Do You Need Soap for Pressure Washer?

Pressure washing is effortless–with the right equipment, you can point your wand, spray, and watch grime float away.

However, businesses often make a common mistake when they start: they forget to use soap.

Do you need soap for pressure washers?

Look, you don’t need to use soap with a pressure washer, the same way you don’t need to stretch before exercising or look both ways before crossing the street. It’s still a good idea to do these things, though! And if you’re serious about saying goodbye to gunk, rust, and oil, you need soap.

So, learn how to choose which detergent to use, do you need special soap for pressure washers, and do you need to dilute soap for pressure washers below.

If you need assistance, contact our team at RJP Hotsy New Jersey! We are the only place in NJ to find Hotsy soaps, the best pressure washer chemicals on the market. We’ll set you up with the best soaps to get cleaning results faster than you could imagine.

Can You Pressure Wash With Just Water?

Once you experience the unparalleled cleaning power of a pressure washer for the first time, you might feel invincible. Finally, your business has a reliable way to clean dirt, grime, and oil in the blink of an eye without tearing up your knees for hours scrubbing surfaces.

The truth is, those results are only possible with soap.

Do you need soap for pressure washers?

No, but you’re restricting your cleaning power unnecessarily by choosing not to use detergent.

Limitations of Water-Only Pressure Washing

Okay, but I’ve been getting results with water only. Do you need soap for pressure washers when water does the trick?

Even if a job can be done “good enough,” that doesn’t mean you should stay stagnant. Trying to pressure wash commercial property without soap is just asking to add extra hours of cleaning onto your schedule.

There are some extraordinarily stubborn stains on your property. Year-old grease, rust, or biological growths will laugh off your attempts at clearing them with water alone.

In extreme cases, using water pushes stains deeper into your surfaces.

Using water without soap is like cutting a steak with a spoon. You can technically do it, but you’ll just get frustrated.

Do You Have a Hot or Cold Water Pressure Washer?

Do you need special soap for pressure washers? The answer depends, based on the water temperature.

Business owners often see both sides of the hot vs cold water pressure washer debate regarding cleaning power. Hot water models are preferred for industrial settings, as they can handle rust, oil, and grease.

However, cold water models can be nearly as effective when paired with soap.

Do you need to dilute soap for pressure washers?

You don’t need as much dilution if you have a hot water model. Cold water machines require extra dilution to work their magic.

Either way, your power washer will be far more effective with a reliable detergent, so don’t rely on water alone.

Situations Where Water Alone Might Be Enough

There must be some circumstances where I can get away with water alone. Do you need soap for pressure washers to get the best results, no matter what?

If you’re between detergent tubs and want to get rid of dirt, you can get away with water alone. With more power than a standard garden hose, you can quickly clean up a surface and go on with your day.

But this is a short-term solution. It’s like popping some breath mints instead of brushing your teeth—a temporary fix that leaves you open to long-term damage.

Once you fire up your power washer, you may as well throw some soap in the mix–you’ll get faster results for a similar amount of effort.

Why Do You Need Soap for Pressure Washer?

Okay, but why do you need soap for pressure washers?

In commercial settings, the stains take no prisoners. Each stain on a property has been lingering there for weeks, months, and sometimes years on end. They won’t go away without a fight.

Soap and the molecules within it are your secret weapons against these stains.

How Soap Breaks Down Tough Stains

Every nightmarish stain on your property has its fair share of weaknesses, even if water alone is rarely enough.

Pressure washer detergent is specially formulated to deal with these stains. The chemical mix within is tailor-made to lift particles from dirt, rust, grease, or oil and carry them away from your surface.

As this microscopic battle happens on your property, just a few moments pass for you. In the blink of an eye, you watch the stains magically disappear without breaking much of a sweat.

Enhancing Cleaning Efficiency and Effectiveness

But why do you need soap for pressure washers if water eventually gets you similar results?

The answer is simple. Time is money.

Pressure washer soap dramatically reduces cleaning time.

Soap also gives you better results. You won’t just be kicking up the dirt on the surface–you’ll be penetrating deep within to remove stains.

Protecting Surfaces While Cleaning

Using detergent isn’t only about removing stains. Many pressure washer soaps are blended to protect your surfaces.

As you let your soap soak into the material, it’ll create a buffer layer on top. Once you finish, your surface will be less prone to scratches.

Disinfecting in Addition to Cleaning

In today’s world, keeping your property sanitized is essential for any business.

When you add soap, you eliminate harmful microorganisms from your property. Many commercial-grade pressure washer soaps contain disinfectants that destroy bacteria and viruses.

These soaps even leave behind a protective barrier, allowing you to complete two tasks simultaneously and save time sanitizing your property.

Choosing the Right Pressure Washer Soap for the Job at Hand

Okay, so do you need soap for pressure washers?

Yes, you do. But the real question to ask is, which soap should you choose?

Figuring out what soap to use in a pressure washer requires research. We’ll break down the specifics for you.

We recommend Hotsy soaps, regardless of which blend you need. Hotsy’s biodegradable soaps have everything you need to tackle stains safely and effectively.

Types of Soaps for Different Cleaning Tasks

There are few “one-size-fits-all” soaps in the power washing world. Ideally, the more specific you get with your stains, the better.

