Pressure washers - good or bad?

[Hat]

the hand-held high pressure washers you can buy from halfords & B&Q seem to be growing in popularity but are they a good idea for cleaning your pride & joy? the pressure they put out is very high & it seems to me that they would strip wax off at best & damage paint at worst. These things can strip a years worth of mildew & moss off concrete in one pass.

Does anyone have any experience of using these? is the pressure variable on the better ones?

[Kev'sCoop]

I have got one and i have had no probs. Its variable and i got it on ebay new for £40. It actually seems to make the wax more defined just make sure you use a good quality wax shampoo and wax it afterwards. I have used on mines since the start with no probs.

kev

[Dark Silver S]

I'd be very careful using a pressure washer on a car finish, if I were you. I've seen them actually eat away wood when held in one spot too long.

[tip]

I have had pressure washer blow the clear coat clean of the bonnet of the car. A small rock chip was all that it took. The water entered at this point. Working itself between the clearcoat and the paint. It only took a fraction of a second. I still use pressure washers keeping the nozzel at least 1 meter away.

Becareful,


Charles

[lightbody]

Just dont point the jet at the vents in front of the windscreens - you can blast away the foam mesh covering the vents.

[ScooterMan]

I would never use a pressure washer on a car. A gentle washing is much better or even a brushless car wash.

[Jimbo_Mini]

Don't do it.

[GordonD]

Mine got a huge workout this weekend blasting all the cruf out from wheelwells etc.

I use the fine spray head for actually washing the car. I have checkered roof and worry that the high pressure will lift them off.

[arabinow]

I use an electric pressure washer on my car

it works fine
just dont put the nozzell too close, that would be stupid.

they are safe for clear coated cars
and no it won't blow the paint off

[wow]

I have used a pressure on my velvet red mini with white stripes and I am always impressed afterwards.(Gets brake dust off really well) I wax my car only 5 time a year is that a good idea?

[nobbyclark]

...if you have exposed metal at the front or any other part of the vehicle. I also have a LR Disco and the high pressure washer takes great delight in stripping away its 6 year old paint if it gets the chance. So far it hasn't affected the Mini, but that hasn't been perforated yet.

[mark-tifosi]

i prefer to use a pressure washer first and then do a hand wash after, only because i dont like to rub in the grit and dirt that builds up on the paintwork by using a sponge. i just use the pressure washer to remove the top dirt, i wouldnt concentrate the blast to try and remove stubborn dirt, use a sponge for that

as long as you take care i dont see a problem, its clear that they could damage your car if you are reckless with it, but otherwise its fine for me!

[Dark Silver S]

Oh, you guys are making me cringe.

You shouldn't even use a nozzle on the end of a hose. Slow-flowing water is all you need.

Hey, pressure washers have their uses. They work great for taking mildew from decks before restaining. They work great for taking off old paint from concrete. They work great at removing all the dirt from the cracks and seams in your driveway.

But not on my car.

[Polmear]

Quote:

Originally posted by tip
I have had pressure washer blow the clear coat clean of the bonnet of the car. A small rock chip was all that it took. The water entered at this point. Working itself between the clearcoat and the paint. It only took a fraction of a second. I still use pressure washers keeping the nozzel at least 1 meter away.

Becareful,


Charles

Same thing happened to my 1991 Celica, small chip on the hood, two seconds after the power washer hit the chip, no more clear coat on the hood.