How To Use Soap With A Pressure Washer

Have you recently purchased a pressure washer? If you have, you probably already know that using a pressure washer is a great way to get rid of dirt and grime, but did you know that you can also use soap in place of an expensive cleaning product? 

Designed for heavy-duty cleaning, a power washer is one of the best pieces of equipment to reach for whenever you need to blast away stubborn stains and dirt from your car, backyard furniture, and much more – so it’s safe to say that it’s a homeowner’s essential. 

Still, figuring out how to correctly use soap (or your cleaning solution of choice) with a pressure washer can be tricky, and this is where we come in to lend you a helping hand.

In this article, we are going to be showing you how to properly use your pressure washer with soap.

Along the way, we’ll also be sharing some additional tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your pressure washer each time that you use it. 

So, whenever you’re ready, let’s dive right in. 

Step 1: Choose Your Soap

Before you start using your pressure washer, you first want to make sure that you have chosen the correct cleaning type of soap to clean with.

This will depend on what type of surface you are trying to clean, as well as the amount of water that you have available. 

However, for the best results and to prevent any damage to the surface that you want to clean, we recommend that you stick with an all-natural soap that does not contain any harsh chemicals that could potentially damage the surface you are cleaning.

Using Dawn or Dish Detergent in a Pressure Washer

Surprisingly, natural dish detergent will work great. It’s inexpensive any something everybody has on hand. A good rule of thumb is to mix a tablespoon of dish soap with a gallon of water. This solution can be added directly into your pressure washer’s detergent tank.

Step 2: Fill Up The Pressure Washer

If you are planning on using soap with your pressure washer, then you will want to fill it up with the soap solution before you begin, otherwise, it’s not going to work.

To do this, simply add your soap of choice into your pressure washer (most will have a compartment, or detergent tank designed to hold the cleaning solution) and then you will be ready to use it. 

As a side note, you’ll want to ensure that you have enough soap to allow you to spray the entire area that you plan to wash. 

Step 3: Spray Down the Surface That You Want To Wash

Once you have filled up the hose, you will now want to spray down the surface that you want to wash.

As an example, if you are washing a driveway or patio, you will want to focus on spraying down the areas around the edges of the surface.

When you spray down the edge of the surface, you will be able to remove any dirt that has accumulated there.

This applies to any surface that you want to clean.

Then, when you are finished spraying down the edge of the area that you are cleaning, you will then want to move over to the middle of the surface.

Here, you will want to concentrate on spraying down the spots that are located closer to the center of the surface, as they are likely the spots that have accumulated the most dirt.

By focusing on these areas, you will be able to prevent them from getting dirty again. 

When you finish spraying down the middle of the surface, you can then move back to the edges of it.

Once again, you will want to spray down the spots that are closest to the edge of the surface.

By spraying down these areas, the water will help to blast away dirt, while the added soap will help to clean it.

Step 4: Repeat Steps 1-3 Until Completely Cleaned

After you have sprayed down every spot that needs to be cleaned, you will want to repeat steps 1 through 3 until you have completely cleaned the surface.

Remember, this process will take longer if you are working in cold weather conditions.

As a result, you will want to make sure that you work slowly and carefully so that you don’t accidentally damage anything. 

Step 5: Allow The Surface To Dry

After you have completed cleaning the surface, you will want to give it enough time to dry. 

This step is important because it helps prevent any leftover water from staining the surface.

In addition, it also prevents any lingering odors from remaining behind once the surface dries. 

Step 6: Apply Any Additional Treatments

Finally, after you have dried the surface, you can apply any additional treatments that you feel are necessary.

For example, you may choose to add some stain protection to the surface.

Or, you could even choose to add some sealant to the surface.

Whatever treatment you decide to use, make sure that you follow all instructions provided by the manufacturer. 

Helpful Video on Using Soap in a Pressure Washer

Wrapping Up

There we have it!

All in all, soap works great when it is used with a pressure washer and helps to enhance the overall effectiveness of the pressure washer that you are using.

In addition to being a simple way to blast away stubborn stains and dirt that hand cleaning might not be able to, using soap is a lot more affordable than other types of cleaning solutions, which means that it offers great value for money, too. 

Still, while it might seem like an easy task, you might find that using soap with your pressure washer takes a bit of practice before you become comfortable.

However, by following the steps that we have shared above, you should find that you are able to use soap with your pressure washer like a pro in no time at all. 

Thank you for reading – we hope that this guide has been helpful!