Pressure Washers to Clean Cars

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kevin_1981

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I'm new to detailing, but a few years ago I bought a pressure washer for various duties, and I use it to wash my car once or twice a year... usually after the winter, as salt is caked on everything in the wheel well, and on the lower parts of my car.

I'm just wondering how (un)safe this is. My pressure washer is a 2400PSI, 2.4GPM Craftsman. I usually use a 25 degree head, from roughly 2-3' away from the car. I would say the pressure is right on par with a self car wash (maybe even slightly less pressure than some i have used).

Thanks in advance.
 
I'd say your fine, I use it to foam the car, spray any caked on crud on the lower panels and clean the heck out of wheel wells. You can't "wash" a car with a pressure washer, you will never get the thin grit off. Its fine to wet/rinse with but there is some rubbing involved, even with a pressure washer.
 
Correct part time timer. I use it to loosen up surface debris,and then wash with a mit and car wash, then rinse using the pressure washer.

Next time I will be trying out my leaf blower for drying.... I can't believe I never thought of that! I love this site/forum


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No problem, it's how I have been doing them lately, if you have the carpet wheel wells a pressure washer is the only way to go in order for them to rinse clean!
 
I use my pressure washer to wash my winter tires and rims after they have been removed off the car. If they are going to be stored in the basement, I want them to be ultra clean. That is all I use a pressure washer for on a car.
 
I do not use a pressure washer, however, I think the pressure washer is a great addition to your wash technique. A pressure washer cannot get rid of caked on dirt, physically using a wash mitt or something like that does. A foam cannon (on the pressure washer) 2 - bucket 2 grit guard in conjuction with the pressure is the way to go IMO.

Agreed on the wheels and wheel wells.

As for the electric leaf blower....HECK YEAH!! It is great!!! I did, however, switch to the Metro Sidekick. I use that more as it is smaller and is more accurate than the blower. The little beast blows hard and effective enough to dry the car. It is not a strong as a blower, however, it gets the job done.

kevin 1981 I see no problems with what you are doing. Have an awesome day!!
 
You can use just water from a pressure washer to wash a car, however it has to have a highly hydrophobic paint coating on for it to work.
 
Dear Kevin

You want to use a white (40°) nozzle for washing your car. Your washer probably came with a white tip, too. If not, you can buy one at Lowe's or Home Depot.
 
I detailed cars at a Chrysler Dealer and some of the cars we purchased at auction had the engines cleaned with a pressure washer. We had a bunch of cars arrive with the engine heat shield under the hood that was falling down and laying on the engine. The detailers would soak the heat shield and it would never dry and eventually just fall apart.
 
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