Thanks for adding this. I didn’t get to it but it’s true! Also, people should know that you can’t just leave most pressure washers running on idle while you stop washing. That water heats up and can also burn the pump up without cool water flowing through. Commercial washers have recirculating on systems but most “residential” machines don’t.
Thank you so much for this! I recently lost my dad. It was sudden and unexpected. Tomorrow is my first father's day without him and I wanted to make the house look nice. There are so many things that he never got to teach me. I really appreciate you putting this information out there for people like me. My dad had no siblings and I have no one in my life who could come help me out. But, it's nice to know that there are people like you who can lend a hand. Thank you!
This seems almost too wholesome for TH-cam comments! I’m genuinely sorry for your loss and anyone one else watching this for the same reason. Your sharing means a lot… and you are very welcome.
My husband got me a pressure washer for Christmas and since the weather is finally nice, I wanted to start using it. I wanted to watch a few videos because manuals are always vague. And I love how a “what not to do” video is 100 times more helpful than an actual “what to do” video! You’re a natural teacher and I’m excited to start washing safely thanks to this!💚
this is generous and so appreciated! Thank you for the comment! You're invited to join along for the other pressure washing videos (and random dad stuff) of course....
Another tip for normal household pressure washer, don’t let them “idle”. I mean, it is turned on , pump,is running, but you are not letting water out with the wand. This is very tough on pump. Pull,trigger on wand, then turn on washer. When you want to stop, turn off pump, with wand still open. If you read mgrs instructions very carefully, they tell you this. And so,true about wearing right foot wear. SAme is true when mowing lawn. I have big thick rubber boots I wear. Injuries from pressure washers are really bad, your foot may never be the same again. Nice video.
I started my business four years ago here in the U.K. and on one occasion, I held the Lance away from the surface and tested the trigger and the nozzle shot out like bullet! Thankfully, the lance was pointing across the road and didn’t hit a car or a person, but since then, I NEVER test the trigger without checking the nozzle is properly installed. That would be my top tip. Good luck to all of you across the pond. Geoff
Hello Geoff, I’m 27 and thinking of starting my own pressure washing business. Would you personally recommend it? What’s the industry like? Thank you, B.
So I've only used this pressure washer one time. th-cam.com/users/postUgkxfQauTxLT0JLSvqkq10rD79TU4k0Vz8zP The one time I used it, it worked great. I recently had new siding installed but kept the old gutters and small areas surrounding my house that weren't replaced so they looked horrible and dirty because of the new siding. I needed to get it cleaned asap. When I used the pressure washer, man it just melted all the dirt and grime that was on those areas of my house. I used that krud kutter soap and it was over after that. Easy to assemble, feels durable, very simple to use. Also, I purchased a used one to save money and there was absolutely nothing wrong with it. I want to get more use out of it so I think I'll be washing the cars and update this comment as time goes on.
I found this very helpful I was just going to go out and work with my pressure washer wearing sneakers. Now I've got on work boots because you guys reminded me how much pressure is really involved. I also like that while recognizing that people watching are often novices I don't feel talked down to.
Absolutely! I also struggled to find videos that really got back to the basics and cover some of the “little things” that no one was talking about. Im learning more every time I wash… even a few years later since this was made. Thank you for the kind words!
Be very cautious when you first get a pressure washer. You can do a lot of damage if you don't know what you're doing. You can easily destroy vinyl siding and damage the waterproof underlayer if you're not careful.
I literally started pressure washing my porch for the first time ever with crocks on and decided about 5 minutes in that it was probably not the best idea once I felt the stinging of the water bouncing back and hitting my foot.. didn't hurt myself thank God but I think its funny that was the first tip lol
My best tips... Throw away the zero degree red tip, immediately. There is no practical use for it. Get a nice heavy duty hose. Do not wash large flat surfaces without a surface cleaner. It's going to do it 10x faster and way nicer while keeping you nearly dry in the process. Get the "smallest" extendable wand(or extensions if you need it to be lighter) to wash houses with, it eliminates almost all the ladder work on your typical house and keeps you much safer and dryer, as you're not blasting the surface immediately next to you. And yes, I said the smallest one that extends, they get super heavy very quickly and practically useless once extended passed 14 feet, at that point you are better off getting ontop of a small A-frame ladder for extra height. Start with the widest tip and work your way down, never use the zero degree red tip that you already threw away(please just forget it even exists), and if need be get a turbo nozzle and try to minimize using that as well, make sure the tip is freely rotating without stopping before you blast anything with the turbo nozzle, which is literally just a rotating zero degree tip, and stay far away from anything fragile (windows, doors, screens, old wooden siding etc). Use chemicals as little as possible (unless you know exactly what you are doing), maintain a constant speed, angle, and distance between 6 to 14 inches. Wash in any order you want, but rinse from top down after blasting away the dirt. Use common sense and you'll get the hang of it in no time.
Check this out for some continued advice. It's solid! thanks for contributing! For those looking for more details like this, I hope to contribute more even though there are so many videos out there. Let's get the basics down first before we get wild out there!
If you use stripper (highly basic) buy disposable boots. It will literally melt the boots away over time. Then, when the pressure washer is on and you are trying to wash a deck, it will be like walking on ice. Very slippery. Another thing; there is no such thing as a "plant friendly" soap/surfactant. It doesn't exist. By definition, soaps kill microbes; and if they kill the beneficial soil microbes, nutrient cycling is reduced and it stunts the growth of the plants. Try to never get any large amount of concentrated soap in the soil where healthy plants are.
@Alex k The red tip is uselful for power washing the grease and crap off your motor and in tiny spaces on the engine while especially if your planning on painting it chevy orange for your '70 Nova. Ridiculous tip.
Enjoyed your video and learning from it and the comments....I have a suggestion...never ever use a power washer without adequate eye protection....it's amazing how much debris flies up from surfaces....
Not sure I got to this in time but just in case: Closed toed protection for feet, pants to cover the legs and something comfortable that can get wet 👍 oh! And I like to wear my Bluetooth capable ear protection too, but that’s not essential
People will say "o yes we have amazing water pressure" and the water will trickle..I always check my gpm and I run a 2.5-3.0gpm 3200-4000 psi set up on residential..It helps keep from any damage..
@@dameronlyon6740 👍 yup, my 35 gallon buffer has a Hudson float valve on top feeding from the supply line, that has two outlets for the pressure washer and softwash. But nonetheless a tank is the best way hands down.
@@CP-ok1gv I have a video on this but basically… your pump will last longer if the chemical can going into the hoses after the pump rather than going through it. Using the tank works… (Also have a video on that) just be careful how you use it.
Great! I hope it's helpful. These are tips I hadn't heard before myself but there are lots of other videos out there. Just research a lot before you get in too deep! Good luck!
Me too, im gonna try an get myself into this little thing as a sidejob hustle first and see if i can take contracting full time from there, but right now i just want another source of money i can pickup and improve with every now and then and hopefully eventually be full time in.
@@Micahshot its going pretty well. I've done 3 pretty big houses so far. Then things slowed down, I'm not focusing on Marketing and advertising to keep customers coming.
It's years after you posted this VERY helpful video and you may not even see my comment. I'm 73 and decided this morning to pressure wash my patio and rug.... never having experience. I'm seriously thinking i may not engage in PW. Sigh. But thanks for all the cautions.
I did see this encouraging comment and I read appreciate it! I do my best to answer and help any way I can. Don’t be discouraged if you decide not to do it yourself this time. Just be careful when you finally get out there and start spraying!
I work for a pressure washing company and the machine we have is one of the beastier ones. I can confirm that the do kick when poping pressure, they can do a lot of damage if not careful. The widest tip we have is a 65 but that is a interchangeable tip. Not the adjustable xjet. Both are good but the difference is the xjet has a connection for chemicals. The interchangeable tips the will sometimes come with the pressure washer will have a tip specifically for chemicals. With the xjet you generally have to carry the chemicals with you because the connection is on the xjet. But for the ones we use we can put a chemical connection at the point between the pressure washer and the hose leading to the gun and have the chemicals sit by the pressure washer. The only thing that's a problem with that is if you forget it's connected there and leave it connected and accidentally run chemicals threw surface cleaner or waist chemicals. I would put a turn off valve before the chemical connection and one at the gun as well so you have more control and less waisted chemicals and water.
That millennial dad thanks for the ♥️ I really like how your spreading info I'm kind of new to the job and watched your video to see if I could learn something although what you said would be common sense not everyone thinks about it or will try to avoid it.
Hello, thanks for the video. I recently pressure washed my concrete and now have some lines. This looks bad. How can i get these out of the concrete? Thanks
First, to your question, the lines are inevitable when anyone does it by hand. You have a few options to lighten or remove the line. You can go back and continue “sweeping” on them with the tip until the lines are gone, you can buy a small “surface cleaner” attachment to have a larger cleaning area to go over it with better results OR you can go to a pool supply store or hardware store to get chlorinated blach aka pool shock. If you carefully spray this as a “post treatment” it will reduce the lines in the concrete. It would need to be diluted AND applied with a pump sprayer you are ok with not using again…. Maybe ever. Hope that helps!
this was great to the end still not sure about the soap i cleaned the patio kinda can you turn off soap or do you empty the soap out or take hose off for not soap i am a lady 79 years old probabvly could use easy to do help???
If your pressure washer has the soap tank, the SOAP will only come out mixed with the water if you use the "soap" tip that came with your pressure washer. You'll see tips that fit on the wand that are different colors (red, yellow and green are common). The soap tip is black a lot of times. I hope that helps!
How often should a brick house get pressure washed? How long should you wait in between the first-time pressure wash and second time? Had a brick house pressure washed for the first time and was informed a second should be done in three months.
Hello! This depends on where you are in the world and how fast it gets dirty. In the southeast USA, I recommend once a year. The recommendation sounds… odd! You don’t have to rewash in 3 months unless you are planning to paint or do something specific. There is no advantage to doing it that often due to it being brick. I hope that helps!
Thanks for the question! Foam cannons are awesome but here are the issues you will have to figure out. Is the pressure washer you have strong enough to push the chemicals/soaps out? It probably is but just check. Will chemicals quickly destroy the foam cannon? Can you get enough chemicals within the foam to actually do the work you need it to do? Will you be able to switch back and forth between soap and water to rinse easily enough to make sure you rinse before the chemicals cause damage or dry? I personally would try other things but I suppose it doesn't hurt to carefully experiment with a non-bleach washing product on your personal property to see what happens! That's just my opinion, be careful out there! Also I have a video about downstreaming... th-cam.com/video/FFsKhOB8HSM/w-d-xo.htmlsi=YUMoz2GWe-fR503B
I bought an electric 2000 psi for my own use from Lowes. Works great, (no gas engine that won't start, no gas to mess with). But use it just at home and own shop for farm equipment to wash. Great buy.
