Cleaning a nursery school playground

[Branston]

Hello and and a Happy New Year to you.

I've a job coming up and thought I'd seek a small bit of advice. I've had great responses from Roger Oakley and other cleaning masters and hoped I could get some advice from you again.

I have quoted for a job for a nursery school playground. It's very slippy and was originally different colours though it's mainly black now. I think it's the wet pour stuff but I can't tell if it's the rubber mulch stuff. It's not got anything painted on it, just the rubbery bouncy stuff that kids don't feel any pain on when they leap onto it, unlike in my day when you had some nice tarmac and you learned that leaping off great heights outside the playground doesn't go so well.

Anyway...

Either way I have a pressure cleaner, one of the Honda motors which I believe is 3600 PSI.

What I'd hoped for was some advice, it's rubber with no paint but is it safe without any chemicals and just mains water to use the rotary cleaner on such a surface? I'm assuming it is as it very hard wearing with kids running on it all the time and all that stuff. I'll naturally test it first on a small area but as this is a new area to me I was hoping some of the more experienced pressure cleaners may have some advice.

Many thanks in advance.

Richard.

[dig dug dan]

If its that wet pour stuff, you really need just the ordinary nozzle. The rotary cleaner wont get the muck out in the gaps as efficiently

[Branston]

If its that wet pour stuff, you really need just the ordinary nozzle. The rotary cleaner wont get the muck out in the gaps as efficiently

Many thanks Dig Dug Dan,

I was just concerned pressure cleaners may not be very good for them and there was a different way usually used but if you're suggesting a normal jet blast nozzle, which is far tougher than the rotary cleaner, I should be fine. Thank you.

I'll test a patch first as always to be safe. It's only 4 years old and feels very robust.

I just wanted to make sure it was ok to use high pressure on it.

Thanks again.

[dig dug dan]

Avoid the rotary jet nozzle, just the one you would use to clean your car will be fine

[Branston]

Avoid the rotary jet nozzle, just the one you would use to clean your car will be fine

Thank you.

Your advice is very much appreciated.

[RAPressureWashing]

Richard
These surfaces are fairly easy to clean, water alone might not get it looking how it should though, I'll put up some photos later of one I did last year, you'll need to turn the rev's down on the machine as it's not some much the pressure that cleans more the water flow. If you are doing a school, be prepared for doing decent RAMS mate.

[RAPressureWashing]

Before & after of a play surface

[Branston]

Richard
These surfaces are fairly easy to clean, water alone might not get it looking how it should though, I'll put up some photos later of one I did last year, you'll need to turn the rev's down on the machine as it's not some much the pressure that cleans more the water flow. If you are doing a school, be prepared for doing decent RAMS mate.

Thanks Roger, what do you mean by RAMS and excuse my ignorance.

Excellent job you did there too.

[RAPressureWashing]

Risk Assessment & Method Statement documents

[dig dug dan]

Not required if its done when the school is closed

[michaelthegardener]

Wouldn't you need a DBS check to if you do it while there open ?

[RAPressureWashing]

Not required if its done when the school is closed

The few that I have done, and usually at weekends have always insisted on Risk & Method docs, maybe different schools nurseries have different rules? who knows, but for me providing them well before the work takes place covers your arse, as long as they have been read and agreed.

[RAPressureWashing]

Wouldn't you need a DBS check to if you do it while there open ?

I would have thought so, but I have never been checked or at least not knowingly so?

[dig dug dan]

Not required if its done when the school is closed

The few that I have done, and usually at weekends have always insisted on Risk & Method docs, maybe different schools nurseries have different rules? who knows, but for me providing them well before the work takes place covers your arse, as long as they have been read and agreed.

Worked at loads of schools, not one required it, natural england dont need it. Its seems from asking a friend who is a top hse guy that its not required 99% of the time.

[michaelthegardener]

think they are all different my wife works in a private nursery they do so many odd things there couple of months back they had training on spotting radicalisation in children :rock: cant help but think that's not something that comes up a lot in over priced private nurseries