Pressure Washers: The No-Stress Cleaner
Tuesday, 25 January 2011
There has been something of a revolution in recent years along the streets, back gardens, patios and pathways of Stratford-upon-Avon. People in their droves have been heading to local DIY stores or loading up the website of a reputable online retailer, to purchase one of the newest power tools that has become commercially successful in the past few years. Of course, we are referring to the large increase in the number of pressure washers that have been purchased in recent times.
This trend is by no means peculiar only to Stratford. Across the UK, thousands of people have been snapping up pressure washers as the new must-have gadget. The question remains though: just why have they become so popular?
To answer that question fully, we need to learn a little about the history of this most versatile and useful of tools. Originally, pressure washers were used in industry for cleaning purposes to help with the removal of items such as oil, graffiti, grime, dust and mould from the surface of roads, pathways, machinery and walls. They were developed chiefly because the pressure provided by hosepipes was not enough to cleanse equipment fully and greater power was needed to remove particularly stubborn stains or dirt.
It seems somewhat strange that it took a relatively lengthy amount of time for someone to hit upon the idea of making a smaller, affordable and less dangerous pressure washer suitable for the home market. A few years ago, however, the first pressure washer units designed specifically for home use hit the shelves and ever since, they have been in widespread use the length and breadth of the country.
One thing to consider before you buy a machine is to ensure that you have a strong enough water supply to feed the washer. An outside tap with a strong supply of water is best advised and if you are planning on using your pressure washer frequently, as many people do, then it may be worthwhile plumbing in an external tap specifically for this purpose.
Once you have that water supply sorted, you just need an extension cable to run to the pressure washer and you are ready to start using your new machine. It is, however, a good idea to read the enclosed instructions carefully to ensure that you are using the correct nozzle attachment and have it at the right setting for the job you have in mind.
This is one of the most positive aspects of a pressure washer; its versatility. Not only can you use the washer to clean years of ingrained dirt from your patio or paving slabs in the garden, bringing them up from a murky dark green or brown colour, so they look brand new, but you can also use the pressure washer on items that are more delicate. This includes cleaning garden furniture, using it to clean your car or even the blasting grime from external walls around your home.
Problems only arise when the user fails to understand that for each of these tasks the nozzle adjustment, which controls the power of the flow and how the water is dispersed through the nozzle at pressure, needs to be set accordingly.
For example, if you are blasting grime from a pavement, then you may need to set your nozzle so that one of the more powerful jets of water is emitted from the machine. This will then blast almost all of the dirt from the paving slabs. Be warned however, the jets are so powerful that if you are using too powerful a setting, you can blast the cement from between flags quite easily.
Now, imagine the power of that water that can strip decade's worth of grime from paving slabs, being directed at your shiny, new car? The damage you can cause to the car's paintwork does not bear thinking about and as such, it is vital that you adjust the nozzle on the end to ensure that you are using an attachment that directs a powerful, but entirely safe curtain of water at your vehicle.
Some of the new pressure washers in use allow some form of cleaning agent, or detergent, to be injected into the water as it is sprayed. While this is not strictly necessary, it can be a useful addition, especially if you plan to use the machine to clean the car, for example.
Pressure washers are a fantastic labour saving device when used safely and correctly. They can bring a new level of cleanliness and shine to even the most ground in stains, meaning that despite the name, pressure washers guarantee stress-free cleaning.
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