1 week Ago
To help us provide you with free impartial advice, we may earn a commission if you buy through links on our site. Learn more When it comes to cleaning outdoor surfaces – like driveways, patios, and decking – pressure washers are highly effective and efficient tools. These incredibly powerful jets of water, with their versatile range settings and myriad attachments, can make quick work of caked-on dirt and stubborn stains, as well as mold and mildew.
However, used incorrectly, pressure washers are potentially powerful enough to damage property, and can even cause some serious injury. Whether it's employing the wrong spray nozzle, or failing to adjust the pressure to suit the surface you're cleaning, there are several extremely common mistakes that pressure washer users should try to avoid. Our list, below, highlights some of these basic errors, along with some expert advice from Paul Hicks, product and marketing manager at STIHL GB, and Clair Albone, a gardening specialist for Wickes.
6 common mistakes people make when pressure washing This is our list of some of the most common mistakes people make when pressure washing, but you can check out our other guide for more information on which surfaces you should avoid pressure washing. 1. Using too much pressure This is perhaps the most obvious and straightforward mistake you can make.
It's worth remembering that you don't always need to use the maximum pressure to get the job done. In fact, using excessive water pressure can be bad for your surfaces, with Paul noting that "setting the pressure too high can cause lasting damage", though he reminds us that setting your pressure "too low can mean insufficient water flow for the job and, ultimately, a poor end result". If you're unsure what will be the right pressure to use on a specific surface, consult your manufacturer's manual.
Alternatively, start by test cleaning a small area on the lowest PSI (Pounds per Square Inch) setting – you can always increase the...
Jamie Stedmond.