As an RN I can verify our hero's statement about footwear. An injection injury is hell at first and THEN IT GETS WORSE. There's little to do for it except pain control and cutting away the dead tissue as the days go by. Skin grafts are real fun. Pain at the donor site AND the receiving site. STEEL TOED RUBBER BOOTS and not the cut-rate ones either. Always buy them 3-4 sizes larger than your shoe size. Your feet will thank you.
Thanks for the helpful tips. I’m about to get a pressure washer. But most of the ones I’m looking at are about 120 to 140 PSI, I’m guessing you’re talking about some professional versions, not the domestic ones you clean your car or mountain bike with? Or am I getting confused here?
Are you sure they aren’t 1200-1400 psi? Those would be consider “home” and “consumer” grade. 120-140 would be like… a garden hose out of a hose in the USA.
Keep the want pointing straight down. Or keep at the same distance away from the surface you are washing. If you sweep you are 6 inches away in the middle but on the sweep you 10 inches away creating a patter. So the dance is just taking little steps and moving yourself instead of moving the wand.
I've noticed (sometimes) after I pressure wash brick surfaces that there's a white chalky, salt looking substance afterwards. What is this and how do I prevent? Am I "burning" the brick with too high a mix? Not rinsing enough, or soon enough?Thank u!
Great question but tricky to answer! I’ll try my best. Sometimes the “chalky” look is something you put onto the outside (sodium hypochlorite for example can dry like salt) of the block and sometimes it’s from inside the block (usually efflorescence) due to reactions of moisture pushing through the block. Hard to know which one it is but if you are soft washing with a mix, it’s possible that it’s reacting with the concrete mix of the block itself. Maybe it needs more rinsing? I’d experiment with a small section of the next one with different mixes in an out-of-view area. Try it without a mix, then with a different percentage, then maybe with a different product? Also consider if it’s concrete block or brick/masonry. I’ve seen it before and it’s not a one size fits all answer. I hope that helps!
Dont need to say anything, except Thank You. Sure glad I listened before I started this project. I have already ruined the front of my old house with a pressure washer I borrowed. Wish I could find a computer guy like you. They all take it for granted that you know what this, that, or the other is. When you have no, I repeat, NO knowledge of what they are telling you to do.
@@CharlotteWaters-dm3yl this comment means a lot and Im grateful for the kind words. I really did try to do my best to make this for people out there with no prior experience. With that in mind, what’s a follow up video to this that YOU wish existed? Or a recommendation?
I live off a dirt road with a white vinyl siding and its stained so bad. Im at a loss of what to use to get the brown yellow stains off. Everybody in the neighborhood thought my house was yellow.😢
@@joe89chev this is a tough one. Water alone will not get it… and SOME chemicals are able to at least lighten the stains. Good luck! I have had to invest in chemicals to have any luck.
With cement siding, my first question is going to be “Is it painted? If so, with what?” Just be careful about what’s directly under the mold. Considering it’s mold, you are going to need something like Sodium Hypochlorite (chlorinated bleach) to kill it since mold is organic and spreads with spores. If you don’t do it all of it, it will simply pop up somewhere else soon. Soap is just there to hold it on longer… so that would depend on what you choose to kill it. Know what you mix or it could be deadly! For example, any bleach with any sort of ammonia (found in some dish soaps and detergents) can create deadly gas! Hope that helps!
@@kristinatidwell6563 I have found that many newer homes actually use the minimum amount of primer and paint… one coat of each so it’s very easy for mold and other things to stain and permeate the paint. I would hope that your suggestion is the case, but unfortunately it’s usually only the case in specific areas or where the homeowner has repainted. I hope that makes sense
Oh my! 😂😂😂 My husband bought me a second hand commercial pressure washer on Friday (he’s supporting me to start my business) and was teaching me how to use it and some points were like listening to him! - go get your gumboots on - dance with the wand - point away from the surface Great video! 👍🏼 Now, I found you because I’m trying to find how does the ball valve works (supposedly it’s to not have to turn the pump off/on to change the nozzle?) But when turned off we can’t release the pressure off the wand, no water comes out, but there’s also not a last 💦 with pressure. Do you have a video on this and how it works? Meaning what are we to expect? Thanks!
Thanks for the comment and sharing your points! I'm working on an updated video to share more stuff I've learned so I' hope you'll stick around! About the ball valve, its all about where you place it and how you have it set up. It should be; Pressure washer (and or reel if you're on a trailer) > quick connects from pump to pressure hose > pressure rated hose > quick connects from hose to valve > the ball valve > quick connects from valve to wand > wand > tips I hope that makes sense! Either way, it's a great idea for a video that I should make! I've shown the ball valve in videos but I don't think I've ever explained it!
Can you recommend the size unit I should buy to do a stucco home? I tried using a cheap unit and it was useless yet at the same time I’ve heard to big of a unit could cause damage Thanks
@@Farner49 I think a unit that’s between 2000-3500 psi going for 2-3 gallons per minute (GPM) is great for household use. That’s just my opinion! Good luck!
Thanks for this great video. Very interesting. I used a pressure washer at a client friend's place the other day, having never ever used one before. I pushed the trigger and it sprayed fine, but then I let it go and then pressed it again and it wouldn't respond to that for a while. Then after a while I pressed the trigger again and it sprayed. Then I let it go and when I pressed it again it wouldn't spray again. Any ideas why this would happen, why I couldn't just press the trigger whenever I wanted to blast water?
This one is interesting. How long did you wait in between stopping and trying to spray? Water pumps need some time to “load”… it sounds like it’s changing gears once you go to spray. That said, it could be a lot of things. The pressure washer motor, the water pump, the water flow from the source (like a house), the washer could simply be dying… I wish I could help! I’d start with my sure there is good water flow going to the washer and making sure you have good oil in the pressure water motor AND water pump… and go from there.
@@ThatMillennialDad I didn't time how long I had to wait. The second time it didn't respond to my pushing the trigger, I just gave up, disconnected the hose and unplugged the pressure washer, and then just washed everything with just a hose and nozzle. There was a slow leak where the hose connects to the pressure washer, that probably didn't help. It has an on/off pedal, looks like every other time you push it you turn it on and every other time you push it you turn it off. Like a toggle switch. So you can't tell if you're turing it on or off. But I pressed it and then the trigger many times, and no spray for a while after I let go of the trigger. It might well have kept spraying if I'd kept holding onto the trigger, who knows.
Great video! Had a quick question… What pressure setting would you recommend to wash a brick home built in 1995? Any specific cleaner best? I know you said they can damage the pump. I was going to use “mean green”. Thanks for any help, God bless
You’re welcome and thanks for the comment! Getting to the questions: -for the SETTING, pay attention to the degree number/color of the tip. For brick, I would try the 25 degree/green tip and be careful with your distance (like in the b-roll of the video). If the brick is in good condition, this shouldn’t be a problem but be cautious as you go. - As far as the chemical, something like “mean green” can help. If you are going to spray it through your pressure washer, make sure you rinse it when you are done by putting water in the soap tank. Some of their products do have diluted chlorinated bleach in them. That’s what will rust things from the inside out if you’re not careful! Brick doesn’t need a specific cleaner, but I’ll note that some of those common cleaners make it a little easier since it’s a very porous surface. I hope that helps and I hope you’ll follow along to check out the videos I have planned for the near future!
Would you mind sharing the timestamp by just typing the time that I mention it? I might have mentioned "SH" which is short for Sodium Hypochlorite? It's also called "pool shock".
@@nicholaspiela4864 Great question! Soap works best in a Milwaukee but if you’re on a budget, get yourself some Amish hand-churned butter cream. Gets the toughest stains out every time.
I’m coming late to the game, but I just bought a Greenworks Pro 2700 PSI Electric Power Washer. Please share your thoughts on doing windows. We have huge 2 story windows along the back of our house which are covered with screen tinting. We had a windstorm awhile back causing all of our windows to need cleaning. Since the windows are so tall and big, I purchased the power washer mainly to reach them and keep them clean. Which sprayer should I use for our 1st and 2nd story screened picture windows? I’m assuming that I fan out and just barely apply pressure. The main reason I bought the washer is to keep our windows clean.
I’ll do my best to answer this so that it helps: There are a lot of specifics to your situation that make it hard to say “do this” or “don’t do that”. Screen tinting, size, height, etc. Pressure washing will get the water up there but it depends on how you define “clean” as well. Correct, don’t use a lot of pressure (wider tip), keep your distance and consider using a basic soap solution to help work for you instead of depending only on water. Good luck!
Great question! For most washers that size, it would not work from a barrel unless there was enough pressure from a very large tank that would be comparable to the PSI comity out of a home. The exception to this would be if the water pump on your washer was BELT driven. Most pumps on 1800 psi washers are not belt driven. They call them “direct drive”. Thanks for the question and I hope you’ll follow along for other videos!
I just got a pressure washer from Lowe’s and the O-ring is leaking water everywhere. I put a new one in, but I’m not sure if it’s the right one because it’s still leaking. How am I supposed to know which one to use?
@@jane2100 depends where it’s leaking! There are 2 common size of orings used (that I replace all of the time) with pressure washing hoses and wands. There’s a size that fits the hose and a smaller size that fits the end of the wand where the top goes in. Maybe bring the old one with you to a store to match it if possible? Then there are garden hose o rings and others that are changed less often.
Thanks for the question! I would NOT power wash the soffit (underside) portion of the eaves even if they are looking dirty. I softwash them (downstreaming chemicals, low pressure) for customers and am carful to shoot at an angle so I don't essentially create mud in their soffit and attic that ends up weeping out. Wet N Forget will work pretty good too and you could carefully follow up with a garden hose making sure not to shoot directly into it. Good luck!
Usually if you are just switching the tips at the end of the wand, then no. Just don’t leave it running for very long if you aren’t spraying! Up to 30 seconds usually won’t cause problems
Thanks for the vid. I have my very first preassure washing job coming up. It's a small patio and a around a swimming pool with a rocky floor. I don't have a round surface cleaner. Is it a bad idea to just wash it with the wand?
Hey Juan! Is it a bad idea? No. It will mean that it will take you longer and you have the possibility of having a hard time getting it to be cleaned evenly… but it’s possible using the correct tip while being conscious of your tip distance. Be careful but flat surfaces are a good place to get practice. Also, I’d recommend take some time to practice where you live if possible. Don’t forget to keep spraying and do NOT let the washer idle for too long while you wash. Keep the water flowing while it’s on unless you have a larger belt driven commercial washer. Maybe with the money from this job, you could reinvest in get a smaller surface cleaner? Where I am, I can get a 14 inch round attachment for about $150 USD.
Hay Bro. ! You had some really good stuff to say about the up & down streaming that 's pretty important ,,.. And I don't recall anybody covering that before. thanks
Got a pressure washing question. Say theres a hill and a street goes up it with houses and their curbs going along the street. If I wash a curb and later either weeks or months I come back and do a curb higher on the street and the runoff goes to the previously cleaned curb. What should I do about the runoff now that it has messed up a previously clean curb?
