Table of Contents
A pressure washer is a perfect appliance for cleaning large surfaces without spending all your energy using soap and a scrub brush. Whether it is your wooden deck, concrete surface, or your car, the pressure washer is the best way to clean. They do the job excellently well because they spray water at a very high pressure to blast the dirt from the surface. However, you must first be sure of how to use an electric pressure washer.
So, how does an electric pressure washer work?
Electric pressure washer work by spraying water at very high pressure on the surface that needs cleaning. Water has excellent cleaning properties because it has a slight charge.
This electrical charge helps it to cling to dirt and expunge them. Adding detergent to the water makes the cleaning easier because they break down the dirt and grease. A pressure washer helps to dislodge stubborn dirt that doesn’t go with washing and scrubbing.
This article aims to explain how to use an electric pressure washer safely and effectively. We will cover things like the various parts of the equipment, how to connect it, and what safety measures one should take when using it. Besides, we will share some tips on making cleaning more comfortable and better.
Setting Up Your Machine for the Job
Before we tell you how to operate an electric pressure washer, let us familiarize ourselves with this machine’s parts.
- Water Inlet – This is the hose you connect to the main water supply. A filter prevents particles from entering and damaging the machine. Such particles could come out at top speeds when using a pressure washer and damage the cleaning place.
- Electric Motor – This drives the equipment and creates the necessary pressure to hit the surface with impact. Most domestic power washers come with electrical motors, whereas the commercial ones have gas engines.
- GPM (Gallons Per Minute) – This is the designation given to pressure washers to show how much water passes through the nozzle. For domestic use, any machine under 2 GPM should suffice. Here are some popular pressure washers for domestic use.
Sun Joe SPX3001 2030 PSI 1.76 GPM
Stanley SHP2150 2150 PSI 1.4 GPM
Sun Joe SPX4000 2020 PSI 1.76 GPM
- Water Pump – The pumps in the pressure washer are like your domestic water pump, but these push out water at much higher speeds. The pumps suck in water and push out at around 2 gallons per minute.
- Water Hose – This is the tube through which water comes out and can handle very high pressure. Usually, the hose has a pressure capability three times that of the water pressure.
- Nozzles – The pressure washer comes with different nozzles to adjust the pressure with which water hits the cleaning surface. In some models, they come in different colors for easy identification.
Preparing to Use the Electric Pressure Washer
The first thing to learn is how to hook up an electric pressure washer for a washing job. Besides, you must also follow proper safety measures when using an electric pressure washer.
Safety Measures
- You must ensure that your electrical outlet is grounded to avoid any electrocution. This is the first important step to learn how to start an electric pressure washer.
- You must avoid using an extension cord because there are more chances of electrocution with that. You must consult the user manual regarding this.
- You must avoid shorts or flip-flops. Wearing gloves and safety goggles is also a good practice to ensure maximum safety.
- Ensure not to spray on any of your body parts or at anyone.
- You can keep the nozzle with the highest pressure away for safety. You will hardly need it for domestic cleaning jobs.
- Avoid ladders when using these machines since you may fall off the ladder if there is a kickback. Use extensions to reach higher areas.
Setting Up Machine For Use
Here are a few ways on how to set up an electric pressure washer.
- Get the hose connected to the tap and switch the water on. It is better to connect to a closed water tap so that the hose doesn’t suffer damage.
- Mix the soap well in water so that there is no residue. Any residue can clog the flow of water. If it remains inside the machine, it can cause damage.
- Fix the appropriate nozzle for your cleaning purpose. Your user manual can guide you in this matter.
Before you use the machine, you must know it works. So, how do electric pressure washers work?
- The detergent flows through a hose from the container, where it is already mixed with water.
- Cold water flows from the tap where the water hose is connected. The water is filtered to protect the pressure washer.
- The electric motor pump pulls water and detergent and mixes them. Most washers heat the water to 50 – 70 degrees Celsius.
- The same pump pushes the mixture out through the high-pressure hose and nozzle. The pressure with which the mixture hits the surface is enough to clean perfectly.
How to Use An Electric Pressure Washer?
- Make sure you have swept off all the debris and loose dirt from the surface you wish to clean.
- Turn on the water faucet and make sure there are no leaks. Squeeze the trigger to release any air inside the machine.
- Run the water for a minute without a nozzle to prepare the machine.
- Attach the suitable nozzle with the trigger released. It is best to start your work with a low-pressure nozzle.
- Spray at the surface you want to clean from around two to three feet distance. This will give the best results.
- Moving the wand a 45-degree from side to side gives the best results. Always keep moving without aiming at the same spot. Let your moves overlap to avoid leaving streaks.
Tips to Get the Best Results
Even with the best electric pressure washers, it is good to get some experts’ tips to make your cleaning more effective.
- Have a schedule for your cleaning job. Don’t plan to do everything on the same day because you must clean different surfaces at different intervals.
- When cleaning vinyl sidings, spray detergent from the bottom up to prevent streaking. Rinse from top to bottom while spraying at a downward angle to prevent water from getting under the siding.
- For cleaning wood decks, use a cleaner that is suitable for wood instead of a detergent. Spray cleaning solution from near you to farther away. Pass the spray in overlapping movement.
- When cleaning your car, use a low-pressure nozzle to wash with water before using detergent. Using high-pressure nozzles or washing from too close can damage the paint.
- You must not use the pressure washer on wood sidings, electrical panels or meters, AC units, concrete shingles, or lead paint.
- Electric pressure washer maintenance is an essential step in ensuring that the equipment lasts long and always gives the best performance.
FAQs
Q1. How to start an electrical pressure washer?
Starting the machine is the first step in how to use an electric power washer. You must first remove all air from the system by squeezing the trigger after turning the faucet on. You can have the machine plugged into a grounded electrical outlet. Next, you can switch the machine on and run the water with no nozzle. Once this is done for a minute, you can fix the nozzle and start using the pressure washer.
Q2. How does an electric pressure washer work?
An electric pressure washer has a pump that draws in water from a faucet through a hose. There is another hose that can suck in detergent solution. The two are mixed inside the machine and sprayed through a high-pressure hose and a nozzle. The pump and the nozzle combine to produce the necessary cleaning pressure.
Q3. How to set up an electric pressure washer?
An electric pressure washer won’t turn on if you don’t set it up properly. You must connect it to a grounded power outlet and avoid using extensions. Next, you have to connect to a water faucet with the top closed. After that, you must mix the detergent with water and ensure there is no residue. Last but not least, you must fix the suitable nozzle once you have tested the smooth flow of water.
Q4. How to store an electric pressure washer?
Knowing how to winterize an electric pressure washer is very important to ensure the machine’s proper working. You can connect a pipe with a male coupling to the water intake pipe. Use a funnel to pour antifreeze. Run the machine while pouring the antifreeze. Stop the machine when you see the liquid come out of the high-pressure hose connection. Seal all openings and store indoors.