Are you wondering how you can refresh your outdoor space? Your patio or driveway? Or your entire house looks bad on the outside? Pressure washing is what you need. It can be done as a DIY project or you can hire professionals to do it. Either way, it guarantees your home exterior will get better.
Check out our guide on how power washing helps maintain the cleanliness of the outside of your home.
What is Power Washing?
Outdoor surfaces can be free of frequent issues and stains with power washing. It’s completed using a specialised pressure-washing apparatus. It gets rid of various stains, grease, oil, dust, mildew, and mould. Either hot or cold water can be used, and cleaning detergents might be used.
Gathering the Necessary Tools and Materials
The essential tools and materials for power washing are:
- A pressure washer – Research, learn and choose the type and size of machine that will fit your needs. There are machines powered by gas or electricity and are categorised as light, medium and heavy-duty machines.
- The right nozzles – There are also different types of nozzles for pressure washing machines, and they aid you in different tasks. The right one can ease your job, and the wrong nozzle can damage the surface you’re treating. Be careful.
- Hose – Ask the store which hose is best for your machine and your water source at home.
- Protective gear – Protect yourself from flying water, chemicals and debris with goggles, sturdy shoes, gloves, and overalls.
- Cleaning solutions: To aid in the cleaning process, you might need to add a specialised agent, depending on the kind of dirt you’re dealing with.
Preparing the Area for Power Washing
Do you need to do any preparations for pressure washing? Well, yes, some preparations are necessary in order to keep the rest of your home or garden safe from the high temperatures and high-pressure water.
- Clear the space – Of course, remove anything that is located on the surface you’re going to be treating. Furniture, plants, toys, garden equipment or anything else.
- Protect delicate surfaces – Make sure to cover electrical outlets, windows, plants, and any fabrics or other delicate materials.
- Safety – Pets and children should be kept away from the power washer and the nearby areas where the water and debris will be flying to.
Step-by-Step Power Washing Tutorial
Here are the steps you for pressure washing and transforming your outdoor space:
- Setting the pressure washer – Assemble the machine according to the instructions and connect the appropriate hose and nozzle.
- Adjust the nozzle – When you know what is the right nozzle for your task at hand, make sure to set it correctly. Test it on a small space. Start working with a wider spray to cover large areas and a narrow spray to treat stains.
- Test the pressure – Spray on an inconspicuous area to test the settings, the pressure, the nozzle and adjust accordingly if necessary.
- Large sections – Keep a distance from the surface of about 18 inches and sweep in regular motions top to bottom or left to right without stopping.
- Address specific surfaces – Some surfaces may have different cleaning requirements, and you need to be aware of them. Some surfaces may need a different nozzle, a cleaning agent, lower or higher pressure, colder water, etc.
- Thorough rinsing – If you’re using any type of cleaning solutions while power washing, you need to thoroughly rinse them and remove all residues.
- Drying time – You need to allow surfaces to dry completely.
Safety Considerations and Best Practices
Here’s a list of safety considerations and best practices you need to know about before doing your own pressure-washing project.
- Wear adequate safety equipment – Get yourself protective goggles, sturdy shoes and gloves, and if you want to keep yourself dry, you can also wear protective overalls. Any safety wear you can find will keep you safe from hot water, flying debris and chemicals.
- Use caution – Hold the machine real tight until you’re used to its power. Tell family members to keep away from the spray and the area that is to be treated. Lock pets indoors.
- Seek professional assistance – If you’re not 100% certain you can deal with this task, you should call a professional pressure washing team to do the job. They will do so quickly and safely.
Hiring Professional Power Washing Services
Pressure washing is a rewarding task but if it’s not for you, you should know that hiring pressure washing services offers numerous advantages, such as:
- Time and effort savings – You can get the job done in a couple of hours by professionals instead of spending days and hours researching everything on the topic.
- Access to commercial-grade equipment – Professional equipment is used that is guaranteed to eliminate all kinds of stains and filth from all kinds of surfaces.
- Expertise and experience – Trusting professional technicians means ensuring optimal results without the risk of damage. They are most likely trained and experienced and know how to treat your exterior safely.
- Cuts on damage expenses – You pay for the service, but it’s done in a safe manner, and you don’t have to pay for damaged surfaces. Plus, you don’t buy an entire machine just to keep it in storage for most of the year.
Conclusion
Beautifying and maintaining your outdoor space is super easy with power washing…if you know how to properly and safely do it. We hope our guide will help you at least get aware of the many things you need to consider before doing such a job as a DIY project.