Great question! This gets more into business practices and setting customer expectations. When you say a curb, if you mean the concrete runoff gutters along road and driveways in subdivisions… they don’t stay clean and I believe it’s unfair for a customer to expect you to “maintain” their curb if you do other jobs. Runoff and others things will inevitably dirty it up. Cleaning curbs is a courtesy… because in most cases, it’s not technically their property anyway! Also, be careful of your ordinances and how strict your state is about water collection and recycling if runoff is going into public sewers! It depends where you are. Best of luck and I hope you’ll subscribe for what’s to come!
You’re absolutely welcome. We’ve all been there! I hope you’ll follow along/subscribe for other helpful info… and sharing of stuff you don’t need at all!
With full understanding that this could be trolling or sarcastic… imagine sweeping a floor. A you are creating a pendulum therefore… the tip is closer to the ground in the middle and further away on the extension of your “sweep”… so you leave streaks on concrete. ✌️
If it’s a built-in soap tank underneath, check to make sure 1) you are using the correct “soap tip” 2) everything is hooked up and filled up underneath so that the tube is reaching the soap and 3) that the soap itself is approved for that washer type. That’s where I’d start!
So when people have 8gpm + pressure washers do they use tanks and fill it with customers water first and then refill it once it’s empty with the customers hose or water reservoir once it’s empty and repeat?
Thanks for the comment! So usually for pros, we/they carry a large water tank and simultaneously fill and draw from it while washing. (Carrying it full can be an enormous weight! Many tow the tank 1/3 full or less) They can do this using something like a Hudson valve that automatically shuts off the water once the tank is full. 8gpm can drain a 250gallon tank pretty fast so it’s constantly refilling.
Thank you. My worn 40 year old roof tiles, as i type is being pressure cleaned.. to then be painted with 2 coats paint. I never expected such a mess.. literally everywhere, on every surface. 👀
I have white cars , one of them havent been used for along time , the paint built up black dots like a tuff black stain on the paint , What features for the water pressure machine you recommend me to buy when it comes to the PSI , 2030 PSI would do it ?or i need a stronger pressure for it ? Gonna be using a house backyard water tap for it, Thanks.
With a standard pressure washer around that psi strength, it should come with different colored tips. If you have stains, I’d actually see if you can get them off with soap and sponge first. If not, Do NOT get too close and try a 40 degree tip (white color here in the USA) and see if anything comes off. But be warned, that sort of staining means the paint is fading and there is not clear coat protection. You could easily strip paint off and I don’t want you to do that. Be careful!
So my Ryobi pressure washer has a tank included but it has a letter that says no bleach so I'm assuming that's an upstream injector is it possible to reroute it and use it as a downstream injector?
Great question! Yes, that means that it has a small injection valve that is built into the pump (underneath). You can purchase a separate “downstream injector” kit that is the appropriate size, in gallons per minute, for your washer. If you choose to buy that kit, make sure it comes with the correct size of “soap tip”. If not, you’ll need to buy one of those as well. If you were going to use this setup a lot, I’d recommend that you use quick connect fittings for your injector and hoses to make life easier. (If not, maybe just make a safe mix for a one time use through a pump sprayer for what you are cleaning). Rerouting is really about getting the fittings to match up so that the injector is in line with your pressure hose outside of your pump. Make sure that whatever you inject is diluted appropriately but… this would accomplish what you want.
My electric pressure washer has a soap tank. I confirmed it's a downstream system and the soap doesn't go through the pump. The soap is syphoned with a ball valve venturi and mixed with water after the pump.
Today I started my 4000psi 4gpm Powerhorse pressure washer for the first time......I was not ready. Everything I thought I learned went out the window. Cause yeah that sweeping....I was sweeping like I was trying to get gum up with a regular broom smh. I see you have to keep it at an upright angle at the same level. And yeah 4gpm is a lot of water, muddied my lawn. Also tried my turbo nozzle out........😬. This video helped me out a lot. Thanks man. Tomorrow will be better.
Hey, Now you’ve got practice under your belt! It’s a whole new experience when you actually start the washer and things get really loud and messy. Tomorrow will be better!
So, I've pressure washed 2 houses and used sandals and that's 100% true. Not only did I sweep my foot, but you also get brush burns basically from your feet being soaked with dirt and tiny pebbles that get in your sandal because your feet move around a lot in them while they're wet
Factors to help you answer that: Is it painted? Is the mortar in between the bricks in good condition or already cracking/falling out? What type of brick (rough or smooth at least)? Roughly, how old is the brick? IF THE BRICK IS OLD OR DAMAGED, I would recommend NOT using any pressure. If painted, use caution! For those situations, softwashing and/or using a scrubbing brush of some sort. That's just from my experience. (I was using about 3000 psi with a 25 degree tip on my own house in this video.)
I have a question. Is it possible to hook an electric pressure washer up to the washing machine water spicket, and it still work? The washing machine water spicket is smaller than the standard outdoor spicket attached to house, and the washing machine spicket has a smaller interior hole that is a hexagon. Because of this.. when I turn the nozzle on… the water shoots out of the washing machine spicket incredibally powerfully. So two questions: - is it even possible to hook a pressure washer up to the washing machine water connector to begin with? - will the high pressure of the water coming out of the washing machine spicket somehow damage the pressure washer once I connect it? Thanks
Well this is a unique set of questions! Thanks for asking! So for the washer spigot; A) is it possible to hook it up? Well I’m pretty confident the male/female threads are the wrong size you’ll have to get adapters to make it fit. So yes, that is technically possible with or without adapting the hose. B) Regarding the pressure washer, the pressure of water coming out of that spigot should be around the same as coming out around the rest of your house. It’s just the same water pressure as the rest of the house coming out at smaller hole. That said, the only way that hurts the pressure washer is if there is too LITTLE water feeding into the pressure washer. Pay attention to GPM on your washer. Most electric ones don’t pull huge amounts but this depends on how reliable the home water pressure is. Thanks for the comment!
Welcome and thank you! Well most Simpson brand washers with a soap tank are considered upstream. While soap doesn't flow through the entire water pump (the thing under or behind the motor that the hose hooks into), it does get in there. Will it ruin it? Not if you are careful and put water in that little tank and flush it through. Downstream involves additional attachments. I'll leave a link to another video I made about this topic. I hope it helps!
@@ThatMillennialDad one more question if you don’t mind. Like I mentioned before. I bought the 3200 psi simpson with honda 190. My question is how big of a surface am i able to use with it? I have a Ryobi 12” but was wondering if i could go bigger with it? Something wider.
@@zoemaravilla2538 I’ve heard it said that you can do 4 inches for every Gallon per minute of your machine. 12 inches needs close to 3 GPM to fully work its best. Your size is probably less than 3gpm but should work ok. Don’t go bigger though!
Question...for a decent power washer (i have a Simpson 3000 psi) how many hours can you realistically expect to use a power washer before the pump blows up? I've heard with typical use an maintenance,some pressure washer pumps only last about 100-150 hours of use. If your running a power washing side-business,that 100-150 hours could be used up in a month! Any advice on how long to expect a pump to last and how to keep it from breaking down? Thanks!
Great question! The simple answer is “it depends”. Mostly, I has to do with the quality of the manufacturing and how well you maintain it. If you always have water running to it while it’s on, change the oil at recommended intervals, don’t let it idle for long periods, and generally treat it well… I would HOPE it last longer than that. It just depends! I’ve seen some lay less but they were “bargain” washers to begin with. My 4gpm unit is on its second Annovi Reverberi pump but I used it well over 250 hours and I bought it used. Not what you wanted but i hope that helps!
I am only a beginner at pressure washing I am 12 years old I am going to use the Greenworks 1800 PSI 1.1-Gallon-GPM Cold Water Electric Pressure Washer is that good for washing walk ways
Hey! Thanks for the comment. Can that size washer clean the walkways? Yes! Will it do it quickly? No. Remember to slide, don’t sweep 😉 I’d recommend taking your time, wearing good shoes and even pants, wear some glasses to protect your eyes and use the 25 degree green tip. There are other tips and attachments out there for your “wand” to make it go faster but that requires money! Oh… and sunscreen is good too since it will take a while.
Hey! Great question! Short answer: Both. To be fair, MOSTLY customer water. Once you get past 4 gallons per minute, it’s hard to finish a job on just one large tank of water. Example: I tried gallons the other day and one 2000 sq ft home softwash took just over 600 gallons to wash and rinse using an 8 gallon per minute unit. Using that much goes faster but it means you need something refilling your tank as you go. Hope that helps!
I am new to pressure washing (don't even own one yet) - so this is probably a silly question. I want to wash my vehicle's engine but I don't want to use water - is it possible to run something like a de-greaser or diesel etc through a high pressure washer (instead of water)?
Thanks for the question! I would not recommend putting anything through the washer other than water. Downstreaming allows to add to the water (see other video on my channel) but the pumps are made for water. Honestly I do not know FOR SURE but I highly highly highly doubt this is possible. Great idea though! There are electric fluid pumps out there that could do this for you...
There’s a residential grade gas pressure washer (Ryobi 3300psi 2.3gpm) that I am really interested in, but it only holds 1/4 gallon of gas. It has a feature where it automatically idles down when the trigger is released which saves gas. I’m not doing any huge home projects other than the normal siding, decking, windows, and concrete. How long will 1/4 gallon last? It just seems like I will have to refill it very often. Your thoughts… Great informative video btw.
I have an secondary washer with a similar tank. Mine is 2.5 GPM at 3100PSI. I have to refill after about 20 minutes of run time. It’s annoying but I put up with it when I need to. You also can upgrade it to a larger one if you have any small engine/handyman know how. Just have to buy the appropriate parts and be ok with it looking weird. And thanks!!!
@@ThatMillennialDad thanks for the reply. I just made the purchase yesterday. The pros (Honda GCV 190 idle down motor, 50’ hose included, adjustable nozzle) outweigh the one con of having a small gas tank.
I painted my exterior brick/ slump block, turned out darker that I wanted. Can I power wash with bleach to lighten the color a few shades? I don't want to repaint.
While I feel a little out of my field here, I know that you can did a little more TH-cam research about products that could help speed up the fading process of paint. Bleach will help that but keep in mind that it’s hard to control it being an even fade. The pro recommendation is to simply paint again but there are diy workarounds. Just not sure which one is efficient and most common.
Why should a home owner never get higher than 2,800psi? What if I'm tearing apart my motor and I need to clean off all the grease lol that's what I'm looking for one for. And for washing my cars
No sense in getting too much. Rather than the brand, I look for who they bought the motor and water pump from. I prefer Honda small engines so I look for that first. Again, not something too powerful or too expensive to get started. Good luck!
Well this depends on what you are washing, your market and frankly... what you can handle. There is a range. I have seen one "standard range" where I am is between 10-25 cents (USD) per sq ft depending on factors. so 5000 sq ft could be between $500-$1250 depending on many things. I'm not the expert, but I've found the healthy spot for my market with experience and sometimes getting turned down!
I can’t speak for all pressure washers but for MOST of them, Yes you can. The output is USUALLY controlled by either engine throttle, something called the unloader valve or by the tips used (when speaking to PSI).
