Getting a power washer is one of those extremely useful ideas because of the multiple things you can do with one. It’s not only possible to multitask but also useful for recouping your investment by using the washer to earn extra income. Some of the top uses for a power wash include:
Maintaining Your Grill Equipment Getting a grill clean is essential for food safety and better flavor. Although some charcoal buildup can enhance the flavor of grilled foods, too much buildup becomes problematic. Scrubbing your grill with hand tools works well, but it’s a lot of work.
Power Scrubbing Your Boat Clean Detailing your boat effectively by hand is almost impossible, but using a power washer can reveal new shades that you haven’t seen in many years, if ever. Dirt, grime, mold and mildew can build up and damage your hull by causing the wood to rot. Pressure washing can reveal weaknesses, which you need to repair for safety. Your power wash with antibacterial soap removes bacterial buildup and other substances that can cause boat materials to degenerate.
Washing Your Deck One of the most popular uses of power washing is for maintaining your deck or patio area.
Handling Unsafe, Unsanitary or Unappealing Messes Some areas are unsafe to clean because of hazardous substances or difficulties reaching the dirt. A corollary of Murphy’s law should be that the things that most need washing are the most difficult to clean. Power washers make it easy to reach hard places. Some areas are just nasty to clean. Gross substances seldom disappear or get cleaned by magical elves. Someone’s got to clean the messy stuff, or you’ve got to live with the mess. Power washers simplify your life by making it possible to clean from a distance and avoid the worst odors, greasy surfaces and calling cards left by dogs, pets or drunken teenagers.
Clean Fish Power washers can be used in a number of creative ways -- such as cleanup up guts and fish scales. Many fishermen and fisherwomen enjoy fishing but hate to clean the fish afterward. The idea of using a pressure washer to clean your fish is an idea that’s trending on YouTube. [1]
Keeping Your Roof Clean It’s easy to keep your roof clean with a power washer. Trying to clean by hand is risky when you’re not a professional roofer, and the washer can rinse away leaves, tree branches, bird poop, dead birds and other substances that weaken your roof’s structure. You won’t have to use tools on an unstable roof and risk serious injuries. You might not even need a ladder because you can sand on your lawn and clean the roof of a one-story homes.
Knocking Down Dead Tree Branches Power washers are perfect ways to bring down dead tree branches without risking life and limb. You can knock the dead branches from the tree into the yard for removal. Tree branches can pose a big danger for you, your family and unsuspecting visitors and pedestrians. You can also knock down beehives and hornets’ nests from a safe distance.
Removing Carcasses of Yard Pests Using an exterminator often results in pest carcasses across your lawn r garden. Fortunately, you can use a power washer to remove them safely and quickly. You can direct the jets to move dead pests into a pile in an alley or the edge of your property where you can use a shovel to dispose of them.
Cleanup After Field Dressing a Deer Hunters can field dress a deer in about 10 minutes with the right knife and a practiced technique. However, it’s unfair to leave the mess, and a portable power washer makes it easy to clean up the blood and offal.
Cooking Prep If you’re cooking for a crowd, especially outdoors, you can gather veggies and meats in separate pots and use your power washer to clean the food items quickly. Don’t add any soap, of course, because this is a clear exception to the rules of using a power washer.
Fence Restoration You might not need to trick your kids to whitewash your fence when you have a power washer. Scrubbing your fence is one of the easiest cleaning projects for power washers, and the results will look like a new coat of paint. You can use your tricks to convince the kids that using the power washer is a great honor and save even more effort on your part.
Washing Walls Power washers can be used outdoors to clean the exterior walls in snap. It's the fastest way possible to increase your home’s curb appeal in just a few minutes. You get to bypass hours of scrubbing the walls and adjusting the garden hose endlessly to little or no effect. Pressure washing your home’s exterior really restores the beauty and appeal. You can clean the windows at the same time, but why stop there. The garage and outbuildings are next on the list.
Cleanups of Garages and Outbuildings Power washers are perfect for removing oil stains and grease from garage walls and floors. You can clean both the interior and exterior of most garages in an hour or two, and you won’t have to experience the aches and pains of hours of scrubbing.
Swimming Pools, Walkways and Outdoor Cooking Areas Power washers make quick work of swimming pools, sunbathing areas and outdoor cooking areas, which are becoming increasingly popular. Entertaining outdoors become almost effortless when you have a reliable power washer to clean outdoor areas, architectural features, garden statuary and living area extensions.
Detailing Your Vehicle Power washers are great for detailing your car, truck or van. You can use the washer on the exterior to remove salt, mud, sand and highway grit quickly and efficiently. It’s a great resource for those who own delivery businesses and have fleets of trucks.
Concrete Surfaces You can clean concrete safely with your power washer as long as you exercise the proper care. You’ll want to dial down the pressure on decorative concrete to prevent gouging the surface. For extra greasy garage floors, pretreat the floor with a degreaser, spray the area with detergent and rinse away the grease and grime before the solution dries.
Bikes, Outdoor Toys and Garbage Cans It’s great to be able to wash your garbage cans each week after trash pickup without scrubbing. The power washer is perfect for washing bikes, tricycles, swing sets, merry-go-rounds and other outdoor kids’ toys and equipment.
Answers to Your Key Questions About Power Washers
There are many questions that you might have about power washers, and four of the top questions include the following.
1. Which Things Can be Cleaned by Power Washers?
Almost any tough, dirty cleaning job can be handled with a power washer. They’re not recommended for use on delicate items, electrical components or living creatures, but beyond those exceptions, you can let your creativity guide you.
2. What Shouldn’t Be Cleaned by a Pressure Washer?
Tiles and shingles can be dislodged or develop leaks underneath when pressure breaks the solvent seal. Pressure washing should never be used on your pets, sweaty kids, delicate items, items with electrical connections and wooden items designed for aesthetic appeal. Also, using the highest pressure could damage concrete and soft wood with gouges. [2]
3. Which Detergent Should I Use?
Power washers are designed to work in tandem with concentrated detergents, so you should always use detergent. The soap-to-water ratio needs to be high enough to tackle the specific job. Washing a greasy surface in a commercial kitchen or food truck requires a more concentrated detergent than cleaning a normal floor or wall. Recommended detergent choices include the following cleaners for different jobs: [3]
Simple Green multipurpose cleaner
Bes automotive detergent
Oil Eater Original
Sun Joe House and Deck Cleaner
ZEP All-in-1 Premium Concentrate
Karcher Multi-Purpose Cleaner
Karcher Vehicle Detergent for Pressure Washers
Home Armor E-Z House Wash