How to Clean a Car using Pressure Washer?

For many of us, there will be lot of emotions and expectations involved when buying a car. Even after considerable usage and riding miles, we all want the appearance of the car to remain as new as possible, shiny and twinkle as we ride along. Three things to be noted for that – first is to drive the car carefully adhering traffic rules (all the time), second is to do periodic maintenance and third is to clean the car regularly.

Many of us don't show much interest in cleaning the car as much as we love to drive the car, may be because it takes more time and effort to clean a car and most of us may get exhausted during the cleaning process itself. Pressure washers can help us a lot in this. Pressure washer is an effective and efficient tool for cleaning the exterior of the car, it does the job pretty quickly too.

Using a pressure washer is easier than you think, if we use pressure washer as per guidelines with due care then car cleaning will be more enjoyable than we think. Pressure washers can also be used for cleaning purposes other than car cleaning, like floor washing, surface washing, garden tiles washing etc., more on that on another blog.

1. Setting up the pressure washer :

Different type of cleaning task require different level of pressure and water flow/usage settings.

Pressure setting of 1200PSI to 1900PSI with 1.4GPM to 1.6GPM is optimal for cleaning cars and prevents the car from paint damage.

Note: PSI - Pounds per Square Inch ; GPM - Gallons Per Minute.

High PSI – High pressure; High GPM – Release more water.

2. Nozzle :

Always use the nozzle with wide angle spray tip (40) for car cleaning, this helps in even spreading of water on the car surface. Right Pressure and Nozzle size selection is to keep away the car from paint damage.

Note: Narrow tip – covers less area with high outlet pressure; Wider tip – covers more area with less outlet pressure

3. Let's start :

Park the car on concrete or cemented surface - washing over gravel can make tiny stones fly up and hit the paint. Make sure all windows are closed properly and wash the entire car with plain water using pressure washer to remove the dirt, mud and debris stuck on the car surface.

Note: Point the nozzle at ground for the first spray to adjust the pressure.

4. Applying detergent :

You can start applying detergent after the plain water wash; ensure that the detergent is approved for use with pressure washer. Use the pressure washer to apply detergent over the car surface. Please don't use domestic washing detergents, soaps or shampoos, it may remove the wax finish and make the paint look less shiny. Let the detergent stay on the car for 5 – 10 minutes, but don't let it dry.

Note: Detergents should be diluted as per the instructions given in the product label.

5. Shiny & Glossy:

Now, you can rinse off the detergent using pressure washer by working from top to down. You can also use a clean and soft cloth to dry the car. Now, you can see how the pressure washer boosted your lovable car's visual appeal.

Some famous and highly reliable pressure washer brands available in market are Karcher, Makita, Black & Decker, Cumi etc.

Always remember these things :

1. Check the interior of your car after the clean up to confirm no leakage occurred.

2. Don't use high spray setting on old tyres, they may explode.

3. Don't spray on the engine bay or else you need to buy a new car.

4. Don't spray directly at panel gaps for too long, it will lead to leaks.

5. Always keep an eye on fragile parts like mirrors, lights etc.

6. To prevent stickers from peeling off, spray on their front side by pointing the pressure nozzle (at 90°).

7. Don't use pressure washers to wash your hands or legs, it will damage your skin.

8. Never forget that pressure washer is a power tool, not a toy.