I worked for a company that pressure washed drive ways and cleansed gutters and windows all that kind of stuff. One thing I learned. When you’re doing things like this. Patience and planning.
Hey Scott, we can still see the the dirty strips left in the driveway .. The best way I've found when using a circular washer like that is to overlap each stroke by 50% which eliminates that problem having to go and redoing it ... Less work and time is what it's all about in today's busy world ... Keep at it my boy and you'll go far ...
I've been doing this professionally for what seems like a lifetime. With a small machine like that, after my first pass I would PC in the opposite direction creating a crosshatch pattern. And as "nelson587" said, 50% overlap is essential to get a good job. I sometimes use the chemical injector and use a quick flush with pool chlorine after rinsing off the dirt. Use the low pressure high volume tip (usually black), I've never had it burn grass but use caution around sensitive plants.
Instead of just water I would recomend a snow foam gun filled with a strong degreaser like sodium hypochloride and a good brush just apply chemical brush on leave for 30 minutes to an hour and then rinse off at a low pressure with the 40 degree tip
This was the most helpful video I've seen in a long, long time. I cleaned my patio using the 40° tip. It took almost all day. I thought there had to be a better way, so I went on UA-cam and found this video. I had no idea these cleaners existed! I purchased one using the link provided to Amazon. I needed to clean my driveway and sidewalk, but my expectations of the cleaner working were low, so it sat in the house for a couple weeks. I was motivated yesterday, so I took it out to the driveway and hooked it up. I was blown away at how well this thing worked. Finished the driveway and sidewalk in a fraction of the time it used to take me. This was $80 well spent. Also, I don't get people being critical of this video. You made it for guys like me, who didn't know there was a better way, not for guys who have already been using surface cleaners. Now that I'm using it, I can figure out for myself at what speed I need to be cleaning as well as the different tips I can use. Thanks again!
Good tips... I also use an inline filter for the water to make sure nothing clogs up the pump/sprayer tip especially when using someone elses hose or water supply. I always let the water run through the hose for a moment before hooking it to the machine just to help clear out anything that might be in the hose... grass/leaves a lizard, etc...
I bought my first "broom" as a home owner over 20 years ago (for about $500) and it is still going strong. I do feel a little miffed that prices have come down so much and I'm no longer "special". Simply stated, the "broom" is well worth the money. Just hit the buy button and be amazed. Very nice video! It was short but not so short that you didn't hit all the important points. Kudos.
My electric washer came with an orbital tip. It still concentrates the stream into a single column, but this column rotates in a circle very quickly. You get a large area coverage and the concentrated blast at the same time.
One person mentioned going slower to no leave stripe’s and in addition wash up and dow and then go left to right can often help, since you did the majority of the cleaning in the first pass etc. The pum condition spray, good tip and important step.
I was taught in the navy to fully drain our fire hoses to prevent premature aging of the rubber. Over time, the water left in the hose will leach sulfur from the rubber and create sulfuric acid. Admittedly, it may be that it was salt water that caused the issue but chlorine in tap water would have the same effect, I would think. I've always followed that practice and no burst hoses yet.
When I finish with my hoses, I disconnect from the source, make sure the other end is open, then use my air compressor hose with the trigger/nozzle end and hold it firm to the end of the hose and blow it out in seconds. Then roll 'em up and put 'em away. Quick and easy. ALL hoses.
We would always hang our 50 foot 2 1/2” fire house in the hose tower after fires for 24-48 hours before taking them down and rolling them ( for the same reasons you mentioned ) … I’m retired now and the same hose was there when I walked out the door that was there when I was hired
I just got the Greenworks Pro 3000, I've used others in the passt, this one shocked me when I pulled the trigger, and I was blowing away 1.5 inches of mud off my driveway with easy.
Thank you sir. I bought the surface cleaner a few weeks ago and only just now got to use it. It worked great. Not as powerful as a single nozzle, but great for maintaining the condition of my driveway so it doesn't get as bad as when I first cleaned it last spring.
Some other tips are to never let the engine idle for very long while there's no water flow through the pump. Doing so will overheat the pump and eventually degrade the seals. If it takes you over a minute in "standby" then just cut off the engine. Not only do you save the pump but you conserve fuel as well. I always use non-ethanol fuel in my small engines and for equipment such as a pressure washer that gets infrequent use, I will turn the fuel valve off and burn off what's left in the carburetor, all while spraying into open air until the fuel is exhausted and the motor dies out.
10/4 on that. i got to where i wouldn't loan my gas washer anymore because clowns were starting it without the water on or taking phone calls till the emergency bypass would blow, which means the seals were about to go and probably screwed like the space shuttle. i finally went to electric sunjoe and my problems with buying seal kits are over.
All my pressure washers are "Fixed Throttle", could not idle them if I wanted to. No idle circuit to ever be concerned about. NEVER run the pump without water, and always blow pump saver thru the pump when finished. Cap or tape the ends when not in use.
What we need to do is after a few seconds, key the pressure washer trigger to get waterflow through the pump.. Mine is over 20 years old and nothing has ever broken on it... Its a Devilbiss....I just change the oil in the gas B&S engine and always check the oil level before starting it, and of course have water running through it before starting it... Love these things !!! :)
@Thang Knowa I didn't think about capping the ends on my pressure washer or running pump armor thru it.. but I tape ends and run pump armor thru my paint sprayers, I'll start doing it here too... don't know why I never did this lol
Great video. My first PW pump burned out, because I would let off the trigger for over 5 minutes at a time taking a break, big mistake. Now I know not to leave it on without having the trigger on and water running through the pump so it doesn't burn up.
Fully agree... Didn't think about a "surface cleaner" attachment. Have a relatively old and basic Electric Pressure Washer (and attachments) which as mentioned means a slow/boring/back pain project... Not sure it'd effectively support the volume/pressure needed for the surface cleaner attachment to do a good job... But seems like a good investment regardless... (Along with a washer upgrade as needed... Or slower/multiple passes)
I have that attachment and love it. Another advantage is the surface cleaner doesn't blow the dirt, mold, grime all over the place. Nothing worse than admiring your work and realized you blew that crap all over a wall or garage door, deck railing etc....
If you go a little slower, the cleaner will do a much better job. Also, if you will pre-treat with some bleach and water it will kill the algae and mold and make cleaning much easier. Great video!
I think the number one mistake is people don’t realize concrete easily absorbs water. So they spend lots of time getting the concrete wet enough to begin effective cleaning. They do this using the pressure washer which does not deliver a high volume of water which is why it takes so long. So I always begin by first wetting the concrete with water from the hose. It really improves the process. I also advise to not do this in direct sun or when concrete is hot as it will be more difficult to keep it wet. I try to do this in a light rain or just after rain.
I use Wet and Forget and haven’t pressure washed my driveway in years. Also used on deck and is equally effective. It does take a few weeks but it really works.
The black is usually not dirt - it's mould. You have to "kill" it or it comes back even blacker and you spread it when you pressure wash it. You're spot on, Wet & Forget or similar product is the go, or even bleach or white vinegar are cheaper alternatives. Then a few weeks later, hit it with the pressure washer. All good.
Came her to post this. Wet and Forget is fantastic. I use it on my front walk, paver patio and window sills. Easy and quick to apply and then rain does the work for you.
I have only seen 1 type of Wet & Forget are there different types? Also did you just follow the directions on the back? Thank you. Stay safe healthy and happy ✝️🇺🇸
With a good pressure washer and accessories you can make a whole business of cleaning driveways, gutters, drain pipes, car undercarriages, siding, culverts, construction equipment, rugs, warehouses, etc. Its like the bread and butter for a lot of general handy men and women.
I’ve just got back into the buil trade. I was a plasterer for 15 years. Joined some sights now. And within 2 weeks. I’ve got 2 driveway cleaning jobs. I think I’m gonna pursue this. There seems to be a big demand for it
glad to see the amazon surface cleaner being used as i just purchased one for my drive way, i have an electric 2300 psi washer but Ive been eyeing the Simpson. this video made me go ahead and purchase a gas one now. appreciate the video.
