon be like little house on the prairie (with quaint little calico fabric pieces waving in the breeze in place of your former glass windows).

Whew!  Think you can handle the pressure? 

Best of luck to you with your power washing project.  Please be safe and use your head.  If you rent the washer, make sure you get a thorough demonstration before taking it home.  Me?  I’m destined to call in the professionals.  And if you have any hesitation at all–please consult a professional too.  Thanks for reading.  Patti P. 

So are you ready for Fire Ant Week? 

By our favorite South Austin contributor, Patti P.

Here in Austin it’s kind of the reverse of Cow Plop Bingo…you DON’T want the plops, or in this case mounds (of fire ants) on your ”grid” of the neighborhood.  Of course your neighbors don’t want ‘em on their lawn either.  

But if your neighbor works her magic ant herding brew on her lawn before the whistle blows and drives the dreaded red imported fire ants over to your pad when you’re not ready, you won’t be yelling BINGO (unless you have kids under 3 and are really trying hard to clean up your language).

My SW Austin neighborhood (Shady Hollow) has fairly declared May 4-10 to be Fire Ant Week.  Which means cancel all vacation plans, move your birthday to June, start limbering up, and get out your favorite ant baits & killer brews. 

It’s time to protect your turf from Fire Ants which–if they’re not already there–will be attempting to breach your green stuff from the north, south, east & westerly neighbor’s yards.  If you tend to get dizzy from turning full radius, now’s the time to get some balancing pills from your doc; you’ve got to be on an even keel all week–leave a hole in your flank and you’re toast (jam & tea) to waves of evil stinging fire ants.  

My sister from Long Island is so terrified of these critters that she mistakenly or maybe aptly referred to them as “snapping ants” on a recent visit when questioning a tour guide in San Antonio…in Long Island accent: “Hey, you, do you have any of those snapping ants around here?” But I digress, back to the battle…

Fire Ants are for real and are a serious problem.  They smuggled in to Texas around the 1930’s in soil piled in the bottom of ships from South America to help keep them balanced.  Red imported fire ants eat almost any animal or plant and do major damage to electrical systems & mowing, tilling & harvesting equipment.  When disturbed (oh, excuse me for stepping on your precious mound) the ants will emerge aggressively from their pile of soft soil around the queenie ant and they WILL sting you.  Many at one time often leaving white pustules on your skin.  Lovely image, no?   

Many a realtor in Austin has battled fire ants while pounding a FOR SALE or SOLD sign on clients’ lawns–seems the vibration of the sledgehammer disturbs close by mounds and up the leg or into the shoes come waves of fire ants.  One of my favorite rookie (at the time) realtors did not discover he was invaded by fire ants until he was driving his car up the Capitol of Texas Highway…he reportedly pulled his car over to the shoulder and proceeded to disrobe right there on this busy highway.  He drove home in his boxers.  I’d say commission earned.

So how do you battle these non-native fire ants?  In the case of realtors & brief/boxer encounters, I would recommend bringing baby powder, vinegar, baking soda or comfrey in your tool kit.  At the very least, sprinkle a little baby powder on the legs of the sign–reportedly the ants can’t get good traction on baby powder.  If stung, the vinegar, baking soda and comfrey can help soothe the sting.  Of course, if  you’re highly allergic to fire ant stings, get to a doctor immediately.

When participating in your week-long neighborhood mound moving battle,  I’d recommend using organic concoctions rather than synthetic chemical brews (which you surely want to keep out of the water system that you brush your teeth with, eh?).

Your local natural organic gardening center will be a good source of recommended baits & brews.  Some will offer a fresh compost tea (made from manure that is wrapped in a huge tea bag/pillow case over a bucket of water/ teacup).  This “tea” can be mixed with some molasses and citrus oil as a control method.   (You can make your own citrus oil by soaking citrus peels in equal ratio with water for 10-14 days…)

During battle week, many Texans swear (often) by the “two-step” fire ant control method. 

Step 1 is to spread an organic bait laced with a bacteria called “spinosad” on your yard.  Feeding ants will bring the bait back to the mound.  The bacteria in the bait paralyzes the nervous system of the ants and they die–sorry, but they are fire ants.  (But get this, before you spread the bait, you want to be sure that fire ants are on your property and are ready to eat…because the bait can kill the native (good) ants too.  Please don’t kill the beneficial/ good ants unnecessarily because you THINK you have fire ants.  A piece of potato chip or (ugh) hot dog left out near suspected infestations will give you direct evidence that fire ants are present & ready to feed if you soon find it crawling with fire ants.)  Check out pictures of red imported fire ants on the web so you can be sure in your identification.  Then spread the bait.

Step 2 is to directly treat any visible fire ant mounds.  On mounds, an organic method is to use “d-limonere” which is an extract of orange oil.  The oil reportedly destroys the wax coating of the ant’s respiratory system and it suffocates.  Again, I’m sorry but these are Fire Ants. 

If you’re from or in Texas, you surely have some anti-red-imported-fire-ant brews and teas of your own.  Best of luck using them in your reverse neighborhood BINGO. Hopefully your “teas” are organic and you’re willing to share your most successful recipes.  Give us your tea!  We’d love to hear from you.  Thanks.  Patti P.