11 Soaps You Can Use With Your Pressure Washer

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A pressure washer, also known as a power washer, is a powerful machine that performs wonders in cleaning cars, boats, bikes, RVs, concrete surfaces, or house siding. The best washers can remove years of stains within the flash of an eye.

You must be incredibly careful when you use one at home. A very concentrated and high-pressure stream bursts out of it that can cause a severe injury.

How Pressure Washers are Different

Pressure washers are of diverse types. Every brand has its own unique structure.

They often come with a variety of color-coded replaceable nozzles or adjustable nozzles. These adjustments permit you to change or rotate the water angle with just one twist. Adjustable nozzles are better suited as compared to replaceable ones.

There are three types of pressure washers

• Gas powered pressure washers
• Electrical powered pressure washers
• Battery powered pressure washers

Electric Powered Pressure Washers

As the name suggests, this pressure washer uses electricity to operate. It is ideally used to clean courtyards or outdoor spaces but is not particularly good with removing stains.

This pressure washer is light in weight and doesn’t make noise. They are convenient and need little maintenance. Their small size makes them easily portable.

Everything in this world has some limitations along with benefits, and this machine also has some limitations. As the electric pressure washer doesn’t have good water pressure, it consumes more time than other pressure washers. The nozzles are often made of plastic, which is not as sturdy. However, it is still the best to use for small cleaning.

After great research Ryobi electric pressure washers proved to be the best electrical washers in the market.

It is a great portable pressure washer for convenient use.

It is lightweight and contains onboard storage for accessories. It can be used for cleaning many surfaces like furniture, grills, driveways, fences, etc.

Gas-Powered Pressure Washers

Gas pressure washers provide extraordinarily strong water pressure because of their wider nozzle. With this powerful pressure, it doesn’t take long to clean up spacious areas like decks, house siding, and entrances. It brilliantly takes out the material that has been adhered to the ground for years.

Its weak points are that it’s boisterous and needs extra maintenance. You need to winterize them to keep them functional for a long time. They are heavy and not easily portable. There is also a huge risk of injury with this washer.

Battery-Powered Pressure Washers

Battery-powered pressure washers utilize a lithium-ion battery for power. It provides an appealing option regarding cleaning.

Most battery-powered washers do not have a lot of pressure, which makes them ideal to wash cars. This type of washer does not gouge or chip paint.

Its batteries could also help in providing power to wireless drills. They are not fit for in-depth cleaning.

11 Soaps You Can Use With Pressure Washers

Following are the eleven best products that you can use with your pressure washers. Take a look.

1. Sun Joe SPX-HDC1G

Sun Joe SPX-HDC1G is one of the best cleaning products you can use in many cleaning jobs. It not only works with Sun Joe products but also many other pressure washers. It helps in removing lubricants, firm smudges, and other stains from any surface.

Sun Joe’s bleach-free and non-toxic cleaner also works to clean surfaces like vinyl, wood, bricks, and many more. It is recommended that you should use it with pressure washers filled with a detergent injection system.

2. Karcher Car Wash & Wax Soap

Karcher is a trustworthy brand in the market. Karcher’s car wash soap is one of the magical biodegradable products that are suitable for all pressure washers. This environment-friendly soap comes with extra wax that will make your car glitter and stay protected.

You can also employ Karcher Car Wash & Wax Soap with many pressure washer attachments like soap nozzles and scrub brushes. This car detergent is prepared in the USA. It is not compatible to use for other purposes apart from cleaning cars.

3. Briggs & Stratton 6826 Multi-Purpose Cleanser for Power Washers

No matter how much you take care of your car, it’s always going to get dirty.  A noteworthy way to keep your car look clean is to find an extraordinary cleaner that could be in harmony with your power washer. If you have grown tired of looking for a strong cleaner to use for your pressure washer, then the wait is over.

Briggs & Stratton’s adaptable formula works like an enchantment for your automobiles and any outdoor surface. Being harmonious with all pressure washers, this power washer cleaner is ideal to get rid of muddy surfaces, lubrication, and other unwanted spots on the surfaces.

4. Chemical Guys Super Suds Car Wash Soap and Shampoo

Chemical Guys are not as popular as the other power washer businesses. However, once you try it, you’ll know that it is one of the most trustworthy carwash detergents.

