Using a pressure washer can be extremely dangerous. Just think about it. You're managing thousands of pounds of pressurized water being shot at from a single tip. This can be a lot of “pressure” to handle. Corny jokes aside there are some projects that a pressure washer from your local hardware store is perfect for.
Cleaning small concrete or brick patios can be done in a few hours with a gas or eclectic powered pressure washer.
Once a surface has been professionally cleaning, you can use a pressure washer to apply slightly higher pressured water than would come out of your garden hose to maintain the cleaned space with periodic rinsing.
Pressure washers are great for washing your car. Just don’t get too close or use too aggressive of a nozzle. It’s best to stay with the black or white tips that come with your unit.
Vinyl or PVC fences can be very resistant to damage. If it’s unpainted, you can use medium pressure and a white tip nozzle to remove the growth.
Retaining walls are usually made of brick, stones, or concrete blocks. These are very resistant to damage. Use a turbo nozzle (usually sold separately) to get in all the grooves of your retaining wall.
If you have a spill on your garage floor, a pressure washer can be a great tool; help clear it up. Treat it immediately with a degreaser, let it sit for about 30 minutes, and then use a wide tip to scrub the floor.
Outdoor grills & outdoor furniture are built to handle tough weather. Pressure washers are great to keep them clean and ready for fun in the sun.
Spider webs and wasps nets can develop out of reach. You can use high-pressure water to blast them down. Just keep the business end of the gun away from your home siding and roof.
Lawn equipment can get absolutely filthy. Use your pressure washer to blast off all the grass clipping and keep your law equipment from aging.
Lastly, I love cleaning my trash cans with my pressure washer but watch out for all the water that will blowback.
Now that you know all the projects that you can use a pressure washer for at home, let’s look at some projects you should always call a professional for.
Home siding should always be cleaned professionally. Improperly performed, a pressure washer can apply enough pressure to damage your siding, remove paint, and introduce water under the panels. This is especially dangerous as that water is a perfect breeding ground for mold. Professional companies will use a soft wash technique to clean your home siding.
Roofs should never have high-pressure water on them. Like home siding, pros use soft washing to clean a roof. Zinc and other treatments are good to maintain a clean roof but once it gets dirty, call the pros.
Wood and composite materials are soft and even a low-pressure machine can cause permanent damage or leave unsightly lines. Professional pressure washing companies have adjustable machines and technicians are trained to know how much pressure a surface can withstand.
Large concrete like driveways can take a lifetime to clean. And low-powered machines can leave ugly lines. Save yourself the trouble and call a company to come help.
We hope this helps clarify what projects you can do completely on your own with a store-bought pressure washer. We also home this article inspired you to call a professional for more potentially dangerous projects. If we missed your favorite cleaning projects, leave it in the comments below. Thank you for reading and remember to always be safe when handling high-powered equipment.