Vinyl siding can withstand a powerful gas pressure washer (2,500-3,000 psi). Aluminum, stucco or soft-grain wood homes will do better with a less powerful washer (about 1,200-1,500 psi). Determine whether you will rent or buy your machine.
If you're cleaning vinyl siding or driveway, a high-powered gasoline pressure washer with around 3,000 PSI is your most robust option.
The RYOBI 1800 PSI 1.2 GPM Electric Pressure Washer is the perfect powerful yet portable option to get the job done. This pressure washer is ideal for light duty applications like cleaning small driveways, sidewalks, decks, windows, patio furniture, campers, bikes, boats, and many other recreational applications.
Light Duty 1500-1900 PSI
These feature PSI ranging from 1500 to 1900 and would be enough to get rid of dirt and mild stains. This is the safest pressure washer PSI rating for all surfaces, but it isn't ideal for getting rid of tough stains.
Reach for the 1500 PSI Pressure Washer and use the 40-degree nozzle to clean painted soft-wood surfaces, aluminum siding, and windows. Brick, stone, and vinyl can handle the higher pressure of the 1600 PSI model. For stucco, stick to the gentler cleaning power of the WORX Hydroshot described below.
1000-2000 PSI
This pressure range is good for cleaning decks and siding and for light-duty auto cleaning.
Select the Correct Pressure Washer
This means you want to rent a pressure washer that meets such needs. To correctly strip old paint, you should work with a power washer with a psi of 2000 or higher.
There's no doubt that electric pressure washers from 1,300 to 2,300 psi can wash a concrete driveway, but it'll take longer. If you have a large driveway with lots of stains, you'll want more power to do the job faster.
How much PSI is needed to wash concrete? Pressure washing concrete at least 3000 PSI and the flow rate of 4GPM cleans thoroughly. And higher PSI can remove paint, tire marks, etc.
What is a good PSI for a power washer? A model that creates anywhere between 1300 to 1700 pounds per square inch of pressure is decent. The higher the pressure, the more powerful it is.
If you want to clean your driveway quickly and efficiently, use a pressure washer of at least 3100 PSI. Using pressure washers with pressures ranging from 1000 to 2300 PSI will also help you clean your driveway, but it will take a long time.
The main difference is that power washing uses highly pressurized steam to do the cleaning while pressure washing just uses unheated tap water, without the help of a heating element.
Using a Pressure Washer to Clean Vinyl Siding
Pressure washers are easy to operate and are perfectly safe for cleaning your siding, contrary to what you may have heard before.
Even though vinyl is a durable, versatile and resilient building material, it does require regular care and cleaning. This prevents dirt and other contaminants from building up on the walls. Most experts recommend that vinyl siding should be cleaned once or twice a year.
Soft-washing techniques work best for cleaning your home's siding and roof. Pressure washers with soft-washing nozzles risk damaging siding, cracking roof tiles, and breaking glass windows. Soft-washing services, on the other hand, are entirely safe for all exterior home surfaces.
Wash the Vinyl Siding on Your Home
Create a solution using Dawn and warm water to gently clean siding that's covered in dirt, moss, or mold. Coat the siding with the mixture, let it soak, and then hose it off.
It is a super effective way to get rid of stains and mold. Pressure washing allows you to get to those hard to reach places. Cons: If pressure washing is done incorrectly, it can cause damage to your home.
Using Soap Means Less Pressure and Less Damage To Your Home.
If the stream of water is too strong, it can damage stucco, masonry, wood and vinyl siding and can also penetrate into your home's structure. Pressure washing with high pressure also routinely damages window screens, decks and exterior lighting.
For light-duty tasks such as washing a car or cleaning a barbecue grill, a pressure washer with 1,000 to 1,750 psi and 1.4 to 1.6 gpm (1,400 to 2,800 ECUs) will probably do the job.
This type of pressure washer is good for the average homeowners to handle most household and automotive cleaning jobs, and is usually a hand carry electric model. 2,000 - 2,900 PSI: This is a moderate strength unit used heavier residential tasks. These units are commonly sold as either electric or gas pressure washers.
Selecting a pressure washer with a range of 2,000 psi to 4,000 psi will give you the most effective power for removing peeling paint. With pressure washers, as with all power equipment, always wear protective goggles and closed-toe shoes. Prepare the area around the structure you are working on.
For a typical car, use 1,200 to 1,900 PSI and 1.4 to 1.6 GPM for 1,900 to 2,800 cleaning units. Anything above risks the car's coating and paint.
You have to know its capabilities, 1600 PSI is good for most home jobs (general siding cleaning/gutters, car washes, cleaning furniture) Don't expect it to clean a whole concrete driveway in one smooth pass.