Maxi Suds by Chemical Guys is a car wash shampoo that is rich in three fantastic scents (cherry, strawberry margarita, and grapes). It hit all the marks when you use it in your power washer.

Despite being a vigorous and powerful detergent, Maxi Suds abolishes the tough stains and unwanted spots without breaking up the layer of wax on the surface. Avoid leaving it on your cars for too long otherwise, it will cause smudges.

5. Simple Green Oxy Solve Total Outdoor Pressure Washer Cleaner – Concentrate 1 Gal

Have you been using dish soap in your pressure washers to clean your cars and automobiles? If yes, stop doing it. 

Such traditional methods have become antique because the varnish on modern cars has become so fragile and won’t stand up to a pressure washer for long.  Dish soap will also ruin your power washer.

Instead, you should choose detergents that are made especially for power washers.

Simple Green Oxy Solve uses peroxide as the main cleaning ingredient, instead of stronger chemicals. Peroxide is especially helpful in removing organic debris from many surfaces, including algae, moss, dirt, and farm debris.

The leading property of this detergent is that it can be used in all power washers and its formula is harmonious with surfaces such as wicker, plastic, glass, and vinyl.

The one-gallon size of concentrate can be diluted to clean 6400 sq ft of surface area. That’s a lot of auto washes!

In addition, this Simple Green product holds the U.S. Safer Choice and Climate Pledge Friendly certifications to protect the environment and human health. You can feel good about using this product for your all your outdoor cleaning needs.

6. Oil Eater Original

Nothing is more irritating than a power washer that keeps failing. If you are facing such issues with your power washer, you must be doing something wrong.  If you use an ordinary soap or hair shampoo in your machine, you must try using a detergent that is formulated especially for pressure washers.

Oil Eater Original is one of the safest products for your power washers. This cleaner is a grease remover that can remove lubrication and oil smudges on most surfaces.

It is one of the supreme cleaners because it does not hold any toxic material like acid, petroleum, or other corrosives that may harm the surfaces.

It is a water-based formula that can even be safe in septic tanks underground. Oil eater original works magic for grills, as a laundry spot remover, and cleaning the exhaust hood over the hearth.

It is also appropriate for industrial use. It fuses the grease on the surface and rinses off easily.

7. Sun Joe Heavy Duty Cleaner

Sun Joe Heavy-Duty Cleaner is one of the premier quality cleaners that are specially prepared for pressure washers. Its benign, non-corrosive formula is safe to use on metal surfaces.

Apart from employing it in pressure washers, you can also apply it on brushes or mops to clean wood, concrete, or other surfaces.

It helps you in eliminating difficult stains. If the surface does not need deep cleaning, a little bit of the product will be enough.

Sun Joe’s heavy-duty cleaner is also secure for plants and the environment. To avoid any accident, follow the instructions on the manufacturer’s manual.

8. Simple Green Oxy Deck and Fence Cleaner

Simple Green is a safe option to employ in power washers. It is eco-friendly and works magic on outdoor surfaces. It does not leave any soap residue behind and is easy to flush out afterward.

Water is usually not enough if you want to brighten your deck or any other outdoor surface. Simple Green OXY Deck and Fence Cleaner can make your task easier so that you can enjoy your weekend. This is a versatile cleaner, best for decks, fences, house sidings, driveways, etc.

It performs like magic by removing grimy stains, tree sap, lubrication, and oils before washing them away. It can even eliminate muddy stains and algae.

The best thing about this product is that it does not employ any toxic material like bleach. Instead, it employs more eco-friendly peroxide.

9. Sun Joe Snow Foam Car Wash Soap

Sun Joe Snow Foam Car Wash Soap is one of the detergents that is prepared specially as a car wash. It is a trustworthy detergent that is the choice of many.

A fun fact about this cleaner is that it comes with a variety of scents. For instance, pineapple, coconut, and vanilla.

It is an adaptable soap that can be used to wash cars, trucks, boats, and any other vehicle. It does not harm car wax, so your car’s paint can stay safe while you clean it.

Snow Foam Car Wash Soap is a time saver.  It helps you in cleaning your vehicles within no time because of its fast foaming. Its high viscosity washes away muddy stains and will leave your car glowing.

The product is quite concentrated, so a little bit of it can work amazingly. Its fragrance will make your washing experience pleasant.

