# What PSI pressure washer?



## Rockinar (Jul 21, 2017)

What PSI pressure washer would be good for cleaning sidewalks, driveway and cleaning mold off the stone on the side of the house? I have seen some pressure washer jobs where they did damage to the concrete on the sidewalk and driveway.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

It is not just the PSI, but the orifice or tip at the end of the wand. By right, the pressure washer should only be used for rinsing. Sounds like the water pressure itself was used to scarify off the stained concrete itself. That can be done with a high psi pump and a tip that concentrates the water in a narrow stream


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## Shindoman (Apr 22, 2018)

Under 2000 psi is more than enough power for around the house. Get a cleaning head like this for cleaning your driveway.
https://youtu.be/BHkYgv2sM8w


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

I have one that is 3000 psi. I wanted one that could use an extension wand to wash two-story houses down.

The secret is to use the right spray tip, and to stay far enough away from the surface you are cleaning that you don't damage the surface.

If someone is scarring the concrete, or stone surface, they do not know (or don't care) what they are doing....

I would recommend a water broom - keeps the spacing correct, and saves your back from bending over....

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_420500_420500


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Every time I have pressure washed something, that was after pre treatment with the matching degreaser, stain remover or mildew remover. No need to blast into the surface with super high pressure.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

Greendoc said:


> Every time I have pressure washed something, that was after pre treatment with the matching degreaser, stain remover or mildew remover. No need to blast into the surface with super high pressure.


That's an excellent point.

The pressure washer I bought came equipped with an injection nozzle setup that could siphon liquids up into the pressure washer wand to spray chemicals at the same time as you use the pressure washer.

You buy concentrates in one gallon jugs, mix it into a five gallon bucket at the specified volume/rate, and then drop the filter screened injection nozzle into the bucket to siphon up and inject the chemical(s) into the spray stream coming out of the nozzle. You can use soap, degreaser, muriatic acid (to clean concrete), vinyl cleaner, etc. :thumbup:

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200636989_200636989

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200649185_200649185


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

I use one of those 2 gallons pump sprayers intended for cleaners . Spray down what I need to clean, let it soak then wash off the residue.


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## Buffalolawny (Nov 24, 2018)

its not the psi which is important its the flow

too high of psi will etch concrete and soft rock


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

For mold and mildew build up on my house and other vertical surfaces I use Jomax and some Outddor Bleach mixed with some water. Put it all into a pump sprayer and spray down the affected areas and wait 10 minutes and go back with a garden hose and rinse it all off. It's a lot faster and easier than using a pressure washer. :thumbup:


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## LoCutt (Jul 29, 2019)

To complicate matters, the force that strikes the wall decreases with the square of the distance from nozzle to the wall. This essentially means you can control the force by increasing the nozzle to wall distance. But if you're like me, when that aggravating spot appears and it didn't clean it, you'll reduce the distance; soon you'll be doing the job at the reduced distance. I bought a 4,000 psi pressure washer, and I have damaged decks with it. I'm a slow learner and stubborn.


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## SWB (Sep 22, 2018)

I've got a 3500 psi / 4 gal minute pressure washer. They're great tools but can do some damage if you're not careful. If you have a large area the surface cleaners are pretty handy. Make sure your machine can handle the requirements of the surface cleaner you're buying though.
I recently discovered this https://www.amazon.com/Forget-800006-Mildew-Remover-Gallon/dp/B01MTALR9B/ref=sr_1_4?gclid=CjwKCAjw7uPqBRBlEiwAYDsr13PvcPakjqAP-jNglkI89jpzwHIZE-KukPMSpe3dUEfTZkCI09Y0JBoCrWcQAvD_BwE&hvadid=237377069903&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9013454&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=6492314364443497690&hvtargid=kwd-455316519037&hydadcr=21848_9349671&keywords=wet-n-forget&qid=1566146175&s=gateway&sr=8-4
It worked great for some algae stains around the pool and I didn't have to pressure wash that area at all.


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## AZChemist (Nov 7, 2018)

Buffalolawny said:


> its not the psi which is important its the flow


 :thumbup: what this guy said. 
If you intend to use a surface cleaner, then you will require a large GPM machine.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

Mightyquinn said:


> For mold and mildew build up on my house and other vertical surfaces I use Jomax and some Outddor Bleach mixed with some water. Put it all into a pump sprayer and spray down the affected areas and wait 10 minutes and go back with a garden hose and rinse it all off. It's a lot faster and easier than using a pressure washer. :thumbup:


I do the same. Cleaning with the right chemical is easier than pressure washing in certain situations.

For mold and mildew, bleach and detergent work very well, just soak, keep it wet, and rinse it off well.

I saw this stuff at Lowe's - $10 a gallon. "On sale."

It is bleach and detergent, and water.

It sells like hot cakes. Amazing - people will buy anything. Almost no one bothers to read the label. A $10 gallon of bleach...!


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## TheDadofAllTrades (Jun 30, 2019)

I use a pressure washer that is around 2400psi. It does really good for my house hold needs. It also runs an extension wand well too. For sidewalks and driveways I like the briggs and Stratton surface cleaner. Here is a video of it working.

https://youtu.be/UraG3pyhyIE


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## Socks (Jul 26, 2019)

FYI - RK is having a sale on a 3100psi/2.5 GPM pressure washer. No reviews - but that price for a nice gas powered is pretty good.

https://www.ruralking.com/powermate-3100-psi-pressure-washer


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## jameskevin (6 mo ago)

TheDadofAllTrades said:


> I use a pressure washer that is around 2400psi. It does really good for my house hold needs. It also runs an extension wand well too. For sidewalks and driveways I like the briggs and Stratton surface cleaner. Here is a video of it working.


Thanks for the video. It's helpful


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