Elements of Pressure Washing & Tips on Washing a Deck

Most people, myself included, thought all you need to power wash something was high water pressure and maybe a little heat (as in warm water). But there are several more elements of pressure washing that determine the effectiveness of your Peninsula power washing jobs. The basic three ingredients to pressure washing is water (both in its presence and temperature), pressure, and detergent or chemicals. Combined, these three elements can create a pretty significant environment for optimal cleaning. However, remove or decrease one just enough and the entire environment changes.

Almost everyone is familiar with the relationship between oil and water right? Which is precisely why simply firing up your pressure washer and blasting the driveway with hot water isn’t necessarily going to get it as clean as you’d think it would. You need to have a detergent that is going to break down the grease and oil, not just water.

The same applies for any surface you’re trying to get clean with a Peninsula power washer. Most commonly used on decks and fences, these washers are known for making wood look as good as new. However, what many don’t realize is that even though it may look good immediately after spraying, the mildew and mold they think is gone is only going to come back a short time later. In order to really clean a fence and/or deck, you must use something that will effectively kill the mildew. The best thing for this is oxygen bleach.

Oxygen bleach comes in powdered form and should be mixed with water and possibly a powered all purpose home cleanser or soap as well. Generally 1/4 to 1/3 cup of oxygen bleach to gallon of water should be fine for killing mildew and mold on fencing. As with any pressure washing job, you’ll want to start in an area not in plain view as to get a feeling for how the cleaning will affect the overall look of the wood. As with any wood also, you want to make sure you’re using the right tip. To be safe, don’t use anything less than a 30 degree tip when power washing wood surface. Something like a 15 degree tip used for concrete will be too direct and may splinter or ruin the wood.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jay_Giles