The #1 house maintenance task that is perfect for a hot summer day- pressure washing!

You will probably be using water for just about all of your exterior cleaning chores, so why not make that water work a little harder by using a pressure washer? Using a Pressure washer around your home is the perfect tool to on a hot summer day! 

What kind of pressure washer do you need?

Gas vs Electric Power Washers

Power washers come in two basic types – gas and electric. For a one-story home, a good electric model will usually do the trick. For two-story homes and those with a lot of square footage, a gas pressure washer will serve you better.

Gas will give you more power, but you really only need 1300 to 1600 PSI for most exterior cleaning needs, including vinyl siding. Gas pressure washers usually range from 2000 – 4000 PSI and cost more than electric.

Pressure washers can be used to clean driveways, sidewalks patios, decks, siding and fencing.

But if you’re not careful, a pressure washer can damage softer surfaces like wood.

Here are some tips on how to use a pressure washer to clean your home:

·        Prep your work area – Set yourself up for success by making sure your home’s perimeter is protected and safe for you to move around. 

·        Remove all tripping hazards and objects that can be damaged, including furniture, flower pots, toys, and tools.

·        Cover vents and all exposed electrical outlets and light fixtures.

·        Close any open windows.

·        Cover plants so they won’t be damaged from the spray or detergent. For those you can’t cover, wet them down well and keep them wet to  dilute any chemicals and prevent damage.

·        Use a wide tip on softer surfaces to reduce the chance of damage.

·        Find the distance from the tip to the surface that cleans best without causing damage.

·        When cleaning wood, move the tip with the grain of the wood to avoid damage.

·        Use a cleaner made for pressure washers, and the tip made for applying cleaners.

·        Do not use chlorine bleach in a pressure washer; use an oxygen bleach instead.

·        Use a surface cleaner attachment on your pressure washer when cleaning large horizontal areas.

The nozzle selection determines the spray pattern you have. The wider the spray pattern, the less intense that pressure is. The narrower the spray, the more intense the pressure, and that is when you really need to be careful, because that’s when you can gouge fencing or any type of wood decking. You must be be very careful when selecting the right nozzle for the task, or material being cleaned.

Here are a few other tips.

·        Experiment with the distance you keep the cleaning nozzle from the surface by slowly moving it closer until you find the optimum cleaning range. On bare wood, it’s usually best to move the tip parallel to the wood grain; this will help prevent splintering.

·        Another way you can make your pressure washer work even better is by using the proper cleaner. If you have a reservoir on your pressure washer, it’s as simple as using a cleaner that’s designed for use in a pressure washer, pour it in, then use the tip that you use to apply the cleaner to the surface that you’re working on. Do not use chlorine bleach, as it can damage your pressure washer, void your warranty, and even kill a few plants around the house. If you feel like you have to use some type of bleach, use oxygen bleach, or one that’s formulated for use outside your home. 

One thing to remember is to keep the pressure washer wand moving at all time and never run the pressure washer unless water is flowing. Otherwise the pressure washer can over heat

Other helpful ways to use a pressure washer around the house.

Clean an Outdoor Play Structure

Over time, an outdoor play area for your kids can build up dirt, requiring you to have to clean it. Unfortunately, scrubbing it with soap and water can take a lot of time. Using a pressure washer for this task allows you to get your playground equipment clean in a fraction of the time.

Clean a Lawn Mower

You can also clean your lawn mower using a pressure washer. Simply spray down the mower after you are finished mowing, making sure to set the water pressure low enough so that it doesn’t damage the paint on the mower. You should also give your lawnmower’s underside a good clean using a pressure washer before storing it away for the season.

Clean a Vehicle

If you have a dirty car, truck, or van, a pressure washer is the perfect way to get off stuck-on dirt and bugs. Spray down the vehicle before soaping it up to loosen any debris, making sure to set the washer on a low setting to avoid damaging the paint. Then, once soaped up, rinse using the pressure washer.

Clean a Birdbath

A birdbath can get hard-to-remove stains on it from bird droppings. Easily remove these stains using a pressure washer. Just make sure not to strip any paint off while you remove them by setting the pressure too high.

Clean Lawn Equipment

You can also clean your other lawn equipment, outside of your lawn mower, using a pressure washer. Lay equipment, such as trimmers, rakes, and other tools, in the grass, and give it a good cleaning using a pressure washer.

Clean an Air Conditioner

You can clean certain items in your air conditioner, including the fan blades and coils. When cleaning your AC unit with a pressure washer, make sure to do so at a low pressure to avoid damaging any components. You should definitely hire a professional if you are unsure of what you are doing.

Clean a Walkway

In addition to cleaning simple concrete, pressure washers are also great for cleaning brick and paver stones along walkways near or around your home. The pressure washer is extremely good at removing excess dirt and debris from the stones.

Clean a Fence

Pressure washers are also great for cleaning a wide variety of fence types, including wooden, wrought iron, and galvanized fencing. You can even use a pressure washer set at a high setting to remove the stain or paint from a fence prior to refinishing it.

Clean the Soffits

Cleaning the soffits of your home might seem like a difficult task but is easy when you use a pressure washer. The range and pressure of the stream of water generated by a pressure washer makes it perfect for reaching and cleaning high up places, such as the soffit of your roof.

Clean a Garbage Can

You can also use a pressure washer, using a low -pressure stream, to clean your garbage can. Just make sure that you have a place for all of the nasty garbage juice to go to once you empty the can.

Clean a Garage Floor

Another area that can be hard to clean is the floor of your garage. Over the years, oil and other substances stain the surface. A pressure washer can easily remove these substances, making the floor of your garage look good as new.

Clean a Garage Door

In addition to cleaning the siding of your house, a pressure washer is the perfect tool for cleaning a garage door. As with all painted objects, make sure that the pressure of the washer is not too high or you risk removing the paint on the garage door.

Remove Furniture Finish

Sometimes you want to remove the finish on an object, such as when reapplying paint, stain, or varnish to the surface of an older piece of furniture. Take precautions when attempting this task so as to avoid injuring yourself with the high-pressure stream.

Clean a Grill

Cleaning a grill with a pressure washer is as simple as removing the cooled surface and spraying it down using the washer. You can also do the same for the inside and outside of the grill, making sure to not to set the pressure too high to avoid damaging the paint.

Clean the Gutter

The gutters of your home are another area where a pressure washer can make the cleaning process easier. To truly take advantage of the functionality of a pressure washer when cleaning your gutters, use a special gutter attachment to make the job even easier.

Clean Outdoor Furniture

To keep your outdoor patio furniture clean, use a pressure washer to remove dirt and debris from the fabrics and surfaces of your furniture. You can either clean everything while it is still on the furniture or lay it out and clean it individually.

Warning! - When NOT to pressure wash vinyl siding

If you have a home built before 1978 and hasn’t been renovated with new siding since then, the exterior may contain lead paint. Local building codes may require you to hire a professional to remove it. Pressure washing or sanding it away is dangerous to the environment and to you.

The same goes for asbestos. Pre-1970s homes sometimes have what looks like concrete panels at the base of the house. Those could contain asbestos. Disturbing it with pressure washing or any other activity could stir up asbestos fibres, which are dangerous to inhale.

If you have an older home that may contain lead paint or asbestos, it’s worth having it tested before you try to pressure-wash any exterior surfaces.

Source: Today’s Homeowner – Danny Lipford

https://cleanup.expert/info/how-to-clean-vinyl-siding/