Isn't there something about Electric Pressure Washers about not letting the pump run idle for even a short period of time. May burn out the pressure pump. Some videos say this is mentioned in the Owners Manuals. Thanks for these tips, thinking about getting one in the future.
Yeah, you're right! No matter if it is electric or gas powered, idling or running it without water are both really bad for the water pump. And you're welcome!
Thanks for reaching out! The short answer is… I think it’s great but that’s what works for me. If you’re 15, you’ll need some support if you want to make it a business. See what you can learn and who can help! You do need equipment at first and some knowledge about how to safely use a pressure washer and about the surfaces you are cleaning. The the most challenging part is being careful and not losing lots of money from damage you could do. Be safe and keep learning!
I am a renter and the driveway/parking area here is extremely uneven and has several large dips. The dirt really accumulates in the indents as does ice in the winter. There is so much dirt in the dips that when it rains dirty water splashes up on my car and it becomes quite dirty. How can I clean this uneven surface with a pressure washer? Do I clean out the gullies first and then the rest of the driveway? Do you have a recommended approach? I appreciate any advice you can give me. Thanks
Thanks for asking! There are lots of different tip sizes and attachments you could use to get the job done faster or less messy based on your budget. That’s a long topic but just know that “surface cleaners” spin and make it go faster. As far as the approach, I would work downhill to use gravity to your advantage. Sometimes using an edger to clear out along the edges along the parking area will allow the water to flow out better but you can only do so much in these scenarios. Regarding the gullies, I would deep clean them first (fast so you don’t puddle too much water), the do the driveway, then come back last to rinse out what runs back into the gullies for a final touch up.
💥 5:46 if the pressure washer generates 2,000 psi where does 3,000 psi temporarily come from at any point in time? Only facts should be quoted continuously in order to keep all of what you say trusted and respected. Now how do I weed out what’s accurate or not here.?? “In my opinion”…??
Addressed this and other concerns in other comments but… just here trying to to help people. Unscripted and not trying to hold to specifics while doing my best to get actual points across. Noted and thanks for the comment!
Hi there just had a question. Im going to be starting a power washing business in the spring here in Michigan. I'm worried about what chemicals to use for different types of cleaning jobs. I've been told not to use bleach of houses that are painted or any thing that has a color other than white. Is that true? And also is it environmentally safe to use just regular old bleach or is there a certain type of bleach that I should use?? I was leaning more away from bleach and order some environmentally friendly chemicals on Amazon. Im just confused as to what chemicals to use. Thank you
That’s a great thing to a lot of research about. Bleach coils discolor paint depending on how long it sits and/or the type of paint with consideration of how diluted it is. That said, “SH” is chlorinated bleach also known as pool shock. It works great but in Michigan you won’t be dealing with as much black mold and algae growing on homes so you have more options. Alternatives vary in prices but it’s up to you. If you can find something else that works, I’d advise NOT using bleach if you are in doubt about it. Learn about what the factors are about if it’s safe or not to use it… and if you ever use it, never let it dry or sit too long on anything painted. Do more research! Thanks for the comment!
I appreciate this video, just landed a job so I am happy to GOD for it. Will subscribe and view all of your videos. Would you say that the green tip is appropriate for a building that is not that dirty???
You’re welcome! I appreciate it. The green tip is usually 25 degree and is commonly used BUT it’s not necessarily best for every washing. Have you considered downstreaming an appropriate chemical if it’s not that dirty so you don’t have to use pressure? I have a video on that. Also, consider the condition of the surface before you spray it at all!
@@ThatMillennialDad I have to watch your video, I am not familiar with the process, thank you for sharing this. If I have any questions, would it be okay to reach out to you???
Use as low as possible! I only do “softwashing” with stucco. Are you familiar with downstreaming? I made a video about it that could be helpful to you. (Injectors, j-rod and more info there) link in the description I believe, not too hard to find
Hi sir. Good video. I was working on getting an old pressure washer running and my neighbor came by to ask if i could pressure wash his house and pay me after i got it running. So I did get it running and now i have never pressure washed anything but I have heard to be cautious since my machine is 3500 PSI... how much would this kind of work charge the customer? And what kind of suggestion of caution ? Should i just stand further away or use a less aggressive nozzle? I'd say the house is two story and probably no more than 1200 sq feet if that matters....
We if you look through some of the comment section you might find more helpful info. The summary is that it’s hard to know what you can charge someone fairly. Lots of factors but most of all… has anyone charge you for your house in your area? Do you have a gauge of what companies charge? You shouldn’t charge more than them of course but that gives you an idea. Since it’s your first time, I would think of it as a really valuable learning experience where you are really REALLY careful. Stay back and use the widest tip possible but DONT do it if what you are washing seems damaged or like it’s not worth the risk. Don’t chase the money! Chase the knowledge.
Another fun fact! If you have a higher Gallon Per Minute (GMP) machine and your water supply cannot feed it at that gpm rate, then the pressure washers pump can seize up. It can run dry, run to fast or overheat. Definitely be mindful of the gpm number.
@@ZAP719 Id say it’s simply one of the risks of not running a buffer tank. You could either have a smaller washer that pulls less water OR MAYBE get fancy and tap into other/multiple alternative supplies for water? All of that might not work, thankfully it’s uncommon in the USA where I’m at. I just run into Well water for farms out in the country that can’t supply as much as home on city water. Less pressure but not problematic
hey man great vid im planning on getting a 4200 psi washer and starting out by doing a family members house my question is how can you get gum stains off with just water is it possible? i live in California only issue id have with law is the storm drains i hear i can use a boat pump to help any advice? thank you so much in advance man
As long as you know what the surface is and are aware of how it can be affected, Gum stains usually need steam or heat. So water yes… but needs heat too from what I know. I’m not aware of one but there could be a chemical that helps loosen it too? And yeah, check the laws. Getting pumps for a tank you carry is “simple” but you just have to plan for that if your drainage is going back to public sewers. Sometimes if it’s only water, it’s not really an issue but introducing chemicals is when you need to be aware and read up. Good luck!
I would add another “what not to do” never start your pressure washer before turning on the water FIRST! You can easily burn out the pump that way
Thanks for adding this. I didn’t get to it but it’s true! Also, people should know that you can’t just leave most pressure washers running on idle while you stop washing. That water heats up and can also burn the pump up without cool water flowing through. Commercial washers have recirculating on systems but most “residential” machines don’t.
Thanks buddy
@@ThatMillennialDad Or crack the motor with the sudden cooldown when the trigger is pulled.
Thankyou jack web
Thank you. I've already made that mistake by accident!
Thank you so much for this! I recently lost my dad. It was sudden and unexpected. Tomorrow is my first father's day without him and I wanted to make the house look nice. There are so many things that he never got to teach me. I really appreciate you putting this information out there for people like me. My dad had no siblings and I have no one in my life who could come help me out. But, it's nice to know that there are people like you who can lend a hand. Thank you!
This seems almost too wholesome for TH-cam comments! I’m genuinely sorry for your loss and anyone one else watching this for the same reason. Your sharing means a lot… and you are very welcome.
@Rissa Roo Your dad has an awesome daughter.
Praying for you dear one.
Prayers and love. So sorry for your loss.
❤🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
My husband got me a pressure washer for Christmas and since the weather is finally nice, I wanted to start using it. I wanted to watch a few videos because manuals are always vague. And I love how a “what not to do” video is 100 times more helpful than an actual “what to do” video! You’re a natural teacher and I’m excited to start washing safely thanks to this!💚
this is generous and so appreciated! Thank you for the comment! You're invited to join along for the other pressure washing videos (and random dad stuff) of course....
Another tip for normal household pressure washer, don’t let them “idle”. I mean, it is turned on , pump,is running, but you are not letting water out with the wand. This is very tough on pump. Pull,trigger on wand, then turn on washer. When you want to stop, turn off pump, with wand still open. If you read mgrs instructions very carefully, they tell you this. And so,true about wearing right foot wear. SAme is true when mowing lawn. I have big thick rubber boots I wear. Injuries from pressure washers are really bad, your foot may never be the same again. Nice video.
Thanks for the kind words and spreading the knowledge! I know it’ll help some people!
I started my business four years ago here in the U.K. and on one occasion, I held the Lance away from the surface and tested the trigger and the nozzle shot out like bullet! Thankfully, the lance was pointing across the road and didn’t hit a car or a person, but since then, I NEVER test the trigger without checking the nozzle is properly installed. That would be my top tip. Good luck to all of you across the pond. Geoff
Thanks Geoff! Another reason to proceed with caution!
Geoff chown hi mate just out of interest what business are you in? I’m from the uk and also do pressure washing for a living. Cheers.
@@jayhill5061 Hi, just thinking of starting doing it for some money. I’m 16 and have a wand washer. Any tips for starting?
@@jayhill5061 how much are you making? Is it seasonal?
Hello Geoff, I’m 27 and thinking of starting my own pressure washing business. Would you personally recommend it? What’s the industry like?
Thank you, B.
So I've only used this pressure washer one time. th-cam.com/users/postUgkxfQauTxLT0JLSvqkq10rD79TU4k0Vz8zP The one time I used it, it worked great. I recently had new siding installed but kept the old gutters and small areas surrounding my house that weren't replaced so they looked horrible and dirty because of the new siding. I needed to get it cleaned asap. When I used the pressure washer, man it just melted all the dirt and grime that was on those areas of my house. I used that krud kutter soap and it was over after that. Easy to assemble, feels durable, very simple to use. Also, I purchased a used one to save money and there was absolutely nothing wrong with it. I want to get more use out of it so I think I'll be washing the cars and update this comment as time goes on.
Not sure I understand the comment but… I wasn’t using an electric washer in this video. They are getting better though! Just not enough for what I do.
I found this very helpful I was just going to go out and work with my pressure washer wearing sneakers.
Now I've got on work boots because you guys reminded me how much pressure is really involved.
I also like that while recognizing that people watching are often novices I don't feel talked down to.
Absolutely! I also struggled to find videos that really got back to the basics and cover some of the “little things” that no one was talking about. Im learning more every time I wash… even a few years later since this was made. Thank you for the kind words!
This is my first time watching your channel. I learned a lot.
You are a natural born teacher!!
[blushing] Oh stop it.
Be very cautious when you first get a pressure washer. You can do a lot of damage if you don't know what you're doing. You can easily destroy vinyl siding and damage the waterproof underlayer if you're not careful.
absolutely!
I literally started pressure washing my porch for the first time ever with crocks on and decided about 5 minutes in that it was probably not the best idea once I felt the stinging of the water bouncing back and hitting my foot.. didn't hurt myself thank God but I think its funny that was the first tip lol
Glad you adjusted and that you still have feet! That was a close one 😉
Gotta get some bistro crocs. I wear them 98% of the time. The rest of the time is in croc flip flops lol
Just started my pressure washing business a few days ago. Thank you for this information.
You’re welcome! Be careful, take your time, don’t compare yourself with others further down the road than you and enjoy it!