It's worth mentioning that the "pump saver" also acts as an anti-freeze. If there's any danger of freeze during the winter, you need to use this stuff otherwise you ruining your pressure washer.
On mine, I just use anti freeze on the suction or soap dispenser tube, run it till I see the antifreeze coming out the tip, then shut it down - good for the winter months or just general lack of use. I will also use fogging oil in the engine - squirt some in the air intake of the engine then shut it down around 30 seconds.
I have a similar power washer as well as a surface washer with a long attached bar. The surface washer has made a huge difference in both effectiveness and .efficiency. Furthermore, the resulting driveway and deck look fabulous. These are a must for decks!
Quite Agree !! If someone has the best equipment, knowns how best to use it, and does this every day ............. then pay him for all that knowledge, and get a good job done in half the time !!
Discovering the spinning surface cleaner was a true life changer. It saves so much time, that whenever I see a neighbor pressure washing the standard way, with just the tip, I will walk down and let the borrow the surface cleaner and they are dumbfounded. Most of them didn't even know they exist.
Nice streaks! Slow down or make a double pass to avoid those pesky buggers. You also forgot to turn the engine over a couple times (spark plug disconnected) after putting in the pump saver to truly get it on all the pump internals.
Awesome video. The beatdown of electric pressure washers is sometimes warranted (I've had a few crappy ones in my time) but not in all cases. I have a 3800 PSI electric with a 2.4 GPM which is higher than your gas-powered 3100 PSI-2.3 GPM. I just did my brick driveway and the concrete sidewalk and it did a freakishly outstanding job without any precleaning. There was no lag (ever) in the water flow or pressure. It's all in what you purchase.
@@thinebiggest Lol. You got scammed bro. Do not believe everything you read. Companies can basically lie and make up whatever numbers they want by changing the nozzle size.
As always, great information! I just purchased a Westinghouse WPX3000e Electric Pressure Washer, 3000 Max PSI and 1.76 Max GPM and a 16" Janz surface cleaner to do my 80' driveway. To be honest, it was my first time doing something like this. After reading the reviews on Amazon about both pieces of equipment, I was confident that this would do a great job; not so much. It did just ok and I have a lot of streaks. I am not sure what I did wrong here, but it is pretty simple to use. Oh well. I will have to go over it again.
It’s the gpm of your unit that’s holding you back. The internet says you should use 4-5 inches of surface cleaner for per gpm. If your using a 16 inch cleaner then you should bump up to a unit that has 3-4 gpm.
Used to pressure washer green algae/mold discoloration after winter shade, now more impressed with hose-sprayer house siding cleaners. An easy 10 minute job and less abrasive to concrete surface. Agree, wheeled rotary sprayers are good, but found a slower overlapping pace provides uniform results.
I got one these on a good sale on Amazon. Eventually had to buy some quick connect pieces since my foreign 1700PSI electric pw could not hook the trigger/handle to it. Instead, I converted the hose connection (odd metric size) to 1/4" quick connect to swap trigger and floor. So, no trigger, but can be swapped in. Just turn on the pw and it pumps to the floor unit directly. Fine for doing large areas. It actually worked well, though slow; driveway not cleaned in 17 years. Made the driveway cleaning possible. Likely would have been faster if I had a more powerful gas pw. But, it worked, completed the job, and looked good afterwards. Took hours including front door walkway. I attribute excessive time to the PSI of the pw. But, my 20+ year old pw made it through the battle. Definitely recommend a floor unit. I tried a section with the handle, and it was not consistent and took a lot longer.
Thanks for the input! I have an electric pw that pumps out 2000psi. With the 15 degree tip it’s cleaning satisfactorily but taking forever. The 40 degree doesn’t seem to clean well enough. What does the floor unit compare to? Is it like blasting 15 degrees nozzles close to the surface?
@@ACardFan It just has two nozzles at each end of the bar and at a slight angle so they spin the bar all water pressure powered. I do not know the exact angle of each nozzle but they are fairly small. They are close to the ground. The product does not mention the spray angle. Being so close to the ground, it's likely a little wider. The problem with the handle on mine was streaking after. I needed the spray to be fairly narrow to clean and that meant lots of little passes. I did a patch with the handle and no matter how careful I was it left noticeable streaks. But not with the 15" head. Probably would have been easier with more PSI through the handle and a wider spray. Good luck.
Nice job, but I really think a SH and cleaner solution is needed to prevent the black algae from immediately coming back. That can be applied after the pressure washing to a dry surface with a chemical sprayer, but needs to be kept wet in the solution for ten minutes or so. Best to apply on a cool humid morning to avoid fast evaporation.
I have a 1,700 psi, 1.4 gpm electric pressure washer and a 12” surface cleaner to do my (much smaller) driveway. The low volume really seems to be the biggest limitation on the effectiveness of the cleaner. I can’t complain though because I got the pressure washer for free. A neighbor was getting rid of it because the “turbo nozzle” quit working. All it needed was a quick cleaning and fresh dab of silicone grease, and it started working again.
Scott the general rule of thumb is 4 inches per gallon per minute on the machine. At the bare minimum the pros are using 4gpm. I got away with 4gpm and a 20 inch surface cleaner when I started a long time ago so its not gospel but def a rule of thumb ish... haha, hope your doing good.
Perfect timing! Cleaned my driveway back in June with the wand. In July the city came by and did a slurry coat on our subdivision streets, so now I have a lot of tar oil and granular debris out there. I am sold on the wheeled sprayer after this video.
Great Video, I too purchased a surface cleaner and love it, I also use a rotating turbo nozzle instead of the 40 degree tip to clean and rinse. I find that it is more effective. Love your videos
@@EverydayHomeRepairsGreat video,quick question from Australia.Mate can I do that same process cleaning outdoor tiles that are non slip so quite coarse .Thanks for your time .
Have now used this to clean house siding and it performed well ua-cam.com/users/postUgkx43QMbQqu67IZadu9ou8Sg1BdrunMRNqX I also bought some wand extensions which enabled higher washing without needing a ladder. I recommend both. This unit arrived quickly, was easy to assemble (only had to attach the handle), and arrived in perfect condition. The only very slight downgrade from a perfect score is the design has a low handle and requires pulling from the side. My old washer was an upright model, while this one is more horizontal. Other than that, it's perfect for my needs. It has a great deal of pressure and more easily cleaned the house siding, porch rails and concrete than did my older model. The engine is a bit louder, as well, but the total time to clean was reduced by the more powerful spray. Did I mention it starts on the first or second pull every time?!! I am definitely happy with this model.
Very much worth mentioning to ALWAYS turn the gasoline valve off and let the engine run out of gas before putting the PW away for more than a few hours. Gas sitting in the carburetor is the main cause of hard starting next time around.
Hi Scott, very well done!! Loved the 3 pointers up front. For future videos, you may want to include what you consider the top safety tips for work like this, such as foot wear/boots, safety glasses, no bare skin, etc.
Walmart cheap rubber boots, sunglasses with good coverage, large brimmed hat, and good hearing protection. I keep the engine exhaust turned away from where I am working to reduce fumes and noise. I also pretreat with a sprayer mix of liquid tide and bleach, well diluted on a cloudy day - not in direct blazing sun that dries things out too fast.
@@thesage1096 Yeah, my thoughts exactly on those safety messages. Why is everyone so concerned with telling other people how to be safe? And those very same people who are preaching about safety glasses, and proper hearing protections, sun block and the other 1000 things they think are important are the very same people who jump in the car, turn the key and never look at the tires to see if tney're inflated, never check/adjust the mirrors, never monitor the guages and probably even fasten the seat belt after they're 100 feet down the road.
