A pressure cleaner can clean paving much quicker and deeper than a hose pipe, and uses much less water. Washing cars with a Petrol Pressure Washer also increases the quality of a car wash, and once again, much less water is used, which results in more cars being washed per day. However not all pressure washers are created equal, and depending on certain factors, will determine the size of the pressure washer you will require. If you do not get the correct pressure washer for the application it is intended, the machine will not last very long. Look after your machine, check for leaks, replace wear and tear parts, and be sure to replace the oil in the pump, around every 300 hours of use. It is best to invest in a good quality machine, which is able to perform for the function that it is needed – trying to save a buck by buying a smaller high pressure cleaner will only cost you more in repairs. The benefits of owning a pressure washer
- Cleans tough stains: Pressure washers come with different pressure settings to handle light/medium/heavy duty tasks. Tough stains like oil, grease, or grime fall in the line of heavy duty tasks, which a high pressure washer can blast off your car. High pressure washers come with accessories like rotating nozzles, sandblasting nozzles, chemical injectors, etc., that make removing tough stains, paint, cement, etc, an easy job.
- Time saving: On average, it takes 10 minutes to clean your car on low pressure. Heavy duty cleaning may take double that time, but if you know how to work the machine, it’s almost impossible to spend more than an hour cleaning your car.
- Cost effective: You use less water with a pressure washer, and if looked after properly will last 5 to 10 years.
Types of pressure washers Diesel Engine Diesel engine pressure washers are suitable for medium and heavy duty work. The pressure washer uses diesel to fuel the high pressure pump. Because it generates fumes, it is not suitable for indoor use. Diesel engine pressure washers are available as both hot water machines, and cold water machines. Petrol Engine Petrol engine high pressure washers are similar in design to diesel engine pressure washers. These high pressure washers use the petrol as the main source of fuel to power the high pressure pump. They are suitable for medium and heavy duty cleaning tasks. They also generate fumes and are also only for outdoor use. Used mainly on building sites and on mines, or by plumbers who need the high pressure from the water to flush and clean out drains? Electric Motor Electric pressure washers need to be connected to either 380v or 525v power, depending on what is available or for which voltage the high pressure washer has been manufactured for. All the above pressure washers can be mobile, wall mounted, trailer mounted, bakkie mounted, frame mounted, etc, depending on what the requirements are for your business. Key features of a high pressure washer: POWER how close is the pump’s power source? For washing cars, electric pressure washers are the best. Also, electric high pressure washers utilize high amperage in their motors to deliver a PSI of about 2,000, which is an ideal pressure for washing cars. Diesel pressure washers deliver a higher PSI rating and are more suitable for car detailing when you want to remove old paint from a car. NOZZLE The nozzle size largely affects the amount of water coming out of the spray gun. Sometimes you may want a narrow spray for a light cleaning job or a powerful spray to remove the toughest grease stains. Keep in mind that there are critical parts of your car that a powerful spray could damage. You should, therefore, go for a pressure washer with an adaptable nozzle so that you can adjust the width of the spray to suit the cleaning task. HOSE LENGTH The appropriate length of the hose in a high pressure washer is about 10 meters. Anything less will have you constantly knocking down the pressure washer. On the other hand, if the hose is too long, it will be an inconvenience when you want to move around the pressure washer. If your pressure washer is in a fixed position, or mounted on a trailer, it is ideal to invest in a hose reel, manual or retractable, to keep your hose neat, and safe. CLEANING CHEMICAL You cannot always rely on just water to get rid of all the stains. Soap makes your work easy and if you get your cleaning chemical and water from the same source, it makes the job more stream less. A good chemical to use to wash cars is car shampoo and wax, which will create foam to break down the stubborn mud accumulated on the car, or undercarriage of trucks. Aluminum cleaner is also good to clean the aluminum parts on a truck with a brush, but should however not be used with a pressure washer.