My best tips... Throw away the zero degree red tip, immediately. There is no practical use for it. Get a nice heavy duty hose. Do not wash large flat surfaces without a surface cleaner. It's going to do it 10x faster and way nicer while keeping you nearly dry in the process. Get the "smallest" extendable wand(or extensions if you need it to be lighter) to wash houses with, it eliminates almost all the ladder work on your typical house and keeps you much safer and dryer, as you're not blasting the surface immediately next to you. And yes, I said the smallest one that extends, they get super heavy very quickly and practically useless once extended passed 14 feet, at that point you are better off getting ontop of a small A-frame ladder for extra height. Start with the widest tip and work your way down, never use the zero degree red tip that you already threw away(please just forget it even exists), and if need be get a turbo nozzle and try to minimize using that as well, make sure the tip is freely rotating without stopping before you blast anything with the turbo nozzle, which is literally just a rotating zero degree tip, and stay far away from anything fragile (windows, doors, screens, old wooden siding etc). Use chemicals as little as possible (unless you know exactly what you are doing), maintain a constant speed, angle, and distance between 6 to 14 inches. Wash in any order you want, but rinse from top down after blasting away the dirt. Use common sense and you'll get the hang of it in no time.
Check this out for some continued advice. It's solid! thanks for contributing! For those looking for more details like this, I hope to contribute more even though there are so many videos out there. Let's get the basics down first before we get wild out there!
Thanks bro
If you use stripper (highly basic) buy disposable boots. It will literally melt the boots away over time. Then, when the pressure washer is on and you are trying to wash a deck, it will be like walking on ice. Very slippery. Another thing; there is no such thing as a "plant friendly" soap/surfactant. It doesn't exist. By definition, soaps kill microbes; and if they kill the beneficial soil microbes, nutrient cycling is reduced and it stunts the growth of the plants. Try to never get any large amount of concentrated soap in the soil where healthy plants are.
@Alex k
The red tip is uselful for power washing the grease and crap off your motor and in tiny spaces on the engine while especially if your planning on painting it chevy orange for your '70 Nova. Ridiculous tip.
*you're
Enjoyed your video and learning from it and the comments....I have a suggestion...never ever use a power washer without adequate eye protection....it's amazing how much debris flies up from surfaces....
Most people don’t expect this but it’s true! Thanks for the input. Maybe we saved some eyes!
Be careful is a must. I was doing a driveway with steel toe boots being an idiot and sweeping quickly and sliced my leg right above the boot.
It's crazy how fast it can happen!
This helps me a lot man. Thank you.
@@SpencerFoust you're welcome! I hope to have a new video out this month with more stuff I've learned... stick around!
Oh, my!
I am going to do my first power washing tomorrow. What should I wear? Any tips please!
Not sure I got to this in time but just in case: Closed toed protection for feet, pants to cover the legs and something comfortable that can get wet 👍 oh! And I like to wear my Bluetooth capable ear protection too, but that’s not essential
People will say "o yes we have amazing water pressure" and the water will trickle..I always check my gpm and I run a 2.5-3.0gpm 3200-4000 psi set up on residential..It helps keep from any damage..
That’s why I run mine off a buffer tank.
@@jamesg863 I got one of those ibc tanks and bought the fittings and made my own
@@dameronlyon6740 👍 yup, my 35 gallon buffer has a Hudson float valve on top feeding from the supply line, that has two outlets for the pressure washer and softwash. But nonetheless a tank is the best way hands down.
Thank you for the advice, im new to using these tools . I had no idea how unsafe it could be.. You saved my life 😊
Woah. And I thought I was just saving toes! Thanks for the kind words. We all start somewhere
So mix the chemical into the water source instead of putting the chemical into a tank? Does it not go through the pump either way?
@@CP-ok1gv I have a video on this but basically… your pump will last longer if the chemical can going into the hoses after the pump rather than going through it. Using the tank works… (Also have a video on that) just be careful how you use it.
I’m researching pressure washers to start my own little company. Helpful video. Thank you!
Great! I hope it's helpful. These are tips I hadn't heard before myself but there are lots of other videos out there. Just research a lot before you get in too deep! Good luck!
Most guys I know did about 6-9 months of research before they got it down.
I was in business for years and made good money but the work is not easy. I wanted to get rich and I found easier was to do it.
Did you start it? How’s it going if so? I’m thinking the same rn lol
Me too, im gonna try an get myself into this little thing as a sidejob hustle first and see if i can take contracting full time from there, but right now i just want another source of money i can pickup and improve with every now and then and hopefully eventually be full time in.
Just bought a pressure washer today. Hoping to get my business up and running soon. This was very informative
Gl
How's it going to far?
@@Micahshot its going pretty well. I've done 3 pretty big houses so far. Then things slowed down, I'm not focusing on Marketing and advertising to keep customers coming.
@@kingofkings8709 how much did you make from 3 houses?
@@Micahshot I did one for 400, one for 475, and the last one was the largest of the 3 and I charged him 650. The large one took about 7 hours.
I have a 3300psi 2.5 gpm is that good?
Yeah! You can do a lot with that size. Just get accessories that work best with that GPM and PSI
It's years after you posted this VERY helpful video and you may not even see my comment. I'm 73 and decided this morning to pressure wash my patio and rug.... never having experience. I'm seriously thinking i may not engage in PW. Sigh. But thanks for all the cautions.
I did see this encouraging comment and I read appreciate it! I do my best to answer and help any way I can. Don’t be discouraged if you decide not to do it yourself this time. Just be careful when you finally get out there and start spraying!
Very informative especially the upstream part and release the pressure part.
I appreciate it! Also, I have the additional video on down-streaming if you plan to do it. Either way, good luck to you!
I work for a pressure washing company and the machine we have is one of the beastier ones. I can confirm that the do kick when poping pressure, they can do a lot of damage if not careful. The widest tip we have is a 65 but that is a interchangeable tip. Not the adjustable xjet. Both are good but the difference is the xjet has a connection for chemicals. The interchangeable tips the will sometimes come with the pressure washer will have a tip specifically for chemicals. With the xjet you generally have to carry the chemicals with you because the connection is on the xjet. But for the ones we use we can put a chemical connection at the point between the pressure washer and the hose leading to the gun and have the chemicals sit by the pressure washer. The only thing that's a problem with that is if you forget it's connected there and leave it connected and accidentally run chemicals threw surface cleaner or waist chemicals. I would put a turn off valve before the chemical connection and one at the gun as well so you have more control and less waisted chemicals and water.
That millennial dad thanks for the ♥️ I really like how your spreading info I'm kind of new to the job and watched your video to see if I could learn something although what you said would be common sense not everyone thinks about it or will try to avoid it.
Cheers pal about to pressure wash my garden. Thanks from England 👍🏼
Cheers from the southeast USA! Hope it goes/went well! Let me know if you lose a toe or two!
Kidding of course since you saw this.
Your garden? Aren't you going to kill all your plants? Is that what you're trying to do
Hello, thanks for the video. I recently pressure washed my concrete and now have some lines. This looks bad. How can i get these out of the concrete? Thanks
First, to your question, the lines are inevitable when anyone does it by hand. You have a few options to lighten or remove the line. You can go back and continue “sweeping” on them with the tip until the lines are gone, you can buy a small “surface cleaner” attachment to have a larger cleaning area to go over it with better results OR you can go to a pool supply store or hardware store to get chlorinated blach aka pool shock. If you carefully spray this as a “post treatment” it will reduce the lines in the concrete. It would need to be diluted AND applied with a pump sprayer you are ok with not using again…. Maybe ever. Hope that helps!
this was great to the end still not sure about the soap i cleaned the patio kinda can you turn off soap or do you empty the soap out or take hose off for not soap i am a lady 79 years old probabvly could use easy to do help???
If your pressure washer has the soap tank, the SOAP will only come out mixed with the water if you use the "soap" tip that came with your pressure washer. You'll see tips that fit on the wand that are different colors (red, yellow and green are common). The soap tip is black a lot of times. I hope that helps!
How often should a brick house get pressure washed? How long should you wait in between the first-time pressure wash and second time? Had a brick house pressure washed for the first time and was informed a second should be done in three months.
Hello! This depends on where you are in the world and how fast it gets dirty. In the southeast USA, I recommend once a year.
The recommendation sounds… odd! You don’t have to rewash in 3 months unless you are planning to paint or do something specific. There is no advantage to doing it that often due to it being brick. I hope that helps!
I don't have xjet nor downstream yet, can I use a mjc foam cannon? it can adjust how thin or thickness for foam it shoots out
Thanks for the question! Foam cannons are awesome but here are the issues you will have to figure out. Is the pressure washer you have strong enough to push the chemicals/soaps out? It probably is but just check. Will chemicals quickly destroy the foam cannon? Can you get enough chemicals within the foam to actually do the work you need it to do? Will you be able to switch back and forth between soap and water to rinse easily enough to make sure you rinse before the chemicals cause damage or dry? I personally would try other things but I suppose it doesn't hurt to carefully experiment with a non-bleach washing product on your personal property to see what happens! That's just my opinion, be careful out there! Also I have a video about downstreaming... th-cam.com/video/FFsKhOB8HSM/w-d-xo.htmlsi=YUMoz2GWe-fR503B
Great video about pressure washing. I watched alot of different videos and this one is the most knowledgeable
While I have my doubts, I won't argue with that! Thank you!
I bought an electric 2000 psi for my own use from Lowes. Works great, (no gas engine that won't start, no gas to mess with). But use it just at home and own shop for farm equipment to wash. Great buy.
Awesome! I admit that electric is improving. Thanks for sharing!
As an RN I can verify our hero's statement about footwear. An injection injury is hell at first and THEN IT GETS WORSE. There's little to do for it except pain control and cutting away the dead tissue as the days go by. Skin grafts are real fun. Pain at the donor site AND the receiving site. STEEL TOED RUBBER BOOTS and not the cut-rate ones either. Always buy them 3-4 sizes larger than your shoe size. Your feet will thank you.
Our feet appreciate you!
Thanks for the helpful tips. I’m about to get a pressure washer. But most of the ones I’m looking at are about 120 to 140 PSI, I’m guessing you’re talking about some professional versions, not the domestic ones you clean your car or mountain bike with? Or am I getting confused here?
Are you sure they aren’t 1200-1400 psi? Those would be consider “home” and “consumer” grade. 120-140 would be like… a garden hose out of a hose in the USA.
@@ThatMillennialDad thanks for replying. I got mixed up. They are 120-140 Bar. They don’t always say how much psi they are.
@@domtomas1178 you’re welcome. Follow along for more helpful info! And feel free to drop more questions
May I please have a further explanation on the dance part
Keep the want pointing straight down. Or keep at the same distance away from the surface you are washing. If you sweep you are 6 inches away in the middle but on the sweep you 10 inches away creating a patter. So the dance is just taking little steps and moving yourself instead of moving the wand.
