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How to Use Soap with Pressure Washer – 7 Easy Steps You Should Follow!

Fact Checked By Daniel Wood | Post Updated On: April 29, 2023

To clean the toughest dirt, such as oil, grease, mud, it often requires soap or detergent, which are made effective in the present days. To clean the outer surfaces, a thing such as car, patio, fence, sidings, we often use the handy machine pressure washer. To clean different dirt many times, it needs soap or detergent to apply. There are few differences between these two cleaning solutions, which you might get to know if you read another article on this site. Both actually are used to clean the dirt, and you can use them with your pressure washing machine. This article will help you to learn the process of how to use soap with your pressure washer.

How to Use Soap with Pressure Washer

How to Use Soap with Pressure Washer – The Complete Guide!

Step #1: Prepare Your Surface

Cleaning doesn’t become effective if you don’t take some pre-steps before you actually start the main cleaning. You need to prepare the area that you want to clean at first. Clear all your furniture, utensils, and other stuff so that they don’t disturb your cleaning process. You must clear all your plants that can be harmed if they come in contact with cleaning chemicals.

It’s always advisable to rinse the entire area with hot water before you apply soap or detergent. It’ll loosen the tough dirt such as oil, grease, mold, etc. and make your cleaning easy.

Step #2: Setup Your Machine

Most of the pressure washers nowadays contain a detergent tank placed onboard your machine. You need to connect your detergent tank to the pump of your machine using a garden hose. If it’s already connected than you get rid of this process. Put some water in the tank and start the machine just to check it’s working properly, and the water is coming rightly through your spray gun.

In case if you don’t have a soap tank, you don’t have to worry much as you can use a bucket as your detergent tank. Put the hose that connects to the pump deep inside your bucket for better results.

Step #3: Mix Your Solution

It’s time to dilute your cleaning solution with plenty of clean water. The cleaning soap or detergent comes in concentrated form, and it must be diluted with water before application. You can use a bucket for this mixing process, and definitely, it’ll give you a better result than diluting the solution directly in the detergent tank. You must follow the proper water solution ratio that is indicated on the label of your bottle.

Generally, the solution water ratio is 1:5, but it varies based on the type of surface you need to clean. For instance, if you want to clean your car, the mixture must be very thin; the ratio, in this case, should be 1:10. For cleaning the concrete surface, the mixture should be thick such as 1:5. If you use it for the first time, it’s better to make the mixture a bit thin.

Step #4: Inserting the Mixture in Your Machine

When you are done with your dilution process, put the mixture into the detergent tank and close the lid tightly so that no mixture comes out of it. In some tanks, you will find an on-off switch that controls the solution supply into the pump; turn it on. It’s always better to do some tests if the solution is coming out properly though your spray gun.

You must use the soap applicator nozzle while applying soap; get one if you don’t have it. To test the application, start your engine and slowly try to spray the solution. It might take a few seconds for the solution to come through the nozzle. Once you are satisfied with your test, it’s time to make the real application.

Step #5: Applying Soap on a Surface

Before you start this process, don’t forget to wear your personal protective equipment such as boot, goggles, gloves, trousers, etc. for safety. The application of soap on the ground can make it slippery. The surface that you are going to clean can be either vertical or horizontal.

For a vertical surface, you should start applying from the bottom and end at the top position; this will avoid streak on your surface. It’s important to put the solution evenly on the entire surface, starting from one corner or side to the other.

On a horizontal surface, move your spray gun from one side to the other and repeat this process until you cover the entire area. Once you are done, let it sit for 5-10 minutes.

Step #6: Time to Clean

Now, it’s time to clean the entire area or surface with plenty of clean water. Remove your soap applicator nozzle and connect another nozzle appropriate to the surface you are going to clean. On the vertical surface, water should be sprayed from top to bottom to avoid streak, and on the horizontal surface, it should follow the same process that was followed during soap application. The cleaning solutions are biodegradable and need plenty of water to clean properly.

Step #7: The Ending Process

After you are done with your cleaning, now it’s time to clean your machine properly. Take out any solution that is left in your detergent tank and clean it with water. Turn on the machine again and spray some clean water from your detergent tank so that the pump is properly cleaned. Keep your machine, soap, and other utensils in the safe place of your garage.

Conclusion

Regardless of the type of solutions, you use whether soap or detergent, the above process should be followed for the safe and effective application cleaning solution. There are multiple cleaning solutions available on the market, and you should choose those cleaners that are friendly to your pressure washer and are effective for the type of surface that you need to clean.


About Daniel Wood

Daniel has completed his graduation mechanical engineering from a reputed university in US. He worked as a technical engineer in a pressure washer manufacturing plant for four years. He has a great passion for mechanical devices and has opened a workshop where he does research on various machines in his leisure time. His high interest in technology made him an expert in commercial and residential pressure washers.

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