LIGHT-DUTY pressure washers in the 1,300 to 1,700 PSI range are great for cleaning patio furniture, lawn equipment, stairs, and vehicles such as automobiles and small SUV's.
Light Duty 1500-1900 PSI
For regular maintenance and light household cleaning jobs, a light-duty pressure washer will do. These feature PSI ranging from 1500 to 1900 and would be enough to get rid of dirt and mild stains.
For most cars, a psi between 1200 and 2200 is recommended. This range provides enough cleaning power to remove dirt and grime without damaging the car's paint or delicate surfaces.
Most electric pressure washers create 1300-1700 pounds per square inch of pressure (PSI) with a water flow of 1.5 gallons per minute (GPM), but experienced contractors recommend between 2000 and 3000 PSI and a flow of at least 2.5 GPM to clean dirty concrete effectively. …
For cleaning a wooden deck, you'll be best served by using the lowest pressure setting that's still effective. For soft woods like cedar or pine, this is usually about 500 to 600 psi. For harder woods, it can go up to 1200 to 1500 psi.
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.
Any machine capable of producing at least 1,500 pounds per square inch (psi) of pressure can clean concrete, but the work will go much faster if you choose a model producing 2,500 to 3,000 psi, like the gas-powered option below.
HOW MUCH PSI IS ENOUGH? LIGHT-DUTY pressure washers in the 1,300 to 1,700 PSI range are great for cleaning patio furniture, lawn equipment, stairs, and vehicles such as automobiles and small SUV's.
Concrete and asphalt require more cleaning power. You'll want to use the turbo nozzle on the 1600 PSI for hard-to-clean driveways, sidewalks, and patios as well as brick paving. For wood decks and painted surfaces, switch to the gentler 40-degree nozzle.
Your pressure washer should have a minimum pressure rating of 3000 psi to effectively clean your sidewalk. There are a few situations where a higher pressure rating might be needed, but exterior cleaning experts all agree and recommend that 3000 psi is appropriate for residential use.
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.
Most electric pressure washers create 1300-1700 pounds per square inch of pressure (PSI) with a water flow of 1.5 gallons per minute (GPM), but experienced contractors recommend between 2000 and 3000 PSI and a flow of at least 2.5 GPM to clean dirty concrete effectively.
Car washes typically blast out their liquid at 1,000 to 1,200 PSI, although pressures can go up to 2,200 in some situations. For this reason, along with the squirts of hot wax and slaps from towels, we do not recommend going through a car wash on foot.
Product Overview
This electric pressure washer delivers up to 1750 PSI to power-clean walls, yard equipment, and vehicles. Lightweight and portable, this pressure washer features a pressure hose over 20 ft. long along with 4 in. diameter wheels for easy mobility.
Concrete cleaning calls for powerful pressure washers featuring high pressure levels of 3000 PSI. However, if you will be using the power cleaner to maintain a range of surfaces in addition to concrete, choose one with adjustable pressure levels and set it to about 3000 PSI when you need to clean concrete.
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 need to clean a two-story house, you'll need a heavy-duty or extra heavy-duty pressure washer. This will give you a water pressure of 2,800 PSI (Pounds Per Square Inch) or higher and three to four GPM (gallons per minute) of water.
1000 to 1500 psi pressure is easy to mange and will not cause damage to pavers and paving stone. A low pressure washer is also safe for mortared flagstone and slate patios and walls.
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.
PSI Pressure range for Different Surfaces
Different surfaces require different levels of PSI pressure. Generally, for most residential uses, an electric pressure washer (less than 2000 PSI) will suffice. Soft surfaces, such as decks and siding, usually require more cleaning power than harder surfaces such as driveways.
Light-duty pressure washers are rated at 2,000 PSI or less and are suitable for cleaning automobiles, motorcycles, boats, bicycles and all-purpose cleaning. Medium-duty pressure washers produce 2,000 to 3,000 PSI and can be used to remove grease and grim from concrete, sidewalks, decks and siding.
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.
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.
Tip: Only use low pressure when washing the exterior brick on your house. Pressure washing using 500 to 1000 PSI is recommended for cleaning masonry. Many professionals use 100 to 1500 PSI to avoid damage. 2,000 PSI is the absolute maximum, and that's for experienced pressure washers only.