@@dalynferguson2582 okay thank you
Would you like me to dance for you? Am I the only one reading into this? Lol
@@ThatMillennialDad nah your reading into it just right
I've noticed (sometimes) after I pressure wash brick surfaces that there's a white chalky, salt looking substance afterwards. What is this and how do I prevent? Am I "burning" the brick with too high a mix? Not rinsing enough, or soon enough?Thank u!
Great question but tricky to answer! I’ll try my best. Sometimes the “chalky” look is something you put onto the outside (sodium hypochlorite for example can dry like salt) of the block and sometimes it’s from inside the block (usually efflorescence) due to reactions of moisture pushing through the block. Hard to know which one it is but if you are soft washing with a mix, it’s possible that it’s reacting with the concrete mix of the block itself.
Maybe it needs more rinsing?
I’d experiment with a small section of the next one with different mixes in an out-of-view area. Try it without a mix, then with a different percentage, then maybe with a different product?
Also consider if it’s concrete block or brick/masonry. I’ve seen it before and it’s not a one size fits all answer. I hope that helps!
Dont need to say anything, except Thank You. Sure glad I listened before I started this project. I have already ruined the front of my old house with a pressure washer I borrowed. Wish I could find a computer guy like you. They all take it for granted that you know what this, that, or the other is. When you have no, I repeat, NO knowledge of what they are telling you to do.
@@CharlotteWaters-dm3yl this comment means a lot and Im grateful for the kind words. I really did try to do my best to make this for people out there with no prior experience. With that in mind, what’s a follow up video to this that YOU wish existed? Or a recommendation?
I live off a dirt road with a white vinyl siding and its stained so bad. Im at a loss of what to use to get the brown yellow stains off. Everybody in the neighborhood thought my house was yellow.😢
@@joe89chev this is a tough one. Water alone will not get it… and SOME chemicals are able to at least lighten the stains. Good luck! I have had to invest in chemicals to have any luck.
We have mold on cement siding. Recommended soap or chemicals?
With cement siding, my first question is going to be “Is it painted? If so, with what?” Just be careful about what’s directly under the mold. Considering it’s mold, you are going to need something like Sodium Hypochlorite (chlorinated bleach) to kill it since mold is organic and spreads with spores. If you don’t do it all of it, it will simply pop up somewhere else soon. Soap is just there to hold it on longer… so that would depend on what you choose to kill it. Know what you mix or it could be deadly! For example, any bleach with any sort of ammonia (found in some dish soaps and detergents) can create deadly gas! Hope that helps!
@@ThatMillennialDad
Wouldn't the siding be painted with a version of Kilz to seal the cement before it's painted with the color paint like Behr??
@@kristinatidwell6563 I have found that many newer homes actually use the minimum amount of primer and paint… one coat of each so it’s very easy for mold and other things to stain and permeate the paint. I would hope that your suggestion is the case, but unfortunately it’s usually only the case in specific areas or where the homeowner has repainted. I hope that makes sense
Oh my! 😂😂😂
My husband bought me a second hand commercial pressure washer on Friday (he’s supporting me to start my business) and was teaching me how to use it and some points were like listening to him!
- go get your gumboots on
- dance with the wand
- point away from the surface
Great video! 👍🏼
Now, I found you because I’m trying to find how does the ball valve works (supposedly it’s to not have to turn the pump off/on to change the nozzle?)
But when turned off we can’t release the pressure off the wand, no water comes out, but there’s also not a last 💦 with pressure.
Do you have a video on this and how it works? Meaning what are we to expect?
Thanks!
Thanks for the comment and sharing your points! I'm working on an updated video to share more stuff I've learned so I' hope you'll stick around!
About the ball valve, its all about where you place it and how you have it set up. It should be; Pressure washer (and or reel if you're on a trailer) > quick connects from pump to pressure hose > pressure rated hose > quick connects from hose to valve > the ball valve > quick connects from valve to wand > wand > tips
I hope that makes sense! Either way, it's a great idea for a video that I should make! I've shown the ball valve in videos but I don't think I've ever explained it!
Can you recommend the size unit I should buy to do a stucco home?
I tried using a cheap unit and it was useless yet at the same time I’ve heard to big of a unit could cause damage
Thanks
@@Farner49 I think a unit that’s between 2000-3500 psi going for 2-3 gallons per minute (GPM) is great for household use. That’s just my opinion! Good luck!
Thanks for this great video. Very interesting. I used a pressure washer at a client friend's place the other day, having never ever used one before. I pushed the trigger and it sprayed fine, but then I let it go and then pressed it again and it wouldn't respond to that for a while. Then after a while I pressed the trigger again and it sprayed. Then I let it go and when I pressed it again it wouldn't spray again. Any ideas why this would happen, why I couldn't just press the trigger whenever I wanted to blast water?
This one is interesting. How long did you wait in between stopping and trying to spray? Water pumps need some time to “load”… it sounds like it’s changing gears once you go to spray. That said, it could be a lot of things. The pressure washer motor, the water pump, the water flow from the source (like a house), the washer could simply be dying… I wish I could help!
I’d start with my sure there is good water flow going to the washer and making sure you have good oil in the pressure water motor AND water pump… and go from there.
@@ThatMillennialDad I didn't time how long I had to wait. The second time it didn't respond to my pushing the trigger, I just gave up, disconnected the hose and unplugged the pressure washer, and then just washed everything with just a hose and nozzle. There was a slow leak where the hose connects to the pressure washer, that probably didn't help. It has an on/off pedal, looks like every other time you push it you turn it on and every other time you push it you turn it off. Like a toggle switch. So you can't tell if you're turing it on or off. But I pressed it and then the trigger many times, and no spray for a while after I let go of the trigger. It might well have kept spraying if I'd kept holding onto the trigger, who knows.
Great video!
Had a quick question…
What pressure setting would you recommend to wash a brick home built in 1995? Any specific cleaner best? I know you said they can damage the pump. I was going to use “mean green”.
Thanks for any help, God bless
You’re welcome and thanks for the comment!
Getting to the questions:
-for the SETTING, pay attention to the degree number/color of the tip. For brick, I would try the 25 degree/green tip and be careful with your distance (like in the b-roll of the video). If the brick is in good condition, this shouldn’t be a problem but be cautious as you go.
- As far as the chemical, something like “mean green” can help. If you are going to spray it through your pressure washer, make sure you rinse it when you are done by putting water in the soap tank. Some of their products do have diluted chlorinated bleach in them. That’s what will rust things from the inside out if you’re not careful! Brick doesn’t need a specific cleaner, but I’ll note that some of those common cleaners make it a little easier since it’s a very porous surface.
I hope that helps and I hope you’ll follow along to check out the videos I have planned for the near future!
Could somebody clarify what he means by HE or se on the concrete Is he talked about a Sullivan
Would you mind sharing the timestamp by just typing the time that I mention it? I might have mentioned "SH" which is short for Sodium Hypochlorite? It's also called "pool shock".
@@ThatMillennialDad Thank you much appreciated
What soap is good for the upstream on the Ryobi?
@@nicholaspiela4864 Great question! Soap works best in a Milwaukee but if you’re on a budget, get yourself some Amish hand-churned butter cream. Gets the toughest stains out every time.
I’m coming late to the game, but I just bought a Greenworks Pro 2700 PSI Electric Power Washer. Please share your thoughts on doing windows. We have huge 2 story windows along the back of our house which are covered with screen tinting. We had a windstorm awhile back causing all of our windows to need cleaning. Since the windows are so tall and big, I purchased the power washer mainly to reach them and keep them clean. Which sprayer should I use for our 1st and 2nd story screened picture windows? I’m assuming that I fan out and just barely apply pressure. The main reason I bought the washer is to keep our windows clean.
I’ll do my best to answer this so that it helps: There are a lot of specifics to your situation that make it hard to say “do this” or “don’t do that”. Screen tinting, size, height, etc. Pressure washing will get the water up there but it depends on how you define “clean” as well. Correct, don’t use a lot of pressure (wider tip), keep your distance and consider using a basic soap solution to help work for you instead of depending only on water. Good luck!
Could you connect a rain water barrel to a psi 1800 power washer? Would it work properly? Thank you
Great question! For most washers that size, it would not work from a barrel unless there was enough pressure from a very large tank that would be comparable to the PSI comity out of a home. The exception to this would be if the water pump on your washer was BELT driven. Most pumps on 1800 psi washers are not belt driven. They call them “direct drive”. Thanks for the question and I hope you’ll follow along for other videos!
I just got a pressure washer from Lowe’s and the O-ring is leaking water everywhere. I put a new one in, but I’m not sure if it’s the right one because it’s still leaking. How am I supposed to know which one to use?
@@jane2100 depends where it’s leaking! There are 2 common size of orings used (that I replace all of the time) with pressure washing hoses and wands. There’s a size that fits the hose and a smaller size that fits the end of the wand where the top goes in. Maybe bring the old one with you to a store to match it if possible? Then there are garden hose o rings and others that are changed less often.
Can I power wash the eaves? They are perforated and wouldn't water get up in there? Can I use Wet n Forget in a power washer?
Thanks for the question! I would NOT power wash the soffit (underside) portion of the eaves even if they are looking dirty. I softwash them (downstreaming chemicals, low pressure) for customers and am carful to shoot at an angle so I don't essentially create mud in their soffit and attic that ends up weeping out. Wet N Forget will work pretty good too and you could carefully follow up with a garden hose making sure not to shoot directly into it. Good luck!
Do you need to shut the machine down when you are switching tips for different surfaces?
Usually if you are just switching the tips at the end of the wand, then no. Just don’t leave it running for very long if you aren’t spraying! Up to 30 seconds usually won’t cause problems
Thanks for the vid. I have my very first preassure washing job coming up. It's a small patio and a around a swimming pool with a rocky floor. I don't have a round surface cleaner. Is it a bad idea to just wash it with the wand?
Hey Juan! Is it a bad idea? No. It will mean that it will take you longer and you have the possibility of having a hard time getting it to be cleaned evenly… but it’s possible using the correct tip while being conscious of your tip distance. Be careful but flat surfaces are a good place to get practice. Also, I’d recommend take some time to practice where you live if possible. Don’t forget to keep spraying and do NOT let the washer idle for too long while you wash. Keep the water flowing while it’s on unless you have a larger belt driven commercial washer. Maybe with the money from this job, you could reinvest in get a smaller surface cleaner? Where I am, I can get a 14 inch round attachment for about $150 USD.
Never thought about footwear
I did an experiment that I’m looking forward to uploading in the future. It was… scary.
Hay Bro. ! You had some really good stuff to say about the up & down streaming that 's pretty important ,,.. And I don't recall anybody covering that before. thanks
You're welcome! I did try to mention some things that I specifically hadn't heard people talking about. Thanks for the comment!
Got a pressure washing question. Say theres a hill and a street goes up it with houses and their curbs going along the street. If I wash a curb and later either weeks or months I come back and do a curb higher on the street and the runoff goes to the previously cleaned curb. What should I do about the runoff now that it has messed up a previously clean curb?
