Using a pressure Washer Question??

[hitrack]

Gotta a Q about cleaning the siding on yer house with a pressure washer, as mine needs cleaning.

Does the pressure itself do a good job

Should I rent the kind you can put soap in

No matter what do I need to get in there with a mop and bucket and some good 'ol elbow grease

Forget the pressure washer for cleaning the siding on yer house as it's rather usless.

Thanks for any input all.

 

[maverick73]

Gotta a Q about cleaning the siding on yer house with a pressure washer, as mine needs cleaning.

1 - Does the pressure itself do a good job

2 - Should I rent the kind you can put soap in

3 - No matter what do I need to get in there with a mop and bucket and some good 'ol elbow grease

Forget the pressure washer for cleaning the siding on yer house as it's rather usless.

Thanks for any input all.

1. Not really, unless your house is not that dirty.
2. Yes, definitely.
3. Probably for the tough spots.

 

[Aeiyah]

Good chance that you have a bunch of black stuff (algae) growing on the outside walls, especially the walls that are in the shade most of the time. The pressure washer will take some of it off. But you will need a good soap to get enough of it off so that you don't see the black crap anymore.

 

[Cock Throppled]

Pressure will take off the surface stuff. Be careful not to use so much pressure you peel off anything you don't want removed. A pre spray of aTSP mixture will loosen most everything, but probably won't be required. If you have white vinyl siding it may stay darkened in places no matter what you do. They are a lot of fun even if it doesn't do the job.

 

[Hardatwork]

It also depends on what kind of siding you have. Stucco means that you probably need some kind of detergent, with vinyl siding you're probably ok with just the pressure washer. With wood you have to be careful not to peel off the paint, unless that's what you're wanting to clean up.

I cleaned a wood deck with some cleaning solution purchased at Home Depot combined with a pressure washer and the result was great. Took off a lot of moss and algae.

 

[hitrack]

Yah thats the ticket.

I should have mentioned it's white vinyl siding.

So from what I gather so far it's worth renting one with a soap dispenser.

 

[hornydude]

Don't bother with soap

Get a 1500 psi pressure washer...for vinyl you need no more that 1500 psi (even the silly 500 psi ones will do vinyl siding, but you could piss the dirt off faster)

Now this wil sound odd, but start at the bottom (you should be able to do up to 10' from a standing position) if there is fine, black dust on the siding (soot from traffic, etc.). The reason is that if you start at the top, by the time the dirty water runs to the bottom, it has formed a perfectly mixed solution with the dirt, and it leaves a very mild, greyish stain that takes TSP to get out....do the bottom first, then the top, and right after the top is done, blast the bottom quickly again.

Be careful not to blast water directly into the gap between he siding and the corner edge piece that runs vertically at the corners as this will get water behind the tar paper under the siding...do this area quickly and spray the water directly at the wall vs at an angle towards the edge..

Bob's your uncle...

 

[hitrack]

Get a 1500 psi pressure washer...for vinyl you need no more that 1500 psi (even the silly 500 psi ones will do vinyl siding, but you could piss the dirt off faster)

Now this wil sound odd, but start at the bottom (you should be able to do up to 10' from a standing position) if there is fine, black dust on the siding (soot from traffic, etc.). The reason is that if you start at the top, by the time the dirty water runs to the bottom, it has formed a perfectly mixed solution with the dirt, and it leaves a very mild, greyish stain that takes TSP to get out....do the bottom first, then the top, and right after the top is done, blast the bottom quickly again.

Be careful not to blast water directly into the gap between he siding and the corner edge piece that runs vertically at the corners as this will get water behind the tar paper under the siding...do this area quickly and spray the water directly at the wall vs at an angle towards the edge..

Bob's your uncle...

Bob's obviously a smart cookie!!

Many thanks toz allz youz stupid fukks......er I mean nice peoples that helps and are still gonna help.

PS: I would think pissing on the siding would leave a yellow stain.

 

[Maury Beniowski]

Gotta a Q about cleaning the siding on yer house with a pressure washer, as mine needs cleaning.

Does the pressure itself do a good job

Should I rent the kind you can put soap in

No matter what do I need to get in there with a mop and bucket and some good 'ol elbow grease

Forget the pressure washer for cleaning the siding on yer house as it's rather usless.

Thanks for any input all.

I own a 2500 psi Karcher unit, eaquipped with a turbo nozzle. It does a fantastic job. You can use it to get the dried green slime on vinyl siding and no, "you don't need soap at all", as the pressure alone will blast everything off. And elbow grease will not be necessary. After all, that's what pressure washers were designed to eliminate in the first place. Don't buy the soap, it's a rip-off, and it makes no difference at all on sisding. I know, cuz' I tried it; it was useless. I ended up using the soap for other things like grease on the garage floor or, as Hardatwork stated, for wood decking as the deep slime can be more stubborn to get out.

And... contrary to what was said above: "Start at the top, and work your way down". Otherwise you'll end up doing the job twice.

 

[rambler6]

Get the high PSI

Different situation but hopefully same result. Bought a old boat that looked like it hadn't been washed in ten years. They had a 3000 psi power washer at work and I decided to try it. First time was ok, but the second time I held the nozzle about an inch away from the gel coat and I swear it turned out like a new boat. The difference was amazing. So the moral of the story is get a big ass power washer and let it work some magic.

 

[hitrack]

As I've never really mucked about with a pressure washer I will combine everyones do and don'ts of using one.

Just decided I need to elevate cleaning my siding into the 21st century.

Plus I have scum build up on my cement pathways.

 

[IQof10]

Buy one from Home Depot. I use mine every year and only cost $400.

 

[Maury Beniowski]

How tall and how large is your house?

Mine is about half three stories, and the other half two. If I start from the bottom, I'll have to do it twice as the grunge washes down, requiring me to go back over what I've already done on the way back down. If I start at the top, I chase the grunge down as I go. On a large house, that can mean a two day job versus one.

 

[hitrack]

I think I'll just fukk renting and go buy one, seems like a hella handy tool. So it's like 400 bux for a pretty good one. Thats just two sessions for most of you, 20 BJ's for me. I find it easier to justify some purchases if I calculate it in blow jobs.

 

[gettinold]

Buy it, and don't bother renting; you'll find enough use for it. Gas ones are more convenient and stronger, but a good electric one will do just as well (IMHO) and save you some money (and give you some more BJs).