Pressure washing ruining my weekend
Discussion
Morning all. I've got a Karcher pressure washer and yesterday did my decking which at 16m2 is a fair old size.
It took over four hours.
Tbf I have done a really good job - although it's only a year old it sits under a couple of large trees so was pretty dirty in parts - but it was not a job I enjoyed and the thought of ever doing it again, let alone annually, is a grim one.
Did I massively overdo my thoroughness? Or given the size is that amount of time reasonable?
Are there any sort of short cuts in future? Eg are there industrial units that can be hired that speed up the job?
Thanks in advance 👍
It took over four hours.
Tbf I have done a really good job - although it's only a year old it sits under a couple of large trees so was pretty dirty in parts - but it was not a job I enjoyed and the thought of ever doing it again, let alone annually, is a grim one.
Did I massively overdo my thoroughness? Or given the size is that amount of time reasonable?
Are there any sort of short cuts in future? Eg are there industrial units that can be hired that speed up the job?
Thanks in advance 👍
I used to have a house with a mahoosive limestone terrace - it took a similar length of time to make a decent job of it. It was strangely satisfying - although the terrace then became a no-go area with wellingtons etc for a while after cleaning, which was fairly ridiculous.
I did buy the big Karcher terrace cleaning thing - which worked reasonably well.
In my case it was a once every 18/24 months job.
I did buy the big Karcher terrace cleaning thing - which worked reasonably well.
In my case it was a once every 18/24 months job.
As Fast & Spurious says... patio cleaner attachment.
Buy the decent Karcher one, the budget versions are so light that they take off with a decent pressure washer.
Use the normal blaster to do the 3 or 4 inches around any edges then use the attachment for the rest. Stops all the splatter and mess too. Don't try scrubbing as though using a brush, just slowly walking it up and down like mowing the lawn.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/K%C3%A4rcher-2-644-084-0-...
The metal aftermarket versions look good, but I've not used one. The large 15 & 18" versions really need a high pressure and flow pressure washer, the 13" might work with a domestic unit. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C6LVMYGW/ref=syn_sd_...
Buy the decent Karcher one, the budget versions are so light that they take off with a decent pressure washer.
Use the normal blaster to do the 3 or 4 inches around any edges then use the attachment for the rest. Stops all the splatter and mess too. Don't try scrubbing as though using a brush, just slowly walking it up and down like mowing the lawn.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/K%C3%A4rcher-2-644-084-0-...
The metal aftermarket versions look good, but I've not used one. The large 15 & 18" versions really need a high pressure and flow pressure washer, the 13" might work with a domestic unit. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C6LVMYGW/ref=syn_sd_...
We have 100sq meters of decking and the guy who built the house laid it in a herringbone pattern. It is almost impossible to sweep all the crud out of the grooves as a result.
Cleaning it is a bloody nightmare. We are finally going to bite the bullet this year and replace it all with composite decking - laid in a standard pattern!
Going to cost a fortune but the current decking sucks the joy out of life.
Cleaning it is a bloody nightmare. We are finally going to bite the bullet this year and replace it all with composite decking - laid in a standard pattern!
Going to cost a fortune but the current decking sucks the joy out of life.
We have a 14 x 5 metre limestone pool terrace that takes a good half day to properly pressure wash and clean after the winter, even with quite a large capacity pressure washer and all the right attachments.
It’s the one job that our gardener won’t do as, apparently he had a bad experience damaging a client’s limestone terrace. Every year, I refuse to pay the €1k the pool company quotes to do it and do it myself. Every year I regret it
It’s the one job that our gardener won’t do as, apparently he had a bad experience damaging a client’s limestone terrace. Every year, I refuse to pay the €1k the pool company quotes to do it and do it myself. Every year I regret it
I have about 120m2 of paving / decking and do it every 3-4 months as we are coastal and have a lot of seaguls and it always seems to want to go green.
Takes a full day to do right. Its not hard work, its basically just standing there - getting gradually more wet.
I spray the area down a week or so before hand with bio washing liquid. No idea if it really helps but at least it smells ok.
Other than the time its no big deal. If anything its an excuse to get out of the house away from the nagging for a day
Takes a full day to do right. Its not hard work, its basically just standing there - getting gradually more wet.
I spray the area down a week or so before hand with bio washing liquid. No idea if it really helps but at least it smells ok.
Other than the time its no big deal. If anything its an excuse to get out of the house away from the nagging for a day
NDA said:
ClaphamGT3 said:
Every year, I refuse to pay the €1k the pool company quotes to do it and do it myself. Every year I regret it
Is the pool within the limestone terracing - as mine was? Makes the job even harder trying not to get the crud into the pool! 
Start off giving the area a good proper going over to get it really clean
.This will be the time consuming one.
This is your starting point.
Then get the rotary cleaner and use it more frequently to prevent a build up of dirt. These will be much quicker as there is less to remove. It also limits sprayed dirt getting everywhere. Use the jet lances to clean edges/corners/stubbborn areas. I use the rotary like a mower, overlapping passes at whatever speed works.
You could also use something like hypichlorite ( diluted to suit) to help clean up as well.
Frequent #hort cleaning will be much easier than letting things get really dirty.
.This will be the time consuming one.
This is your starting point.
Then get the rotary cleaner and use it more frequently to prevent a build up of dirt. These will be much quicker as there is less to remove. It also limits sprayed dirt getting everywhere. Use the jet lances to clean edges/corners/stubbborn areas. I use the rotary like a mower, overlapping passes at whatever speed works.
You could also use something like hypichlorite ( diluted to suit) to help clean up as well.
Frequent #hort cleaning will be much easier than letting things get really dirty.
TorqueDirty said:
We have 100sq meters of decking and the guy who built the house laid it in a herringbone pattern. It is almost impossible to sweep all the crud out of the grooves as a result.
Cleaning it is a bloody nightmare. We are finally going to bite the bullet this year and replace it all with composite decking - laid in a standard pattern!
Going to cost a fortune but the current decking sucks the joy out of life.
Use a leaf blower.Cleaning it is a bloody nightmare. We are finally going to bite the bullet this year and replace it all with composite decking - laid in a standard pattern!
Going to cost a fortune but the current decking sucks the joy out of life.
My good god.
The weekend gets worse.
Today on closer inspection I can see that I have shredded the s
t out of the flipping decking.Guess I was too thorough.
Any suggestions?
I could cry.
PS thanks for all the replies - going forward it's definitely the attachment and some liquid cleaner for me.
Either:
1. Sand the fluffy bits, or
2. Unscrew the boards and turn them over.
With the latter you might need to sand the bits that sit on the bearers if they've stained.
If you were using the "turbo" nozzle, the one that rotates, they are very aggressive and can easily do that. The patio attachments get it clean but without doing that sort of damage.
1. Sand the fluffy bits, or
2. Unscrew the boards and turn them over.
With the latter you might need to sand the bits that sit on the bearers if they've stained.
If you were using the "turbo" nozzle, the one that rotates, they are very aggressive and can easily do that. The patio attachments get it clean but without doing that sort of damage.
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