It’s an inevitable fact: any type of home and/or building exterior will build dirt and grime over time, but a quality house washing from a pressure washer can effectively restore your home to its former glory.
If your home’s exterior has hard-to-reach grime or extensive dirt, you should certainly hire an expert (like Glass Geeks) as a professional will have the high end equipment necessary to get the job done safely and efficiently. With that being said, if you’re part of the do-it-yourself crowd, and your home is only in need of a quick clean, then a consumer pressure washing might do the trick. Here’s some house washing tips to get you started:
Preparing for Pressure Washing
Each consumer pressure washer boasts different cleaning abilities, which is why you should read up on the documentation that came with your pressure washer before beginning your house washing project in order to confirm that your model is appropriate for the job.
You should first establish how to set up your machine as well as how to choose the proper spray pattern. Settings vary by different factors, such as whether you’re performing high-pressure cleaning or applying detergent and depend greatly on the type of surface you’re cleaning.
As an aside to preparing your pressure washer, you should also be getting your work area ready for the job ahead. This means you should remove any/all obstacles that might snag your hoses or could cause you to trip. Turn off power to any outdoor electrical fixtures and outlets and tape plastic down to cover them. Trim plants that touch your home’s exterior and then cover all of the plants inside the work area. Close any nearby doors and windows.
Safely Using a Pressure Washer
Safety should be a priority when using a pressure washer to clean your home’s exterior. You should take every measure necessary to ensure no damage is caused to your home or yourself during your house washing project.
These measures include: standing on a surface that is stable, where you have solid footing and good balance, wearing specific eye protection (or hearing protection, if using a gas-powered pressure washer) and keeping electrical connections off the ground and dry.
Additional pressure washing safety precautions:
- Ensure you’re not operating a gas-powered pressure washer in an area that does not have the proper ventilation and directing the pressure washer’s exhaust away from windows, vents and doors.
- Never leave your pressure washer’s spray gun unattended while the machine is still running.
- Be alert at all times of where you’re directing your spray and be sure to never point the spray gun at animals, plants or people.
- Keep the spray directed away from power sources, power lines and electrical fixtures..
Proper House Washing With Your Pressure Washer
Using a consumer pressure washer incorrectly can cause significant damage to your home’s exterior, so always check your washer’s manual first in order to find information on spray settings and/or how far your spray tip should be from whatever surface you’re cleaning.
You should test the high-pressure spray setting on an inconspicuous area before you start any real house washing to ensure the setting does not cause damage to the exterior surface.
Keep in mind, any tough grime and stains that have built up on your home’s exterior may require a detergent. Here’s a few detergent-related tips:
- ONLY use detergents that are intended for pressure washers.
- Use a low-pressure spray pattern when applying detergents.
- Avoid streaking on any vertical surfaces by applying your detergent from the bottom up.
- Let detergent remain on your surface for several minutes before rinsing it off, however, be sure to not let it dry (you can always rewet the surface if needed).
- When finished applying the detergent, disengage your detergent supply while setting the pressure washer to the appropriate spray pattern for the surface you’re cleaning
- Spray off any grime and detergent, beginning from the top and working your way downward, in small sections.
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