Negosentro.com | Are you planning on pressure washing your home to improve its home value or curb appeal? Then you’ll be able to reap a ton of other benefits it has to offer. However, if you’re going to be pressure washing your home on your own, you’ll need to ensure that you stay safe while doing so. It seems easy to handle a pressure washer when cleaning, but it’s actually something that requires skill and prior knowledge to ensure that you don’t get into any accidents that cause minor or major injuries.
So read on as I show you the five pressure cleaning safety tips you must know!
Pressure washing is advantageous but there are risks if you handle the machine poorly. To prevent that from happening, here are the five important tips to follow:
- Wear Protective Clothing 105
This is the number one priority because many accidents come from the lack of wearing the proper protective gear. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who still use their pressure washers wearing shorts or sandals, without the proper gloves or safety goggles!
So as much as possible, ensure that you wear the proper clothes, such as:
- Closed-toe shoes or strong steel-toe boots to avoid the high-pressure streams from tearing through your feet
- Gloves that can improve your grip and prevent unnecessary injuries
- Long pants to protect your legs from flying debris, which can break your skin
- Safety glasses to also protect your eyes from flying debris
- Hearing protection from the loud motor (if ever)
Select the Correct Nozzle
Before you begin to use the pressure washer, ensure that you choose the proper degree of spray. Never use the red-colored nozzle, as this might be too strong, especially if you just began washing the curb. Start off with the yellow tip when cleaning concrete.
If you plan to clean your outdoors, then you can use the green tip. White-colored tips are best for cleaning cars or surfaces that are easily damaged. Black tips are best for rinsing out soapy water.
Before using the pressure washer, you can start off by testing the degree of spray on a small patch of the surface you plan to clean.
Spray At the Right Angle
This is an obvious safety tip that not a lot of people focus on. It’s sensible to spray from a distance and at the right angle, as this will ensure that you do not damage the surfaces from the high pressure. Also, remember to NOT spray non-approved liquids and flammables.
The ideal distance when spraying is between 8 to 24 inches between the nozzle and surface. This prevents any of the debris from hitting your face or body. If you plan on cleaning woods or cracked surfaces, make sure to keep your distance to prevent any splinters and small debris from hitting you or anyone nearby.
Always Use a Safety Latch
If you don’t plan on using the pressure washer, then make sure that the safety lock is on to prevent anyone from accidentally using it. Many pressure washers today include a safety latch when the washer is off or when not in use. This avoids unintentional usage as you take a break or prevents accidents in case your child or pet turns it on without you knowing.
Another important tip to follow: Do NOT leave your pressure washers unattended, especially when it’s running. Even if you have to be away for less than a minute, you still need to switch it off.
Other Bonus Tips
Besides the tips mentioned above, here are other miscellaneous pieces of advice yo must follow:
- Before you start pressure washing your garage, seal and remove all electrical outlets and points.
- Never use your pressure washer if you are drinking or under the influence
- Use the spray gun with both hands. You can use one hand once you’re used to its recoil
- Only use detergents specially created for the surface
- Always read the user manual before you setting up and using the pressure washer. This will help you get the gist of how it works and to use it properly.
Wrapping It Up
While pressure washing can offer the many advantages for your home, you’ll need to ensure that you also stay safe as you do so. Through the proper safety procedures, you’ll be able to keep yourself protected from any accidents or injuries that may happen.
Hopefully, this article on the five pressure cleaning safety tips gave you an idea on what you should begin doing before using a pressure washer. So don’t wait any longer and look into following these tips today.
If you have any questions or want to share your tips and experiences on pressure washing, then comment below. Your thoughts are much appreciated. Looking for pressure cleaning quote click here
