Pressure Washers For Washing Vehicles

One of the best tools for washing your vehicle is, without a doubt, a pressure washer. Its power pushes water under grime and soil to remove these things much faster and more effective, and without mechanical agitation which lowers the risk for inducing swirls in paint. It also permits the use of other tools such as foam guns or foam canons. But with power comes risk, and one must be prepared for the responsibility of harnessing the power or the pressure washer.

choosing a pressure washer

Your selection of pressure washer will be the most difficult aspect of using it. There are so many choices out there and all have advantages over the next unit. A couple important questions you’ll need to answer for yourself: what are your requirements; will it serve double duty as a pressure washer to use around the house and your car, and are you working away from a power source?

If your pressure washer will be used on more than your car or you’ll be working away from an accessible power source, a gasoline powered pressure washer with a good set of nozzles to fan out the stream might be a good buy. If not, an electric pressure washer has plenty of power for washing any vehicle and is much more safe and easy to use, not to mention more economical.

Be aware that even an electric pressure washer can be too powerful. I chipped the inside of a door channel on my bike with too much pressure one time. On some cars and/or surfaces you should not use a pressure washer and will need to use a normal hose.

using a pressure washer

Always pull the trigger with the wand pointing away from the car and away from people, pets, plants, etc. to make sure the fan setting is appropriate before spraying it on the vehicle. I will always fan out the stream somewhat. A stream 20 degrees wide is powerful, but much less harmful than a stream half the width. Use tighter streams for wheels and brakes, use slightly wider streams for fenders, rocker panels,  and metal bumpers. Use a wider stream for stubborn bugs and for rinsing off shampoo. Once you use your pressure washer a few times, you will get a better feel for it, and will be able to proceed more aggressively and faster while still feeling in control. Practice is the only way to get to know your machine. Also, the older the car is, the more delicate it can be. Keep it in mind.

Some pressure washers have built-in soap or chemical dispensers. In my experience, they fail to deliver. Most devices will drop the internal pumping pressure as they dispense the chemical, and none offer anywhere near the foaming action you get from a foam cannon, like the awesome pictures you see pro’s post of their washes.

The pressure washer is the best and quickest tool for cleaning chassis parts and wheel wells. It cleans crevices very well. It helps to remove bugs and tar. It is great against brake dust. Equipped with a foam cannon, a pressure washer makes applying shampoo a snap and very fun experience. From there, a combination of the right tools, products, and knowledge will allow you to achieve the best results possible.

PITFALLS OF PRESSURE WASHERS

Like any method, there are risks. First off, you can hurt yourself and people around you. Accidentally spray your hand (as to try to rinse off soap suds or soil), and you will cut into your flesh, a very painful injury. On your vehicle there are many more risks. You can break through your paint and blow off chips and chunks of paint. You can strip off undercoating and other protective coatings from the suspension, engine, and wheel wells. You can blow off emblems. You can blow off stickers and labels from engine components, wheels, etc. You can break through rusted areas, and some rusted areas are not visible until too late. You can damage plastic as the high velocity water digs into the plastic’s surface, scuffing and abrading the surface. You can get water into places you do not want water, like bearings, rubber seals, inside the car, inside the engine and electronics, deep inside the tailpipe. It is a powerful tool, treat it with respect.