There are several reasons why, if you are a homeowner, you might wish to use high pressure cleaning on your property.
You may see that excess amounts of mould and mildew are growing on the exterior surfaces of your home.
There may be several unsightly stains and marks needing to be cleaned away. You may even be planning to sell your home, in which case you want it to be looking its best.
Whatever the reasons may be, there are several points which you should consider first. One of those might be that you opt to do the work yourself and hire a high pressure cleaning machine.
If so, that throws up even more matters that you need to concern yourself with such as those below.
Pressure Washer Or Power Washer?
You must start by confirming whether or not it is a high pressure cleaning machine you need rather than a power washer.
They may look the same, but there are differences, and if you hire the wrong one not only do you compromise the cleaning, but you could also cause damage to your home’s exterior.
Power washing is ideal for very large surface areas, and for cleaning non-natural stains such as paint, grease, or oil. It is also important to note that it uses heated water rather than cold water.
High pressure cleaning is preferable on brick and masonry, ideal for general cleaning of exteriors, and great for removing natural matter such as mould and mildew from most surfaces.
What Can Be Washed And What Cannot?
You should know that many homes have suffered damage due to an unwitting homeowner using a pressure washer on a material that should not be pressure washed.
These include stained wood, as the staining can be removed, certain sandstone materials which are soft and can be damaged, plus very old materials because they are susceptible to powerful jets of water.
Which Cleaning Liquids Should Be Used?
Another important factor to consider is what cleaning liquids can safely be used. This will depend on the type of surface being cleaned and the material that it is made from.
Mild detergents will remove normal dirt and grime, for example, whereas sanitisers and disinfectants will eradicate bacteria and other unwanted microscopic organisms such as mould spores.
There will be further differences in what is suitable for materials such as wood, versus those suited to cleaning concrete or driveways.
A cardinal rule of thumb is certainly to read the instructions and precautions labels on any cleaning solutions you plan to use.
What Are The Necessary Safety Precautions?
There will certainly be plenty of them and they include:
- Wearing protective equipment such as gloves and safety goggles
- Not pointing the water spray at electrical equipment or power outlets
- Covering items such as plants to protect them from damage
- Seal adjacent windows and doors with duct tape
- Keep all children and pets well away from where the cleaning is taking place
- Ensure you use the correct nozzles for the cleaning work
- Test with low pressure from a distance on surfaces
Do You Really Want To Do This Yourself?
Phew! A lot to consider is it not? We come back to the question we asked above about you doing all this yourself, or hiring a professional high pressure cleaning company.
We strongly urge you to consider the latter as it gets the job done properly, without all the stress and effort if you choose the DIY option.
