Soaps to use with Pressure Washers

A pressure washer is used to blast away dirt from your home exterior, driveway, patio or sidewalks. If you are ready to give your outdoor spaces a deep cleaning, you need a quality soap too. More people are turning to green cleaning products that help protect the environment. Here are some eco-friendly soaps to use with pressure washers that are worth considering if you are a DIY pressure washer.

Selecting the Soap

The best soaps will remove dirt, mildew, grease and grime with ingredients that are safe for the environment. All-purpose pressure washer soaps work on most outdoor surfaces. Specially-formulated cleaners are meant for specific surfaces like pavement, siding, metal and wood decking. If you plan to clean a variety of surfaces, the all-purpose cleaner is your best bet. If you want to clean a house, car or driveway, find a cleaner specifically designed for that purpose.

Watch the Ingredients

When pressure washing a large area, a lot of the soap will drain into nearby yards and landscaping. Choose a product with safe ingredients. You don’t want it to harm nearby greenery, wildlife or pets.

Check the label to see if a soap is environmentally friendly. It should display whether the product is biodegradable. If a pressure washer soap is sold on Amazon, it may also have a certification indicating it’s an eco-friendly product.

Water Temperature

Pressure washer soaps are made for either cold or hot water. Cold water soaps are best for residential cleaning. They don’t require water to maintain a high temperature. Pressure washers that use hot water focus on industrial strength cleaning that cuts through layers of grease and oil. Hot-water cleaners are more expensive, but use less cleaning fluid.

Types of Solutions

Pressure washer soap comes in concentrated or diluted forms. Diluted solutions contain water and are added directly to the washer. You must add water to concentrated solutions before they are used. Since the soap is concentrated, a person can typically get as much as 20 gallons of cleaner out of a single gallon.

Why Choose Eco-Friendly Products

Some pressure washing detergents pose a serious risk. Harsh chemicals can destroy plants and gardens, while runoff can potentially contaminate nearby streams and waterways. Some chemicals also pose serious health risks for humans and animals. This is why more people are choosing environmentally-friendly cleaning solutions. Green cleaning is non-toxic and efficiently eliminates dirt, mildew and stains.

Types of Green Products

Green detergents are made from safer products and clean just as well as those that contain many more chemicals. Eco-friendlypowder and liquid detergents can be found at most garden centers and home improvement stores. They can be applied directly to dirt or used in a pressure washer. Pre-soak the area with detergent first, for extra cleaning power. Then, go over the grime again with a pressure washer.

Natural Cleaning Solutions

There are also natural cleaning solutions available for your use. Vinegar is a great option that won’t harm plants.

Citrus oil is another natural, non-toxic cleaner. It’s used both inside and outside the home. It effectively removes grease, dirt and other stains.

You can also make a DIY pressure washer cleaning solution. Mix ⅔ cup powdered household cleaner and ⅓ cup phosphate-free laundry soap with a gallon of water. Stir slowly into a large bucket to keep the suds down.

Why Choose Eco-Friendly Pressure Washing

Green pressure washing offers many environmental benefits. For instance, a pressure washer uses 70-75% less water to clean a patio than a hose. Pressure washing restores items and surfaces. Replacements deplete more natural resources and are far more expensive. This eco-friendly method also helps protect local watersheds and uses far fewer chemicals or none at all.

Turn to Us for your Power Washing Needs

If you are ready to spruce up your outdoor space, the professionals at Peak Power Wash can help. We can clean your home exterior or tackle your deck, sidewalk or driveway. We use a technique called “soft wash”, which uses a much lower amount of pressure and reduces potential harm to surfaces. Contact us at 443-686-WASH or visit our website to request a free estimate.