To buy a pressure cleaner.. yes or no!

[Pop2017]

Random one. Really want to buy a pressure washer. I want to wash my patio, path, outside step, the kids garden toys, maybe use it to wash the car .

I’m at a loose end at the minute. Have two children and struggling to find work around them whilst they are school so I’m having some time off to do things around the house - decorating etc.

OH says no because they damage things but surely they are okay if you use them on things like patios, paths.

Please give me your best uses for them to convince OH to let me buy one. Are they okay to use on garden toys?

It’s my birthday soon. I’d much rather have a pressure washer than anything else 🤣

It really is the gift that keeps giving as you can buy all sorts of attachments as well. We (and I do mean we as the kids love using it) have used it to wash-
patio
decking
trampoline
outside toys
cars
driveway
bikes
garden furniture

Thank you. I sound really sad but I really want one. Our garden needs some tlc. And cleaning it up will be a good start.

Was wondering about the trampoline. Only bought ours last year and it’s covered in moss already.

Why not just hire one for the week? Clean the patio, any chairs and the trampoline and you're done.

I was given one completely free of charge and it took me a good year to get round to using it. It's been in the shed ever since, even though it did a fine job on my patio and paths.

It's just just A.Nother cleaning thing to worry about tbh - and it is a bit of a PITA to assemble and set up and use (then pack up). But then again I have housekeeping standards well below the MN acceptable range...

Pro tip: Don't stand in front of it to see how it works while somebody turns it on.

Especially not wearing light coloured clothing.

I love playing cleaning with the pressure washer. You can clean all hard surfaces - slabs, bricks, concrete. There are hard, medium and soft settings so you can clean softer surfaces too. I use ours to clean:
Patio,
Brick wall
Car (on medium setting)
Windows,
Plastic window frames
Drainpipes and guttering
Plant pots,
Cleans algae off fencing and shed
Wooden Gazebo (on soft setting)
Aluminium garden chairs including seats
Brilliant for cleaning out ponds after emptying.

"it is a bit of a PITA to assemble and set up and use (then pack up)."
I have no idea what you mean. Once assembled, that's it. It doesn't get dis-assembled and re-assembled.

I've had one for years and I would be lost without it. I clean everything outdoors with it, including the cars, which have never been damaged by it.
It depends on how close / far your standing from the object being cleaned. Of course you're going to cause damage if you're literally on top of the object that you're washing.
I've washed slatted blinds with it by hanging them on the washing line first.
The dog has had mud blasted off it.
I have a very large tent that goes outside on a nice day once a year and gets a blasting.
Get one with a detergent dispenser with it. I use cherry scented snowfoam with mine.
I wouldn't be without it.
Just buy one and let your husband loose with it. He will love you forever.

Has anyone managed to get one to work well with a reservoir of water rather than a tap? Ours has a hose, but it only reaches so far, then we have a dirty bit at the end of the path! I've seen ones with a water tank but I'm not sure if they work?

Pressure washers do not damage unless there is damage there already eg paint flaking off a car when it's damaged and rust is underneath.

Love mine but can't use it for the car anymore due to our new house and no driveway and parking issues.

Oh DO IT! We have one and it's my favourite toy! You don't realise how filthy and dark your paving slabs are until you pressure wash them. Suddenly you're in a whole new world. All shiny and clean. Fences look brand new too.

A PP mentions disassembling and reassembling? I've never done that. Ours is a Karcher and the only thing we change are the sprayers on the end of the hose. There's the standard head, adjustable (for use on a car because full blast can damage it) and the brush head. And they just twist and click on. Two seconds tops.

Seriously, they're brilliant. I adore ours but beware, once you start, it's difficult to stop. DH even took it round to his parents. And then to the neighbours. And he even did the pavement outside our garden.

Can you wash your windows with it? I fancy one.

I think it needs a bit of reading and care to make sure you don't do any damage. Or injury - some of them are powerful enough to cut you if you blast yourself with it at short range.

I clean mine with it @Mistlewoeandwhine it makes a better job of it than the window cleaner did.
Make sure you stand to one side though when doing the downstairs ones if you don't want an impromptu shower.

I've never disassembled and reassembled mine either. I just unplug it, wind the flex back up and stick the gun back in its holster

Worth mentioning regarding cleaning windows.
Do not...I repeat....Do not clean the inside of the windows with it.
Now, I realise that no mumsnetter is daft enough to do so, however given the intellect of some people...........

We were contemplating getting the patio re-done as it looked awful. DH took the power hose to it and the difference it made was phenomenal! The front path also looked great after it had been done.

It was me who mentioned disassembly.

I more meant having to wind up the power cable and any extension lead, clear up the various heads I've used, disconnect and tidy away the hosepipe etc. It's just a faff.

But then having to wind the wire on the Hoover annoys me (and no I don't want one of those ridiculous Henry things, I like my upright super powerful one)

Thanks all. May I ask what people think about cleaning their upvc windows with one? Reading conflicting things online.

Writing a list of everything I could clean with it 🤣

I have one and following this thread as I have never thought to clean my windows with it but wondering why not

I LOVE my Karcher.
The difference it makes to the patio and drive is outstanding and we have also used it on the cars. I never thought of windows.
Plant pots - god yes I never thought of that either.

We lived in a rural cottage surrounded by trees and bushes and due to that our UPVC windows were constantly housing giant fat bellied spiders and their previous meals so the only thing we could do was get the power washer on them. I'd wash out all the beasties from the corners, nooks and crannies then I could wash the windows as usual with soapy water and finish off with the squeegee. Just remember to keep the vents shut when spraying.