[PJTX100]

Recently acquired one of these via long service award gift, looks to be a decent one - Bosch, costs a couple of hundred quid in the shops.

Decided to give it a try today. I can usually was the car in 20 mins tops, soap sponge all over, rinse with hose, job's a good 'un.

Two hours later with this pressure washer thing and the car seems as dirty as when I started. Granted I inadvertantly created a clean spot on the patio hence had to clean that to match. But it seems to be a glorified water pistol to me, albeit one that can rip your hand off.

What do people use these things for, and any advice on how to wash cars with 'em?!

...PJ

[Garrett]

Use it mainly for cleaning paving, the only thing is once you start it can become a yearly thing, I think it blast some minerals out of the parings that prevent algae.

As to cars I would give it a wide birth I personally believe it does not do the paint work any good. I know its different but I can strip the preserver of wood fencing and the shed with it.

For the hassel I would still use a bucket and a car wash addative.

[Drd]

I've literally just finished washing 3 cars in 90 minutes with my stihl pressure washer.I've had it over 5 years now and would never go back to a bucket.I use clean water to pressure wash first which removes the majority of the muck,then switch to automatic soap/wax application.I then give the vehicle a quick sponge down,change to the brush attachment to clean the sills,alloys and door frames and finally pressure wash with clean water again to rinse.All 3 are sparkling,though I do need to use some tar remover on small areas.


Admittedly I do have a different nozzle that I use for the patio and I wouldn't go anywhere near the cars with it.I've seen the damage a friend caused when she forgot to use the correct tool and it wasn't a pretty sight.Overall though I think they're great.
Regards
Ian

[Ian J]

I only use mine for cleaning the patio and stripping teak garden furniture. Every time I use it I end up filthy myself though.

[chedmaster]

we have a bosch one as well and i used it once with the soap reserve thing, it worked really well, but its too much hassle for me, ran out of soap every 5 mins etc. then it broke!

[spocktra]

Good for washing salt from the arches and underneath.

[Londondecca]

On cars they can be useful for soaking the paint before using a shampoo or for rinsing afterwards if used on a very low pressure.

Always spray at an angle (45 degrees is perfect) to the paint otherwise you are simply blasting the dirt into the paint.

They are also useful for rinsing wheels and tyres after cleaning - again on a low pressure

[PJTX100]

Thanks for the replies. Ended up manually sponging then used it to rinse, car looks fine and gleaming.

Lucky though, there's 3 or 4 lances with it... I ended up using an oscillating one which I've just noticed it says in the instructions (in small writing) not to use on cars!

These things are dangerous!...PJ

[richjthorpe]

I used a pressure washer on my car and exactly the same happened. I think for really dirty cars you need to wash it with soap and water first and rinse off with the pressure washer.

Be carefule though, the bloomin thing took the paint off my spoiler !



Richie.

[General Skanky]

Superb for cleaning car alloy wheels! Gets all that gunk out. Forget expensive cleaning products, blast em.

[IronGiant]

I think they are love them or hate them things,
Great for sand blasting a patio and wheel arches (or knocking squirrels out of trees (joke)). And if you wash your car every week may even be useful for that, but if you wash it twice a year then you need to use the blasting option on your paintwork too, not a good idea.
Just like ovens and pans, if you let it bake on it'll be a b***** to get off. Probably why I need to take a sandblaster to my oven


Dave