Washing your home’s exterior is the critical first step to get your house ready for painting. Even though this can seem like an insurmountable job, using a pressure washer makes cleaning your house properly a much more reasonable project.
You might think your home’s exterior isn’t that dirty and that you can get away without washing it, but looks can be deceiving. Even a thin layer of dust will adversely affect a paint job. Painting dirty siding greatly reduces paint’s lifespan.
Pressure washing creates a clean surface for new paint to adhere to. It removes the dust, grime, chalk and mildew from siding.
This project requires the use of extension ladders. If you are comfortable with working on ladders, be sure to practice safety. Always have your ladder at the proper angle and firmly footed. (For a full rundown of more ladder-use safety tips, click here).
If you don’t own any ladders suitable for the job, be sure to check with Koopman Rental. We have a variety of extension ladders and powered lift options available.
If you are unable or unwilling to work on ladders, consider hiring a contractor – some painters perform this kind of maintenance because they work on ladders all the time.
STEP 1: FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE PRESSURE WASHER
As with any piece of power equipment, it is extremely important that you familiarize yourself with how a pressure watcher works. If you are purchasing or renting one from Koopman, you are in luck! Our staff will make sure that you are informed how to properly use the pressure washer. Additionally, there are some common sense precautions you can take to avoid any danger.
It may seem obvious, but please don’t point the nozzle at people. Pressure washers expel water forcefully enough that it could do serious harm a person.
To keep spray and cleaning solutions from getting into your eyes, wear safety glasses. It’s also a good idea to wear rain gear, but don’t expect to stay dry: the suit is mostly for keeping cleaning solutions of your clothing and skin.
To check out the pressure washers available from Koopman Rental, visit their webpage.
STEP 2: PREPARE THE AREA YOU WILL BE WORKING IN
To have a free and clear area to use the pressure washer, move any outdoor furniture, grills, potted plants and anything else that could get in your way.
To protect any shrubs or plants from a coating of cleaning solution, cover them plastic sheeting.
If you will be using a ladder, position it where you will first be using it and make sure that is on a secure, level footing.
STEP 3: HOOK UP HOSES AND START PRESSURE WASHER
Now that you’re properly decked in the necessary safety gear and have a clear work area, it’s time to fire up the pressure washer.
First, make sure that the pressure washer is on a level surface. Connect a garden hose to the attachment on the pressure washer, then connect the male end of the high-pressure hose into the water outlet on the machine. Now slide the plug on the bottom of trigger assembly onto the other end of the hose.
Next, select the proper nozzle. Since you will start by washing off any large debris, you will use the green-colored, 25-degree nozzle. Attach the nozzle and make sure that it snaps into place securely. If it isn’t completely attached, it could fly off when you squeeze the trigger on the wand.
Now it’s time to turn on the water. The water will flow through the garden hose and fill the pressure washer and high-pressure hose. To purge any excess air, simply squeeze the trigger on the gun to release it. Then start the engine on the pressure washer (following the instructions given to you by either the Koopman staff or your owner’s manual).
STEP 4: TEST SPRAY
NEVER aim the spray wand up like this person is doing!
Test the pressure adjustment, spray pattern and how far you will position yourself from the surface being cleaned in an inconspicuous area.
NEVER aim the spray wand up as you clean siding or aim it at cracks where siding butts up against windows, doors or any trim boards. You can drive water deep into these cracks and cause leaks or damage to your home.
Likewise, ALWAYS aim your spray away from sources of electricity, including lights and meter boxes.
Practice your spray angle in order to figure out how to get the even results you want for a full cleaning. If you keep the fan width of your spray about 12 to 18 inches wide, you are probably applying the proper amount of water pressure. Use a slow, sweeping motion.
Keep in mind; it’s better to start out using low pressure. You can always change out nozzles for more pressure. Hitting a surface with too much force can easily cause significant damage. Wood siding is PARTICULARLY vulnerable. Wrecked surfaces can be tough to fix, so play it safe.
STEP 5: WASH OFF LARGE DEBRIS
Remove any spider webs, inactive wasp nests, leaves, pollen and loose dirt by working from the top down without any cleaning solution. You want move dirt down vertical surfaces, not back into spots that you’ve already washed. Once again, point DOWN when you wash.
If your house is more than one story tall, you will be using ladders. This is where it becomes extremely important that you remember that pressure washers have a considerable kick when you pull or release the trigger. When you’re on a ladder, keep one hand on the ladder at all times. Also, make sure to be extremely careful going and up down wet ladders with wet boots. It is easy to slip, so pay attention.
STEP 6: CLEAN WITH SOLUTION
Now that any and all large debris has been washed off of your house, it’s time to attack the remaining grime with a cleaning solution. For general cleaning, mix a 1/2 cup of TSP into 1 gallon of water. If you have mold and mildew to remove, mix 2 cups of Simple Green and 2-1/2 cups of Outdoor Bleach into 1 gallon of water.
Remember that the point of pressure washing your home is to clean it, not to strip paint. As far as water forces goes, the chemicals are doing the real work.
Head to an area of your home that isn’t in direct sunlight. Avoid tackling too large of an area because you don’t want the cleaning solution to dry before you have a chance to wash it off.
Place the pressure washer’s siphon into the bucket of cleaning solution. Start at the bottom course of the siding and work your way up so that the solution keeps running back down on itself. Let the solution soak for about 10 minutes.
STEP 7: RINSE WITH WATER
Then move on to the next area of your house that isn’t in direct sunlight and repeats Steps 6 and 7.
WRAP UP
Step one is complete! Next week we’ll tackle the often arduous task of stripping your exterior paint. But don’t worry, with a few quick tips and the right tools from Koopman Lumber this once time-consuming task can be handled in less time than you might think! Stay tuned for more!
