Bio-Wash strippers work quickly and effectively to remove paint, varnish and stains. Other products in this line neutralize the strippers and restore a fresh, natural look to wood that has turned gray or black from mildew. Together, these products prepare wood well for a fresh finish.

The strippers are based mostly on sodium hydroxide. Commonly known as lye, it's caustic but hasn't been linked to the more insidious harm that many solvents cause, such as birth defects. Sodium hydroxide has been implicated as a cause of cancer only among people who swallowed it.

Because caustics can be fatal if ingested, keep these products away from children. Even small amounts in the eye can blind, so be sure to wear goggles. Small amounts on the skin can burn. Wear long pants, a long-sleeved shirt and thick, reusable gloves. (Nitrile rubber is one good choice.) Sodium hydroxide does not readily vaporize, so there is little risk of inhaling it unless you spray these strippers or work in a small, enclosed space. Some of these strippers can be sprayed, while others must be applied by roller or brush. If you spray, wear a respirator that works. Droplets of spray behave like dust, so you need a disposable or half-mask respirator that filters particulate.

If you use these products to strip paint from columns or other old house parts that may have been assembeld with hide glue, remove the stripper as soon as paint loosens. Caustics dissolve hide glue. Be aware, too, that these strippers often darken wood, especially types naturally high in tannin, such as cedar or redwood. To restore the original color and neutralize stripper residue, use Bio-Wash Natural Wood Brightener.

To prevent pitting, do not allow these strippers to contact aluminum.

We cannot ship caustics by UPS, only by truck. Except for very large orders, that effectively limits sales of strippers to our Seattle store. However, we can ship Mill Glaze Away, a borate product; Natural Wood Brightener, sold in small packets; and Simple Wash (see below).

This product neutralizes the residue of lye-based stripers (such as Stripex-L). It also removes dirt, mildew, waxy residue and mill glaze (burnishing from planer blades that may keep finishes from adhering). Because it contains a borate compound, it also gives short-term protection against growth of fungus spores. We sell it as a powder to be mixed with 2.5 gallons of water, enough for up to 500 square feet. See Material Safety Data Sheet

This cleaner and brightener doesn't damage coatings or pressure-treated lumber. It removes grime, mildew, and water and rust stains. It is suitable for all painted wood, as well as concrete, vinyl and fiberglass. It also brightens new wood.

We sell Bio-Wash Simple Wash as a liquid concentrate. It can be used undiluted to etch concrete and remove tough rust stains. Used this way, 1 gallon covers 400 square feet. Diluted to a light cleaning solution, 1 gallon is enough for 2,000 square feet. See Material Safety Data Sheet

This product restores the natural beauty of wood and prepares weathered surfaces for finishes by helping to remove loose surface fibers so that the new coating can bond with solid wood. Apply with a pump-style garden sprayer or a nylon brush when the wood is dry and above 50?F. Rinse off with a garden hose or a power washer set to 500 to 1,200 p.s.i. On heavily weathered surfaces, you may need to remove loose fibers by brushing along the wood grain immediately after rinsing off Woodwash. Coverage is 100 to 200 square feet per gallon, depending on the surface. See Material Safety Data Sheet

This 5-gallon concentrate can be diluted to make up to 20 gallons of wood restorer. See Material Safety Data Sheet

This product is designed to remove all oil and latex deck finishes, including paint, solid-color deck stains, film-building clear coatings, varnishes, polyurethanes and water sealers. Do not use on bare metal, and protect nearby vegetation by wetting down leaves before using. (Exposure to Stripex-L may burn foilage, but rinsing residue will not harm plants or roots.)

Shake Stripex-L well before using. Apply with a nylon brush or roller when the wood is dry and above 50?F. Do not apply in the sun; Stripex-L should not dry on wood. Mist with water and reapply if drying occurs. Wait for Stripex-L to soften the coating, usually 5 to 45 minutes. The coating residue should rinse off easily if you allow sufficient time. If you will be using a hose to rinse off the residue, first brush in the direction of the wood grain, using a floor broom or a stiff brush. Then rinse thoroughly, also in the direction of the grain. If you rinse with a power washer instead, you do not need to brush. Use 500 to 1,200 p.s.i. One gallon is enough to clean 150 to 200 square feet, depending on the surface.

Before refinishing, use Bio-Wash Natural Wood Brightener to neutralize any stripper residue and to restore wood color. See Material Safety Data Sheet

We sell this wood brightener as a concentrated liquid. A 5-gallon pail is enough to treat 4,000 square feet. See Material Safety Data Sheet