How To Clean Your Drains And Guttering With A Pressure Washer

When it comes to our homes, it’s important to us to keep them nice and clean; a clean house feels good to return to after a long day of work or hosting relatives for a social celebration. Moreover, the first things we tend to notice when visiting a friend or neighbour are the little things like whether their carpets are clean, their lawn has been cut, or their drains and guttering have been maintained. This last example is arguably the most important; these two essential parts of the home can quickly fall into disrepair when left unattended. 

Why Should You Clean Your Drains And Guttering?

When your drains and guttering are left to degenerate into a mess of rotting leaves and dirt, the smell will shout out to anyone passing by, notifying those in the immediate area of your neglect. Furthermore, over time the accumulation of these compounds will block water flow, rendering your drains and guttering useless for when that big storm comes.

Moreover, the stagnation of liquid within your drains and guttering will slowly erode and destroy your drainage infrastructure while also having the potential to cause rot to your home as liquid gathers and disperses through your property.

Although maybe not as pressing as what’s going on inside your drains and guttering, the build-up of surface moulds can develop into a substantial issue. The external surfaces of your drains and guttering should also be a severe concern. These two elements are an aesthetic part of the home, setting a great or terrible first impression on anyone even remotely approaching your property. No one wants to see a mouldy mess framing a beautiful house!    

How To Clean Your Drains And Guttering?

When it comes to effectively removing the offence that lurks within your drains and guttering, an easy solution is always the trusty pressure washer. This fun and invigorating solution can unblock the stubborn build-up of debris within your drains and guttering, as well as carve a nice fresh-looking path through that coating of mould that lines their outside surfaces.

Personally, I know I would prefer to blast the mess away any day over the old-fashioned method of getting on your hands and knees to fish around in rotten leaves. Moreover, using a pressure washer can actually be safer. When you consider the alternative of blasting the offending mould from your drains and guttering, you would typically need to buy a ladder, a brush and a bucket of water, then scale the ladder and start scrubbing.  

How Does A Pressure Washer Work?

Pressure washers fundamentally come in two versions, electric powered and gas generated. Each version uses a pump to achieve the destructive force that blasts a pressurised water jet out of the spray wand, eliminating our tough dirt. The power generated typically can range between 480 and 2,000 psi, and compared to the average garden hose of approximately 58psi, a pressure washer is a force to be reckoned with!  

Setting Up Your Pressure Washer – Step: 1  

As I am sure we now know, pressure washers can provide a kick in the form of a powerful jet of water, so be vigilant. To avoid injury, it is advisable to ensure that your target is indeed an inanimate object needing to be cleaned rather than a family member or an angry neighbour, no matter how much of a good clean it may seem they need.

While blasting towards dirty water or blockages, it is essential to be careful to angle the spray away from your eyes. The risk of spray-back can also occur when spraying around earthy plant beds and pots, being full of dirty soil!

While not all pressure washers are electric, if yours is, don’t forget to always keep your plug dry and out of range from any unwanted spray-back. In addition, when considering the event of spray-back, don’t forget to always wear safety goggles. It’s better to be safe than to be sorry!

Setting Up Your Pressure Washer – Step: 2

Now the most precarious part is done, we can safely connect the water hose from the mains to our pressure washer. Don’t forget to fasten the hose well at both ends before turning the water on, or else there might be a pop as the hose shoots off and water gushes everywhere. Fitting the hose at either end should not be too difficult, but it may take a little practice as fastenings styles can vary from model to model.

Setting Up Your Pressure Washer – Step: 3

We need to adjust our wand end before getting stuck in and immersed in the pleasure of spraying that filth away. This may be as simple as turning the wand head clockwise and anti-clockwise to manipulate the pitch of the pressurised water. To avoid getting yourself soaking wet, it is advisable to adjust this feature before turning on your pressure washer.

Setting Up Your Pressure Washer – Step: 4  

Now you are good to go! We just need to switch on our pressure washer. However, do not forget, we need to remember to wear our protective gear, such as safety goggles and waterproof clothing and finally, prep our surroundings.

Preparing our surroundings is essential because a pressure washer has the power to erode soft materials, such as the paint on your car and the earth in your plant pots. Prepping your surroundings can include removing any objects that may course you to trip over or even block your access to your drains and guttering. Also, don’t forget to protect any objects within the immediate area, such as plants, window frames and that nice new car. Most importantly, have fun – pressure washing really can be a blast!