How To Prepare Surfaces For Pressure Washing

How To Prepare Surfaces For Pressure Washing

Pressure washing is best suited for outdoor surfaces because the interior spaces have a lot of objects such as electronic components and furniture that must be safe from water. Most of these components will be damaged when you use your pressure washer in the house because it sprays water over large areas. However, while cleaning your outdoor spaces with a pressure washer, the surfaces and spaces require preparation for the process. Here is how to prepare surfaces before pressure washing.

1. Remove debris from the driveway

The driveway and or walkway in your compound are bound to have debris and dirt particles carried over by wind or left behind by vehicles and people. It would be best to get such spaces ready for pressure washing by first getting rid of the debris to be easier to clean when you bring your washer to remove the stains that remained behind.

2. Remove objects from the garage

The garage is another place that you can clean using a pressure washer. However, having toys, bicycles, and boxes in the garage is bound to make your experience difficult in terms of movement and access to the stained surfaces that need cleaning. Therefore, it is prudent first to remove said items and put them elsewhere to confront the oil and grease stains in the garage easily.

3. Make wood and brick surfaces wet in preparation for pressure washing

When cleaning your wooden surfaces and brick walls, ensure that they are wet before applying any cleaning detergents. Getting the detergent onto the said surfaces while they are dry will lead to wastage because it will be difficult to spread it out to cover the entire area you need to pressure wash. The best way to apply detergent is by connecting the soaping nozzle onto the washer so that the detergent spreads onto the already wet surface.

4. Test the spray pressure before pressure washing

Different surfaces in your homestead require varying spray pressures from your pressure washer to get them clean. You should be aware that excess pressure is bound to damage surfaces that cannot withstand more than what you are working with while cleaning. To determine the good pressure, attach low-pressure nozzles to the spray wand to test their effect on a small portion of the surface before you choose to increase the pressure if there is a need.

5. Repair damages and seal vents

Pressure washing your walls while outside is an activity after assessing the building to ensure no damages or open vents that will allow water to get into the interior spaces where it will cause damage. Make sure to seal all areas showing possible damage so that you can begin to clean without worrying about the safety of your items in the house.

Last thoughts

Detergents can be used on various surfaces depending on the type of stains you are dealing with when cleaning. When using detergents on walls, you should apply them from the lower side to the upper side and wash them off beginning at the top end towards the bottom.