May 26, 2017 by Sam
What is needed to power wash your home’s 2nd floor and higher
1. You have to use the right nozzle to get soap to the 2nd floor
So you ask where do I find a low pressure zero degree tip that will shoot soap up to the 2nd floor level. The color for the tip you need is either blue or pink. This is the secret the professionals don’t want you to know. This is a link to Amazon.com where you can buy the tip you need to clean the mold and dirt off of the 2nd story level of your home.
Link to Amazon.com: 2nd Story Nozzle Kit
2. Cleaning Detergents that will remove mold without scrubbing or high pressure
There are so many house wash cleaning products on the market today. I would stay away from what Home Depot and Lowe’s sells because they just don’t work. They are rather over priced and normally don’t yield the most professional results.
The best cleaners to use when pressure washing:
1. Zep Pressure Wash Soap (I swear by this soap)
2. Simple Green House and Siding Cleaner (My 2nd favorite)
3. 10% Bleach from the pool section at Walmart
Important note on using bleach: Do not mix anything with it besides water. I mix my bleach at a 1 to 6 ratio. One part bleach to six parts water. Most pressure washers with soap injectors say to not use bleach. I guess it tears the valve orings up. If you decide to use bleach and you don’t have a pressure washer with a soap injector or you don’t want to take a chance on tearing up your soap injector valve then a Downstream Pressure Washer Chemical Injector is the answer.
How to Apply The Soap
When looking for a pressure washer, you will need to make sure it has a chemical injector. Look for a pressure washer that comes with a chemical injector attached. Here is a basic rundown on how the injector works. The soap will go through the pressure washers pump when the soap nozzle (black nozzle) is installed on the wand and the trigger is squeezed. You can spray in the grass and see the soap start coming out. As mentioned earlier this nozzle has a larger orifice which drops the pressure. This drop in pressure opens up a valve on your injector thus allowing the soap to be pulled through the line.
The Pressure Washing Process
1. Make sure you pre-wet all plants, decks, windows, and anything else that is sensitive to your cleaning detergents. Make sure you are using a nozzle that is not black, blue, or pink when you prerinse the plants.
2. Once your work area is pre-wetted, start applying the soap using the black nozzle (soap) to the house. You don’t want to apply so much that you’re wasting detergent. Apply enough just so it all covers every part of the siding. It’s best to apply bottom to top, this way you can see exactly where you have applied the detergent.
3. Switch back to a white, green, or yellow nozzle, and rinse any plants, decks, or windows that have been sprayed with the detergent.
4. Wait 2-3 minutes. In warmer times of the year, you shouldn’t have to wait as long. Colder temperatures slow down the cleaning process.
5. Using a white, green, or yellow nozzle rinse the soap off of the siding. Start from the top and work your way downward. Remember if using a high pressure nozzle hold the sprayer level and rinse spraying directly at the siding the siding. Meaning, siding overlaps and you don’t want to force water behind the vinyl siding. Try not to spray up or the water might go under the siding and cause mold behind it. Low pressure nozzles are a different story. To rinse I would use the pink or blue nozzle on the 2nd story and black on the 1st. If you use high pressure to rinse (sometimes it’s necessary) you can purchase this pivoting coupler to reach higher and still spray level at the siding.
Important note: do not apply so much detergent that by the time you are rinsing it has dried on the home. You always want the detergent to be wet.
1. If the detergent is not wet, it is not working.
2. Bleach may etch glass if left dried for an extended period of time. Rinse the windows way more than you feel is necessary.
3. Continue this process 1 side at a time. By the time you have finished you should feel much more comfortable and be much more efficient next time around.
Do you need a good pressure washer?
link to Amazon.com: SIMPSON Pressure Washer
This pressure washer has a Honda motor. I have one with a Honda motor and love it! It starts easily every time. It sprays at 3100 PSI and 2.5 GPM which is very good. If you want a higher flow above 2.5 gallons per minute you will have to invest more than what they are asking for this pressure washer. This gets you very close to 3 GPM for a very good price. It comes with a reservoir for your cleaning agent as well. It is a very good pressure washer and if you need to know more follow this link the read the Reviews on Amazon.com.