Power Washer Cleaning Solutions

Power Washing Brick

• Before you start power washing brick, repair all gaps and cracks in the mortar. If you don't, the power washing will only make them worse and leave water between the brick and wood of your home, encouraging mold and rot. Start by wetting the entire surface you intend to clean to prevent the brick form absorbing the detergent. Use a medium pressure setting to avoid eroding the mortar and a biodegradable detergent suited for use on brick. Work from the bottom up to avoid streaks, and finish with a rotating brush or hand brush to work on difficult stains.

Power Washing Vinyl Siding

• To effectively clean vinyl siding, use a medium setting. Siding can get pretty dirty, so use a biodegradeable detergent to help break up the soil. Avoid streaks by applying the detergent from the bottom up. Apply the detergent to a single layer of the house -- the first 20 slats in the siding, for example -- and let it sit for about 10 minutes before washing it off. For difficult stains, use a rotating brush or a hand-held brush. Avoid harming plants by covering them with a tarp.

Power Washing Carport Oil Stains

• A power washer can be effective on oil stains, but you'll need to use an additive for the washing to be effective. Seek out a biodegradable degreaser to add to your power washer; it will help break up the oil. Or you could apply the degreaser to the stain and let it sit for an hour or so before using the washer. Without the added chemical, you'll likely only smear the fresher oil around. If your carport has been cured, try the method on a corner of the surface to see if it also removes the curing. If it does, you may have to recure the surface after the cleaning.

Cleaning Concrete

• Be careful when pressure washing concrete. It's a porous material and is subject to erosion, which a power washer will cause as the pressure increases. Lower quality concrete is particularly vulnerable to the wear and tear of a pressure wash, but all concrete will be eroded by a power washer to some degree. If hand washing the concrete is not successful, rinse the area and apply a biodegradable detergent before using a washer set to the lowest pressure.