Individual homes, apartments, commercial establishments, factories and warehouses need thorough cleaning from time to time to maintain a healthy living or working environment. However, the method of cleaning of each area of buildings will differ widely. One type of cleaning of a surface will never be suitable for another surface or area. Hence, it is vital that we understand the various cleaning methods of buildings, as well as outdoor areas such as driveways and pavements.

Pressure cleaning or pressure washing is the use of water sprayed at very high pressure through a mechanical sprayer. This equipment is generally called as pressure washer. The pressure washing method with high pressure water is quite effective in cleaning surfaces and objects to remove the dust, grime, dirt, mud and mould accumulated on them.

Pressure Cleaning Equipments

Such equipments can either be rented or bought outright, depending on the building and the level of maintenance required. However, most of the building owners find not only difficulties in purchasing a pressure washer, but also operating it on their own. The cost of the equipment and its maintenance will not even be justified or viable, compared to renting the work out to specialist pressure cleaner. Further, these machines are dangerous to the untrained. The pressure washers use water pressures that normally vary from 750 psi or 50 bars to 30,000 psi or 1,200 bars. In extreme cases, even higher pressures are applied. At these pressures, the water being blasted is capable of stripping flesh.

As such, pressure cleaning is a professional job and it is always advisable to hand over the job to people trained and experienced in the field of pressure cleaning to obtain proper and efficient cleaning.

The pressure cleaning equipments comprise of a motor that drives a water pump, a high pressure hose and a gun-style trigger switch. The motor can be electric powered or gas powered. However, it is not advisable to use gas powered units in indoor and closed areas due to the hazardous nature of petrol fumes. Further, it is important to ensure that the water supply to the machine is more than adequate, with the inflow higher than the outflow. Otherwise, the water pump will feel starved and will get damaged.

The nozzles also vary according to the particular cleaning applications. Most nozzles of pressure washers are attached to the trigger gun directly. Certain nozzles eject the water in triangular planes, while others emit a thin jet of water at high speed and pressure. Most of the pressure washing machines allow detergents and other cleaning chemicals to be mixed with the stream of water to improve the high pressure cleaning efficiency. These chemicals are usually of low pressure injector or high pressure injector type. Certain pressure washing machines can produce hot water, which is used for loosening oil and grease dirt and removing them easily.