How to clean cement floors with a pressure washer

Concrete slabs are a permanent choice for basements, garages, patios, and driveways. They are difficult to damage, easy to maintain and easy to hide if you choose a different floor type.

Depending on what you use the area for, your concrete floor may look a bit dirty, as dirt, grease, and other debris accumulate over time. If you have already tried common cleaning methods such as sweeping, wiping or stain cleaning and your concrete floor still looks dirty, it is time for a thorough cleaning with a pressure washer.

Pressure washers effectively remove dirt from surfaces by blowing up narrow high pressure water jets that loosen the dirt. While pressure washers are relatively easy to use, here are some general tips to make sure your cement floor is as clean as possible.

Prepare the soil

To effectively clean your cement floors, you should remove furniture and loose dirt. In this way you can not only clean all parts of the floor, but also ensure your safety. The high pressure washer nozzles are powerful enough to blow loose debris that could accidentally hit someone in the face.

Completely remove all furniture from the area you want to clean. Remember that you need to allow time to dry the floor. So whenever you remove valuables from the room, keep them in a safe place where they can be kept throughout the cleaning process. If there are plants in the room that cannot be removed, cover them with a waterproof tarp. After the furniture is removed, sweep the floor well to remove loose dirt, leaves, fur, and other debris. Finally, cover all sockets with socket covers or adhesive tape.

While most pressure washers require you to put the cleaning solution in the machine’s reservoir, some washing machines may also require you to apply a cleaning solution to your floors. If your machine requires you to put a solution on your floors, always do this step after you’ve prepped the rest of the room.

Select nozzle

Similar to vacuum cleaners, pressure washers have different attachments that you can use for different purposes. For a cement floor, you should use a surface cleaner attachment, which is a circular disc with smaller nozzles inside that rotate quickly. click Here you will find the best surface cleaners for high pressure cleaners.

The reason why you want to use the surface cleaner attachment instead of the standard hose is that the attachment covers a larger area at once and also ensures an even cleaning. If you use a pressure washer hose on floors, you will often find that there are stripes left, some of which have been overlooked. A surface cleaner attachment prevents these streaks.

Another benefit of using a surface cleaner attachment is that it reduces the likelihood that the pressure washer will dent or scratch your floor. Every time you work with a high pressure water flow, there is a risk of accidentally damaging your floor if the machine is not in the correct setting. The surface cleaner attachment helps to distribute the water pressure better.

Work your way down

After you’ve prepared your floors and put your essay on, it’s time to get rid of all the dirt and grime! While you may be tempted to start washing the entire surface immediately, always test a small section of the floor first. In this way you can check whether the performance of the spray is too high. Remember, if the pressure is too high it can cause scratches and dents. You don’t want to work all of your floor and then find that your floor has been damaged.

When you start washing the floor, take your time and wash a small section at a time to avoid streaks. Start at one end of the room and work your way forward. If you have an incline in the room, follow the incline of the concrete down so that the water can drain off properly.

Wait for the area to dry before placing the furniture on it again. If you want to seal your concrete, now is the perfect opportunity to do so.

Save your pressure washer

Pressure washers are not only used to clean cement floors. You can also clean a number of other surfaces such as wooden decks, siding, bricks, and more. If you want to buy a pressure washer instead of renting one, you need to keep it properly. While it can be stored in your shed or garage without special treatment in the warmer months, you need to winterize it in the colder months when you are not using it. Drain the machine and hoses completely from water, release the gas and let an antifreeze solution run through the machine. If you leave water in the machine, there is a chance it will freeze and expand, which can damage components of the pressure washer.

General safety tips

If you use a pressure washer, make sure you are aware of your surroundings. Pay attention to children, pets and slipping hazards such as uneven surfaces.

When you are in the same room with someone else, never point the hose on the pressure washer in their direction. The high pressure of the nozzles can cause skin and skin to be injured cause serious injury.

Wear protective clothing to protect yourself. Wear waterproof boots with traction to prevent falls and safety glasses to prevent projectiles from getting into your eyes. If you are sensitive to noise, you may also want to wear noise canceling headphones.

Conclusion

Take a look at your concrete floors. If they start to look grubby and dirty, and your normal cleaning methods aren’t working, it might be time for a deep clean. When used properly, a pressure washer can make your concrete look new quickly and safely.