How to use a surface cleaner

If you have a sizeable flat outdoor area, then owning a surface cleaner is a significant investment.  You can use the cleaner on wooden decks, patios, driveways, sidewalks, and parking lots. The surface cleaner accessory requires pressure to perform efficiently while using less water and saving time.

So, how do you use a surface cleaner? Well, the short answer is, after you attach your surface cleaner to a pressure washer, release the safety latch and press the trigger gun for the spray bar to start turning. It will take you a few tries to know the best speed to move the cleaner to avoid streaks and uneven cleaning.

What does a surface cleaner do?

A pressure cleaner uses a high-powered jet of water to clean the grime and dirt from various floors; they wash all kinds of flat surfaces like garage floors, warehouses, pool decks, outdoor basket courts, and many more.  They are also used with chemicals to sanitize saunas, locker-room floors, showers, bathrooms, and commercial food preparation areas.

Each surface cleaner connects directly to your pressure hose and pressure washer via quick connect couplers. The devices can operate with both hot and cold pressure washers for up to 180 degrees F.

How do you use a surface cleaner pressure washer?

The equipment spins its twin nozzles that spray jets of water on the surface you are cleaning. The nozzles’ spinning action produces a clear path without leaving any stripes on the uneven cleaned surface. After attaching the surface cleaner to a pressure washer, please switch it on. It’s essential to clear away loose and large debris that could impede the motion of the cleaner.

The trigger mechanism will shoot the jets of water to start cleaning the floor. Ensure you move the cleaner in small circles over the floor you are cleaning.  If you note any vibration or stripes, switch off the pressure washer and clean the nozzles to ensure no water flow obstruction. Why is my surface cleaner leaving lines? A blockage may cause the surface cleaner to leave lines, so check it out if you hear the vibration.

The procedure on how to use a surface cleaner pressure

• Connect water supply to the pressure washer. Attach the surface cleaner to the high-pressure garden hose, ensuring you secure all connections in place.
• Turn on the water and start on the pressure washer machine.
• Release the safety latch and press the trigger gun.
• The spray bar under the cleaner rotates and creates pressure allowing the cleaner to glide on the floor.
• As you clean, ensure you move the surface cleaner in a small circle. If in case of any vibrations or stripes, switch off the pressure washer and unblock the nozzles.
• Lubricate the swivel with grease every 200 hours of operation or once a month if you use the cleaner daily.

A surface cleaner usually comes with a concrete extension hose and a broad brush like a vacuum cleaner. Are surface cleaners worth it? You may ask yourself this question, and it’s very straightforward that surface cleaner is a great asset. The equipment makes work easy for you to clean a large area within less time.

List of benefits of using a surface cleaner

• Fast cleaning – using a regular pressure washer nozzle takes more time but purchasing a surface cleaner with two-high pressure nozzles takes less time. The cleaner rotates quickly, allowing you to cover a wide area.
• More efficient cleaning – the surface cleaner cleans well and leaves no stripes but a uniform clean surface.
• Reduces risks of damage – surface cleaners handle diffuse water into two or more nozzles reducing the distance from the surface cleaner nozzles to the ground, thus lowering the chance of damaging the floor.

How much psi do you need to use a surface cleaner? To clean a surface effectively, you require a surface cleaner with a pressure rating of around 3000 psi and a 4 gallons per minute (GPM) flow rate. Though higher pressures may be necessary to remove harsh contaminants like paints, a standard surface cleaner will do the task with 3000 psi.

The flowrate determines the cleaning speed, especially of the dirt on the floor. A heavily soiled floor will require a higher flowrate than a less soiled surface. Most contractors recommend a washer with a 5 or 6 GPM. When cleaning the vertical surfaces, the higher flow rates may not be critical as gravity will help the contaminants flow.

What’s the best surface pressure washer cleaner? There many different types of pressure washer options to consider.

The best cleaner depends on the features you require, like the flowrate, the psi as per the surface you need to clean. These surface cleaners include;

• Small, light-duty units
• Big commercial-grade machines
• Various levels of pressures
• Gas and electric models
• Wheel-mounted, walk-behind surface cleaners.

How to pressure wash a driveway with a surface cleaner?

Cleaning a concrete driveway follows the same procedure as cleaning most concrete floors. Pressure washing removes stubborn stains and makes an older driveway sparkle.

Requirements for cleaning a driveway using a surface cleaner

• Broom
• Painters’ tape
• Stiff brush
• Garden hose
• Pressure washer
• Paint tray
• Pressure-washer detergent
• Waterproof sealer
• Bottle of spray degreaser
• Extended pole
• Safety manual
• Roller cover
• Safety gloves
• Roller handle
• Plastic sheet

The steps for cleaning your driveway using a surface cleaner

1. Sweep the surface to clean debris and excess dirt on the floor.
2. Cover the surrounding walls and doors with plastic sheeting and painters’ tape to protect them from loose debris and any accidental paint.
   Check the safety manual, read through all the cleaning steps and preparations to make.
3. Attach spray wand tip for detergent, first select end designated for washing, and snap into place at the spray’s head. How do you pressure wash without streaks? When using detergent moist from the bottom up, horizontal strokes prevent lines caused by runoff.
4. Connect the hose and wand to the pressure washer. Later attach the hose to the cleaner’s water supply and turn on the water.
5. Prepare the pressure washer for detergent and spray it. Allow the detergent to sit for some 5 minutes.
6. Wash the concrete. Move the cleaner back and forth from one side of the concrete surface to the other and overlapping each stroke by 6 to 8 inches.
7. Seal the concrete. Pour the waterproof sealer into the paint pan, roller cover to roller handle, and connect to the extender pole. Sprinkle the sealer on the driveway and allow it to settle for 24 hours before parking on the surface.

Takeaway

Surface cleaners are easy to use as you need to plug it in and walk behind the cleaner, moving it back and forth strokes or circular on the cleaning area. The brushes on the sides of the cleaner prevent overspray, and the high-powered jets of water ensure there won’t be any streaking patterns.