You just bought a pressure washer and are ready to blast away all those ugly stains from your driveway, or are you? If you’re reading this blog, chances are you’ve never used a pressure washer and need a little assistance getting started. This article gives basic step-by-step instructions for getting it powered on and what to do once the machine is ready to clean.
Step One: How to Start My Pressure Washer?
- Place the pressure washer on a flat area
- Connect the machine to your garden hose
- Attach the pressure wash hose to the water outlet on the machine
- Screw or slide (depending on what pressure washer you have) the gun that came with the machine onto the other end of the pressure wash hose
- Attach the appropriate nozzle to the end of the hose (on some models you must pull back the collar at the end of the gun to attach and secure it)
- Turn the water supply on and allow the excess air in the hose to come out by pulling the pressure wash gun trigger
Next, let’s briefly talk about how to choose the correct nozzle.
Step Two: What Pressure Washing Nozzle Should I Use?
The second factor to consider is the type of nozzle you use. If you’re trying to remove extremely hard contaminants that are caked onto the surface such as tar, the red 0-degree nozzle is best. For heavy duty but less extreme cleaning such as for removing grease from a concrete driveway or garage floor, the 15-degree yellow nozzle is recommended. The 25-degree green nozzle is for normal washing to remove dirt and other common contaminants from surfaces like diveways and pool decks. This nozzle can also be used for difficult buildup on wooden surfaces. Next, we have the 40-degree white nozzle, which is used for more fragile surfaces like glass windows and roofs. Finally, the black nozzle offers the softest cleaning. This nozzle is commonly used for gently applying the detergents used for soft washing.
So, which nozzle do you need for your pressure wash project? Once you pick the right one, we can move on to the next step – cleaning!
Step Three: What is the Best Technique for Pressure Washing?
Here are some recommendations to get you started pressure washing the correct way. If you are cleaning an area with a slope, start pressure washing from the highest point and work down to prevent dirty runoff from staining areas of the surface that have already been cleaned.
It’s best to keep the pressure washing nozzle about 2 to 3 feet away from the surface and to keep it moving slowly back and forth. Never keep the pressure washer hose still or you can risk damaging the surface you’re cleaning. Slow, back and forth movements with the hose will provide the best results.
Why Hire a Professional Pressure Washing Company
You can either tackle this job yourself or hire a professional to take care of it for you! Hiring a professional can save you time, energy, and money in the long run. Although pressure washing can be done yourself, it can be a dangerous task for those who don’t have experience using this powerful machine. A professional will select the proper nozzle depending on the job type and the surface being cleaned. If you’re interested in hiring a professional pressure washing company in Hot Springs, call Premier WashPros today!