10. Krud Kutter DF01 Blue Pressure Washer Concentrate

Blue Power Washer Concentrate is rich in “Sporex,” which is a distinctive supplement to wipe away the tough and grimy stains of algae, fungus, mold, etc., from outdoor surfaces.

It eliminates lubrication and grease, acid rain spots, and bird droppings from any surface while leaving no residue behind. It also works great on decks. This non-toxic, non-corrosive, and biodegradable detergent is not flammable, which makes it a safe choice for you.

11. Oxy Solve House and Siding Pressure Washer Cleaner

Oxy Solve House and Siding Pressure Washer Cleaner is best to clean tough stains like algae, moss, mold, etc. It can be used to clean surfaces like vinyl, wood, brick, and plaster cement.

Oxy Solve house cleaner is free from toxic and harsh material which makes it safe for the environment.

Can You Use a Car Wash Soap or Laundry Soap in a Pressure Washer?

Pressure washers contain a particular detergent vessel to fill with a certain cleanser that differs from the average car cleaner.

You can use an average car detergent without diluting it. All you must do is to apply and wipe appositely.

On the contrary, detergents that are supposed to be put in pressure washers require dilution.

The power washer uses a small portion of the cleaner and blends it with water to clean up the car or any other surface.

When you put regular car soap in a pressure washer, it produces extra foam which is damaging for your power washer. To avoid extra foam, special detergents are put into pressure washer formulas.

As far as a laundry detergent is concerned, it can be used in a pressure washer if it is mixed properly, and the power washer is downstream.

Despite all the instructions that allow you can employ laundry detergent or any other home soap, I would suggest going for the detergents that are formulated especially for power washers.

One way or another, these regular home detergents might cause impairment in your machine, which would lead you to money loss. Investing in pressure washer detergents is the safer decision.

Why Would Someone Prefer to Use Detergents?

There are many reasons that one might use a laundry detergent in a power washer:

• It is at hand.
• It adheres to the surface and makes cleaning effortless and convenient.
• Laundry cleaner is good for wiping off lubrication and other tough stains.
• It does not leave any soapy remnants behind.
• It does not make a lot of foam, which is less likely to be harmful to your pressure washer.

There are some limitations that you will have to keep in mind while employing a laundry detergent.

Some pressure washers are not prepared to use with any ordinary cleaner. When you use another cleaner in that power washer, it will impair every part where the soap traveled. Upstream injectors are the most vulnerable to ordinary detergents.

Do not use a detergent that has a great proportion of phosphate in it because it’s damaging to the environment.

A laundry cleanser is only good to wash surfaces like house siding, cemented surfaces, etc. Try not to use it to wash your cars. It might strip off the wax from your car.

One could avoid its limitations by following some of these steps:

• Dilute a cup of cleaner in a quart of water and then employ it in the downstream injector. Avoid running this mixture through the upstream injector. When you have cleaned the desired surfaces, flow clean liquid through the power washer to wash it properly.

• Many people require hospitals because of pressure washer injuries. The high pressure of the water can penetrate through your skin and harm skin tissues. You might end up with severe skin injuries or infections.

A red-colored exchangeable nozzle tip (zero-degree spray) accumulates the full potency of water into one point and escalates the risk of injury. You could decrease the risk by employing a wider-angle nozzle. It will take a bit more time to clean what you are working on, but it will be safer.

Many folks do not recommend using zero-degree nozzles even if it washes in an ideal way. Do not employ pinpoint settings at any cost to prevent yourself from any severe injury.

• As gas power washers are loud, aim to use hearing protection whenever you work with gas power washers.

Directions to Use a Pressure Washer

Following are some dos and don’ts that you can adopt when using pressure washers.

Steps to Follow:

• Read the instructions written in the manufacture’s manual.
• Use glasses, long trousers, closed shoes, and be mindful of the moist floor, which can quickly become slippery.
• Try to begin with the broad spray angle. Start by operating with the nozzle at 2 feet from the exterior and advance closer if required.
• If the pressure washer employs exchangeable spray tips, switch off the engine and hold down the trigger to outflow extra water before switching tips.
• Experiment on a small surface patch in a less prominent spot until you know the proper working of the machine.
• Be careful while pressure washing your car. A hose would be gentler on a car’s paint job.

