The Worlds WORST Pressure Washing Advice

the worlds WORST pressure washing advice

Cleaning your property is always satisfying, but stubborn stains can often prevent you from getting the complete clean that want.

One of the best ways to combat this is to invest in a pressure washer – these fancy tools blast high water pressure at surfaces to eradicate any grime that you may encounter.

However, pressure washers are pretty complex devices and there are so many different attachments, techniques and ways to use them. How are you supposed to know how to use your pressure washer? 

There is tons of fantastic pressure washing advice out there, and we would highly recommend that you get online and do some research to find it.

However, it’s important to remember that not all advice is good advice, and you should be very careful when assessing which information you trust on the internet.

We thought we would mix things up a bit with this article by explaining the worlds WORST pressure washing advice that you can come across.

Read this before you do your research, and you can be sure to figure out which pressure advice is good and which is bad. 

The Five Most Commonly Heard Bad Pieces of Pressure Washing Advice  

Let’s dive into this – we have put together this list of the five bad pieces of advice in regard to pressure washing that we hear on a regular basis.

Read these pointers carefully and consider why they are so bad, and remember – NEVER do any of the things that these pieces of advice recommend!

“There is no need to wear PPE”

There is a wide variety of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) out there to be used when pressure washing, but some people are very ignorant of it and even tell people that it is pointless.

This could not be further from the truth – pressure washers can be very dangerous if the high water pressure penetrates your skin. 

If you’re not wearing PPE when this happens, trust us, you’re going to know about it! You should always wear PPE when using a pressure washer, especially when using high-pressure nozzles.

Ensure you equip your overalls, gaiters, gloves and goggles, and you can be sure to have all satisfaction of pressure washing without putting yourself in danger. 

“Always use a petrol-powered pressure washer”

Whilst there is nothing inherently wrong with petrol-powered pressure washers, there are some enthusiasts there that claim that they can and should be used in any circumstance.

This is such bad advice! Go ahead and use your petrol-powered pressure washer when you are outside to avoid that pesky electric cable, but you should never use it when you are indoors.

Not only can the fumes from the petrol be harmful when breathed in, but it can also spread the flammable liquid around your home putting it at high risk of a fire. Never use a petrol-powered pressure washer indoors – save it for the outdoor jobs!

“Always zero-degree pinpoint pressure nozzles”

It should be pretty obvious that the main reason pressure washers are so useful is due to their high water pressure, but this can mislead some people to suggest that you should always use the highest pressure nozzles. 

The highest pressure nozzle you can find is the zero-degree pinpoint nozzle, and whilst it can be incredibly useful at removing the most stubborn grime, it can be very damaging too.

In fact, the pressure is so high that it can be very damaging to soft surfaces such as paint, wood, sidings and more! Always think carefully and assess the situation before using a pinpoint pressure nozzle, it is more often than not simply overpowering. 

“There is no need to read the manual”

We’ve all been there – your brand new gadget has just arrived, and you simply cannot wait to use it. Instead of doing the smart thing and reading the manual like the box tells you to, you instead rip open the packaging and start trying to work it out yourself.

Whilst this may work for you in some instances, you should never listen to anyone telling you to do this when it comes to pressure washers. 

These devices are very powerful and each one is different, and this is why the manuals are included. They contain valuable insights into not just setting up your pressure washer but how to use them safely.

Trust us – it will only take five minutes so always ‘RTFM’ or you might regret it!

“Once your pressure washer is set up, you should immediately start using it”

Stop right there! Whilst it can be awfully tempting to immediately start using your pressure washer after discovering a grimey area on your property, it’s important to take a few precautions before you do so.

There are tons of things that could go wrong – have you assessed the area for pebbles and debris that could be damaging to your property when blasted with high water pressure? Have you considered whether the nozzle you are using is appropriate for the material you intend on cleaning? 

It’s always a smart idea to conduct a thorough risk assessment prior to using your pressure washer, and you shouldn’t let anyone else tell you otherwise. Stop, look, and think, and don’t forget to read that manual one last time if you have any concerns. 

Final Thoughts

We hope that this information has been useful to you, and hopefully, you have had a laugh at how truly irresponsible some pressure washer users can be! Pressure washers are very useful and can even be a lot of fun to use, but this is only the case if they are used safely and efficiently.

The last thing you want to do is cause more damage to your property as opposed to cleaning it! Feel free to print this list out to reference when doing your next pressure washing job. Just make sure that none of your friends or family members picks it up thinking that it is meant to be good advice!