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.
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 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.
Softwood decking - For softwood decks like redwood or cedar, 1,200 PSI is enough pressure. Anything greater than that and you risk damaging or removing the wood, leaving behind a raised grain.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
Medium Duty: Medium-duty pressure washers generate between 1900 and 2788 PSI, typically at 1 to 3 GPM. Best for home and shop use, these sturdier, more powerful units make it easy to clean everything from exterior siding and fences to patios and decks.
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.
1000-2000 PSI
Good for light cleaning jobs or for jobs where the surface to be cleaned is soft and easily damaged. This pressure range is good for cleaning decks and siding and for light-duty auto cleaning.
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.
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.
Domestic vs Industrial or Professional Pressure Cleaner
If your pressure cleaner only goes up to 1500 psi at maximum, you can still clean your driveway. However, take note that it may take a little longer and more effort, and there may be some dirt and stains it will not get out.
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.
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.
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.
To clean concrete, exterior siding or an asphalt driveway, you'll want at least 2,000 to 2,800 psi and 2 to 3 gpm (4,000 to 8,400 ECUs).
You'll need a power washer that provides a force of 3,000 PSI or more. The higher the pressure, the better and faster is the cleaning. If you want to use a lower pressure on certain surfaces, you can always attach a larger spray tip to it.
It's simply a measure of how much force the water hits with and helps you understand its ability to remove stuck-on debris. As you might guess, the higher the PSI, the more power the water has, so bigger is better in many cases.
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.