Steps to avoid:

• Keep a distance of 6 feet from whatever you are washing. You might end up chipping paint, making small pits on the surface of the driveway, puncture the car tires, and make holes in deck wood.
• Avoid letting the engine function for too long on a gas pressure washer. If you leave the engine on for too long, try to press the trigger to avoid the pump from catching fire.
• Avoid using a pressure washer while on a ladder. Drawing the trigger could because you to lose your balance.
• Don’t position the nozzle towards yourself, other people, or pets.
• Avoid using an extension cord with an electric-powered model.
• Never leave a spray gun unattended while the instrument is running.
• Keep the spray away from electrical fixtures, power sources, and power lines.

Routine Maintenance

Routine maintenance is so important to keep your power washer functional for the long term. You should inspect your machine regularly.

The power washer pump requires extra care if you keep it in freezing weather. Winterize the pump when you must store the device outdoors in winter.

Electrical pressure washers do not need as much maintenance as gas power pressure washers.

If any part of the power washer gets damaged, consult professionals to fix the problem or repair the device. Read the manufacturer’s manual carefully before using the machine.

Does the Type of Pressure Washer Matter?

Yes! One needs to focus on what type of task he needs to perform and then choose the pressure washer accordingly. Here are some of the distinct types of pressure washers that you could choose according to your requirements.

Light duty

Light duty pressure washers work best for washing smaller spaces like driveways, pavements, walls, outdoor furniture, bicycles, or other small automobiles.  Light duty power washers give less flow rate and less water pressure. Their motors are not powerful but they may be noisy.

However, their hoses’ size differs from 9 feet (not suitable to wash a car) to 16 feet (perfect length for car wash). Small nozzles make the whole cleaning process tiring and hard. They have fragile body parts and are vulnerable to damage.

AR Blue Clean Power Washer

AR Blue Clean Pressure Washer is a great light-duty power washer. This easy-to-carry power washer works wonders to wash outdoor areas and small vehicles.

Sun Joe SPX1000

Sun Joe SPX1000 is also an ideal option for you if you want a light-duty power washer. It works magic when it comes to performing medium-duty cleaning tasks. It is an amazing choice to clean cemented surfaces, pavements, boats, garages, house siding, fences, etc. It contains adjustable nozzles which manage water pressure.

Medium-duty

Medium-duty power washers are leading for washing paved zones and decking and automobiles. Medium duty power washers are a fusion of expensive brands and inexpensive premium-brand models. Medium duty machines are capable and provide you the best and most convenient cleaning experience.

As compared to low-duty power cleaners, these washers have a medium-powered motor, and average water pressure and flow rate.

Some of the medium-duty machines might be weighty because of their giant wheels and storage for accessories. Their hoses are 6-19 feet long. They are quite loud, so try to use hearing protection.

Generac Gas Powered Pressure Cleaner

The Generac 6922 is a study gasoline-powered washer. Its engine holds 3 quarts of gas. It has 4 varieties of nozzles (use 40-degree nozzles for cars and mild surfaces). This medium-duty pressure washer is suitable for household use.

Heavy-duty

A heavy-duty power washer is an ideal option for washing spacious areas of asphalt, large autos and trucks, freight vehicles, and mobile homes.

Heavy-duty pressure washers are the most expensive models. Their motors are powerful and strong. They give an exceedingly high flow rate and pressure which makes them so effective.

Heavy-duty pressure washers save you a lot of time because they help you clean things quickly. They may not be the most suitable for home use.

While using heavy-duty machines, read the instruction manual carefully to avoid any injury. They contain a heavy battery which could make them hard to handle.

Simpson PowerShot 3,200 PSI 2.8 GPM

Simpson Power Shot 3,200 PSI 2.8 GPM is one of the most trustworthy pressure washers on the market. It can be an ideal choice for you because of its good water flow and pump bypass mode for pump protection. It is great for washing up muddy areas, fences, and driveways, and other large outdoor areas.

References:

• https://www.craftedgarage.com/soap-use-pressure-washer/
• https://www.pressurewasherlab.com/
• https://beacar.com/best-car-wash-soap-for-pressure-washer/
• https://ohsospotless.com/pressure-washer-detergents/
• https://gardenaxis.com/can-you-use-normal-car-shampoo-in-a-pressure-washer/

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