Power wash is cleaning with heated high-pressure water spray. It is uniquely able to clean large surfaces, effectively removing dirt, dust, mud, grime, stains, salt, mold and even chewing gum. Before purchasing a pressure washer, it’s important to look at what kind of garage floor you have. It is uniquely different to pressure wash in the sense that power washing involves the use of heat.
To be more explicit, the jet wash in a power washing machine uses heated water, whereas the water in a pressure washer is not heated. The advantage of a power washer’s heated water is felt most clearly in tough to clean spaces with serious grime, especially mildew, salt, and grease.
Can you power wash your garage? Yes, you can power wash the garage. Power washing a garage can easily scrub spaces clean, and is therefore the preferred option for jobs that require a higher level of cleaning, or may begin in a more serious state of dirt, grime, or grease. It is particularly recommended on surfaces such as concrete, which will not be damaged by power washing.
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While hot water does work better at breaking down oils, pressure washers work great at cleaning concrete for most situations and are the better value when renting. Only if you have a seriously oily garage should you consider renting a power washer instead.
Considering the activities in the garage, surfaces are bound to get really messy. Pressure washers come in both electric and gas engine models and each model is rated for how much water pressure they produce.
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Can you power wash your garage?
 Gas powered models are undeniably more powerful. The downside is that it is noisy, expensive to buy and expensive to operate. You have to worry about gasoline leaking on your driveway or lawn, and storing gasoline and oil in your garage is unsafe.
Electric pressure washers on the other hand are half the cost , cheaper to maintain and safe. They are without a doubt less powerful. The least powerful gas powered pressure washer is usually stronger than a high-end electric pressure washer. Electric power washers are safer than gas for use in enclosed spaces, like in a garage.
Types of Garage Floors
Different garages have different types of floors which determine whether they can be pressure washed. These floors include:
Epoxy floor is created by combining an epoxide resin with a polyamine hardener. Putting the two compounds together cause a chemical reaction that cures (hardens) the coating.
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The curing process when you make the epoxy floor not only makes it resistant to damage, but it also makes it extremely easy to clean up. A simple mop or medium-bristle brush should remove almost anything.
Garage tiles are molded from a single piece of plastic. That plastic is the same color the whole way through. That means there’s no paint that can chip or flake off during pressure washing. The only concern is to have adequate drainage underneath the tiles themselves.
The major concern is whether garage walls should be pressure washed. As a general rule, even non-commercial grade pressure washers are too powerful for interior garage walls. The most effective and safest method to clean your garage walls is with a large bucket filled with warm water, detergent, a heavy-duty sponge and scrub brush.
Major Concerns to do With Pressure Washers
The primary reason to avoid using pressure washers is that most interior garage walls are made of drywall, which will be easily damaged by the water seeping in, especially when under high pressure. Considering garage doors, Most garage doors are made of a thin metal barrier with or they’re made of wood. Either way, you should be safe using a standard pressure washer.
The caution about electronics on any garage walls and another reason not to use a pressure washer: Many garage door opener internal pads have been quickly destroyed by a single pass with a pressure washer. Replacing this mechanism will likely be more inconvenient than the entire cleaning job.
To achieve the best result, consider avoiding working around garage clutter. Pull everything possible out of the garage. Not only will you get a better result, but it’s also a lot safer as well.
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How to pressure wash garage floor
Ensure to wet down the floor first before cleaning with the pressure washer. This will eliminate streaking that can occur in the concrete after it dries. Sometimes it’s best to work in sections. Pre-treat any oil or grease stains with a strong concentrate of degreaser. It helps to scrub it in with a deck brush.
In order for a pressure washer to work best at cleaning the garage floor you need to soak the remaining concrete with a degreasing solution as well. Many pressure washers have a separate reservoir to add a degreasing product.
Always keep the wand moving and don’t linger in one spot too long or you can possibly etch the concrete. Pay particular attention to any oil spots that you have pretreated. Sometimes it may take a second application to get them completely clean.
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It is recommended for taping up some cheap plastic drop cloths to the lower part of your walls to protect electrical outlets and finished drywall. It is advisable to purge your hoses and the pressure washing unit of air before you start it up and make sure it’s set on level ground.
Pressure washers are powerful tools, and you exercise caution when using them. Wear steel-toed boots if possible, or at the very least closed-toe shoes. Since you’ll be aiming highly-pressurized water at the floor near your feet, the last thing you want to do is slice through your toes.
Extreme caution should be exercised when using a gas-powered pressure washer in a garage. They emit odorless and deadly carbon monoxide gas. Make sure you always place the pressure washer unit outside of the garage in a well-ventilated area where the fumes can vent away from you.
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Conclusion
Cleaning the garage floor does not have to be a big ordeal. With an electric pressure washer, you can make it a regular process that takes a short time.
The garage is always messy and using power wash is recommended in order to achieve efficiency. This will be achieved if the user operates the pressure wash machine as it is recommended.
Using a pressure washer on your garage floor is not hard. The key is choosing the correct one to get the best outcome.
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