Pressure washer detergent -- is it worth using?

[jas67]

I bought a used pressure washer. It is an older Huskey-branded 11HP briggs L-head powered unit. It works great, but the detergent valve is damaged.

Is it worth using detergent with a pressure washer, or is it just as good, or better to just spray on bleach or other detergent appropriate to the particular job with a weed sprayer, let is soak, and then it it with the pressure washer.

Thanks!
Jay

 

[Tig]

I think your method would work as well as what my washer does as far a spraying on soap goes.

 

[Scooby074]

Either way is good. A soap injector shouldnt be that expensive.

I use the injector for diluted degreaser or car wash, and keep a more concentrated mix of purple degreaser in the bug sprayer.

 

[nomad289]

I was disappointed to learn that most pressure washers will not dispense soap under pressure like at a car wash, they will only spray a *no pressure mist of soap solution when fitted with the largest orifice nozzle.. So your results spraying on soap with a weed sprayer would be comparable.

*I assume the soap solution is drawn into the washer by a venturi tube (similar to a carbeurator) operating on the bernoulli principle, where higher fluid flow results in a lower pressure, thus creating a vacumn to draw in the soap solution. When a high pressure nozzle is fitted, either the flow is reduced or the pressure increased so that soap solution will not pull into the pump/pressure washer.

 

[Skyco]

Correct- a higher pressure stops the soap on mine. When my adjustable nozzle is wide open (low pressure) is when it draws soap, when returned to a jet or fan the soap stops.
Personally I've found the ability to add soap/detergent/whatever near useless, doing it with a seperate sprayer works just as well and is more controllable IMO.

 

[allenr]

Personally I've found the ability to add soap/detergent/whatever near useless, doing it with a seperate sprayer works just as well and is more controllable IMO.

I'll second that.

I'm fortunate to have a diesel burning hot water pressure washer which often makes any detergent unnecessary. If there is a thick layer of fresh grease however, it is very good at splattering the grease everywhere - detergent or not.

 

[jas67]

I'll second that.

I'm fortunate to have a diesel burning hot water pressure washer which often makes any detergent unnecessary. If there is a thick layer of fresh grease however, it is very good at splattering the grease everywhere - detergent or not.

LOL! I used the pressure washer yesterday, and while it did a great job of cleaning my siding and brick walkway on the north side of my house (with gets very little sun, and had lots black mold, and green algae-looking slime), it also does splatter the stuff on anything else around. I have a brick front porch (that also had said green & black stuff on it), with some inside corners that you can't really clean without the deflecting "stuff" all over the side of the house. I ended up spraying the ways downward with a fan spray, and then squeegeeing it off the porch.

Anyway, thanks for all the advice. Yes, the valve is only about $15-$30, but I didn't want to bother if it wasn't going to be worth it -- I already have the weed & bug sprayer.

TBN is such a great resource of knowledge!

 

[Scooby074]

FYI, you can spray soap at high pressure using a "Upstream Injector". I thought about getting one, but due to the fact that most time i use a caustic degreaser, i didnt want that chemical in my pump. I understand that alot of people do it with no effects, and i may still.

 

[lightninboy]

I am afraid using soap is a waste of time and money. I'd have to see it work to believe in it.

 

[Scooby074]

not a waste of time. Check out all the industrial wash guys, they all use soap injection.