7 min read · By Mike Thompson
Seven pressure washing mistakes that cost homeowners money
Etched decking, water behind siding, damaged paint and dead pumps — the avoidable errors I see most often, and how to work around them.
1. Starting with the narrowest nozzle
The narrow jet is a tool for mortar joints and stubborn spots, not a default. Start wide, stand back, and step in only where the surface is not responding. Most permanent damage I am asked to fix was done in the first two minutes of a job.
2. Spraying up under siding
Lap siding is designed to shed water downward. Spray upward and you drive water behind the boards, into insulation and sheathing, where it will stay. Always angle downward, and never stand below a wall spraying up at it.
3. Holding still on softwood
Pause on a cedar or pine deck board and you will leave a furred stripe that no amount of later cleaning removes. Keep the wand moving, keep it parallel to the grain, keep the spray wide.
4. Letting detergent dry
Detergent works while it is wet. Once it dries on a hot surface it leaves a film that is harder to remove than the dirt you started with. Work in shade or in sections, and re-wet before rinsing.
5. Running the pump dry
A pressure washer pump that runs without water heats and destroys itself quickly. When drawing from a bucket, watch the level, and keep the inlet filter clean so flow never starves.
6. Cleaning windows and cars with too much pressure
Seals, trim and clear coat are the fragile parts of a house and a vehicle. Use a wide rinse, keep distance, and let soap and dwell time do the lifting instead of force.
7. Buying more machine than you will maintain
The most expensive mistake is the one that happens at purchase. A machine that needs fuel, oil and winterising will do less cleaning over five years than a modest tool you can pick up one-handed. Match the purchase to the chores you actually do, and the tool will still be working the year after next.