Great question! This gets more into business practices and setting customer expectations. When you say a curb, if you mean the concrete runoff gutters along road and driveways in subdivisions… they don’t stay clean and I believe it’s unfair for a customer to expect you to “maintain” their curb if you do other jobs. Runoff and others things will inevitably dirty it up. Cleaning curbs is a courtesy… because in most cases, it’s not technically their property anyway! Also, be careful of your ordinances and how strict your state is about water collection and recycling if runoff is going into public sewers! It depends where you are. Best of luck and I hope you’ll subscribe for what’s to come!
@@ThatMillennialDad Ok thats what I was thinking and glad to know I got an experts approval. Gonna sub now.
I love tips 😂😊. This was a great video!
I appreciate that! YOURE WELCOME 😄
Thank you so much from someone who has no idea what or how to do this. You are a Godsend.
You’re absolutely welcome. We’ve all been there! I hope you’ll follow along/subscribe for other helpful info… and sharing of stuff you don’t need at all!
SO WHAT CUT YOUR FOOT OPEN WHEN YOU WERE WASHING IN YOUR FLIP FLOPS
WHY ARE WE YELLING ALSO BE CAREFUL WITH THE RED TIP MY FOOT IS OK
Awesome video and great tips. 👍
Honestly before this video I was about to do some of your NOT TO DO list 😅
Now I won't! thanks
Glad I could help! Be safe out there and enjoy the shower 😉
One question, what do you mean by sweep, I’m a little confused? 🤔
With full understanding that this could be trolling or sarcastic… imagine sweeping a floor. A you are creating a pendulum therefore… the tip is closer to the ground in the middle and further away on the extension of your “sweep”… so you leave streaks on concrete. ✌️
Just received a karcher water pressure 1800 psi and the soap is not dispensing?
If it’s a built-in soap tank underneath, check to make sure 1) you are using the correct “soap tip” 2) everything is hooked up and filled up underneath so that the tube is reaching the soap and 3) that the soap itself is approved for that washer type. That’s where I’d start!
Excellent covering all the most important points I’m learning a lot.
I appreciate the comment and I hope it leads to good things for you.
So when people have 8gpm + pressure washers do they use tanks and fill it with customers water first and then refill it once it’s empty with the customers hose or water reservoir once it’s empty and repeat?
Thanks for the comment! So usually for pros, we/they carry a large water tank and simultaneously fill and draw from it while washing. (Carrying it full can be an enormous weight! Many tow the tank 1/3 full or less) They can do this using something like a Hudson valve that automatically shuts off the water once the tank is full. 8gpm can drain a 250gallon tank pretty fast so it’s constantly refilling.
Absolutely. Preferably wellies, waterproofs, eye protectors, old clothes. First time I did it I was covered in dirt.
Way more dirt than we ever expect…
Thank you. My worn 40 year old roof tiles, as i type is being pressure cleaned.. to then be painted with 2 coats paint. I never expected such a mess.. literally everywhere, on every surface. 👀
You’re welcome! Yeah, those roof tiles can get really nasty over time. I hope that went well and that you’re roof is in good shape 👍
I have white cars , one of them havent been used for along time , the paint built up black dots like a tuff black stain on the paint , What features for the water pressure machine you recommend me to buy when it comes to the PSI , 2030 PSI would do it ?or i need a stronger pressure for it ? Gonna be using a house backyard water tap for it, Thanks.
With a standard pressure washer around that psi strength, it should come with different colored tips. If you have stains, I’d actually see if you can get them off with soap and sponge first. If not, Do NOT get too close and try a 40 degree tip (white color here in the USA) and see if anything comes off. But be warned, that sort of staining means the paint is fading and there is not clear coat protection. You could easily strip paint off and I don’t want you to do that. Be careful!
So my Ryobi pressure washer has a tank included but it has a letter that says no bleach so I'm assuming that's an upstream injector is it possible to reroute it and use it as a downstream injector?
Great question! Yes, that means that it has a small injection valve that is built into the pump (underneath). You can purchase a separate “downstream injector” kit that is the appropriate size, in gallons per minute, for your washer. If you choose to buy that kit, make sure it comes with the correct size of “soap tip”. If not, you’ll need to buy one of those as well. If you were going to use this setup a lot, I’d recommend that you use quick connect fittings for your injector and hoses to make life easier. (If not, maybe just make a safe mix for a one time use through a pump sprayer for what you are cleaning). Rerouting is really about getting the fittings to match up so that the injector is in line with your pressure hose outside of your pump. Make sure that whatever you inject is diluted appropriately but… this would accomplish what you want.
My electric pressure washer has a soap tank. I confirmed it's a downstream system and the soap doesn't go through the pump. The soap is syphoned with a ball valve venturi and mixed with water after the pump.
Kudos to you for taking the time to investigate how your washer works! Best of luck
I'm glad you didn't add any video on it, because then we'd get to see it.
Me too... me too
Today I started my 4000psi 4gpm Powerhorse pressure washer for the first time......I was not ready. Everything I thought I learned went out the window. Cause yeah that sweeping....I was sweeping like I was trying to get gum up with a regular broom smh. I see you have to keep it at an upright angle at the same level. And yeah 4gpm is a lot of water, muddied my lawn. Also tried my turbo nozzle out........😬. This video helped me out a lot. Thanks man. Tomorrow will be better.
Hey, Now you’ve got practice under your belt! It’s a whole new experience when you actually start the washer and things get really loud and messy. Tomorrow will be better!
So, I've pressure washed 2 houses and used sandals and that's 100% true. Not only did I sweep my foot, but you also get brush burns basically from your feet being soaked with dirt and tiny pebbles that get in your sandal because your feet move around a lot in them while they're wet
You are brave… you have learned… and thank you for confirming my point! 😆 I hope you’ll stick around for what I have planned. Best of luck out there!
@@ThatMillennialDad I don't know about brave. But I sure learned my lesson :)
@@Jay-Kaizo hey, going outside seems to be an act of courage in 2024… right? Haha.
What pressure do you recommend for brick?
Factors to help you answer that: Is it painted? Is the mortar in between the bricks in good condition or already cracking/falling out? What type of brick (rough or smooth at least)? Roughly, how old is the brick? IF THE BRICK IS OLD OR DAMAGED, I would recommend NOT using any pressure. If painted, use caution! For those situations, softwashing and/or using a scrubbing brush of some sort. That's just from my experience. (I was using about 3000 psi with a 25 degree tip on my own house in this video.)
@@ThatMillennialDad Great answer thank you I appreciate it.
@@billyflanagan9657 You're welcome! I hope you'll follow along and ask more questions when they come up!
I have a question. Is it possible to hook an electric pressure washer up to the washing machine water spicket, and it still work? The washing machine water spicket is smaller than the standard outdoor spicket attached to house, and the washing machine spicket has a smaller interior hole that is a hexagon. Because of this.. when I turn the nozzle on… the water shoots out of the washing machine spicket incredibally powerfully. So two questions:
- is it even possible to hook a pressure washer up to the washing machine water connector to begin with?
- will the high pressure of the water coming out of the washing machine spicket somehow damage the pressure washer once I connect it?
Thanks
Well this is a unique set of questions! Thanks for asking! So for the washer spigot; A) is it possible to hook it up? Well I’m pretty confident the male/female threads are the wrong size you’ll have to get adapters to make it fit. So yes, that is technically possible with or without adapting the hose. B) Regarding the pressure washer, the pressure of water coming out of that spigot should be around the same as coming out around the rest of your house. It’s just the same water pressure as the rest of the house coming out at smaller hole. That said, the only way that hurts the pressure washer is if there is too LITTLE water feeding into the pressure washer. Pay attention to GPM on your washer. Most electric ones don’t pull huge amounts but this depends on how reliable the home water pressure is. Thanks for the comment!
@@ThatMillennialDad thank you. I appreciate the reply.
@@user-qs6xn1oy5d absolutely! You're welcome
Thanks about the closed toe tip. Was about to step into the flip flops..
@@JasonL-hr2hb flip flops are great… until you don’t have any toes to hold them on!
I have a simpson premium pressure washer (honda 190) 3200 psi. How do I go about figuring if its downstream or up stream? Thanks! New sub!
Welcome and thank you! Well most Simpson brand washers with a soap tank are considered upstream. While soap doesn't flow through the entire water pump (the thing under or behind the motor that the hose hooks into), it does get in there. Will it ruin it? Not if you are careful and put water in that little tank and flush it through. Downstream involves additional attachments. I'll leave a link to another video I made about this topic. I hope it helps!
Here's that link I mentioned
th-cam.com/video/FFsKhOB8HSM/w-d-xo.html
@@ThatMillennialDad thank you so much!!
@@ThatMillennialDad one more question if you don’t mind. Like I mentioned before. I bought the 3200 psi simpson with honda 190. My question is how big of a surface am i able to use with it? I have a Ryobi 12” but was wondering if i could go bigger with it? Something wider.
@@zoemaravilla2538 I’ve heard it said that you can do 4 inches for every Gallon per minute of your machine. 12 inches needs close to 3 GPM to fully work its best. Your size is probably less than 3gpm but should work ok. Don’t go bigger though!
Question...for a decent power washer (i have a Simpson 3000 psi) how many hours can you realistically expect to use a power washer before the pump blows up? I've heard with typical use an maintenance,some pressure washer pumps only last about 100-150 hours of use. If your running a power washing side-business,that 100-150 hours could be used up in a month! Any advice on how long to expect a pump to last and how to keep it from breaking down? Thanks!
Great question! The simple answer is “it depends”. Mostly, I has to do with the quality of the manufacturing and how well you maintain it. If you always have water running to it while it’s on, change the oil at recommended intervals, don’t let it idle for long periods, and generally treat it well… I would HOPE it last longer than that. It just depends! I’ve seen some lay less but they were “bargain” washers to begin with. My 4gpm unit is on its second Annovi Reverberi pump but I used it well over 250 hours and I bought it used. Not what you wanted but i hope that helps!
@@ThatMillennialDad thanks! Makes sense,i will try to maintain it well.
@@dwade6322 you’re welcome. You got this 💪
I am only a beginner at pressure washing I am 12 years old I am going to use the Greenworks 1800 PSI 1.1-Gallon-GPM Cold Water Electric Pressure Washer is that good for washing walk ways
Hey! Thanks for the comment. Can that size washer clean the walkways? Yes! Will it do it quickly? No. Remember to slide, don’t sweep 😉 I’d recommend taking your time, wearing good shoes and even pants, wear some glasses to protect your eyes and use the 25 degree green tip. There are other tips and attachments out there for your “wand” to make it go faster but that requires money! Oh… and sunscreen is good too since it will take a while.
@@ThatMillennialDad thanks you and I know to take my time and I won’t be that fast.
@@W0uldyouRather0957 then you are set! Good luck
Hey just curious do u use your own water or do u use the customer water ?