Oxygenated bleach. Follow directions on jug. Works on both concrete and wood decks, etc. Available at home centers and hardware stores. It’ll save you a ton of work. It’s both inexpensive and safe for plant life. Have used it for years.
Too fast with the surface cleaner, that's why you have stripes. You can also change the tips on the surface cleaner. I took out the 15 degree tips and put in 40's.
Yep way to fast with it still got a stripey driveway.dont see the point in making an advice vid if you don't do the job properly.i do this for a living I the Uk
Yep, too fast and unit is probably underpowered a bit too. I use a slightly bigger pump with seemingly similar specs but I guarantee it flows stronger. If I have it cracked up my surface cleaner wants to fly in the air like iron man. I don't need wheels to keep it moving smoothly. It glides and hovers over the surface. Also why wouldn't you do double passes with the surface cleaner instead of using wand? Literally the opposite of what should be done. There's why you got a surface cleaner... So you're not wasting a bunch of time with the wand. Chemicals also clearly work, rinsing big debris off prior to starting also works in certain situations, or at least run a blower for a second. Anyways, I guess if you're cleaning a single driveway once year it is what it is lol.
dude let the chemicals do the work - your killing your time , buy some pool chlorine and save yourself so much time it’s not even comparable your on TIME SUCK AVE bud also no ethanol gas only in that machine unless you use it daily
I tried this round wand and thought it would cut the psi in half , ex had a 2400 psi would shoot 1200 pr tip. Then my pump went and now bought a 1500$ 4000 psi . Love it , will last 10 years commercial grade .
The other advantage of starting at the high point is as the water drains down slope, it acts as a presoak, thus softening up the dirt and debris prior to the actual cleaning process.
It only acts as a pre soak if you added chemical detergent to the soap chamber. He demonstrated using straight water so no benefit to just getting it wet with dirty water
I found it's easiest to just go 2 directions at a relatively fast pace. You'll get it all that way for sure. It's also nice if you have a partner with another hose just spraying the dirty water out of the way.
A treatment of Wet and Forget has outperformed a 15hp 4000psi pressure washer on cleaning dirt, mildew and algae from the surfaces of my concrete driveway and sidewalks. Best thing though was it’s low cost comparison, ease of application, no need for fuel, storage space, rental fees or high water demand, hours of time spent or noise created.
After cleaning it, a good idea is to apply a quality penetrating sealer every one to two years (depending on your weather). Sheds water and ice and helps preserve the concrete. I live in Western NY and seal my concrete every two years.
I was wondering if there was any way to prevent mold regrowth (I live in South) what do you use? can you use it on a walkway (would it be slippery in rain?)
@@bardicayt I use sealers from Applied Technologies... they are water based and designed to penetrate the concrete unlike the others that just coat the top. Since it absorbs into the concrete there is no effect on traction, again unlike the other types of top coat sealers. I'd link the product, but UA-cam has been blocking links as of late. Do a search on their name. They make all sorts of sealing/repair products (I've successfully used their foundation crack kits as well). Not cheap, but worth the cost IMHO. I'm literally going out today to do my driveway, sidewalks and garage again (been two years).
Makes me feel glad we have 240v 3 pin grounded electrics by default in the UK with newer houses even getting commercial grade 3 phase connections to help with electric car charging.
Finally someone who pressure washed a driveway with a correct tool instead of a gun. Countless times I see videos of people doing whole driveway without this tool knowing it’s much easier.
That circular “surface cleaner” is a game changer on large flat surfaces if your budget allows. Covers a wider area as efficient as the wand and easier on your arms.
I have a wife. She knows absolutely everything. She is systematically destroying our home. The damage she can do with a pressure washer is amazing. Furry wood and more. We're getting down to aggregate soon. 😂
If it matters to you, why aren’t you doing it, then? It’s the opposite at my house. I’m the perfectionist who strives to do things just right. My husband doesn’t care how it gets done or look forward to see ramifications of certain actions.
That is funny my wife too. I have disabled the pressure washer so she can’t get it going unless I am there. Her answer to anything outside is to pressure wash it.
Maybe it is not an issue where you live but here in humid Florida pressure cleaning the concrete may clean the surface but it doesn't kill the mildew spores in the concrete so it comes back in a few to 6 months. I buy swimming pool chlorine, mix it 3 - 1 with water, and spray the concrete first, then a few hours later pressure clean it. Now it will stay clean looking for about a year.
Correction, you want more GPM. Your surface cleaner should be sized at a ratio of 4-5inches per 1GPM. The pressure isn't really all that important. Surface cleaners work best when paired with Sodium hypochlorite/cleaner mix which you can get at any hardware store. Let the chemicals do the hard work for you!
All great tips! I use a PW with a surface cleaner too! But after, I spray liquid pool shock over the cleaned concrete. This kills the mold and extends the time between cleanings.
I bought a surface cleaner from Amazon and it's amazing, I cut a job that usually takes all day down to 3 to 3 and a half hours. Do yourself a favor spend the money, I only spent 55.00 on a 15 inch Karcher and it really knocks the time down to a fraction of the time. Now that it's cooling off for the fall, it's time for me to get out and do it again.
I use a 3100 PSI 2.5 gph pressure washer and have not yet found a surface cleaner that will provide a nice consistant cleaning. They all suck. Suspect a larger PSI and water Volume would help alot.
I was happy with my result. A little streaky but for spending 1 hour and 40 minutes on a large driveway that hadn't been cleaned in at least 15 years is a win in my book.
Lowes sells a surface washer like this for $150 dollars and its SWEET ! Buy a Turbo Tip - it works 10 times better then the standard tips that most pressure washers come with ! you should have cleaned the side walk and the curb
Go slow with the surface cleaner, and if you have striping left over, turn 90° and hit it again crossing your previous passes. In the case that you still have striping, your pressure washer is likely underpowered for a surface cleaning attachment. You may have some luck with the help of sodium hypochlorite. I use a 4400psi pressure washer with a 16" attachment and it works very well.
Two things: any pre-treat chemicals (say, bleach-based to kill algae) to use, and if so, does the grass or surrounding bushes suffer? And do you ever seal the concrete afterwards, so you don’t have to do the cleaning so often? Thank you.
Just as a side note....if the concrete is "aged" then it will have a slightly rough surface after completed. Some of the fine particles ( the cream ) will be washed away by the water pressure.
One thing to add is to use detergent. My dad power washed driveways and homes for nearly 30 years and helping him was my job all through high school and into college. There are plenty of options for concrete/driveways. This will not only give you nicer results, it will keep you from doing this as often. And they're like $20 a gallon usually.
A good rule of thumb that everyone should know is to always have the trigger engaged while your pressure washer is on. Disengaging the trigger while still running will quickly burn out your pump and ruin your unit.
I bought a surface cleaner that has 4 wheels and slightly larger a few years ago for $40. It had a decent rebate on Amazon. It's extremely well built and even came with the 2 extensions, extra tips, etc. Don't just pay more, they're all basically the same from the same Chinese factories.
I've used surface cleaners many times before, if the surface cleaner is spinning on a nylon bushing instead of metal bearings then you're lucky to get 20 or more hours on its total use before it doesn't spin fast enough anymore to clean the ground. I've been through many surface cleaners that all end up not spinning fast enough. It is almost impossible to find replacement bushings. Best to go with professional brands, not stuff you buy at HD or Lowes for surface cleaners.
@@lumarin9799 Anything that doesn't have a nylon bushing at the center part of the dome. You'd be better off just renting a commercial quality one from a rental store then you don't have to worry about it breaking on you. The good ones have 3 caster wheels and are not made of plastic dome housings just to put it bluntly.
I see dirt lines all over that driveway... as a customer, you'd be doing it again because its far from clean, but looks much better than that nasty blackness you started with.
I agree 100%. May not be as noticeable when it’s dry. But just as soon as sealer is applied these streaks are going to jump out and show what a terrible cleaning job was done. There’s no easy to correct this after the sealer is applied. It’s going to be costly and time consuming. There is no reason to not do it the right way the first time.
