Is pressure washing just for walls and decks?
Pressure washing patio furniture is fast but carries the risk of accidental damage.
Don’t pressure wash finished or painted wood.
Only pressure wash your patio furniture if you have plenty of experience.
If you are unsure, hand-clean or hire a pro.
Patio furniture lives outside, and with that comes inclement weather, bird droppings, pests of all kinds, and, of course, general wear and tear. This can result in a mess that leaves folks scrambling to clean up ahead of an outdoor summer event. To save time, you might eye that pressure washer collecting dust in the basement, but is this a good idea? Keep reading to find out if you can pressure wash patio furniture and other outdoor fixtures.
It depends. Pressure washing with cold water or power washing with hot water are incredibly efficient ways to clean exterior surfaces. Just look at the results after power washing for proof of that. However, these machines don’t mess around and can easily damage furniture and fixtures if you aren’t careful. The uber-powerful stream of water can knock components loose, strip the finish from wood, or even cause cracking. You’ll want to avoid pressure washing any material that can’t stand up to the force of this machine, like soft wood, composite, and glass.
Pressure washing is fast and effective. Here are the scenarios in which a pressure washer comes in handy when cleaning patio furniture.
The furniture is old. If it’s been a few years since you’ve given the patio furniture a good scrubbing and those deck chairs have stood up to years of extreme weather, it’ll likely be fine with a quick power wash.
It’s not finished wood. Pressure washers will strip the finish off of wood, so reserve these machines for unfinished wood or for items made of more durable materials like metal.
You are refinishing the furniture. When planning to refinish your outdoor furniture, a pressure washer works wonders to strip the old finish off.
You have pressure washing experience. If you have used these machines dozens of times for related jobs, you’ll be able to navigate the furniture cleaning process without any issues. In other words, if you already know how to power wash a patio, the furniture won’t bother you.
If you understand the risks and still want to go ahead with the project, here are some tips to ensure your furniture stays in one piece as it gets cleaned.
Practice. Pressure washing is an art that takes plenty of practice. Taking the time to learn how to use a pressure washer means you’ll have a much easier time washing furniture without causing damage.
Use a machine with multiple power settings. Not all pressure washers are created equal. Some can only push out water at extremely high velocities, while others boast more nuanced controls. If you have a choice, go with the latter, and start washing at the lowest setting before moving up.
Get to know your nozzles. Pressure washers typically have different nozzles that offer various spray patterns. The wider the stream, the less chance of causing accidental damage, but the weaker the cleaning power.
Wear safety gear. Pressure washers don’t just damage furniture and walls when used incorrectly, they damage people. Always wear appropriate safety gear when operating one of these machines, such as a face mask, goggles, and full-length pants. Also, don’t wear open-toed shoes.
Cover up landscaping. You don’t want to accidentally destroy the garden you worked so hard on. Cover up any nearby plants and landscape fixtures as a precautionary measure.
If you decided that the risks aren’t worth the reward, there are many other options to getting that patio furniture clean in time for your next outdoor soiree.
Clean by hand. If the furniture isn’t that dirty in the first place, this is a no-brainer. Go in with a stiff brush, warm water, and your favorite cleaning agent.
Remove rust from metal furniture. Rust is tricky to remove. Your best bet here is to use coarse-grit sandpaper or a wire brush to manually remove the rust.
Hire a professional pressure washer. If you are worried about accidentally damaging your prized patio furniture, hire a local pressure washing company to do the job for you.
This depends on the furniture. It’s certainly fine for wood, metal, or composite materials to get wet. The same cannot be said for affiliated cushions and coverings. Many of these adjacent items claim to be water-resistant, but poorly-made accessories take longer to dry, leaving plenty of time for mold to grow. Keep an eye on how your furniture stands up to rain before going in with a pressure washer.
The best soap for a pressure washer is a mild multi-purpose cleaning agent. Mild dish soap works, but make sure to dilute it with a 1:4 ratio of soap to water to avoid clogging your machine. Sometimes you won’t even need a detergent when using a pressure washer. It all depends on how grimy your furniture is to start with.