Hey! Great question! Short answer: Both. To be fair, MOSTLY customer water. Once you get past 4 gallons per minute, it’s hard to finish a job on just one large tank of water. Example: I tried gallons the other day and one 2000 sq ft home softwash took just over 600 gallons to wash and rinse using an 8 gallon per minute unit. Using that much goes faster but it means you need something refilling your tank as you go. Hope that helps!
Thank you for sharing those tips. Appreciated!
@@shirleyrauscher8232 you’re welcome!
I am new to pressure washing (don't even own one yet) - so this is probably a silly question.
I want to wash my vehicle's engine but I don't want to use water - is it possible to run something like a de-greaser or diesel etc through a high pressure washer (instead of water)?
Thanks for the question! I would not recommend putting anything through the washer other than water. Downstreaming allows to add to the water (see other video on my channel) but the pumps are made for water. Honestly I do not know FOR SURE but I highly highly highly doubt this is possible. Great idea though! There are electric fluid pumps out there that could do this for you...
There’s a residential grade gas pressure washer (Ryobi 3300psi 2.3gpm) that I am really interested in, but it only holds 1/4 gallon of gas. It has a feature where it automatically idles down when the trigger is released which saves gas. I’m not doing any huge home projects other than the normal siding, decking, windows, and concrete. How long will 1/4 gallon last? It just seems like I will have to refill it very often. Your thoughts… Great informative video btw.
I have an secondary washer with a similar tank. Mine is 2.5 GPM at 3100PSI. I have to refill after about 20 minutes of run time. It’s annoying but I put up with it when I need to. You also can upgrade it to a larger one if you have any small engine/handyman know how. Just have to buy the appropriate parts and be ok with it looking weird. And thanks!!!
@@ThatMillennialDad thanks for the reply. I just made the purchase yesterday. The pros (Honda GCV 190 idle down motor, 50’ hose included, adjustable nozzle) outweigh the one con of having a small gas tank.
@@ralphmilleriii9957 Best of luck! You're welcome! Those honda engines are great.
I need to get pain off cedar Simon my garage. It seems to pass over paint in some parts and dig into the wood in others
Pressure washers are not the recommended way to remove paint from cedar siding. I’d recommend exploring safe chemical options first
Very helpful tips. Thank you!
@@susanepstein5874 you’re welcome!
I painted my exterior brick/ slump block, turned out darker that I wanted. Can I power wash with bleach to lighten the color a few shades? I don't want to repaint.
While I feel a little out of my field here, I know that you can did a little more TH-cam research about products that could help speed up the fading process of paint. Bleach will help that but keep in mind that it’s hard to control it being an even fade. The pro recommendation is to simply paint again but there are diy workarounds. Just not sure which one is efficient and most common.
A homeowner should never got a pressure washer larger than 2800psi. Love to see your downstream set up and demo!
I’ve got to get to it! Stick around and it’ll happen!
Why should a home owner never get higher than 2,800psi? What if I'm tearing apart my motor and I need to clean off all the grease lol that's what I'm looking for one for. And for washing my cars
@@obsessivegarage921
it may remove the paint off of your car!
What is a good pressure washer for a beginner?I am thinking about gettin into it
No sense in getting too much. Rather than the brand, I look for who they bought the motor and water pump from. I prefer Honda small engines so I look for that first. Again, not something too powerful or too expensive to get started. Good luck!
How much should I charge per square foot starting??
Well this depends on what you are washing, your market and frankly... what you can handle. There is a range. I have seen one "standard range" where I am is between 10-25 cents (USD) per sq ft depending on factors. so 5000 sq ft could be between $500-$1250 depending on many things. I'm not the expert, but I've found the healthy spot for my market with experience and sometimes getting turned down!
Can you adjust the output pressure on the washer and can you adjust how much cleaner is injected into the washer?
I can’t speak for all pressure washers but for MOST of them, Yes you can. The output is USUALLY controlled by either engine throttle, something called the unloader valve or by the tips used (when speaking to PSI).
@@ThatMillennialDad Thanks.
@@munsters2 you’re welcome!
Thank you for the video by the way it was very helpful
@@jane2100 you’re welcome! Thanks for coming along for the adventure 🤘Good luck out there #savethetoes
Isn't there something about Electric Pressure Washers about not letting the pump run idle for even a short period of time. May burn out the pressure pump. Some videos say this is mentioned in the Owners Manuals. Thanks for these tips, thinking about getting one in the future.
Yeah, you're right! No matter if it is electric or gas powered, idling or running it without water are both really bad for the water pump. And you're welcome!
Im starting a waterblasting business and im 15 is it a good business to start off from?
Thanks for reaching out! The short answer is… I think it’s great but that’s what works for me. If you’re 15, you’ll need some support if you want to make it a business. See what you can learn and who can help! You do need equipment at first and some knowledge about how to safely use a pressure washer and about the surfaces you are cleaning. The the most challenging part is being careful and not losing lots of money from damage you could do. Be safe and keep learning!
I am a renter and the driveway/parking area here is extremely uneven and has several large dips. The dirt really accumulates in the indents as does ice in the winter. There is so much dirt in the dips that when it rains dirty water splashes up on my car and it becomes quite dirty.
How can I clean this uneven surface with a pressure washer? Do I clean out the gullies first and then the rest of the driveway? Do you have a recommended approach?
I appreciate any advice you can give me. Thanks
Thanks for asking! There are lots of different tip sizes and attachments you could use to get the job done faster or less messy based on your budget. That’s a long topic but just know that “surface cleaners” spin and make it go faster. As far as the approach, I would work downhill to use gravity to your advantage. Sometimes using an edger to clear out along the edges along the parking area will allow the water to flow out better but you can only do so much in these scenarios. Regarding the gullies, I would deep clean them first (fast so you don’t puddle too much water), the do the driveway, then come back last to rinse out what runs back into the gullies for a final touch up.
@@ThatMillennialDad That is very helpful. Keeping the water from running back into the dips is key. Thank you so much.
💥 5:46 if the pressure washer generates 2,000 psi where does 3,000 psi temporarily come from at any point in time?
Only facts should be quoted continuously in order to keep all of what you say trusted and respected. Now how do I weed out what’s accurate or not here.?? “In my opinion”…??
Addressed this and other concerns in other comments but… just here trying to to help people. Unscripted and not trying to hold to specifics while doing my best to get actual points across.
Noted and thanks for the comment!
Hi there just had a question. Im going to be starting a power washing business in the spring here in Michigan. I'm worried about what chemicals to use for different types of cleaning jobs. I've been told not to use bleach of houses that are painted or any thing that has a color other than white. Is that true? And also is it environmentally safe to use just regular old bleach or is there a certain type of bleach that I should use?? I was leaning more away from bleach and order some environmentally friendly chemicals on Amazon. Im just confused as to what chemicals to use. Thank you
That’s a great thing to a lot of research about. Bleach coils discolor paint depending on how long it sits and/or the type of paint with consideration of how diluted it is. That said, “SH” is chlorinated bleach also known as pool shock. It works great but in Michigan you won’t be dealing with as much black mold and algae growing on homes so you have more options. Alternatives vary in prices but it’s up to you. If you can find something else that works, I’d advise NOT using bleach if you are in doubt about it. Learn about what the factors are about if it’s safe or not to use it… and if you ever use it, never let it dry or sit too long on anything painted. Do more research! Thanks for the comment!
I appreciate this video, just landed a job so I am happy to GOD for it.
Will subscribe and view all of your videos. Would you say that the green tip is appropriate for a building that is not that dirty???
You’re welcome! I appreciate it. The green tip is usually 25 degree and is commonly used BUT it’s not necessarily best for every washing. Have you considered downstreaming an appropriate chemical if it’s not that dirty so you don’t have to use pressure? I have a video on that. Also, consider the condition of the surface before you spray it at all!
@@ThatMillennialDad I have to watch your video, I am not familiar with the process, thank you for sharing this.
If I have any questions, would it be okay to reach out to you???
@@renostubbs8504 sure! I’ll do my best to help
My dad, my son, my husband, and my brother in law are all gone. I have no idea how to do any of this stuff. So I'm going to give it a try.
You are not alone! Cheering for you! Feel free to ask questions or scroll through the comments after you watch to see what’s helpful!
What psi would be good for stucco without damaging it
Use as low as possible! I only do “softwashing” with stucco. Are you familiar with downstreaming? I made a video about it that could be helpful to you. (Injectors, j-rod and more info there) link in the description I believe, not too hard to find
Hi sir. Good video. I was working on getting an old pressure washer running and my neighbor came by to ask if i could pressure wash his house and pay me after i got it running. So I did get it running and now i have never pressure washed anything but I have heard to be cautious since my machine is 3500 PSI... how much would this kind of work charge the customer? And what kind of suggestion of caution ? Should i just stand further away or use a less aggressive nozzle? I'd say the house is two story and probably no more than 1200 sq feet if that matters....
We if you look through some of the comment section you might find more helpful info. The summary is that it’s hard to know what you can charge someone fairly. Lots of factors but most of all… has anyone charge you for your house in your area? Do you have a gauge of what companies charge? You shouldn’t charge more than them of course but that gives you an idea. Since it’s your first time, I would think of it as a really valuable learning experience where you are really REALLY careful. Stay back and use the widest tip possible but DONT do it if what you are washing seems damaged or like it’s not worth the risk. Don’t chase the money! Chase the knowledge.
Woah I appreciate TH-cam so much for these type of videos ! Thank you
You are very welcome! Thanks for commenting liking and subscribing! Also… Thanks for being safe out there :-)
Another fun fact! If you have a higher Gallon Per Minute (GMP) machine and your water supply cannot feed it at that gpm rate, then the pressure washers pump can seize up. It can run dry, run to fast or overheat. Definitely be mindful of the gpm number.
Absolutely! Don’t underestimate it!!!
Ran into this the other day. Just used a different supply and got lucky. Wonder how to prevent this without a buffer tank?
@@ZAP719 Id say it’s simply one of the risks of not running a buffer tank. You could either have a smaller washer that pulls less water OR MAYBE get fancy and tap into other/multiple alternative supplies for water? All of that might not work, thankfully it’s uncommon in the USA where I’m at. I just run into Well water for farms out in the country that can’t supply as much as home on city water. Less pressure but not problematic
*too
hey man great vid im planning on getting a 4200 psi washer and starting out by doing a family members house my question is how can you get gum stains off with just water is it possible? i live in California only issue id have with law is the storm drains i hear i can use a boat pump to help any advice? thank you so much in advance man
As long as you know what the surface is and are aware of how it can be affected, Gum stains usually need steam or heat. So water yes… but needs heat too from what I know. I’m not aware of one but there could be a chemical that helps loosen it too? And yeah, check the laws. Getting pumps for a tank you carry is “simple” but you just have to plan for that if your drainage is going back to public sewers. Sometimes if it’s only water, it’s not really an issue but introducing chemicals is when you need to be aware and read up. Good luck!
Nice tips Seth Rogen. My nightmare is tearing up a floor and being liable for damages.
My nightmare is showing up to wash a house with no pants… oh and you’re welcome!