6 Things to Avoid When Using a Pressure Washer: Safety Tips for Beginners

Last Updated on March 19, 2021

Things to avoid when using a pressure washer

Using a pressure washer is sometimes quite dangerous if you don’t follow any rules on how to use a pressure washer safely and there are several things to avoid when using a pressure washer.

We have put together some of the things you should avoid doing when using a pressure washer before you make a mistake and hurt yourself.

You’ll need to be much more careful when using a petrol pressure washer than compared to a cordless electric.

This is because with petrol pressure washers you’ll have some extra things you’ll need to be careful with such as avoiding touching the engine, petrol management.

You’ll also need to be careful with cables when using an electric or petrol instead of using a cordless pressure washer due to there being less of a trip hazard.

DON’T – Have below your knee exposed

Having the part of your leg below your knee exposed whilst pressure washing can lead to serious injury.

Some pressure washers have enough power to actually take the skin off if hit at the correct angle. Making sure you have the correct protection is important for carrying out the job safely.

DON’T – Wear flip flops or other open toe shoes

Leading on from having the below of your knee exposed, you should also make sure you don’t have your feet exposed either.

Not only will having your feet exposed leave them absolutely filthy whilst using a pressure washer you will find that catching your feet or toes with the spray a very unpleasant experience.

We recommend using steel toe capped work boots for cleaning but if they aren’t available then a shoe that covers the whole foot and ideally the ankle.

DON’T – use the same nozzle for every job or use the wrong nozzle

The nozzles will change the amount of pressure that is sprayed out. Using a turbo nozzle or high-pressure pencil jet nozzle could cause damage, for example if you use it on your car.

Also don’t use the high-pressure nozzle for watering the plants as you’ll find the area will come much less clean than it started!

DON’T – use a pressure washer to remove weeds

You should dislodge any weeds before pressure washing. By pressure washing the floor to remove weeds you run the risk of dislodging loose concrete and paving which can damage your floor.

The pressure you get from a pressure washer hitting a loose bit of concrete is strong enough push or shoot a bit of concrete at a fast enough speed to cause serious damage or break a window.

DON’T – Bend over whilst carrying out you’re cleaning

If you are cleaning a driveway for example, this can take around 1-2 hours and having your back arched whilst do the work can lead to a very sore back and therefore prolonged back pain.

Instead, invest in an extension lance. This pressure washer accessory will save you loads of hassle and lots of pain. There are lots of other great accessories that are available for pressure washers that can make your life a lot easier.