The Simpson 3600 psi Honda version w a plastic shell surface cleaner/ no wheels has worked well for me (and only $55). Sometimes varying the height above the surface has advantages. Best to wash in a direction that keeps the water depth the least. Flip the surface washer upside down to wash the underside of vehicles while keeping in mind to go easy and not so close in some areas. Consider wetting the job area with water and detergent an hour before starting with the high pressure water and rotary sprayer. Following a long rainy day before the water leaves can also make the job easier.
@@Digital-Dan where do you think your roof came from? Edit: also, you will lose efficiency over time, and when there is hail damage, where do you think those panels will go?
Top Tip: I have that exact same surface attachment. I go over my surfaces in both directions so there’s no need to touch it up with the wand. I do have a 4000 psi Honda which is a beast of a PW.
I like the idea of using this surface cleaner because it maintains a consistent distance and is constantly spinning to avoid damaging the concrete. I would also spray the driveway first with a water bleach solution to break loose and kill the black mildew and organic matter. Then use the surface cleaner for optimal results. Cheers
I use the rotary device on my concrete and paver surfaces but I don't need to use the 40 degree tip to finish off the job. I use the rotary to go forward and backward then I go left to right is a weave pattern. It cleans without missing spots and I don't need the 40 tip unless it is needed for edges.
Great demonstration. I usually use the wand once a year. My neighbor use the disc but for some reason his always have the streaks as if it didn’t do the job. Maybe he is not using the proper once. I have seen some at lowes cheaper than yours but you get what you pay for. Thank you for sharing
People are always using them wrong. They operate it like a vacuum pushing back and forth quickly which is the wrong way. You need to move in one direction very slowly and to avoid streaks you can do a second pass in the opposite direction.
Back in the day we used a mix of dishwashing soap and bleach to saturate the driveway first, especially on a hot day. Now I still like to use a pre-soak, just more nature friendly. It may not be completely necessary to do so, but I find it makes the job a bit faster and you get less lines because the soap is loosening the dirt from the concrete.
i use chlorine via a watering can to bath the cement first. because mould grows from underneath the concrete and manafests itself on the surface which also means because cement is porous ? the chlorine solution leaches into the cement reducing the mould. less pressure is also required and a pressure machine virtually sweeps the concrete clean rather than pressure washes it .. just using a pressure cleaner roughs the cement up causing dirt to get trapped easier and rips the cement holding pebble crete to gether causing pebbles to become loose. there are more enviromently friendly products available than chlorine but its cheap and with all the water involved reduces to a reasonably acceptable saturation. a 50% water chlorine water can style bath every 5 months will keep a driveway clear of mould and save pressure cleaning
In the U.K. no one has concrete drives any more. They have all been replaced with block paving, resin composite, etc. which look more attractive and less like a shopping mall car park. You get the same problems with dirt, moss, weed and algae but I find the best defence is to use a Makita petrol blower every few days to stop dirt build up and growth. I have a Karcher C5 pressure washer but haven’t needed to use it for a couple of years since finding out how well the blower trick works.
The one I use is an 1800 PSI electric one. While it is not a 3000+ PSI pressure washer it works great for all I need. I have one of those turbo nozzles that spins really fast and most times it is the only one I ever use. Even with the pump not running you can see it spin at times but much slower. Of course I have never really used the 0 degree nozzle. It is a very aggressive one that can do more harm than good if you stay in one spot.
I'm a master auto mechanic with 25+ years experience. I work out of my personal garage because I only do auto work part-time now since I work full-time as a mechanical engineer. My point is oil stains. Take a small spray bottle with gasoline spray the oil spot then apply floor dry. Let it sit a few hours not only will the stain be completely gone but the floor dry will be completely clean as well!! Of course you do not want any open flames near when doing this LOL
"Then apply floor dry"...... is this a product to use?....or did you mean to say, "Then apply to *the* floor, *dry* ". I'm not being a jerk, it makes a difference in meaning.
He did not show this in the video, but he did say that he does an initial pass, then a quick pass through. Who taught you to speak to people this way, and why would you?
I worked for a company that pressure washed drive ways and cleansed gutters and windows all that kind of stuff. One thing I learned. When you’re doing things like this. Patience and planning.
You know you’re truly an adult when you wacth a vid about pressure washing start to finish 🤣😂
So true !! 😂
Thank god it was only 8:57 minutes long. Almost didn’t make but I did. 🎉👋😜🔔🥃
Especially when you watch it multiple times!
@@XTC2525 🤣🤣
I’ve got this on Betamax video 🤣👍🏻
Hey Scott, we can still see the the dirty strips left in the driveway .. The best way I've found when using a circular washer like that is to overlap each stroke by 50% which eliminates that problem having to go and redoing it ... Less work and time is what it's all about in today's busy world ... Keep at it my boy and you'll go far ...
This. Over time those little stripes become darker and darker leaving the driveway a mess. I was hoping he was going to address this.
I've been doing this professionally for what seems like a lifetime. With a small machine like that, after my first pass I would PC in the opposite direction creating a crosshatch pattern. And as "nelson587" said, 50% overlap is essential to get a good job. I sometimes use the chemical injector and use a quick flush with pool chlorine after rinsing off the dirt. Use the low pressure high volume tip (usually black), I've never had it burn grass but use caution around sensitive plants.
Instead of just water I would recomend a snow foam gun filled with a strong degreaser like sodium hypochloride and a good brush just apply chemical brush on leave for 30 minutes to an hour and then rinse off at a low pressure with the 40 degree tip
@@nelson587 you overlap everything by 30% like paint spraying too
Looks like he’s still doing it wrong. People really shouldn’t make” how to “videos if they don’t know HOW TO.
This was the most helpful video I've seen in a long, long time. I cleaned my patio using the 40° tip. It took almost all day. I thought there had to be a better way, so I went on UA-cam and found this video. I had no idea these cleaners existed! I purchased one using the link provided to Amazon. I needed to clean my driveway and sidewalk, but my expectations of the cleaner working were low, so it sat in the house for a couple weeks. I was motivated yesterday, so I took it out to the driveway and hooked it up. I was blown away at how well this thing worked. Finished the driveway and sidewalk in a fraction of the time it used to take me. This was $80 well spent.
Also, I don't get people being critical of this video. You made it for guys like me, who didn't know there was a better way, not for guys who have already been using surface cleaners. Now that I'm using it, I can figure out for myself at what speed I need to be cleaning as well as the different tips I can use. Thanks again!
You must have seen some terrible posts if you think this is Good?? It's USELESS.
Good tips... I also use an inline filter for the water to make sure nothing clogs up the pump/sprayer tip especially when using someone elses hose or water supply. I always let the water run through the hose for a moment before hooking it to the machine just to help clear out anything that might be in the hose... grass/leaves a lizard, etc...
Just learned this lesson with a lizard..
I bought my first "broom" as a home owner over 20 years ago (for about $500) and it is still going strong. I do feel a little miffed that prices have come down so much and I'm no longer "special". Simply stated, the "broom" is well worth the money. Just hit the buy button and be amazed. Very nice video! It was short but not so short that you didn't hit all the important points. Kudos.
My electric washer came with an orbital tip. It still concentrates the stream into a single column, but this column rotates in a circle very quickly. You get a large area coverage and the concentrated blast at the same time.
One person mentioned going slower to no leave stripe’s and in addition wash up and dow and then go left to right can often help, since you did the majority of the cleaning in the first pass etc. The pum condition spray, good tip and important step.
I was taught in the navy to fully drain our fire hoses to prevent premature aging of the rubber. Over time, the water left in the hose will leach sulfur from the rubber and create sulfuric acid. Admittedly, it may be that it was salt water that caused the issue but chlorine in tap water would have the same effect, I would think. I've always followed that practice and no burst hoses yet.
