Many individuals suppose strain washers are difficult to arrange, costly to purchase, or arduous to regulate. However excellent news! They’re none of these issues. Strain washing is a straightforward, inexpensive, and TOTALLY AWESOME technique to hold your out of doors areas wanting contemporary. So right here’s a complete start-to-finish information for anybody who’s able to get their strain washing toes moist (perhaps even actually).
We had been a bit intimidated the first time we tried pressure washing practically 10 years in the past. The cumbersome gas-powered machine we rented for a day was so massive it didn’t even slot in our automotive! So I TOTALLY perceive anybody with PWH (strain washing hesitation).
Our Favourite Strain Washer
However that every one modified once we discovered a GREAT strain washer that’s tremendous compact and simple to make use of – this electric pressure washer from Ryobi. Each Sherry and I take advantage of it commonly – and neither of us have any points controlling it or having sufficient energy to get each single job on our checklist carried out. It’ll make a strain washing convert out of nearly anybody. We purchased it a few years in the past with our personal cash and adore it – so nothing about this glowing evaluate is sponsored in any manner.
A Newbie’s Video Information To Strain Washing
We’ll cowl all three of these matters in textual content & pictures beneath, however if you wish to see ALL of it in motion and in real-time, the video beneath is for you. Oh yeah and there’s numerous that candy candy strain washing footage that everybody’s eyeballs can’t assist however love. And extra importantly, a number of cameos by our canine Penny.
Notice: You can too view this video on YouTube.
Setting Up Your Electrical Strain Washer
Once more, we presently personal this $99 Electric Pressure Washer from Ryobi. We purchased it for our seashore home in 2018, and once we moved we opted to carry it with us as a substitute of an older/larger version we had before – simply because this one is so compact and dependable and (most significantly) GOOD AT CLEANING. There are undoubtedly extra highly effective (and dearer) choices on the market, however this strain washer has all the time met our wants. All the time. Actually, we don’t even apply it to it’s highest setting. That’s how adequately highly effective it’s. Plus it’s just about probably the most inexpensive choice on the market and we particularly love that it’s compact and simple to make use of. So except you will have a particular want for one thing extra intense, it is a incredible choice.
The field contains every thing proven above, you simply want to produce water (by way of a backyard hose) and energy. And, as we present within the video, set-up is just about as simple as simply connecting these two issues!
- Assemble the wand
- Join the high-pressure hose
- Join the backyard hose
- Choose & connect your nozzle
- Activate the hose
- Plug in to energy
- Activate energy & start!
Step 1: Assemble the Wand
We sometimes retailer our wand and set off deal with assembled, however coming contemporary out of the field you’ll must lock these two items along with a easy twist.
Step 2: Join the Excessive-Strain Hose
The high-pressure hose is what carries the pressurized water from the machine to the spray wand. Every finish has an an identical black threaded collar. One finish connects to your set off deal with, the opposite to the brass connection on the strain washer. Simply hand tighten till they’re each safe.
Step 3: Join the Backyard Hose
On the alternative facet of the strain washer, there’s a black threaded connection that matches an everyday backyard hose. Connect your hose tightly similar to you’d screw it onto your house’s hose bib.
Step 4: Choose & Connect Your Nozzle
This strain washer comes with 3 nozzle choices that provide completely different ranges of strain for various purposes (it’s also possible to buy others as wanted). There’s a helpful information on the highest of the machine that explains the variations between the three, together with holes to retailer them in.
As we describe within the video, we virtually EXCLUSIVELY use the center (medium strain) orange nozzle. It’s sort of the Goldilocks of choices, giving us the “excellent” quantity of strain for cleansing patios, decking, out of doors materials, and extra. Plus, you’ll be able to all the time regulate the strain you’re making use of by merely holding your wand nearer or farther from the floor you’re cleansing.
The space issues – so attempt to watch the video above each time you’ll be able to to see extra of what we imply. Held too near one thing, even the medium strain nozzle can strip paint or stain off of wooden – however spraying with satisfactory distance can imply zero elimination of something however dust and dirt – which is SO satisfying, and leaves numerous surfaces exterior wanting like new.
To connect your chosen nozzle on the finish of the wand, you simply pull down on the brass collar and place the nozzle into the opening. Releasing the collar locks it into place.
This completes all the water connections that you must make, which implies now you can…
Step 4: Flip On The Hose
Together with your water connections safe, now you can activate the water at your hose bib. It’s a good suggestion to open that sucker ALLLLLLLL the best way to make certain you’re getting the fullest movement attainable from the hose.
