Pressure washing

What It Means

Pressure washing is cleaning hard outdoor surfaces with a machine that pumps water through a narrow nozzle at high pressure. The force strips off dirt, mildewMildewA flat, usually gray or white mold that grows on damp surfaces such as shower grout, curtains and fabric left wet. See more, algae and loose grime from siding, decks, fences, driveways and patios. That same force can cut skin, and Consumer Reports has warned about the injuries it causes.

How It Sounds at Home

• "The driveway looks brand new after I pressure washed it."
• "Keep the wand pointed at the ground when you walk past the kids."
• "The siding on the north side has gone green again."

The Breakdown

How often. No official body sets a schedule for pressure washing, so these are Buhata's own suggestions:

Make it last between washes. Buhata's own suggestion: keep gutters clear so water doesn't sheet down the siding, trim shrubs back from the walls so the siding dries after rain, and sweep leaves off the deck and patio before they stain. These cut down how often the machine needs to come out.

Good to Know

Consumer Reports says cuts are the most common pressure washer injury, followed by bruises, punctures and eye injuries. It also says even a small break in the skin from the spray needs a doctor soon, however minor it looks. A Simpson Cleaning manual warns that engine exhaust contains carbon monoxide, which CPSC notes you can't see or smell: run a gas machine outdoors at least 20 feet from windows, doors and vents, and never in a garage, even with the door open. If anyone feels dizzy or sick, get everyone outside into fresh air and call 911 from there. CDC says homes built before 1978 are likely to have some lead-based paint, and peeling paint makes chips and dust, so read EPA's lead-safe guidance for do-it-yourselfers before spraying an older painted house. CPSC posts product warnings and recalls, so look up your model on cpsc.gov.

Related Terms and Categories

• Power washing vs pressure washing

  Both spray water at high pressure. In the stricter usage, a power washer also heats the water, while a pressure washer uses cold or lukewarm water.

• Deck staining

  Brushing a penetrating stain or water repellent onto a wood deck to protect it from water and sun, and recoating it as the finish wears.

• Carbon monoxide detector

  An alarm that sounds when carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas, builds up to a dangerous level in the air of a home.

• Seasonal home maintenance

  Home upkeep sorted by time of year, so each job lands when the weather suits it and before the system it protects is needed most.

Home maintenance and repairs