If you need to clean your house to rid it of dirt or mildew or if you have a sidewalk or driveway that has become stained and dirty over time then you should consider using a pressure washer to clean it.
First of all, let’s look at what a pressure washer is and how it is powered. Pressure washers are powered by either electric or gas engines but the most have a gas engine. A pressure washer operates pumps that pressurize the water from your garden hose then force it out through a spray nozzle. Most new pressure washers have a chemical injector installed that can also mix the water with a detergent for a more efficient cleaning process. There are three different kinds of a pressure washer, cold water, hot water and steam pressure but the most common type of pressure cleaner used today and the one that you will most likely be using is a cold water pressure washer, which is what we will be discussing in this article.
Before you use pressure washers always know how to safely operate the machine that you are using. Always be certain to dress appropriately wearing long pants, long sleeve shirts, and safety goggles to protect your eyes. Also, never aim your pressure washer nozzle at another person. The highly pressurized water stream is solid and causes injury.
If you are going to use pressure washers to clean your home, there are a couple of things you need to keep in mind. Using the proper machine will make a huge difference in how much time you will spend cleaning and also how well your job will turn out. I recommend a gas model with a psi of between 2,000 to 2,800. If you don’t already own one, then there are many tool rental supply stores that rent one from. Also, you will want to make certain that the machine that you will be using comes equipped with a chemical injector because this will make your job much easier when you begin to apply a cleaning detergent.
When you are ready to clean your house, you should start out by applying the detergent or cleaning solution that you are using the chemical injector. Remember that you shouldn’t allow the cleaner dry before rinsing it off the side of your home. When you rinse the detergent off it is best to use a high-pressure spray and a 25-degree nozzle tip. Also, avoid spraying the water upward which may cause the water to get in behind your siding and cause damage. It is best to keeping water streams level at all times. Also, don’t spray a direct stream at your windows because the high-pressure water could break them.
If you would like to pressure clean a driveway or sidewalk, then you should use washers with a psi of 3000 or more would be a good choice. Start out by spraying away from the surface of the driveway or sidewalk and slowly point the tip of the wand toward it from a few feet away. Make short passes with the wand and then stop and determine if the surface is clean. If it’s not, then move the tip of the rod closer to the surface until it begins to lift the dirt and stains.
Pressure washing is a fast, effective way to clean your home or driveway. Just follow the tips in this article, and you will be pleased with the outcome.
If you don’t want to go through the trouble of renting or buying a pressure washing machine and spending all the time to pressure wash your driveway and sidewalk then call us at Perfect Pressure Cleaning today for a consultation.