Home Pressure Washing

Move lawn furniture away from your home. Ensure all windows and doors are securely closed.

Spray water liberally over shrubs, flowers or other plants surrounding your home. This prevents soap used in the pressure washer from sticking to them as you clean the home's exterior.

Affix a hose to the pressure washer, leaving the spigot in the "Off" position. Do not turn the water on until you are ready to use the pressure washer.

Fill the pressure washer's detergent tank with soap if you have chosen to use a cleaning agent. Affix the soap tip to the end of the nozzle. Some pressure washers have a separate tube to combine detergent with water when it leaves the hose. If there is no detergent tank on the pressure washer, affix the tube to both the detergent bottle and to the spray nozzle of the pressure washer, based on the manufacturer's instructions.

Turn the water on and start the pressure washer. Generally, this can be done by pulling a cord similar to those on lawn mowers. However, some pressure washers rely on electric power and have an "On" switch. Squeeze the trigger on the pressure washer nozzle until you can see a soapy mixture coming from the nozzle.

Spray your home with the soapy water, starting at the bottom. Use sweeping, side-to-side motions. Starting at the bottom ensures the sides of your home are wet, so when dirt and debris from above flows down later it will not streak or stick to your walls. Work in one-wall sections rather than breaking an individual wall into several sections. If you need to use an extension wand, turn the pressure washer off before affixing it. When you have covered the wall, wait five to 10 minutes before rinsing to allow the detergent to work.

Turn the pressure washer off. Remove the tube carrying detergent to the pressure washer. If the pressure washer has a detergent tank, remove the soap tip and replace it with a high-pressure tip.

Rinse off the soap, starting at the top and working your way down. Use sweeping, side-to-side motions with the pressure washer's nozzle. Repeat the same process on other walls until the home has been completely washed.