Proper Pressure Washing Techniques for Safety and Efficiency
If you want to revolutionize how you handle commercial cleaning tasks, switching to a high-quality pressure washer is the best choice.
While getting started with these machines is simple enough, advanced tips and tricks can maximize your results. We’ll dive into the proper pressure washing techniques you need to know.
The best pressure washer techniques can cut down your cleaning time by minutes or even hours, all while ensuring your team’s and your property’s safety.
Of course, learning expert techniques is only half of the battle. You’ll also need high-quality equipment to achieve your property’s shiny, good-as-new results. Our team at RJP Hotsy will make selecting equipment a breeze.
As the #1 home for industrial pressure washers in New Jersey, we are the only location in the Garden State where you can find industry-leading Hotsy machines.
How the Optimal Pressure Washer Techniques Can Transform Your Cleaning Routine
While you can still get fantastic results without using the best pressure washing techniques, learning the ins and outs will give you the most bang for your buck.
Ideal Technique Trumps Raw Power
Some believe that maximizing cleaning power works better than learning pressure washer techniques.
In reality, pressure washer sizing or choosing between direct drive vs belt drive pressure washers is just one part of the equation. A seasoned pro who understands proper pressure washing techniques will consistently outperform a newbie with better speed, power, and safety.
Balancing Efficiency and Surface Safety
Bringing the largest and most powerful machine to every surface is a recipe for disaster.
Some use cases require powerful machines: airport runways, biofilm in maritime settings, deeply embedded rust, etc.
But that extra power will only damage lighter, delicate surfaces like wood decks, metal siding, and vehicles.
With the best pressure washing techniques, you’ll know precisely how to tackle every surface.
Proper Pressure Washing Techniques for Safety and Efficiency
Figuring out the proper pressure washing techniques for your business is the difference between jaw-dropping results and costly equipment damage.
If you remain unsure after our guide, don’t hesitate to contact our team at RJP Hotsy! We’ll answer your questions and help you integrate power washing into your business practices.
Optimizing Pressure Washer Setup for the Job at Hand
Every pressure washer technique starts with ensuring you have suitable equipment. The equipment needed will vary depending on the total area, surface materials, and type of stains.
There are a few key categories to consider: machine size, engine type, and water temperature. You’ll also need to weigh your accessories and detergent for optimized cleaning power.
PSI and GPM on a pressure washer stand for pounds per square inch and gallons per minute. These two factors cover the force and volume of water coming from your machine, and finding the right balance is crucial for determining size.
So, what is a good PSI for a pressure washer? PSI generally ranges from 1000 to 4000 for most jobs, though there are specific applications where you’ll need machines outside of this range. GPM will usually be in the 1 to 10 range, with higher numbers giving you extra cleaning speed.
While it may be tempting to figure out how to increase GPM on a pressure washer and overclock your PSI, you must be tactical in your decisions.
Using PSI and GPM values that are too high can lead to damage or water waste, so do your research or consult with your retailer for specific recommendations.
The electric pressure washer vs gas pressure washer debate is another vital decision. Electric models are energy-efficient, quiet, and fume-free. Gas machines have extra cleaning power and don’t need to be plugged into an outlet, providing additional mobility.
We typically recommend electric pressure washers for cleaning in a low-ventilation area and gas models for outdoor jobs.
You don’t want to forget about water temperature, either. When comparing hot water vs cold water pressure washers, you’ll want to use heated machines for particularly stubborn stains. Cold water models aren’t as powerful but are more affordable and can be easier on extremely delicate surfaces.
Preparing the Area Before Starting
Before you begin cleaning, you’ll want to ensure you take all necessary steps to make the area safe. Debris and objects, even small odds and ends like bolts or pens, can become dangerous flying projectiles.
You’ll need to clear the entire area of anything not nailed down. If you can’t move it, cover it with a tarp. To avoid safety risks, ensure you choose a cleaning time when employees and visitors won’t be in the area.
It is also vital to pre-treat any cleaning area with your detergent of choice. Allowing soap to soak in for 10-15 minutes will loosen stains and help avoid needing a second pass-through by eliminating stains on the first attempt.
Pressure Washing Techniques for Common Surfaces
Knowing how to navigate each surface will guide all of your decisions. Let’s break down a few techniques for each of the most common exteriors.
Concrete and Driveways
Power and speed are the keys to pressure washing concrete. Use a surface cleaner attachment and set your machine to 2500-3000 PSI for the best results.
Building Siding and Walls
Buildings may look tough, but many are made of delicate materials that cannot withstand excessive force.
Using a wide-angle nozzle, keep your stream in the 2000 PSI range. To reach those high areas, we highly recommend a telescoping wand.
Wooden Surfaces
Wood is another surface that can trip up newbie power washer users. You want to use low pressure–in the 1000-1500 PSI range–and move your stream with the wood grain.
Vehicles and Machinery
Vehicles also require patience, especially if you’re trying to avoid stripping paint. Keep your PSI in the 1000-2000 range, and cover all sensitive electrical components.
We recommend a foam cannon to ensure full soap coverage. Always spot-test your machine in a non-sensitive area to avoid costly mistakes.