When I finish with my hoses, I disconnect from the source, make sure the other end is open, then use my air compressor hose with the trigger/nozzle end and hold it firm to the end of the hose and blow it out in seconds. Then roll 'em up and put 'em away. Quick and easy. ALL hoses.
THEY LIED TO YOU !!!! DID YOU THINK THE GOVERNMENT WOULD TELL YOU THE TRUTH !!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😇😇😇😇😇😇
hey squid
@ME First well the government is cheap. So chances are the taught him to take care of their junk for years of service.
We would always hang our 50 foot 2 1/2” fire house in the hose tower after fires for 24-48 hours before taking them down and rolling them ( for the same reasons you mentioned ) … I’m retired now and the same hose was there when I walked out the door that was there when I was hired
I just got the Greenworks Pro 3000, I've used others in the passt, this one shocked me when I pulled the trigger, and I was blowing away 1.5 inches of mud off my driveway with easy.
Thank you sir. I bought the surface cleaner a few weeks ago and only just now got to use it. It worked great. Not as powerful as a single nozzle, but great for maintaining the condition of my driveway so it doesn't get as bad as when I first cleaned it last spring.
A surface cleaner is for soft wash (surface cleaning), and pressure washing is a hard wash (deep clean).
start from the high point and wash downward absolute genius , thanks for the tip
I do believe you are being sarcastic it's hard to tell on the internet and if you are you're funny if you're not that's sad
Some other tips are to never let the engine idle for very long while there's no water flow through the pump. Doing so will overheat the pump and eventually degrade the seals. If it takes you over a minute in "standby" then just cut off the engine. Not only do you save the pump but you conserve fuel as well. I always use non-ethanol fuel in my small engines and for equipment such as a pressure washer that gets infrequent use, I will turn the fuel valve off and burn off what's left in the carburetor, all while spraying into open air until the fuel is exhausted and the motor dies out.
10/4 on that. i got to where i wouldn't loan my gas washer anymore because clowns were starting it without the water on or taking phone calls till the emergency bypass would blow, which means the seals were about to go and probably screwed like the space shuttle. i finally went to electric sunjoe and my problems with buying seal kits are over.
All my pressure washers are "Fixed Throttle", could not idle them if I wanted to. No idle circuit to ever be concerned about. NEVER run the pump without water, and always blow pump saver thru the pump when finished. Cap or tape the ends when not in use.
What we need to do is after a few seconds, key the pressure washer trigger to get waterflow through the pump.. Mine is over 20 years old and nothing has ever broken on it... Its a Devilbiss....I just change the oil in the gas B&S engine and always check the oil level before starting it, and of course have water running through it before starting it... Love these things !!! :)
@Thang Knowa I didn't think about capping the ends on my pressure washer or running pump armor thru it.. but I tape ends and run pump armor thru my paint sprayers, I'll start doing it here too... don't know why I never did this lol
Very helpful, thanks.
Use to power wash the drive with just the wand and tip. Got a surface cleaner, WHAT A DIFFERENCE. Done in 1/4 the time. Great results.
Very helpful - and not 45 minutes long. Thanks for sharing!
I never knew pump saver existed! I just bought my first pressure washer, this will be a must for me! Thank you!
Have you buyit yet.if yes how it works & what kind ?
Try getting hold of it in the U.K. …
Great video. My first PW pump burned out, because I would let off the trigger for over 5 minutes at a time taking a break, big mistake. Now I know not to leave it on without having the trigger on and water running through the pump so it doesn't burn up.
Already had the pressure washer, but never thought about buying the surface cleaner! Bought through your store, thanks Scott!
Fully agree... Didn't think about a "surface cleaner" attachment. Have a relatively old and basic Electric Pressure Washer (and attachments) which as mentioned means a slow/boring/back pain project... Not sure it'd effectively support the volume/pressure needed for the surface cleaner attachment to do a good job... But seems like a good investment regardless... (Along with a washer upgrade as needed... Or slower/multiple passes)
rather be riding than cleaning!
Nice, thanks for the support!
I have that attachment and love it. Another advantage is the surface cleaner doesn't blow the dirt, mold, grime all over the place. Nothing worse than admiring your work and realized you blew that crap all over a wall or garage door, deck railing etc....
Good point 👍
If you go a little slower, the cleaner will do a much better job. Also, if you will pre-treat with some bleach and water it will kill the algae and mold and make cleaning much easier. Great video!
Do you need to get the surface wet with water before pre treatment?
I think the number one mistake is people don’t realize concrete easily absorbs water. So they spend lots of time getting the concrete wet enough to begin effective cleaning. They do this using the pressure washer which does not deliver a high volume of water which is why it takes so long. So I always begin by first wetting the concrete with water from the hose. It really improves the process. I also advise to not do this in direct sun or when concrete is hot as it will be more difficult to keep it wet. I try to do this in a light rain or just after rain.
Im 16 years old and im trying to make some money by washing my neighbourhood driveway, thanks for the video!
Yes! That is a great idea. Also get good at vinyl siding cleaning. You could crush it!
@@EverydayHomeRepairsAnd fences.
I use Wet and Forget and haven’t pressure washed my driveway in years. Also used on deck and is equally effective. It does take a few weeks but it really works.
Benzyl ammonium chloride. Watch for it
The black is usually not dirt - it's mould. You have to "kill" it or it comes back even blacker and you spread it when you pressure wash it. You're spot on, Wet & Forget or similar product is the go, or even bleach or white vinegar are cheaper alternatives. Then a few weeks later, hit it with the pressure washer. All good.
Came her to post this. Wet and Forget is fantastic. I use it on my front walk, paver patio and window sills. Easy and quick to apply and then rain does the work for you.
I have only seen 1 type of Wet & Forget are there different types? Also did you just follow the directions on the back? Thank you. Stay safe healthy and happy ✝️🇺🇸
@@minhthongnguyen2099 What does it do? Is it easily found at Home Depot or Lowe’s? Thank you ✝️🇺🇸
With a good pressure washer and accessories you can make a whole business of cleaning driveways, gutters, drain pipes, car undercarriages, siding, culverts, construction equipment, rugs, warehouses, etc. Its like the bread and butter for a lot of general handy men and women.
I’ve just got back into the buil trade. I was a plasterer for 15 years. Joined some sights now. And within 2 weeks. I’ve got 2 driveway cleaning jobs. I think I’m gonna pursue this. There seems to be a big demand for it
@@jimmybaldwin737how much do you charge per driveway, and do you have any tips? I want to start this as a side hustle
glad to see the amazon surface cleaner being used as i just purchased one for my drive way, i have an electric 2300 psi washer but Ive been eyeing the Simpson. this video made me go ahead and purchase a gas one now. appreciate the video.
It's worth mentioning that the "pump saver" also acts as an anti-freeze. If there's any danger of freeze during the winter, you need to use this stuff otherwise you ruining your pressure washer.
On mine, I just use anti freeze on the suction or soap dispenser tube, run it till I see the antifreeze coming out the tip, then shut it down - good for the winter months or just general lack of use. I will also use fogging oil in the engine - squirt some in the air intake of the engine then shut it down around 30 seconds.
No need for any of that in Australia. I love pressure cleaning
@@avflyguylol😊pp😅😅n
This is an excellent of How To Pressure Wash A Concrete Driveway UA-cam and thank you very much!
I have a similar power washer as well as a surface washer with a long attached bar. The surface washer has made a huge difference in both effectiveness and .efficiency. Furthermore, the resulting driveway and deck look fabulous. These are a must for decks!
Love how you showed us the bottom while cleaning the glass! My guy charges $40, so I let him do it.
Quite Agree !! If someone has the best equipment, knowns how best to use it, and does this every day ............. then pay him for all that knowledge, and get a good job done in half the time !!
Discovering the spinning surface cleaner was a true life changer. It saves so much time, that whenever I see a neighbor pressure washing the standard way, with just the tip, I will walk down and let the borrow the surface cleaner and they are dumbfounded. Most of them didn't even know they exist.
