If You Clean It, They Will Come (August 2011)

“
Submitted by
Cindie and Bob
Gruetzmacher
Photos courtesy of Cindie Gruetzmacher
s !UGUST s #LEANER4IMES
“W
OW ) NEVER
KNEW THIS
WAS HEREv
9OU COULD
HEAR THE
COMMENTS FROM VISITORS DRAWN TO THE
ALMOSTGLOWING FAÎADE OF THE STONE
PANELS IN THE $AUGHTERS OF THE 2EPUB
LIC OF 4EXAS $24 0LAZA AT THE 4EXAN
!RMY #AMP SITE OF THE 3AN *ACINTO
"ATTLEGROUND IN ,A 0ORTE 48 (ONOR
ING THE NINE MEN WHO DIED IN THE
BATTLE WHICH SECURED 4EXAS INDEPENDENCE FROM -EXICO YEARS AGO A
ONCE DINGY BARELY LEGIBLE SLAB OF STONE
WAS NOW A BRIGHT PROUD MONUMENT
AGAIN THANKS TO THE VOLUNTEER EFFORTS
OF (YDRO 4EK53 AND THREE OF ITS
LOCAL DISTRIBUTORS
Get Permission
"OB 'RUETZMACHER (YDRO 4EK53S
3OUTHERN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT MANAGER BEGAN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT CLEANING
THE MONUMENTS FIVE MONTHS BEFORE
THE WORK FINALLY TOOK PLACE /NSITE
MEETINGS WITH 3AN *ACINTO #HAPTER
$24 AND 4EXAS 0ARKS AND 7ILDLIFES
3AN *ACINTO "ATTLEGROUND #OMPLEX
SUPERINTENDENT AND HISTORIC ARCHITECT
For information circle 115
PROVIDED GUIDANCE THROUGH THE
PROPER CHANNELS IN ORDER TO OBTAIN
PERMISSION TO CLEAN THE DESIGNATED
#LEANER4IMES s !UGUST s s !UGUST s #LEANER4IMES
For information circle 346
AREAS 'REAT CARE WOULD BE NEEDED
IN THE CLEANING JOB DUE TO THE AGE OF
THE STONES AND THEIR INSCRIPTIONS
#HEMICALS COULD NOT BE USED AND NO
SURFACE MATERIAL REMOVED
Get It Clean
-OST OF THE SURFACES HAD NEVER BEEN
CLEANED SINCE THEY WERE CONSTRUCTED IN
AND THE S AND THERE WAS ALSO
A GREAT AMOUNT OF CARVED GRAFFITI
(YDRO 4EK53 EQUIPMENT USED IN
CLUDED 3#$!& 3#56!&
336' !:6 2ECYCLE 3YSTEMS
!.4 AND !.4# 3URFACE #LEANERS
AND !.46 6ACUUM 3URFACE #LEANER
(OT WATER AND TURBO NOZZLES AT INn IN FROM THE PANELS SURFACE
REMOVED TREE PITCH DIRT AND KILLED THE
BLACK MOLD ALL OF WHICH HAD BEEN
BUILDING FOR MANY YEARS "ECAUSE SO
MUCH OF THE GROUND SURFACE OF THE 'REAT
3TONE #IRCLE WAS UNEVEN THE DIRTY
WATER WAS VACUUMED AS IT SETTLED IN
LOW AREAS 4HE HOT WATER ALSO KILLED THE
WEEDS GROWING BETWEEN THE PAVERS
h)T WAS AN HONOR AND A PLEASUREv
'RUETZMACHER SAYS OF THE JOB h7ITH
DEEP SOUTHERN ROOTS MOSTLY MY WIFES
WE FELT IT IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT THE
HERITAGE THAT GAVE US THE FREEDOMS WE
ENJOY TODAY -ANY THANKS TO *OHN +OEN
PRESIDENT OF (YDRO 4EK53 AND TO
%VANS %QUIPMENT AND !CTION #LEAN
ING BOTH OF (OUSTON 48 AND !LKLEAN
)NDUSTRIES OF 0ASADENA 48 7ITHOUT
THEIR HELP AND HARD WORK IT WOULD HAVE
BEEN VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE 3AN *ACINTO
#HAPTER $24 AND (YDRO 4EK53 TO
COMPLETE THIS JOB IN TIME FOR THE 3AN
*ACINTO "ATTLEGROUNDS TH !NNI
VERSARY REENACTMENT AND CELEBRATIONv
Cindie Gruetzmacher, member of the
Daughters of the Republic of Texas, supports ancestral research and historical preservation, as knowledge and pursuit of these
endeavors strengthen a culture. Cindie is
a past Cleaner Times contributor of computer and Internet related articles.
Bob Gruetzmacher, Southern regional
development manager, has been with
Hydro Tek.US for ten years, and the cleaning industry since 1982, including 15 years
with another major manufacturer of janitorial and pressure washer equipment and
four years with a Houston distributor. CT