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Pressure Washing 101 - (Dust off that Gurney)

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So, you’ve got a dirty brick wall, pathway, rooftop, or other outdoor surface covered in mildew and dirt. Oh no!  

 

When mould and grime build upon an outdoor surface, it can age a property well beyond its years. And if you’re a homeowner who’s looking to sell, this can mean your home fails to catch the eye of potential buyers in the area. So, what’s a seller to do?!

Pressure washing (or power washing) is a highly recommended method of cleaning that gets your outdoor spaces looking spick and span in no time – with less water usage than your garden hose.

 

How does pressure washing work?

With roughly 75 times the pressure of a garden hose and water jets that go up to 3000 psi, you can imagine how much easier power washing makes even the toughest of cleaning jobs. 

To get technical, there is an electrical polarity in water molecules that enable it to stick to or penetrate certain things. So, when you add detergents to the molecule, the pressure washer is able to break down grease and dirt far easier than without this force.

Amazing, huh?

 

What does a pressure washer remove?

A pressure washer can remove mould, mildew, dust, dirt, gum, hard water, graffiti, stains, moss, grease, bugs, and even caked-on insect/critter poop (ew)!

 

Will pressure washing have any effect on my health?

Pressure washing your property can have a super-duper effect on your health – and here’s why.

When you deep clean your home’s exterior, show your gardens a little TLC, clean your paths, gutters – the lot, you’re eradicating the chance of inhaling built up dust, mildew and mould, while minimising exposure to bugs and bird droppings.

By removing these things, you’re decreasing the spread of disease and quite simply, making your outdoor area breathable again – which is especially important for people with respiratory issues, allergies, or asthma.

 

Is pressure washing eco-friendly?

The great thing about choosing to pressure wash your property is that you have full control over what ingredients you use to complete the job, and how much water you use.

Whether you’re doing it yourself or hiring a professional pressure washer, you can opt to use gentle detergents to remove the most stubborn of stains, or simply rely upon the high pressure of the water to complete the job.

Because the high-powered stream of water makes for a quick clean, not only are you using less water than a garden hose, you’re also able to avoid the use of abrasive chemicals – and that’s a cleaning job done right. 

 

How often should I pressure wash my property?

Pressure washing needn’t be a regular task – unless of course like many homeowners I know, you take great pride in your home and are happy to undertake mini-washes on the regular.

Power washing should however be undertaken annually to avoid major build-up of filth on your outdoor walls, paths and so on.

 

Is pressure washing really worth the expense?

Short answer – yes.

If you’re a homeowner looking to sell, or even a business owner wishing to attract more customers or clients to their building, giving your exterior the TLC it needs can make all the difference to the attention the property receives.

A clean and well-maintained exterior can give your home the necessary curb side appeal that catches the eye of potential buyers, making it more likely you’ll receive a slightly higher offer than if you’d left your shutters, facades, roof tiles, driveway or pathway looking dismal and unkempt.

But perhaps most importantly, an annual pressure wash to your property can decrease the occurrence of costly repairs and reduce damage to your building. Surfaces such as painted brick walls, wood fences, concrete pathways and more run the risk of enduring significant damage that will cost an arm and a leg to fix should mould, mildew, dirt or grime be left to build up.

So, my advice my friends is to book your annual clean with a pressure washing professional before putting your home up for sale or running that big ad in the paper to attract customers to your business.

Confident you can do the job yourself? Make sure you read your machine’s instruction manual before you start and avoid pressure washing anything brittle that could bend or break under the force of your power washing machine. Happy gurney times ahead folks!

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