Mastering Wand and Nozzle Control
Getting a handle on your pressure washing wand is paramount to your success. How you hold and position will directly affect your results.
Hold the wand 12 to 18 inches from the surface, ideally at a right angle. Use sweeping motions with gravity as your aid, with a top-to-bottom motion to ensure you don’t miss any spots.
The angle of your nozzle will also affect your water stream. 0-degree nozzles are excellent for hitting specific stains head-on, while wide-angle nozzles around 60 degrees or higher will provide gentle cleaning over large areas.
You usually want to start with the wide nozzles and swap to narrow ones as you get a clearer picture of which stains are deeply embedded.
Safety Practices During Pressure Washing
One of the primary motivations for learning pressure washing techniques is to optimize safety.
You and your staff will need personal protective equipment while power washing. Goggles, gloves, closed-toed, non-slip shoes, hearing protection, and a face mask are just the basics.
As you clean, keep an eye on your surroundings. Open windows, power lines, internet cables, and objects entering your space must all be managed to keep things safe.
If a job seems outside your comfort zone or downright unsafe, don’t hesitate to get an expert’s opinion before taking it on.
Breaking the Area Into Manageable Sections
If cleaning your entire property at once seems like a nightmare in terms of time and labor costs, there’s an easier way to do it.
Take your cleaning area into smaller, manageable sections. Cleaning an entire parking lot? Separate the lot into squares, running through the process with each location. This will allow you to avoid complete shutdowns and keep employees, vendors, and visitors happy.
Smaller sections also help you avoid soap streaking by knocking out each section promptly before the detergent dries.
Using Time-Saving Accessories
Power washing accessories are a must for any seasoned pro. Attachments allow you to clear larger surface areas quickly.
Surface cleaners will leave streak-free finishes and are excellent for parking lots or industrial flooring.
Extension wands can help you reach higher heights or under cumbersome industrial machinery. For example, Hotsy’s Telescoping Wand reaches up to 24’, so you can clean your roofs and eaves.
Maximizing Water and Detergent Usage
Water alone isn’t enough to achieve the jaw-dropping results you want. You’ll need to use a high-quality pressure washing soap suitable for the types of stains you encounter.
Hotsy’s biodegradable detergents and degreasers are considered the best pressure washing chemicals on the market.
While there are some fantastic all-purpose soaps, like Hotsy Breakthrough and Hotsy Verde All-Purpose, you’ll want to research when dealing with tough stains.
For example, Hotsy Power Shine Advanced is specifically formulated to break down dirt and grease from painted vehicles. But if you were to use it on rust, you’d get practically nowhere.
Conversely, if you’re dealing with carbon deposits and stubborn grease stains, you would want Hotsy Brown, provided you aren’t cleaning aluminum or galvanized metal.
There are plenty of other specialty soaps, like Hotsy Duct Boss for oven exhaust hoods or Hotsy Con-B-Gone for concrete splatter.
No matter which soap you choose, they will help you save massively on water. Pre-soaking your detergent ensures you’ll only need one or two passes rather than several, bringing you a much smaller utility bill at the end of the month.
With that, our list of techniques is just about concluded. When finished, ensure you have a cool, dry place for pressure washer storage for your machine, and you’ll be all set!
If you’re considering buying or renting a pressure washer to master these techniques, you’re in the right place. The #1 home for industrial cold water pressure washers in New Jersey is right before your eyes!
Take the Next Step in Elevating Your Cleaning Routine at RJP Hotsy!
RJP Hotsy New Jersey has the know-how and equipment you need to achieve stunning results.
Thanks to our friendly service and powerful machines, we’re the preferred choice of Garden State businesses like Penske, Stericycle, and the NJ Transit Authority. We provide sales, leasing, and industrial pressure washer rental in NJ.
Our team will walk you through how to rent a pressure washer, including reviewing pressure washer rental age requirements and drop-off/pick-up service, all with reasonable costs to rent a pressure washer.
We are also the premier home for industrial pressure washer trailers in NJ, including custom pressure washer trailer setups. No more worrying about how to mount a pressure washer to a trailer or plumbing a pressure washer trailer; just leave it all to us!
We will teach you how to choose a pressure washer, how to use soap with a pressure washer, and what soap to use in your pressure washer. And if you were wondering how to repair a pressure washer, maintain a pressure washer, or the costs to repair a pressure washer, we’ve got you covered there too. Our team provides comprehensive industrial pressure washer repair in NJ, including assistance with troubleshooting a pressure washer, thanks to our 24-point inspection process.
Final Thoughts on the Best Pressure Washing Techniques
The best cleaning results are only possible by combining two factors: skilled power washing techniques and high-quality equipment. You’ll find both right here at RJP Hotsy!
We offer industrial pressure washer leasing in NJ, and if you were looking for where to rent a pressure washer, we’ve got you covered there, too. Plus, with our staff’s knowledge and friendly surface, you can skip all the trial and error and get straight to cleaning correctly!
So, if you’re ready to invest in high-quality industrial hot water pressure washers in New Jersey, talk to our team or stop by our New Egypt store today.
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