You additionally need to verify your hose for any kinks, leaks, or different knots which may stop the water from flowing freely to your strain washer. It’s additionally a good suggestion to squeeze the set off in your strain washer for a number of seconds to ensure the water is popping out steadily earlier than continuing.
You could discover that we’re utilizing a kind of expandable “pocket hoses” that shrink up when it’s not stuffed with water. We love these hoses as a result of they’re much less cumbersome and cumbersome than conventional hoses, however some might dissuade you from utilizing them with sure strain washers (we’ve personally by no means had any concern utilizing ours).
Step 5: Plug in to energy
Together with your water good to go, now you’ll be able to plug in your strain washer. Ours comes with a SUPER lengthy wire, so that you in all probability received’t want an extension wire, however you’ll be able to all the time use one if essential.
If you happen to are connecting an extension wire, simply you’ll want to elevate the connection level of the 2 plugs (like on a desk, chair, or bucket) to stop water from dripping towards the plugs.
Step 6: Flip On the Strain Washer
Activate the strain washer utilizing the black button on the highest of the machine. You’ll instantly hear the machine have interaction and you might even see your high-pressure hose stiffen as pressurized water fills it up. If this doesn’t occur, strive urgent the take a look at & reset buttons on the plug or in your GFI outlet. These could be widespread culprits to your energy not working.
Now your strain washer is ready up and prepared to be used!
Earlier than Cleansing With A Strain Washer
We cowl quite a lot of suggestions alongside the best way in the course of the video (watching that’s really one of the simplest ways to get a full primer on strain washing), however listed here are a handful of issues to bear in mind earlier than you begin your first strain washing journey.
- Put on close-toed footwear and pants to assist shield your toes and decrease legs from any unintended pressurized spray. A direct, close-range spray can sting and even break the pores and skin.
- Clear prime to backside. In case your to-do checklist contains a number of surfaces, begin with the upper ones (railings, patio umbrellas, and so on) and work right down to decrease ones (decks, patios).
- Begin sluggish and take a look at in an not easily seen spot first. It’s all the time good to begin in a hidden spot (just like the again of a pillow or the realm of your deck that’s beneath your out of doors couch). If it’s your first time strain washing a selected materials or floor, begin with low strain and steadily improve it as wanted (by bringing your wand nearer or altering nozzles) to be sure to’re not damaging the floor. Don’t begin by blasting one thing with the nozzle mere inches away ever.
- Watch out for delicate supplies like home windows, smooth woods, & vinyl siding that may be simply damaged or broken with an excessive amount of strain. We tend to stay to cleansing concrete, out of doors stone or tile, Trex or wooden decking, brick paths or patios, wooden or metallic railings, and out of doors furnishings/pillows in addition to out of doors AND indoor rugs (more on that here). You clearly need the nozzle additional away from cloth than, say, concrete.
- Thoughts your cords. This strain washer is tremendous gentle and moveable, however control your energy wire and water hoses as you progress it to be sure to’re not kinking something or creating tripping hazards.
What We Clear With Our Strain Washer
We sometimes get away our strain washer 2-3 occasions a yr to maintain our varied out of doors areas wanting contemporary and clear. Between all of our bushes, our clay/sand street, and the salty seashore air, issues can get dirty – so we normally do a reasonably thorough cleansing within the spring to clean off the dust, pollen, or mildew that collected on issues over the winter. Then we’d do some faster “contact up” cleanings as wanted in the summertime and fall.
We apply it to a wide range of surfaces, however listed here are the first ones that we’ll cowl immediately:
- Composite Decking
- Painted Railings
- Outside Materials
- Stone Patios
Composite Decking
We’ve got Trex decking on our porches and we’ve discovered the strain washer to be a good way to get dust, mud, and sand build-up off of them. The woodgrain texture on the Trex catches quite a lot of grime and we hadn’t cleaned our upstairs deck shortly, so it had fairly the layer of black tree dust. That made the job tremendous satisfying although…
Doing that enormous upstairs deck was fairly tedious as a result of we needed to be sluggish & systematic so we didn’t miss any boards (generally it’s arduous to see what’s nonetheless soiled as soon as every thing has gotten moist). So earlier than doing my downstairs decks I purchased this $40 surface cleaning attachment for electrical strain washers {that a} bunch of you will have really helpful for doing bigger “flooring” surfaces quicker. Boy was it a game-changer!
It attaches to my spray wand similar to another nozzle does, however gives a a lot bigger 12″ cleansing floor, which made strain washing my decks SO. MUCH. FASTER.