I just learned about the just Today minutes ago from this video. 😎👍
The bee's knees..
I just hit the subscribe button. This fellow is a gold mine for DIY.
Nice streaks! Slow down or make a double pass to avoid those pesky buggers. You also forgot to turn the engine over a couple times (spark plug disconnected) after putting in the pump saver to truly get it on all the pump internals.
Need to pretreat and post treat is the problem.
@@rolltide9547 I've heard of pretreating. What is post treat?
@@GeneralChangFromDanang If you still have lines after surface cleaning you hit it with SH again. I do it 3 to 4 %
Awesome video. The beatdown of electric pressure washers is sometimes warranted (I've had a few crappy ones in my time) but not in all cases. I have a 3800 PSI electric with a 2.4 GPM which is higher than your gas-powered 3100 PSI-2.3 GPM. I just did my brick driveway and the concrete sidewalk and it did a freakishly outstanding job without any precleaning. There was no lag (ever) in the water flow or pressure. It's all in what you purchase.
What model is your pressure washer?
@@Al_W_On_The_Trackz PowRyte Electric Pressure Washer, Foam Cannon, 4 Different Pressure Tips, Power Washer, 3800 PSI 2.4 GPM
@@thinebiggest Lol. You got scammed bro. Do not believe everything you read. Companies can basically lie and make up whatever numbers they want by changing the nozzle size.
As always, great information! I just purchased a Westinghouse WPX3000e Electric Pressure Washer, 3000 Max PSI and 1.76 Max GPM and a 16" Janz surface cleaner to do my 80' driveway. To be honest, it was my first time doing something like this. After reading the reviews on Amazon about both pieces of equipment, I was confident that this would do a great job; not so much. It did just ok and I have a lot of streaks. I am not sure what I did wrong here, but it is pretty simple to use. Oh well. I will have to go over it again.
It’s the gpm of your unit that’s holding you back. The internet says you should use 4-5 inches of surface cleaner for per gpm. If your using a 16 inch cleaner then you should bump up to a unit that has 3-4 gpm.
Used to pressure washer green algae/mold discoloration after winter shade, now more impressed with hose-sprayer house siding cleaners. An easy 10 minute job and less abrasive to concrete surface. Agree, wheeled rotary sprayers are good, but found a slower overlapping pace provides uniform results.
I got one these on a good sale on Amazon. Eventually had to buy some quick connect pieces since my foreign 1700PSI electric pw could not hook the trigger/handle to it. Instead, I converted the hose connection (odd metric size) to 1/4" quick connect to swap trigger and floor. So, no trigger, but can be swapped in. Just turn on the pw and it pumps to the floor unit directly. Fine for doing large areas. It actually worked well, though slow; driveway not cleaned in 17 years. Made the driveway cleaning possible. Likely would have been faster if I had a more powerful gas pw. But, it worked, completed the job, and looked good afterwards. Took hours including front door walkway. I attribute excessive time to the PSI of the pw. But, my 20+ year old pw made it through the battle. Definitely recommend a floor unit. I tried a section with the handle, and it was not consistent and took a lot longer.
Thanks for the input! I have an electric pw that pumps out 2000psi. With the 15 degree tip it’s cleaning satisfactorily but taking forever. The 40 degree doesn’t seem to clean well enough. What does the floor unit compare to? Is it like blasting 15 degrees nozzles close to the surface?
@@ACardFan It just has two nozzles at each end of the bar and at a slight angle so they spin the bar all water pressure powered. I do not know the exact angle of each nozzle but they are fairly small. They are close to the ground. The product does not mention the spray angle. Being so close to the ground, it's likely a little wider. The problem with the handle on mine was streaking after. I needed the spray to be fairly narrow to clean and that meant lots of little passes. I did a patch with the handle and no matter how careful I was it left noticeable streaks. But not with the 15" head. Probably would have been easier with more PSI through the handle and a wider spray. Good luck.
@@Bare_Essence thank you very much for the speedy reply! I think I’ll have to buy one and give it a try!
After you put the pump saver in, grab the starter rope and give it a slow pull to work the chemical around in the pump a bit. GREAT video !!
I did not know that, thanks. I wonder if i have to do that to my electric one as well.
@@sargonoshana2324 ....
I use the exact washer you have and it works as you have described. Huge time saver.
What is the link of it
Nice job, but I really think a SH and cleaner solution is needed to prevent the black algae from immediately coming back. That can be applied after the pressure washing to a dry surface with a chemical sprayer, but needs to be kept wet in the solution for ten minutes or so. Best to apply on a cool humid morning to avoid fast evaporation.
Thank you for your time and effort to make this video and share your knowledge with us. Greetings from Croatia.
I have a 1,700 psi, 1.4 gpm electric pressure washer and a 12” surface cleaner to do my (much smaller) driveway. The low volume really seems to be the biggest limitation on the effectiveness of the cleaner.
I can’t complain though because I got the pressure washer for free. A neighbor was getting rid of it because the “turbo nozzle” quit working. All it needed was a quick cleaning and fresh dab of silicone grease, and it started working again.
Scott the general rule of thumb is 4 inches per gallon per minute on the machine. At the bare minimum the pros are using 4gpm. I got away with 4gpm and a 20 inch surface cleaner when I started a long time ago so its not gospel but def a rule of thumb ish... haha, hope your doing good.
Perfect timing! Cleaned my driveway back in June with the wand. In July the city came by and did a slurry coat on our subdivision streets, so now I have a lot of tar oil and granular debris out there. I am sold on the wheeled sprayer after this video.
Pretty slick, one of those tools I bought and it actually worked better than I expected 👍
Great Video, I too purchased a surface cleaner and love it, I also use a rotating turbo nozzle instead of the 40 degree tip to clean and rinse. I find that it is more effective. Love your videos
Thanks for the feedback Dave, I appreciate your support 👍
@@EverydayHomeRepairsGreat video,quick question from Australia.Mate can I do that same process cleaning outdoor tiles that are non slip so quite coarse .Thanks for your time .
Have now used this to clean house siding and it performed well ua-cam.com/users/postUgkx43QMbQqu67IZadu9ou8Sg1BdrunMRNqX I also bought some wand extensions which enabled higher washing without needing a ladder. I recommend both. This unit arrived quickly, was easy to assemble (only had to attach the handle), and arrived in perfect condition. The only very slight downgrade from a perfect score is the design has a low handle and requires pulling from the side. My old washer was an upright model, while this one is more horizontal. Other than that, it's perfect for my needs. It has a great deal of pressure and more easily cleaned the house siding, porch rails and concrete than did my older model. The engine is a bit louder, as well, but the total time to clean was reduced by the more powerful spray. Did I mention it starts on the first or second pull every time?!! I am definitely happy with this model.
Very much worth mentioning to ALWAYS turn the gasoline valve off and let the engine run out of gas before putting the PW away for more than a few hours. Gas sitting in the carburetor is the main cause of hard starting next time around.
Hi Scott, very well done!! Loved the 3 pointers up front. For future videos, you may want to include what you consider the top safety tips for work like this, such as foot wear/boots, safety glasses, no bare skin, etc.
Walmart cheap rubber boots, sunglasses with good coverage, large brimmed hat, and good hearing protection. I keep the engine exhaust turned away from where I am working to reduce fumes and noise. I also pretreat with a sprayer mix of liquid tide and bleach, well diluted on a cloudy day - not in direct blazing sun that dries things out too fast.
oh ..... he maybe rightfully thought that would be common sense and up to the user to decide how much exposure they are okay with
@@thesage1096 Yeah, my thoughts exactly on those safety messages. Why is everyone so concerned with telling other people how to be safe? And those very same people who are preaching about safety glasses, and proper hearing protections, sun block and the other 1000 things they think are important are the very same people who jump in the car, turn the key and never look at the tires to see if tney're inflated, never check/adjust the mirrors, never monitor the guages and probably even fasten the seat belt after they're 100 feet down the road.
