Pressure washing concrete is one of the best things you can do to clean your home. Having a clean driveway, patio, or sidewalk boosts your curb appeal and extends the lifespan of your concrete structure. At Nashville Soft Wash Pros, a pressure washing company in Nashville, we make sure you get reliable and trustworthy service for your home. We are committed to making sure your home is clean and polished. Let’s take a look at what the pressure washing concrete is like and how it can make your home look good as new.
Find the right timing
If you ever plan on pressure washing your driveway, sidewalk, or patio, know that there are a couple things you need to consider and plan out before jumping right into it. Depending on how much surface area you need to cover, you might need to allocate a few hours of your time to get it done. It’s important to note that pressure washers use a lot of water, so we suggest that you go lighter than usual on any water usage during your cleaning session. Lastly, We recommend pressure washing on a clear day so you don’t have to worry about rain, high winds, or snow getting in the way.
Protect your plants
Try your best to not hit the plants with the pressure washer or with concrete detergent. Pressure washers are strong and can damage your plants if you watch where you’re aiming. We suggest that you cover your plants with a tarp or something that’s highly water resistant to make sure your plants don’t take any of the high pressure impact. We also recommend that you give your plants a quick rinse (NOT WITH THE PRESSURE WASHER) after you’re done to wash off any detergent that might have gotten on the plants.
Safety first
Pressure washers are loud and have a lot of force behind them. It’s a good idea to put on some safety glasses, hearing protection, close toed shoes, and gloves. Water debris can splash back at you when using the pressure washer, so it’s better to play it safe. Pressure washers are capable of cutting skin, especially those with a psi of over 3000. It’s a tool that should be used with caution, so watch your surroundings and make sure to keep it away from your children and pets.
Which pressure washer works best
Picking the right pressure washer can be challenging especially for first timers. A good rule of thumb is to look at the psi rating. The higher the rating, the stronger the pressure washer will be. If you want to save time, we recommend going for the ones with higher psi. You also have the choice of either an electric or gas powered washer. The gas powered ones tend to have more power behind it than the electric ones. The only downside to that is the price, but if you’re looking to get the job done fast, it may be worth the cost.
Knowing what nozzle works best
The nozzles indicate the size of the water spread on your pressure washer in degrees. The lower the number, the more narrow the stream becomes and thus makes it more powerful. For example, if your nozzle is at 0 degrees, you have the most powerful stream that covers the least amount of surface area. A 65 degree nozzle would not be as strong as the 0 degree nozzle, but it will be able to cover more surface area. If you’re not sure which nozzle to use, you could always experiment with the nozzle sizes. Keep in mind that the distance between the nozzle and the concrete can affect the amount of pressure applied to one spot, so try not to get too close to where you’re cleaning. If not careful, you could actually etch the concrete and create caters thus damaging the concrete itself.
The wash
When pressure washing concrete, starting from the top and working your way down is a good technique to use, especially on driveways or places with elevation. You wouldn’t want any dirty water running over places you just cleaned. Doing this will also prevent you from having to worry about kicking the hose out of your way since all of it will be behind you, so all you have to do is drag it. There’s also the option of Once you’re done, top off the concrete with a sealant to protect your concrete and have it last longer.
Are you ready to pressure wash your home?
There’s no need to search far and wide for sidewalk pressure washing services. If the walkway outside of your home or office is caked in dirt, call on Nashville Soft Wash Pros. Need us to clean up your dirty sidewalk and patio too? We’ve got you covered. We’ll get your concrete spotless in no time.
Call us today at 615-510-1852 to schedule an appointment or you can email us at nashvillesoftwashpros@gmail.com