HI,

 

Is it safe to wash my car using a pressure washer ?

 

I see the 'hand washing' services using them on other people's cars and it looks terrifying. I have visions of the paint being eroded.

 

I was my car with a sponge, warm water, and Autoglym.

 

Is a pressure washer safe?

 

KK

In a word, yes. Yes they are.

 

Certainly safer than using a sponge!!!

If you want to avoid damaging the paint your basic car wash equipment should include;

1 bucket with grit guard for washing, one bucket with grit guard for rinsing. Ditch the sponge as it will just trap the dirt and you will get swirl marks on your paint. Use a wash mitt.

Auto Express had a handy guide on what to buy and the relevant cost in an issue approximately a week or two ago.

When using the pressure washer, reduce the pressure/water flow (or just use the hose) when cleaning the wheels as a strong pressure can cause damage in that area.

Enjoy!

HI,

 

Is it safe to wash my car using a pressure washer ?

 

I see the 'hand washing' services using them on other people's cars and it looks terrifying. I have visions of the paint being eroded.

 

I was my car with a sponge, warm water, and Autoglym.

 

Is a pressure washer safe?

 

KK

 

I don't want to be harsh (well, not too harsh ) but if you actually need to ask that question, you may be more in danger of personal injury from the pressure washer than the car is...

I don't want to be harsh (well, not too harsh ) but if you actually need to ask that question, you may be more in danger of personal injury from the pressure washer than the car is...

Thank you for being so friendly and helpful

Thank you for being so friendly and helpful

 

sorry mate, no offence intended...I am genuinely worried for you. :p

HI,

Is it safe to wash my car using a pressure washer ?

I see the 'hand washing' services using them on other people's cars and it looks terrifying. I have visions of the paint being eroded.

I was my car with a sponge, warm water, and Autoglym.

Is a pressure washer safe?

KK

Can I recommend 'the car cleaning guru' on YouTube....watch a few of his vids....quality! Does one on pressure washers and the fact they are safe.....at the right pressure of course!

For the 1st time chatting here, I am sorry I asked a question.

For the 1st time chatting here, I am sorry I asked a question.

Don't be, its a very legitimate and good question, as I have wondered sometimes myself but as stated, use a pressure washer at the right pressure.

I think you are right to ask, good question ( opinions may vary, unfortunately)

Safer just to not use pressure washer. Its really not necessary unless you have a 4x4 and go coating your whole chassis in mud regularly.

 

The car industrial ones are so misty for less water consumption, they are useless anyway on their own.

Whilst I reckon home ones are the other way and could be too high a pressure if you aren't careful to check the kit, I've used the wrong head on mine before and it washed the paint off my wheels ( I was only doing wheels ) to be fair wasn't powerdercoated though, just previously spraycanned paint that was perfectly fine up to that point.

 

I just go around the car with one of those gardening spray attachments ( that does add pressure ) but nothing like a pressure washer, gets rid of a lot of grit before going around the car with a bucket. No need for pressure with paint.

Paint is microns thin, you really don't need pressure to wash off dirt. Probably for those who aren't on a water metre too ( the other consideration ).

Most domestic pressure washers are pretty safe to use on your car. I use a Karcher (other brands are available!) K3 washer which has a maximum output of approximately 110bar. Even at maximum pressure, there has been no apparent damage to the body work. There is a warning in the manual not to use the supplied Dirtblaster attachment on vehicles (I only use it on paving slabs) as it will strip the paint off.

Have a look at the Cleaning section on here and also the Detailing World website.

There is such a thing as a stupid question, it's where and when you choose to ask it. Better to ask it before you make the mistake, rather than ask it afterwards.

If I'd remembered that before I bought my Octy Scout, I'd have Maxidot and Xenon fitted now!

Its definitely important to ask.

 

I know my mother had her bumper removed of some of its paint recently by a "professional" cleaning outfit, albeit may have been around only temporarily and moved on to other areas to carry on their damage programme.

