Cars need to get washed at least once a week because the continuous dirt and grime fade away that genuine car look. Car washing is a kind of time taking activity and no one loves this activity. The trend of going to car wash shops is decreasing because people prefer to wash the car at home to save money and time. At home, it will take a lot of time if you wash your car by bare hands and soap using any foam. Why not clean your car with a pressure washer?

We have always seen pro car detailers using pressure washers for washing cars, so why not us? There is no rocket science in using pressure washer machines, all you have to do is to follow steps and keep important things in mind. Gone those days when people were used to washing their cars by hand for hours. Pressure washer machines provide effective and speedy exterior car cleaning. There is no need to keep washing your car by hand when you can wash your car with a pressure washer without wasting time and energy. There are no risks involved in using a pressure washer if you use it by following proper instructions. Some people do mistakes using these machines so we’ll have a look at all the do’s and don’ts to avoid any damage or problem.

Things to Consider When Using a Pressure Washer

There could be many little things that do matter but two things matter most when washing car with pressure washer. Let’s have a look at those 2 main things that are very effective in bringing required car cleaning.

  • PSI
  • Nozzles

PSI (Pounds Square Inch)

A pressure washer is all about PSI, the performance of any car pressure cleaner depends on PSI and GPM. GPM stands for ‘Gallon Per Minute’ which means water flow so there should be a balance between PSI and GPM. Most of the people don’t know what is the safe pressure washer PSI and how much GPM would be enough. PSI between 1400 to is totally safe for a car wash. Don’t go for 2500 or because that is used for heavy-duty tasks and such pressure can cause some serious damage to your car’s paintwork.

Check out What is the safe PSI to get detailed information about PSI and GPM. 

Nozzles

You can’t ignore the importance of nozzles when using a car pressure washer machine. Nozzles play the role of a backbone in a pressure washer. Wider nozzle tip means more coverage but less pressure whereas narrow tip means high pressure but covers less car surface. Using the right tip is what matters in terms of safe and smart car washing. 

There are 5 types of nozzles differentiated by 4 colors. 

  • Red Tip- This nozzle tip has a zero degree angle which means that it provides the highest water pressure. It is made for heavy-duty wash jobs like eliminating stains from cement etc. Not recommended for washing cars at all.
  • Yellow Tip– Yellow nozzle tip comes with a 15-degree angle which means it delivers pretty fast water pressure but covers a very small area. Very effective for removing dirt but it can strip your car’s paint.
  • Green Tip– A standard nozzle tip that has a 25-degree angle which means fast and safe water pressure for covering a short area. It is preferred to use this nozzle tip in a pressure washer when washing wheels or for removing the thinner layer of grime from the car’s surface.
  • White Tip– A nozzle that is best to use for removing detergent off your car. This nozzle tip has a 40-degree angle which means it covers large areas and delivers less water pressure which is totally safe for washing cars.
  • Black Tip– This nozzle tip also known as soap nozzle that is made for spraying detergent. It has a wider degree angle of 65-degree which means it has slow water flow. It is an ideal tip for spraying detergent by covering a larger portion of the car to save your time.

We got useful information about both Nozzles and PSI that play a very important role in a pressure washer. Now, its time to have a look at the steps to know how to pressure wash a car at home like a pro.

How to Clean Your Car with a Pressure Washer Machine

There are some main steps that you would have to follow in order to perform effective and smooth car cleaning with a pressure washer. You don’t have to worry about any possible problem if you keep all instructions in mind and perform every step with care.

Step 1

At first, you would have to choose any best car pressure washer for cleaning your car. There are many pressure cleaners available in the market so choose any washer that comes with a detergent tank, long warranty, and quality at a reasonable price. Always buy that pressure washer whose PSI is not more than and has a good GPM. You can also have a look at the list of best pressure washers for cars to get more info and details about pressure washer to choose one for yourself.

Step 2

Now start washing your car but without applying detergent. Well, car wash at the start is also important for removing any grime or dirt off your car. The reason for doing this wash before applying detergent is that direct high-pressure of water on dirt might bring scratches to the car’s paint. So, it is very important to rinse off that upper layer of dust and grime from your car’s surface.

It is better if you use 25- degree pressure washer tip for car for removing the top dirt layer before applying detergent. 

Step 3

Now its time to apply a detergent on your car because simple water doesn’t remove all dust, grime, and dirt. It’s all up to you that either you apply car wash soap for cars in a traditional way by using any wash mitt or you spray the detergent on your car using an auto power washer.

Spraying detergent on a car through the car pressure cleaner will make it easy and convenient for you to cover the whole car. That’s why it is important to buy a pressure washer that comes with a detergent tank as well. Using a black soap nozzle tip will spread the detergent on your whole car within few mins.

Step 4

This is the time to wash your car and rinse the detergent off your car. Let’s have a look at the sub setups you need to follow to perform a smooth car cleaning. 

  • Put a 40-degree nozzle tip in washer pressure.
  • Switch the output mode from detergent to the water.
  • Start rinsing detergent off your car by that water spray.
  • In the end, dry your car with any microfiber towel.

 That’s how to clean your car with a pressure washer by following simple steps. Remember that all instructions regarding PSI and nozzles must be followed for a safe and exciting car wash.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we can say that the car cleaning power washer has totally changed the way of car washing. People need to start using these pressure cleaners for washing their cars without wasting their precious time and energy. Follow instructions and keep all tips in mind to avoid any loss in terms of damage to the car’s paint. PSI and nozzles are very important because the performance of pressure washer depends on these two things. It’s better to clean your car with a pressure washer rather than wasting energy and time. Now, this question is that can you pressure wash a car?