Here’s a breakdown of soaps based on the types of stains you’re dealing with:

General Purpose: Hotsy Breakthrough!, Hotsy Verde All-Purpose
Grease: Hotsy Citrus Clean, Hotsy Ripper I, II, or III, Hotsy Duct Boss
Oil: Hotsy Yellow Fever, Hotsy Brown, Hotsy Carbochlor, Hotsy Liquid Foamer
Concrete: Hotsy Con-B-Gon, Hotsy Blue Thunder, Hotsy “99”
Vehicle Exteriors: Hotsy Carbon-Ate, Hotsy Envy Super Concentrate, Hotsy Power Shine Advanced
Aluminum: Hotsy Advanced Formula Aluminum Brightener, Hotsy Polished Aluminum and Stainless Steel Cleaner
Industrial Machinery: Hotsy Ripper I, II, or III
Food Preparation: Hotsy Carbochlor, Hotsy Miracle Wizz
Carbon Deposits: Hotsy Carbon-Ate, Hotsy Brown, Hotsy Salt Lick
Disinfectants: Hotsy Vital Oxide®
Aircraft: Hotsy Aero One

These soaps are an excellent starting point, but you’ll want to get more detailed for the best results.

Surface Sensitivity

The soap that works for one surface may be disastrous for another. We want to follow the Goldilocks rule here–your soap should be harsh enough to remove stains but not to the point that it damages your surface.

Delicate surfaces like wood decks or vehicles need a lightweight soap. Hotsy Verde All Purpose, Hotsy Breakthrough, or Hotsy Blue Thunder is ideal.

But for tough stains like biofilm or oil, you need a powerful detergent. Hotsy Brown is a fantastic example. It eradicates carbon deposits as if it were swatting a fly. But if you put it on metal surfaces, you’re in a world of hurt.

So don’t approach all surfaces the same. Learning how to pressure wash concrete is much different than pressure washing your vehicle fleets, and you must adjust your soaps accordingly.

Eco-Friendly and Biodegradable Options

Eco-friendliness is terrific for both your conscience and any potential local regulations.

Almost every Hotsy soap is biodegradable and eco-friendly. Even highly acidic blends like Hotsy “99” are fume-free.

We recommend Hotsy Verde All-Purpose and Hotsy Citrus Clean for the best green results. These two soaps are made with natural ingredients and are safe to use on any surface.

pH Levels and Chemical Safety

Pressure washer soaps run the entire pH scale, from the 1.3 Hotsy “99” blend to the 13.3 Hotsy Formula 1908.

Acid cleaners are ideal for dealing with mineral buildup, rust, and other stubborn stains. Alkaline, or basic, cleaners are suitable for grease and oil stains.

You must check your pH levels. Without researching ahead of time, you could damage the surface or even cause an unwanted chemical reaction.

Concentrate vs Ready-to-Use Pressure Washer Soaps

Power washer soaps come in two forms: concentrated and ready-to-use.

Concentrated soaps need to be diluted. The amount you use will depend on whether you’re using cold (a lot) or hot (not as much) pressure washers.

Ready-to-use soaps let you skip this step. However, they tend to be more expensive per job, so you need to weigh the size of your cleaning area against your preference for convenience.

There’s plenty to consider when choosing a soap for your pressure washer. Why not save yourself the trouble and let the experts handle it?

If you have questions about detergent, our team at the #1 home for commercial hot water pressure washers in New Jersey is here to help.

Source Your Soap for Pressure Washing at RJP Hotsy!

Your commercial property is far too valuable to leave your cleaning operations to chance.

Use the knowledge of our team at RJP Hotsy to get you the safe and efficient cleaning results you deserve.

As the state’s only Hotsy dealer, we’re the #1 home for commercial pressure washers in New Jersey. We’ve helped local businesses and organizations like Ryder, NJ Transit, and Stericycle with their cleaning needs.

We’ll walk you through choosing a soap for your typical stains, diluting your detergent, and finding additives to keep your surfaces sturdy.

We also offer sales and commercial pressure washer leasing in NJ if you need an upgrade.

Our team will walk you through the shopping process, including what size pressure washer you need, what GPM means on a pressure washer, how much pressure washer PSI you need, and whether you should choose an electric vs gas pressure washer.

If you’re instead looking for where to rent a pressure washer to experience the cleaning power for the first time, we’re also the #1 home for commercial pressure washer rental in NJ. We offer affordable costs to rent a pressure washer and convenient drop-off/pick-up plans to ensure no downtime.

We even provide sales, rentals, and custom designs for commercial pressure washer trailers in NJ. Rather than trying to create a DIY pressure washer trailer, you can leave it to us. We’ve mastered the art of mounting a pressure washer to a trailer, pressure washer storage on trailers, and plumbing a pressure washer trailer.

While our machines are built to last, some occasional TLC never hurts. We’re the Garden State’s expert source for commercial pressure washer repair in NJ. Our team knows all the ins and outs of repairing pressure washers, providing a comprehensive 24-point inspection process and reasonable pressure washer repair costs.

Final Thoughts on Why You Need Pressure Washing Soap

Learning how to use a soap dispenser on a pressure washer isn’t just about luxury. Using soap with your pressure washer is the only way to get fantastic results.

Do you need special soaps for pressure washers? And do you need to dilute soap for pressure washers?

There are a few all-purpose soaps in Hotsy’s, including some ready-to-use options to get you started. But you’ll want to do your research for the best and most cost-effective results.

Why not let our team at RJP Hotsy handle everything for you? We’ll walk you through every step, from choosing a soap to pressure washer troubleshooting, maintaining a pressure washer, and renting a pressure washer.

So whether you’re buying or renting a pressure washer or just picking up a soap for your current machine, look no further than RJP Hotsy. As the #1 home for commercial cold water pressure washers in New Jersey, we’ll provide everything you need to do the job correctly.