Start with a 40-degree spray tip. If you need more cleaning power on unpainted stucco, you can try a 25-degree tip. For a brick home, you'll want between 1500 and 2000 PSI and a 25-degree spray tip. Consider a light- to medium-duty pressure washer.
As you make your way around the house, work from the top down, washing from clean areas to unwashed areas. Instead of shooting water up at the house, work from a ladder and wash downward to avoid forcing water under the siding. Start with the gun pointing away from the house.
Nozzles of 25 degrees or higher offer an angle that mildly sweeps surfaces free of dirt, mud, and soap. The gentle power works well around the house and garage. A good approach for home pressure washing is to start with the highest angle first, then go down in angle if your test surface doesn't come clean.
Pressure washers spray water in a V shape from the end of the wand. Each nozzle that you add to the end of the wand will spray water in a wider or narrower V, depending on what degree angle it is designed to spray at. For example, a 15° angle is a fairly narrow V, while a 40° is significantly wider.
They're supposed to be at a 30 degree angle or so. If yours are perpendicular to the surface you're cleaning they could be digging out the concrete especially if the concrete is young and still a bit 'soft'.
Start with a 40-degree spray tip. If you need more cleaning power on unpainted stucco, you can try a 25-degree tip. For a brick home, you'll want between 1500 and 2000 PSI and a 25-degree spray tip. Consider a light- to medium-duty pressure washer.
The yellow, 15-degree nozzle is the best choice for cleaning siding with a pressure washer. When cleaning siding, start at the top and work your way down. Be sure to stand a consistent distance of 3-4 feet from the surface you are cleaning. Keep the nozzle moving to avoid damaging the surface.
Green nozzle – 25 degrees
You can still clean tough stains from concrete and brick if you hold the wand close to the surface. You can also safely clean wood and siding if you keep the nozzle farther away. Use the green nozzle for all cleaning chores, including gutters, aluminum trim, sidewalks and patios.
Red Spray Tip (0-Degrees)
The red spray tip creates a 0-degree spray pattern and is the most powerful nozzle of them all.
Cold temps like this can damage our pumps, cause the water to freeze as we spray it onto your home, put our employees at risk of hypothermia, and just makes for less effective cleaning, in general. For these reasons, we typically do not power wash home in the winter if the temperatures get below 40 degrees.
Choosing a Pressure Washer
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.
For pressure washing a car, stick with a 40-degree nozzle (typically white, per industry standards), though a more powerful 25-degree (green) nozzle can be useful for blasting wheels, tires, and the undercarriage. Apply soap using either the 65-degree black nozzle or the foam cannon.
Can you use Dawn to clean vinyl siding? As long as you dilute this dishwashing detergent in warm water, you can use it to clean your siding. Dawn and similar dishwashing soaps are able to eliminate greasy stains, dirt and other debris without causing damage to your siding.
Winter: Although power washing in winter is possible, we don't recommend it in extreme cold or snow. However, we can power wash on warmer days or during breaks in the weather.
They've revolutionized the way we maintain homes, driveways, fences, patios, and even cars, making it easier than ever before. To get the maximum cleaning power from your pressure washer, you should keep the tip at a 90-degree angle. Any other angle will weaken the spray, making proper cleaning difficult.
Determine How Much Pressure Is Needed
Other sources say you should have between 2,000 and 4,000 PSI. Based on our experience, we recommend getting a pressure washer with at least 3000 PSI. It requires a lot of pressure to break the chemical bond between the surface and the paint.
For most concrete surfaces, a mix of alkaline cleaners works best to break down grease and oil. For particularly tough stains, you might need specialized concrete cleaners designed to tackle specific contaminants.
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. Small pressure washers are cheap but inefficient for house washing.
Clean at an Angle
Spray at a 45-degree angle to the surface to help lift dirt and debris without driving it deeper into the concrete pores. This can also help ensure that any loose debris kicked up by the force of the water moves away from you.
Locate the hose mount on the back of the pressure washer. Attach the garden hose to this mount, making sure that the other end is attached to the spigot outside of the house. For harder surfaces and a higher psi, use a 15-degree spray nozzle. For softer surfaces and a lower psi, choose a 25- or 30-degree nozzle.
Washing a House (1,300-2,000 PSI)
A PSI range between 1,300 and 2,000 is generally safe for most house exteriors, allowing for effective cleaning without causing damage to the siding, windows, or trim.