Beat it Karen
Oxygenated bleach. Follow directions on jug. Works on both concrete and wood decks, etc. Available at home centers and hardware stores. It’ll save you a ton of work. It’s both inexpensive and safe for plant life. Have used it for years.
Too fast with the surface cleaner, that's why you have stripes. You can also change the tips on the surface cleaner. I took out the 15 degree tips and put in 40's.
Yep way to fast with it still got a stripey driveway.dont see the point in making an advice vid if you don't do the job properly.i do this for a living I the Uk
@@Carvetii some softwash would help too.. don’t ever brag about not pre treating or post treating lol.. it makes life so much harder.
Yep, too fast and unit is probably underpowered a bit too. I use a slightly bigger pump with seemingly similar specs but I guarantee it flows stronger. If I have it cracked up my surface cleaner wants to fly in the air like iron man. I don't need wheels to keep it moving smoothly. It glides and hovers over the surface. Also why wouldn't you do double passes with the surface cleaner instead of using wand? Literally the opposite of what should be done. There's why you got a surface cleaner... So you're not wasting a bunch of time with the wand. Chemicals also clearly work, rinsing big debris off prior to starting also works in certain situations, or at least run a blower for a second. Anyways, I guess if you're cleaning a single driveway once year it is what it is lol.
dude let the chemicals do the work - your killing your time , buy some pool chlorine and save yourself so much time it’s not even comparable your on TIME SUCK AVE bud also no ethanol gas only in that machine unless you use it daily
@@davido.9180 Are you meaning just spray pure pool chlorine on it and letting it sit for about 15-20 minutes before spraying
I tried this round wand and thought it would cut the psi in half , ex had a 2400 psi would shoot 1200 pr tip. Then my pump went and now bought a 1500$ 4000 psi . Love it , will last 10 years commercial grade .
The other advantage of starting at the high point is as the water drains down slope, it acts as a presoak, thus softening up the dirt and debris prior to the actual cleaning process.
It only acts as a pre soak if you added chemical detergent to the soap chamber. He demonstrated using straight water so no benefit to just getting it wet with dirty water
A very high-quality video! I’m really impressed with the knowledge and experience you share. Please continue making wonderful videos like this!
I found it's easiest to just go 2 directions at a relatively fast pace. You'll get it all that way for sure. It's also nice if you have a partner with another hose just spraying the dirty water out of the way.
A treatment of Wet and Forget has outperformed a 15hp 4000psi pressure washer on cleaning dirt, mildew and algae from the surfaces of my concrete driveway and sidewalks. Best thing though was it’s low cost comparison, ease of application, no need for fuel, storage space, rental fees or high water demand, hours of time spent or noise created.
After cleaning it, a good idea is to apply a quality penetrating sealer every one to two years (depending on your weather). Sheds water and ice and helps preserve the concrete. I live in Western NY and seal my concrete every two years.
I was wondering if there was any way to prevent mold regrowth (I live in South) what do you use? can you use it on a walkway (would it be slippery in rain?)
@@bardicayt I use sealers from Applied Technologies... they are water based and designed to penetrate the concrete unlike the others that just coat the top. Since it absorbs into the concrete there is no effect on traction, again unlike the other types of top coat sealers. I'd link the product, but UA-cam has been blocking links as of late. Do a search on their name. They make all sorts of sealing/repair products (I've successfully used their foundation crack kits as well). Not cheap, but worth the cost IMHO. I'm literally going out today to do my driveway, sidewalks and garage again (been two years).
Makes me feel glad we have 240v 3 pin grounded electrics by default in the UK with newer houses even getting commercial grade 3 phase connections to help with electric car charging.
Have you ever tried a turbo nozzle on your wand? I use mine 90% of the time. It does help to lube it after use.
Finally someone who pressure washed a driveway with a correct tool instead of a gun. Countless times I see videos of people doing whole driveway without this tool knowing it’s much easier.
That circular “surface cleaner” is a game changer on large flat surfaces if your budget allows. Covers a wider area as efficient as the wand and easier on your arms.
I have a wife. She knows absolutely everything. She is systematically destroying our home. The damage she can do with a pressure washer is amazing. Furry wood and more. We're getting down to aggregate soon. 😂
Did she carve her initials into the siding as well? Lol
If it matters to you, why aren’t you doing it, then? It’s the opposite at my house. I’m the perfectionist who strives to do things just right. My husband doesn’t care how it gets done or look forward to see ramifications of certain actions.
@@traceybaldwin6509cause she refuses to listen most likely. Sounds like even IF he does some things she WANTS to
Furry wood. Dude just Said I have no experience
That is funny my wife too. I have disabled the pressure washer so she can’t get it going unless I am there. Her answer to anything outside is to pressure wash it.
Maybe it is not an issue where you live but here in humid Florida pressure cleaning the concrete may clean the surface but it doesn't kill the mildew spores in the concrete so it comes back in a few to 6 months. I buy swimming pool chlorine, mix it 3 - 1 with water, and spray the concrete first, then a few hours later pressure clean it. Now it will stay clean looking for about a year.
Note that there’s a minimum PSI requirement for those surface cleaners. They’re usually marked as “for gas” and “for electric.”
Good point and I should have called that out as the results will be closely tide to the GPM and psi of your pressure washer.
Correction, you want more GPM. Your surface cleaner should be sized at a ratio of 4-5inches per 1GPM. The pressure isn't really all that important. Surface cleaners work best when paired with Sodium hypochlorite/cleaner mix which you can get at any hardware store. Let the chemicals do the hard work for you!
All great tips! I use a PW with a surface cleaner too! But after, I spray liquid pool shock over the cleaned concrete. This kills the mold and extends the time between cleanings.
Nice, thanks for the feedback!
Another great video Scott, thank you!
Thanks buddy!
I bought a surface cleaner from Amazon and it's amazing, I cut a job that usually takes all day down to 3 to 3 and a half hours. Do yourself a favor spend the money, I only spent 55.00 on a 15 inch Karcher and it really knocks the time down to a fraction of the time. Now that it's cooling off for the fall, it's time for me to get out and do it again.
I use a 3100 PSI 2.5 gph pressure washer and have not yet found a surface cleaner that will provide a nice consistant cleaning. They all suck.
Suspect a larger PSI and water Volume would help alot.
I was happy with my result. A little streaky but for spending 1 hour and 40 minutes on a large driveway that hadn't been cleaned in at least 15 years is a win in my book.
Lowes sells a surface washer like this for $150 dollars and its SWEET ! Buy a Turbo Tip - it works 10 times better then the standard tips that most pressure washers come with ! you should have cleaned the side walk and the curb
Great equipment reviewing and an excellent investment for a young man starting off in a cleaning career 👍
Go slow with the surface cleaner, and if you have striping left over, turn 90° and hit it again crossing your previous passes. In the case that you still have striping, your pressure washer is likely underpowered for a surface cleaning attachment. You may have some luck with the help of sodium hypochlorite. I use a 4400psi pressure washer with a 16" attachment and it works very well.
Two things: any pre-treat chemicals (say, bleach-based to kill algae) to use, and if so, does the grass or surrounding bushes suffer? And do you ever seal the concrete afterwards, so you don’t have to do the cleaning so often? Thank you.
The pump saver is such a great tip.
Just as a side note....if the concrete is "aged" then it will have a slightly rough surface after completed. Some of the fine particles ( the cream ) will be washed away by the water pressure.
That is what is happening to my concrete sidewalk. I wonder if there is a product that you can paint on to make it look more like new.
One thing to add is to use detergent. My dad power washed driveways and homes for nearly 30 years and helping him was my job all through high school and into college. There are plenty of options for concrete/driveways. This will not only give you nicer results, it will keep you from doing this as often. And they're like $20 a gallon usually.
