Do you know how to pressure wash as quickly and effectively as possible?
Pressure washing is the kind of activity that is easy to learn, but hard to master. That is, unless you have a handy guide to help you. To aid you on your journey to becoming a power wash star, we will provide some tips that should help get you started or improve your process altogether.
Proper Preparation
In order to achieve the best results, one must always prepare as much as possible for the task at hand. In this case, you want to make sure you have the right tools for the job and that the area you are cleaning is ready to be washed.
To begin, let’s go over what items you may need:
- Of course, you will need a pressure washer if you are going to pressure wash at all. There are different kinds such as electric and gas, as well as ones with more PSI. Make sure you have the right washer for your project. Some jobs might need that extra punch that the higher PSI washers have, whereas indoor pressure washing should be done with an electric washer.
- After that, you should check to see if your water supply is capable of providing the water needed for the wash. Ideally, it should be able to produce approximately 2.5 gallons per minute. You can figure this out by filling up a bucket of similar size and timing how long it takes to fill up.
- Don’t forget to wear PPE, or personal protective equipment. This includes any item that will prevent you from being harmed in the event that the pressure washer hits you instead of the surface you are cleaning. Gloves, jeans, close-toed shoes, and goggles are all good recommendations.
- Lastly, check to see if there are any accessories that might help speed up your process. For example, a surface cleaning attachment will help you clean flat areas on the ground like a driveway much faster than if you were to use just the wand.
Once you have the tools necessary to get the job done, check the area to make sure nothing will get in the way of your cleaning. If there are toys, cars, or any kind of object that is in the way, move them out of the cleaning area. This way you can clean without having to stop and can avoid sending anything small flying.
It is also important to protect any plants that might be nearby. Power washers are powerful enough to maim plants, which is especially true if you’re using strong detergents. A tarp or similar product can help protect the plants while you clean the area.
Processes and Patterns
As mentioned before, every project is different and should be treated as such. While this is true, there are some things to keep in mind no matter where you find yourself washing.
For starters, you should always err on the side of caution when it comes to pressure washing. Most of the time, the washer is more powerful than the user realizes, and it doesn’t take long to inflict permanent damage on the surface you are cleaning (not to mention tissue damage if you’re not careful).
That being said, stay away from the low-angle tips, such as the 0º or 15º nozzles as they apply far more pressure than is necessary most of the time. The 25º and 45º tips should work in almost every circumstance, so start with those. You should also stay several feet away from the surface you are cleaning to prevent causing unnecessary damage.
When washing, there are certain patterns you can follow to quicken your process.
- First off, wash at a 45º angle. Many people start by trying to wash at a 90º angle with a jet aimed directly at the surface. All that does is push dirt deeper instead of washing it away. A 45º angle will help you clean by pushing the dirt away from the area you are focusing on. Eventually, you want to push all of the dirt from one area to the next until it is off of the area entirely.
- When washing any area, start by splitting it up into smaller sections and moving the wand from top to bottom. Once you have determined the sections, start washing by sweeping the wand from side to side in an overlapping fashion.
Pressure Washing Made Easy
Though this list of tips isn’t exhaustive, you should have enough knowledge to step up your pressure-washing game. If you are still having trouble with your project – or prefer leaving it to the pros and not having to stress over it – give us a call and we’d love to help you.
