Power washing has been increasingly popular in the past several decades and will become even more popular in years to come with the wider availability of affordable equipment. Its no secret that a lot of people put too much time and effort into cleaning their cars, boats, patios, grills and the exteriors of their houses.With Some basic pressure washing tips you will save water and energy and you will finish any of these jobs much faster than when doing them by hand. By just following some simple pressure washing basics, your home exterior cleaning will be a short and painless process by using the proper tools. I’ve cleaned just about everything imaginable on the exterior of a house with a power washer and these basic tips should keep the novice out of trouble. The first step is to be sure to wear safety glasses of some sort regardless of what you are cleaning.

1. Use the correct chemical cleaners for the specific job. Use only chemicals and power washing detergent solutions that are approved for pressure washer use. Many new operators don’t realize the effect that the proper chemicals can have on any cleaning job. Its the job of the cleaning chemicals to loosen the grease, soil or mildew so the water can wash it away. The proper chemicals also enable you to use the pressure washer at lower PSI settings which is important when cleaning softer materials like wood decks or vinyl siding. There are many degreasers which are good for cleaning engines or garage floors. Of course you can use a much milder cleaner for cleaning house siding and possibly a wax product when washing a car or truck. You get the idea, use an appropriate type of cleaner for the specific job. I do not recommend using bleach as many professionals use when washing houses. Regular bleach might be cheap but it can kill plants and do damage by staining certain materials. Typical household bleach can damage the seals and o-rings in the gun, wand, hoses and pumps. I’ve used only environmentally friendly cleaning products for years with fine results.

2. Choosing the correct nozzles or tips for the job at hand. For using a pressure washer efficiently you need to choose the correct nozzle or tip. The majority of better machines on the market come with interchangeable spray tips that serve two purposes. One is to lower the pressure and draw the detergent; and the other is for high pressure rinse at the different spray angles. Better consumer grade machines and just about all commercial pressure washers come with several color-coded nozzles that will vary from 0 degrees to 40 degrees. As a general rule the smallest angle delivers the most powerful force of water. For example, if you want to remove a stubborn stain on your driveway or patio, you will use a 0 degree angle. However, if you want to move loose debris such as leaves or sand after a rough winter, away from your house you will use a wider angle such as 25 or 45 degree nozzle. One word of caution is needed here to be absolutely sure the nozzle is properly attached before using the trigger of the gun. In a rush you can easily miss locking the tip into place and this may result in the tip becoming a projectile and may be lost or it may damage property quite easily. I know of a couple guys who have replaced windows due to this error and it can happen even to experienced users when they are rushed.

3. Apply the cleaning chemical and let it do the work. A newbie might want to start blasting away at their targeted cleaning area. But the correct way to proceed is to use the appropriate nozzle and apply the cleaning chemical to a managable area and let it sit or dwell on the surface for a few minutes. You don’t want it to dry, but it needs a couple minutes to loosen and dissolve the soil or film you want to wash away.

4. Always adjust the power or pressure before starting the rinse job. Take a second to test your pressure washer for its power. You can do this by spraying a few feet away from your targeted cleaning surface. Gradually you can direct your power wand to 3-4 feet from the surface you want to clean. The reason for taking this safety step is because pressure washers are quite powerful and if you start too close you could damage the object instead of cleaning it. Through the years I’ve seen more then one wood deck where an inexperienced cleaner accidently carved a design into the surface. Also be careful if spraying stucco, brick or masonry walls.

5. Determine exactly what you want to clean. Always be careful when spraying around windows, mail boxes, flowers, exhaust vents, house overhangs, or light fixtures. Some items mentioned can break or become damaged if hit with high pressure and in other cases you could actually be spraying water into the home which is likely to cause serious damage. Always try to keep the cleaning wand pointed downwards so that you don’t spray up under the siding. Again, water under pressure can be driven up under wood siding and in the case of vinyl, it can easily tear off sections and send them flying into the neighbor’s yard. Remember to be very cautious when cleaning the edges around the windows.

6. Pressure washing is not rocket science but care is needed. When rinsing a wall or upright structure of any type, always start at the top of the area to be cleaned and gradually work your way down. Try to spray horizontally with smooth left to right movements. In one motion you can cover a 4-6 feet wide area. To prevent streaking the surface, remember to start from the top and work your way down to the bottom. Be sure not to miss any areas with your pressure rinse or you’ll see poor results when the job dries.

• The question asked by most beginners is “What is the Best Pressure Washer” for me?”  Today there is a huge variety of great quality pressure washers on the market.  For home owner use and light use in the commercial world such as a house painter might require, I’d strongly suggest the new commercial grade electric pressure washers.  See my favorites below.