If you have access to a pressure washer, it’s the easiest way to get spectacular results. Pressure washers are either gasoline or electric powered portable systems that attach via garden hose to your outside water spigot and pressurize the water to come out of a small handheld wand. This high-pressure water literally blasts away the dirt and grime, leaving behind the glistening beauty that your patio once was.
Let’s tackle first things first… should you pressure wash yourself or have it professionally done? Pressure washing yourself is easy and has almost no cost, but if you have significant stains or other issues, you’re not sure how to hand it’s best to leave it to the pros who can use different nozzles and temperatures to get your patio or deck as clean as possible.
Like with all home projects, let’s start with focusing on safety. When pressure washing, little bits or dirt and debris will fly around at high speed – so be sure to wear safety glasses to protect your eyes. Finally, just because your pressure washer can handle a bajillion PSI (pounds per square inch), too much pressure can harm your patio or the things around it… start low and slowly increase the pressure.
Let’s get to work. First, prep your space for the work to come. Prep your pressure washer with the right nozzle – ideally, use a nozzle with a rotating tip but in lieu of that a wide fan tip is a good choice. When washing, you’ll want to use a solvent/cleaner for best results. Make sure that you focus on the cracks – this is where things that can damage your patio build up over time. If you’re pressure washing over wood (say, on your deck), always wash with the grain of the wood – washing across the grain can easily create splinters.
Once your patio is washed (and it looks amazing, by the way) be sure to rinse all the detergent off with a garden hose. Any detergent left behind will turn sticky once dried, attracting the dirt and grime you just worked so hard to get rid of.
