Photo: sterlic / Flickr

It’s not called spring cleaning for nothing… As summer approaches, you’ll want your outdoor areas looking great for relaxing and entertaining outdoors. Outdoor areas can be some of the toughest to get really clean, and winter grime doesn’t help matters, but removing accumulated winter dirt doesn’t have to be impossible or even to require a lot of effort if you have the right equipment for the job. What better way to get your patio clean, and keep it clean throughout the summer months, than with the help of a pressure washer?

What is a pressure washer, and how does it work?

High pressure washers work by cleaning like a garden hose does – but by applying fifteen to fifty times more pressure by concentrating the water flow. The means that they use high water pressure to blast away dirt while also providing the cleansing of water to get your surfaces really clean. Pressure washers used to be the kind of equipment that was too expensive for households to own, so they could be hired for special – in other words, desperate – cleaning occasions, but they’ve recently become affordable enough for everyone to have one around.

How do I use a pressure washer?

Photo: Crinklecrankle.com / Flickr

To use a pressure washer to clean off your outdoor surfaces, attach the nozzle and begin by pointing it away from the surface you want to clean. When you point it at the surface, keep it about three to four feet away from the surface you’re cleaning, and test that degree of power on the area. If it isn’t clean, move the pressure washer closer to clean off tougher dirt. If an area requires detergent to keep it clean, make sure you rinse the area afterwards, and use only safe, biodegradable detergents.

What’s available, and what can I use it on?

Both hot and cold pressure washers are available, and hot pressure washers are generally more effective. If all you need to clean off is regular dirt and grime, however, then a cold pressure washer should be sufficient, and if you keep it clean with a pressure washer, your outdoor area shouldn’t build up serious dirt and grime. Pressure washers are generally used for cleaning hard surfaces, like walls and concrete floors, but wooden surfaces like decks and patios can also benefit from the power of a pressure washer.

The pressure is on

Photo: Karcher

If you use a pressure washer correctly, it’s a safe, easy, and very effective method of cleaning outdoor surfaces for summer. Some final words of warning: keep the pressure washer far from pets and children, and consider delicate objects and surfaces before you begin the pressure washing process. If you keep all of this in mind, the pressure washing process should be simple and trouble-free. Investing in a pressure washer means that you’ll be able to rid your home of winter grime in time for summer, and that you’ll be able to keep it clean all through the outdoorsy summer months.

Tags: spring cleaning