Small, budget-friendly electric pressure washers are a lifesaver. They are easy and cheap to maintain and are the perfect tool for spring cleaning when prepping the home for an enjoyable outdoor summer. Pressure washers easily clean the mold that accumulates during rainy seasons. The machines are perfect for cleaning siding and exterior bricks, decks, patios and porches, walkways, gutters, concrete steps, fences, windows, outdoor rugs, patio furniture, cars, mailboxes, lawn equipment, and grills, among many others. Nevertheless, the following are the pressure washing tips every beginner should know.
More power in pressure washers is not necessarily better
Pressure washers come in two types; those powered by electric motors and those whose pumps are powered by gas engines. The pumps pressurize water to 1000 pounds and more, after which the pressurized water is passed through the wand and nozzle. The pressure is measured in pounds per square inch (PSS), and most domestic pressure washers have between 1000 to 3000 PSI. Beginners may be tempted to max the pressure of their pressure washers, thinking that this cleans better. However, at pressures of 3000 PSI, they might end up causing more damage than cleaning. For instance, the pressure may peel off paint in cars, splinter wood in patios, and dent home exteriors. The key is to use the right amount of pressure that gets the job done.
Factor’s that affect the pressure washer’s cleaning potential
Nozzle selection
Nozzles affect the direction of the stream of the pressure washer. Some nozzles tightly focus on power while others fan out the stream. For most pressure washers, nozzles come in 0o, 15o, 25o, and 40o heads. Using the appropriate nozzle efficiently cleans the surface without damaging it.
Cleaning agents
Although pressure washers are pretty efficient with just water, some stains will never come off easily unless the correct cleaning agent is used. Cleaning agents are added to the pressure washer to remove almost any kind of stain on hard surfaces.
Distance from the surface also matters
The closer the nozzle is to the surface being cleaned, the stronger the power of the stream. Nevertheless, even when the widest nozzle is used to clean delicate surfaces (for example, softwood patios), holding the pressure washer close to the surface being cleaned can still damage the surface.
The Grandfalls Pressure Washer
The Grandfalls pressure washer sold by Giraffe Tools is one of the best pressure washing machines in the market for beginners. The Grandfalls is electric, budget-friendly, and with high pressures of up to 2200 PSI, can efficiently perform almost every outdoor cleaning task there is. These are the functionalities that make the Grandfalls Pressure Washer suitable for beginners.
High pressure and a 100-foot-long hose
The Grandfalls Pressure Washer has a max pressure of 2200 PSI, 1.3GPM water flow, meaning that it can easily remove almost any stain there is. Moreover, it comes fitted with a 100-foot pressure hose to clean large areas.
Retractable system
The 100-foot hose can be gently retracted into the pressure washer by winding the retractable system, which eliminates kinking commonly witnessed in a pressure washer with long hoses.
Smart lock, adjustable handle, and built-in storage compartments
The Grandfalls can use the hose at any length because of its stop-anywhere mechanism. Therefore, one does not have to unwind all the 100-foot hoses to use the machine. What’s more, the pressure washer has aluminum handles that can adjust to the user’s height, comes with wheels for moving it, and has a built-in storage compartment for the accessories and power cord. Nevertheless, the Grandfalls Pressure Washer is an excellent choice for beginners looking to do pressure washing.