Not solely was it quicker, however I didn’t fear as a lot about leaving “streaks” if I missed a spot or solely cleaned a part of a selected board. You possibly can see beneath that our decks can get quite a lot of sandy footprints and settled sand on them. However they give the impression of being a lot more energizing now!
Painted Railings
One other space that we hadn’t cleaned shortly was the upstairs deck railings, which had a build-up of tree dust on them similar to the Trex decking.
These railings are painted wooden, and it is best to all the time use a little bit of warning when strain washing painted surfaces as a result of the strain could cause the paint to chip or flake. Additionally, if any areas have began to rot beneath the paint, the strain washer could make the state of affairs worse.
We simply all the time hold a detailed eye on the floor as we clear, and reduce the strain (step again!) or skip a selected spot if the paint isn’t holding up. In case your largest nightmare is a few flaked paint, I’m additionally right here to guarantee you that just a few paint touch-ups aren’t an enormous deal. We’ve carried out them and so they’re by no means detectible as soon as it’s dry.
Outside Materials
We’ve undoubtedly prolonged the lifetime of quite a lot of out of doors pillows and cushions because of our strain washer. It’s simply particularly essential with materials to take it sluggish as a result of an excessive amount of strain could cause the material to tear or fray. So begin on the again and with low strain, particularly if it’s the primary time you’re cleansing that materials.
Additionally, remember that the method will not be excellent. Some stains might solely get lighter, not disappear totally. So it’s possible you’ll must assault sure spots with an outdoor cleaner or fabric cleaner to complete the job. However for us, we discover the strain washer does the majority of the work getting our out of doors materials prepared for spring. Scorching tip: put them within the solar to dry. That does an important job of evenly bleaching some extra cussed stains than in the event you set them out to dry within the shade.
Stone Patio
Strain washing is a good way to get patios, driveways, sidewalks, and even some decking to look new once more. This was the primary season we used it to wash the stone patio round our pool, which had collected quite a lot of inexperienced scum in among the extra shaded areas of the yard (beneath and behind the lounge chairs for instance).
The video exhibits how satisfying this actually was, however the earlier than & afters beneath provide you with an thought as nicely. It’s a bit arduous to inform as a result of the stone itself has some darker shell “spots” in it (and the floor is moist within the after shot), however this entire space seems to be completely redeemed.
*Every part besides the left nook of the patio was cleaned within the photograph above – see that line of darker scum? Such a distinction.
Once you’re cleansing patios or different stone surfaces, simply be conscious of any polymeric sand (or common sand) that you could have between the cracks. The strain washer might blow that free and also you’ll must refill it.
We additionally get requested fairly often about whether or not or not we add some type of cleaning soap or cleaner to our strain washer. Whereas the machine DOES include a technique to wash with cleaning soap (it features a hose which you can connect and hook up with your bottle of cleaning soap), truthfully, we’ve by no means used it. We simply spray out of doors cleaners on sure objects (primarily cussed cloth stains – for instance, we use this fabric cleaner) by hand after which strain wash them to maneuver these suds throughout and rinse them away.
The very last thing to bear in mind when cleansing out of doors materials is to be sure to have a sunny spot to allow them to FULLY dry. In any other case, it’s possible you’ll simply encourage extra mildew build-up.
Different Makes use of For Your Strain Washer
Whereas these are the ways in which we presently use our strain washer, there a TONS of different methods they are often helpful round the home. Listed here are some earlier posts we’ve written about different strain washing adventures:
Placing Your Strain Washer Away
When you’ve completed your cleansing, disconnecting and storing your strain washer is even simpler than setting it up. You’re principally reversing the steps:
- Flip it off and unplug it
- Flip off your water
- Spray the wand for a number of seconds to launch the water strain (it’ll make disconnecting the hoses simpler)
- Disconnect your backyard hose
- Disconnect your high-pressure hose from the strain washer (we go away it connected to our spray wand, however you’ll be able to disconnect that finish too)
As soon as every thing is disconnected, there’s a helpful velcro strap on the deal with of the machine that can assist you wrangle your whole cords and hoses. It’s one in all our favourite options as a result of it makes storing it a lot simpler! You possibly can see it in motion within the video 😉
So, there you will have it. All the information I can probably consider on the subject of strain washing. I hope it leaves you feeling assured which you can deal with this mission your self (you’ll be able to!). I’m ridiculously glad that we tried one out a few years in the past and have by no means regretted proudly owning one since!
Extra Home Cleansing Recommendation
If you happen to’re focused on extra methods to maintain your house clear, try these posts beneath:
*This put up accommodates affiliate hyperlinks, so we might earn a small fee whenever you make a purchase order by way of hyperlinks on our website at no further value to you.
