High Pressure Surface Cleaner

[orezok]

One of my projects was a concrete high school football stadium with lockers etc under the stands. The concrete contractor poured concrete full of honeycomb due to pouring downhill in the stands vs the proper uphill pour. It had to be removed but the rebar saved for repouring. He brought in a 60,000 PSI pressure washer powered by a Diesel engine. Yeah, that will clean your deck!

 

[aczlan]

I have a similar attachment for my 3400 psi pressure washer. It's great on concrete patios, consistent cleaning, and I don't get soaked like when using the normal tips. The only disadvantage is that it doesn't get in corners or against walls. Even after going over the places it doesn't get I'm done in half the time!

We have one at work that we use to clean concrete floors with a hot water pressure washer. It works very well and the guys who use it are much happier using that then trying to clean with just a fan tip or even one of the orbital nozzles.

Aaron Z

 

[Code54]

The larger surface cleaners like high volume and high pressure - that is what makes them fast and effective. I think it was Stihl that makes a smaller one that I thought was around $100 bucks. If you are just using it now and then the plastic housing and metal jets would be fine. The stainless ones are expensive and more commercial but certainly effective.
On a pressure washer the PSI is important BUT the GPM is just as important - more GPM means MUCH faster cleaning.

 

[RSKY]

Something like this is what I'm talking about.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200659587_200659587

I think this would work with my washer. I get the impression from those who seem to know what they are talking about that these are a worthwhile investment.

RSKY

 

[Gem99ultra]

I've had a couple different styles of these attachments, both the bar style and the round style. The bar style simply flops around to much, leaving one to spend all their time fighting the attachment. The round style does seem to work best. The heavier the weight, the better.
They do speed up the task probably by 1/2, perhaps more. Like has been said, they don't get right up to the edges and corners, but a follow-up with a fan tip can be done quickly and without spending too much time.
There is a caution with using power washers, whether fan spray or round sprayers, and that is that the will eventually scrub off the glaze of your concrete surface, especially if you run the pressure too high. In fact, with extreme pressure, you can easily gouge groves in concrete. Not a good thing. After you loose the glaze you'll end up with a sandy or gritty film that will have to be swept away pretty often. In some applications, that's fine, but just be aware that too much water pressure is simply 'too much'. I'm running about 2200 psi on my power washer, although it does have the 2750 psi max capability.
The pricing seems to be all over the place. I paid over $100 for the bar style, and ended up giving it away. Too much work to be useful. I've ended up with the round style that I paid about $70 OTD, and do like it.
They're definitely a good time saver, but not a total answer to cleaning surfaces. For extreme cleaning, I think you will need a hot water washer for the initial clean-up.

 

[Code54]

Yes they are a helpful attachment and do reduce the time needed for cleaning patios and decks. The larger the unit the quicker of course but you also need a much larger machine. If you are planning on using hot water make SURE it is rated for the temp.- if not they will not hold up or transfer the heat in an unsafe manner. If you do have a hot water machine available the cleaning ability is GREATLY increased. I normally use cold water for general house cleaning, cleaning the summer furniture, but fire up the hot water box for anything greasy/grimy or really dirty. If I turn it up it puts out 220 degree water that strips grease quickly, just don't bump any of the metal quick connects with bare skin or you will regret it.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have an Industrial 1500 pound or so, high volume pump and got one of those twirly things with the scrub brush around the perimeter. I found it at the RESTORE, (Returns from Home Depot).

I find any mechanical scrubbing helps clean almost anything better, so the back and forth action of the brushes does help. But really, scrubbing the area and then pressure washing it with a regular wand and seperte scrub bruch would probably do about the same and scrubbing with that round thing is tiring.

Sometimes things that are more interesting seem easier when in fact they are not.

 

[beckmurph]

We purchased this surface cleaner at Lowe’s.
It is a Briggs & Stratton. $69.00.
A spinning bar with two nozzles, that will clean concrete very well.

 

[Overtaxed]

For your washer, don't spend a lot of money. You're at the very bottom of the "might be effective" chart for a surface cleaner. Get the 50 dollar one at Lowes and see if it works for you. I liked mine a lot with a 3000PSI, 2.5GPM washer, so you might find it effective. Now I have a big one, 30in, IIRC, was about 500 bucks and it's awesome. But I have a 4000 PSI, 4GPM cleaner to go with it, my older one didn't have the kick for the big cleaner. IMHO, you might be better saving up for a bigger washer if you're going to do a lot of surface cleaning.

 

[oosik]

I have a Honda pressure washer. 2000 psi and 2.5 gpm. I quit using it to clean my wood decks. Over time the washer will "etch" the wood.

I use a handled scrub brush and hot, soapy water. Rinse with the garden hose.

The pressure washer exacerbates the problem. It will "etch" the wood. Mold & dirt becomes trapped in the "etched" wood. You have to hit those areas harder to effectively clean. The "etchings" get more pronounced and deeper................