 

So the capacity is there for damage, and yes you could learn to avoid damage with tips, but equally the safest option is don't use them at all. I vouch this ( and I have a pressure washer, but little need to use on my cars, just don't see any point, they don't see rivers of mud).

Don't take it to heart some people are just dicks.

For tips I'd recommend the styling section on here. Everyone is very helpful there.

Not sure I see the point of a pressure washer. I bought one following advice and never use it.

 

It doesn't do anything my hose pipe doesn't already do.

 

The only advantage of it was for the application of snow foam. Even this turned into too much of a faff.

 

Good for this...

 

 

But also this...

 

Safer just to not use pressure washer. Its really not necessary unless you have a 4x4 and go coating your whole chassis in mud regularly.

 

The car industrial ones are so misty for less water consumption, they are useless anyway on their own.

Whilst I reckon home ones are the other way and could be too high a pressure if you aren't careful to check the kit, I've used the wrong head on mine before and it washed the paint off my wheels ( I was only doing wheels ) to be fair wasn't powerdercoated though, just previously spraycanned paint that was perfectly fine up to that point.

bs.

1. most of the damage (beside the brutal force) comes from small abrasive particles that are being dragged on the lacquer on top of the paint. No more gloss after that finest sand paper treatment. Pressure washer washes those particles away from the lacquer, no dragging happens -> good thing.

2. CHEAP NON INDUSTRTIAL washers have that misty effect ant small water consumtion. Washing comes in that case from rather the pressure, not from the water flow. Industrial or high quality washers have large water consumption that washes the dirt out. The dirt goes away with water amount per time unit, not with the pressure -> good thing.

3. Spraycan paint havent any protective lacquer on top of it. I could fart on it and it chips. nuff said.

4. Main problem is the ultrathin layer of dust remaining on the top of lacquer after pressure wash. I have only came up with preemptive waxing and thick woolen glove + frequent rinsing to minimise the damage.

 

Verdict: prefer pressure washer and if really not possible then use as much fresh water as possible.It gets most of the s..t off -> less damage from sponge.

 

P.S. Those "ring action" nozzles are quite brutal to the finish and i have managed to clear some areas of my good-ol-wauxhall..., so be careful on skoda

P.S. Those "ring action" nozzles are quite brutal to the finish and i have managed to clear some areas of my good-ol-wauxhall..., so be careful on skoda

The oscillating nozzle is brutal, only use this on your mother in laws car 

Don't take it to heart some people are just dicks.

For tips I'd recommend the styling section on here. Everyone is very helpful there.

Styling section? Not seen that on here, can anyone point me in the right direction?

It's a good question - I work on the basis that high pressure water from 'normal' washers is less damaging than a sponge, because it removes all but the finest particles, and then you go for washing down with a mitt with little risk of scratching. The car handbook does cover this and from memory says avoid direct use on tyres and seals, and don't use the 'dirtblaster' rotary nozzle. Otherwise fine.

Styling section? Not seen that on here, can anyone point me in the right direction?

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/forum/8-styling-and-car-care/

I take my vRS to the local Pink Elephant self-.cleaning thing every 2 weeks (every week in the winter) to get rid of the motorway dirt, grime & brake dust.

I only use the pressure washer to clean it & I have no problems with the paintwork or wheels.

 

Reputable commercial car-wash places wont set the pressure high enough even to cause damage even at close distance otherwise they would have lots of people complaining they'd stripped the paint back to the metal.

Does it really have to be a pressure washer to spray water over a car to remove dirt ?

I use a hoselock connection spray head on my hose reel and it generate enough pressure on the spray setting, to really wash the car down of any dirt prior to wash n waxing over with a cloth.

 

I understand for really ingrained but honestly I clean my car/s at least once a week, and for the amount of water it would consume I just don't need, I'm not going 4x4 ing so they rarely even get that dirty.

 

You are probably right the risk is mediated by using the correct spray head etc, could be where some of the damage was done on my old Fabia's wheels ( I normally do lacquer over too by the way, but maybe I missed on that wheel ). But just not worth the hassle. Garden style spray head, electricity free works well enough for me and certainly will never be high enough pressure to damage anything.