Is there anything wrong with using pressure washers?

[VanCityWW]

The biggest enemy is swirls, swirls can come from incorrect washing methods - logically, wouldn't using a pressure washer (with safe pressure levels) with soap be the safest way to remove the dirt off your car, followed by a hand wash to ensure the surface is totally clean? I don't see the "top detailers" using them, so I'm wondering if there's a reason why.

thanks

[Christopher.Brown]

Re: Is there anything wrong with using pressure washers?

the "best" method is the one thats safest for the paint.

Many 'top detailers' use pressure washers afitted with foam cannons........

some dont.... its a preference.......

Like any other tool if used incorrectly it can cause harp to the car. Forcing water into the cabin or electronics is BAD.... but someone can use a wash mitt improperly and cause more damage [dollar wise] to a paint job.

Its all personal preference..... You arent required to go out and get one to do a top notch detail....

if you do get one i recommend the following steps, used with the 2 bucket wash method:

1] presoak with foam for a few minutes
2] rinse
3] panel by panel then re soap, was, then rinse from top to bottom...

this is a very safe and effective way to use a cannon or soap gun.... only medium water perssure is needed

just remember simpler is safer.... most of the time the less variables you have the safer the paint will be

[Blueline]

Re: Is there anything wrong with using pressure washers?

I use my pressure washer to clean our horse stalls, rip pealing paint off the stable walls, etc. etc. Maybe I may have used it on the pickup, but I wouldn't put one near my cars.

[C8N]

Re: Is there anything wrong with using pressure washers?

Time and a place for everything in my opinion.
If you are talking about a moderately dirty car, I don't think a pressure washer is really necessary. I certainly do not think it would hurt with correct amount of pressure tho.
If you have a car that's been off roading or excessively dirty, I would pressure wash it.

[Tuck91]

Re: Is there anything wrong with using pressure washers?

I couldnt imagine not having one for every job I do. A good little electric one that puts out 1500-1800 psi is perfectly fine. Good for cleaning wheelwells, knocking off heavy soiling that a hose cannot remove. I also like them for detergent application.

[piratelife]

all about pressure

Yes, you can use a pressure washer safely. First the washer needs a pressure regulator, you also need to use the appropriate tip. I wouldn't use anything less than a 20

[Detailing by M]

All detailers use pressure washer. Well good ones.

[Jlt23]

Re: Is there anything wrong with using pressure washers?

I see a lot of detailers use them. I'm going to get one later this year. Just like any power tool, use your head when using it.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Is there anything wrong with using pressure washers?

Practically every elite detailer we know uses a pressure washer on a regular basis, if not every time he/she washes a car. Common sense is a huge help when using one, however, as Blueline points out that you can do some serious cleaning and/or damage with one. The same pressure washer than can strip paint off a lawn chair or even moss and mold growing on a sidewalk can be used safely to wash a car, as long as you use the right tip and don't get the thing too close to the paint. You also don't need to get the most powerful (ie, highest PSI rating) one you can find, either.

No matter how you go about this though, somewhere along the line you're going to have to get a mitt or towel onto that paint to remove the last of the contaminants. Therefore it is critically important to use a high quality wash mitt, clean it out regularly (the two bucket wash method was created with this in mind) and use a quality waffle weave microfiber drying towel or compressed air to dry the car. Don't rely on the pressure washer to get the surface totally clean.

[Bunky]

Re: Is there anything wrong with using pressure washers?

You also use less water with a pressure washer. Ir rinses faster and better with less water. My pressure washer is 1400 psi (actual not peak) and with a fan spray nozzle it is quite safe unless you are just inches a way.

[Blueline]

Re: Is there anything wrong with using pressure washers?

To the original poster....I have seen a pressure washer used on a tire, that nearly destroyed it. If I was of the persuasion to take my car to a detailer that used a pressure washer, I would think that was akin to a dealer washing my new car with a rag (dealer swirls) No, pressure washers do not instill swirls, but in my opinion it is lazy and unnecessary. As Michael states, you still need to wash by hand anyway. Sure, if the vehicle is covered in mud, a light touch with a pressure washer might be appropriate, such as my trailer hauler, but if you have a vehicle one cares about, it is never driven through that junk anyway. Detailers just want a fast fix, and a fast buck. If you have a car you value, do it yourself, and use Meguairs stuff. To the OP again, you are right...top detailers do not use them.

[Bunky]

Re: Is there anything wrong with using pressure washers?

Practically every elite detailer we know uses a pressure washer on a regular basis, if not every time he/she washes a car.

I agree with Mike Stoops. It just takes some common sense on using the more powerful ones. Making a generalization that pressure washers damage times is like saying all detailers are bad since one messed up some paint.

[mis3]

Re: Is there anything wrong with using pressure washers?

How about the wax, would a pressure washer remove more wax than a water hose with a regular nozzle?