Pressure Washing Nozzles Explained: Everything You Need To Know

Pressure Washing Nozzles Explained

If you like to keep your property looking brand new, you would be daft not to consider using a pressure washer. These fantastic devices are specifically designed for deep cleaning, blasting grime and dirt with high-pressure water in order to remove the stains that you simply cannot get through manual cleaning. You can clean just about anything with a pressure washer – you could clean your patio, your driveway, your swimming pool or even your car!

However, the high PSI (pounds per square inch) water output of a pressure washer can actually be quite damaging to some of your belongings due to its sheer power – you certainly wouldn’t want to spray your car down with the highest pressure option! Furthermore, some sturdier materials such as your driveway will require the complete opposite – as much pressure as you can possibly provide!

It really can be a bit confusing to know which pressure washing nozzle to use for which job, it’s all rather confusing! Well, don’t worry – we are going to be explaining everything you need to know about the most common pressure washing nozzles, so if you need a bit of advice then this is the article for you. Read on to find out more!

The most common nozzles and their uses

The most common pressure nozzle washers that you are likely to find are the zero-degree, 15-degree, 25-degree, 40-degree and soap nozzle. Let’s take a look at their differences and when you will need them.

Its likely you’ll get a range of nozzles with petrol pressure washers but sometimes you are can get this with more expensive eclectic ones such as the Wilks USA RX550i. 

The Zero-Degree Nozzle

The zero-degree nozzle is the most powerful and high-pressure nozzle out there – it’s what most people think about when they consider a pressure washer.

It delivers a highly concentrated stream of water with a very small radius, making it ideal for removing tough dirt, hardened grime and other stubborn stains.

The zero-degree nozzle will generally be indicated by a red colour on your pressure washer.

When to use the Zero-degree nozzle

Due to the sheer power of the zero-degree nozzle, it can be tempting to use it for everything. Stop what you’re doing – the high concentration of water can be potentially damaging to your valuables! You should only use the zero-degree nozzle on tough and sturdy materials such as metal or concrete. Never use it on fragile or soft surfaces!

The 15-Degree Nozzle

The 15-degree nozzle is one of our favourites, mainly due to how satisfying it is. This nozzle is still pretty powerful but it won’t be as concentrated as the zero-degree nozzle. It’s a classic powerful spray that should help obliterate tons of grime, eventually flowing away in a grime stream of water. The 15-degree nozzle will generally be indicated by a yellow colour on your pressure washer.

When to use the 15-degree Nozzle

You can more or less use your 15-degree nozzle whenever you want – it’s not too powerful but not too weak either, so it is usually the most commonly used and satisfying pressure washer nozzle available. We would particularly recommend using it for surface preparation, such as removing dirt, paint or other visible layers of grime.

The 25-Degree Nozzle

The 25-degree nozzle is getting into safer territory – whilst the 15-degree isn’t nearly as concentrated as the zero-degree, it’s still powerful and is designed for removing physical dirt. The gentler spray of the 25-degree nozzle is instead aimed towards sweeping away debris. The 25-degree nozzle will generally, be indicated by a green colour on your pressure washer.

When to Use the 25-degree Nozzle

Considering that the 25-degree nozzle is fairly gentle, it is more or less safe for any usage so you shouldn’t worry too much. However, it’s not going to be particularly effective for any solid grime and thick stains! We would recommend saving the 25-degree nozzle for sweep cleaning – any loose dirt, mud and leaves that are cluttering your driveway will be no match for the 25-degree nozzle!

The 40-Degree Nozzle

The 40-degree nozzle is the most gentle of all standard pressure washing nozzles – it can handle even the most fragile surfaces safely. If any of the other nozzles seem too powerful for fragile and lightweight objects, the 40-degree nozzle is certainly going to be a good option. The 40-degree nozzle will generally be indicated by a white colour on your pressure washer.

When to Use the 40-Degree Nozzle

The 40-Degree nozzle can pretty much be used to safely clean anything on your property. It’s really not going to be very effective for stains and dirty surfaces, but we would highly recommend using it for anything remotely fragile. Some great applications include using the 40-degree nozzle to spray down your car windows and mirrors, or alternatively those cute garden gnomes and ornaments on display in your front garden!

Soap Nozzle

Last but certainly not least, we have something a little bit different for you – the soap nozzle! This fantastic tool is unique as it doesn’t just concern water but instead, soap and detergent! It’s a very low-pressure washer as you obviously don’t want to blast things with soapy water, that would be wasteful! You simply want to slowly apply an even layer of soapy water, and the soap nozzle is a fantastic means of doing this! The zero-degree nozzle will generally be indicated by a black colour on
your pressure washer.

When to Use the Soap Nozzle

The soap nozzle is not very powerful, so you won’t have to worry about damage from high water pressure. However, it is important to note that not all surfaces are suitable to be cleaned with detergent, so you should check your detergent label and do some research to ensure the surface won’t be damaged.

Don’t worry too much though – in general, the soap nozzle is a great cleaning tool for applying detergent prior to a cleaning project. Our favourite uses include forming that soapy layer of water before pressure washing our driveway or patio!