A good rule of thumb that everyone should know is to always have the trigger engaged while your pressure washer is on. Disengaging the trigger while still running will quickly burn out your pump and ruin your unit.
@@robertI153 idk what he’s talking about.l 😆😆😆
Not if you have a return bucket where the water can flow continuly with trigger off
There is an over-pressure valve that allows high pressure water to "escape" but it needs to be adjusted properly.
I bought a surface cleaner that has 4 wheels and slightly larger a few years ago for $40. It had a decent rebate on Amazon. It's extremely well built and even came with the 2 extensions, extra tips, etc. Don't just pay more, they're all basically the same from the same Chinese factories.
I've used surface cleaners many times before, if the surface cleaner is spinning on a nylon bushing instead of metal bearings then you're lucky to get 20 or more hours on its total use before it doesn't spin fast enough anymore to clean the ground. I've been through many surface cleaners that all end up not spinning fast enough. It is almost impossible to find replacement bushings. Best to go with professional brands, not stuff you buy at HD or Lowes for surface cleaners.
Could you suggest some professional surface cleaner brands? Appreciate your thoughts.
@@lumarin9799 Anything that doesn't have a nylon bushing at the center part of the dome. You'd be better off just renting a commercial quality one from a rental store then you don't have to worry about it breaking on you. The good ones have 3 caster wheels and are not made of plastic dome housings just to put it bluntly.
I have one from Lowe’s that has the surface cleaner included. Can’t wait to start using it
I see dirt lines all over that driveway... as a customer, you'd be doing it again because its far from clean, but looks much better than that nasty blackness you started with.
I agree 100%. May not be as noticeable when it’s dry. But just as soon as sealer is applied these streaks are going to jump out and show what a terrible cleaning job was done. There’s no easy to correct this after the sealer is applied. It’s going to be costly and time consuming. There is no reason to not do it the right way the first time.
You went way too fast that's why it looks like sh*t
Buncha Bs up in here 🐝
The Simpson 3600 psi Honda version w a plastic shell surface cleaner/ no wheels has worked well for me (and only $55). Sometimes varying the height above the surface has advantages. Best to wash in a direction that keeps the water depth the least. Flip the surface washer upside down to wash the underside of vehicles while keeping in mind to go easy and not so close in some areas.
Consider wetting the job area with water and detergent an hour before starting with the high pressure water and rotary sprayer. Following a long rainy day before the water leaves can also make the job easier.
Can't burn any more dinosaurs, more's the pity. Will do the best I can with electrons.
Lol what
I wonder where the electrons come from?
@@mikelamb6946 My roof, mostly.
@@Digital-Dan where do you think your roof came from? Edit: also, you will lose efficiency over time, and when there is hail damage, where do you think those panels will go?
@malayrojak yeah but personal panels last for couple decades at most.
Top Tip: I have that exact same surface attachment. I go over my surfaces in both directions so there’s no need to touch it up with the wand. I do have a 4000 psi Honda which is a beast of a PW.
Wow! I have never heard of a surface cleaner attachment before! Thanks for a great video and I will definitely be looking into that product!
I like the idea of using this surface cleaner because it maintains a consistent distance and is constantly spinning to avoid damaging the concrete. I would also spray the driveway first with a water bleach solution to break loose and kill the black mildew and organic matter. Then use the surface cleaner for optimal results. Cheers
I use the rotary device on my concrete and paver surfaces but I don't need to use the 40 degree tip to finish off the job. I use the rotary to go forward and backward then I go left to right is a weave pattern. It cleans without missing spots and I don't need the 40 tip unless it is needed for edges.
I never knew how those surface cleaner heads work. Very cool!
Great demonstration. I usually use the wand once a year. My neighbor use the disc but for some reason his always have the streaks as if it didn’t do the job. Maybe he is not using the proper once. I have seen some at lowes cheaper than yours but you get what you pay for. Thank you for sharing
People are always using them wrong. They operate it like a vacuum pushing back and forth quickly which is the wrong way. You need to move in one direction very slowly and to avoid streaks you can do a second pass in the opposite direction.
As a painting contractor. It is much cleaner and fast to buy rotary type tip. More pressure per gallon of water. Don’t need any other attachments .
I love my surface cleaner. Wish I had discovered it years ago.
Found a good one for $60. SO worth the money.
Back in the day we used a mix of dishwashing soap and bleach to saturate the driveway first, especially on a hot day. Now I still like to use a pre-soak, just more nature friendly. It may not be completely necessary to do so, but I find it makes the job a bit faster and you get less lines because the soap is loosening the dirt from the concrete.
What product do you use now that is more nature friendly?
i use chlorine via a watering can to bath the cement first. because mould grows from underneath the concrete and manafests itself on the surface which also means because cement is porous ? the chlorine solution leaches into the cement reducing the mould. less pressure is also required and a pressure machine virtually sweeps the concrete clean rather than pressure washes it .. just using a pressure cleaner roughs the cement up causing dirt to get trapped easier and rips the cement holding pebble crete to gether causing pebbles to become loose. there are more enviromently friendly products available than chlorine but its cheap and with all the water involved reduces to a reasonably acceptable saturation. a 50% water chlorine water can style bath every 5 months will keep a driveway clear of mould and save pressure cleaning
One more tool that’s great but takes up space and I will only need every few years. . I’ll look into renting. Thanks Scott!
Good advocacy for less impervious surfaces!!!
I just bought an Electric one from Amazon that claims to be 4200 PSI and 4.0 Water Displacement.
Looks really cool too. It will be here tomorrow.
In the U.K. no one has concrete drives any more. They have all been replaced with block paving, resin composite, etc. which look more attractive and less like a shopping mall car park. You get the same problems with dirt, moss, weed and algae but I find the best defence is to use a Makita petrol blower every few days to stop dirt build up and growth. I have a Karcher C5 pressure washer but haven’t needed to use it for a couple of years since finding out how well the blower trick works.
The glass "worm's eye" view is a pretty good addition.
The one I use is an 1800 PSI electric one. While it is not a 3000+ PSI pressure washer it works great for all I need. I have one of those turbo nozzles that spins really fast and most times it is the only one I ever use. Even with the pump not running you can see it spin at times but much slower. Of course I have never really used the 0 degree nozzle. It is a very aggressive one that can do more harm than good if you stay in one spot.
I'm a master auto mechanic with 25+ years experience. I work out of my personal garage because I only do auto work part-time now since I work full-time as a mechanical engineer. My point is oil stains. Take a small spray bottle with gasoline spray the oil spot then apply floor dry. Let it sit a few hours not only will the stain be completely gone but the floor dry will be completely clean as well!! Of course you do not want any open flames near when doing this LOL
Nice tip, did you get the same results if the oil sat for months prior to removing the stain?
@@EverydayHomeRepairs yes! Doesn't matter how old the stain is
"Then apply floor dry"...... is this a product to use?....or did you mean to say, "Then apply to *the* floor, *dry* ". I'm not being a jerk, it makes a difference in meaning.
@@TheWilferch floor dry is a product (kind of like cat litter) which is the best for soaking up oils and makes it easier to clean up the mess. 👍
@@EverydayHomeRepairs ...got it....it was confusing at first....thanks.
Excellent tutorial. You didn’t have to do this but you did, thanks.
Hey Scott! Love your vids. If you went in the opposite direction the surface cleaner “lines” are less noticeable afterwards.
You definitely convinced me. Yep, you convinced me NOT to get a surface cleaner. You seem to ignore the streaks it leaves behind!
Those are not really streaks of missed dirt left behind by the surface cleaner. That is dislodged dirt that can and should be rinsed off the surface.
He did not show this in the video, but he did say that he does an initial pass, then a quick pass through. Who taught you to speak to people this way, and why would you?
I bought this to use with my 1950 PSI washer. Just learned today that the pressure is not enough. Guess it's time to upgrade!