Pressure Washing Basic Uses and Warnings

A pressure washer is a handy tool to have around your home or business. The possibilities for uses are endless, and you will not find a better cleaning method for many surfaces. However, the tool must be used with extreme care following directions precisely, and there are instances when it is safer and more efficient to call a professional cleaning company to do the job for you.

The most often stated reason by consumers for looking into the purchase of a machine or for hiring a pressure washing company is to tend to high maintenance decks. Decks must be stripped, washed and re-stained often, and the handy machine can certainly handle the former two jobs of the three. Patios and sturdy patio furniture will look new, and sidewalks or walkways will lead a sparking path to your front door. Perhaps two of the best uses are for driveways and garage floors. Because the garage serves as a place to park cars and as a work space, there are often oil and fluid stains, tire tracks, skid marks from kids’ toys, and signs of wear and tear on the surface. These things can be blasted away with the proper use of the tool. Though it should be left to professionals, this powerful machine can be used to chip paint preparing surfaces for re-finishing and re-painting.

While it sounds rather handy to have pressure washing capabilities in your DIY repertoire, handling a machine yourself is not all that easy. You really have to follow directions precisely, start slow, and realize that you will get better with experience. The high pressure water stream can shatter windows, dent cars, splinter wood, and warp siding if the operator is not accustomed to using the machine or is using it carelessly. At its highest force, the beginning of the water stream can strip skin off the bone; this is not a tool to be used by children or those who are not intent on following directions and taking precautions.

If you are a DIY person, you must wear safety goggles, and it is a good idea to don a raincoat or poncho when you use the machine. While decks, sidewalks, driveways, etc. are simple pressure washing jobs that you can try to approach on your own, paint stripping, siding, and anything that involves an area with hard to avoid glass or windows should really be left to a professional.

Some businesses are dedicated solely to pressure washing, while others have the service in addition to other services such as painting, landscaping, or cementing. You can also look into renting the machines from home improvement warehouses or from the companies who provide the services.