Adele has worked in gardening for 25 years. She grows a wide range of plants at the Which? Gardening trial grounds and is our compost expert.
Which? has put 49 pressure washers through our thorough testing so we know a thing or two about what makes a good one. I also regularly use a pressure washer at home.
As part of our rigorous tests, we assess pressure washers' performance on surfaces such as concrete, softwood decking, bock paving, and even on cars. We also look how how much water they use, how noisy they are and how easy they are to clean with.
These are the things I wouldn't do with a pressure washer, based on what we've learned from our trials.
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I would never blast a delicate surface like wooden decking.
Always use a low pressure setting and a fan nozzle on delicate surfaces - you want to clean without causing gouges or splinters.
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I would never pressure wash a car on gravel where the stones can fly up and damage the paintwork. Instead, do it on a hard surface like concrete.
I would never put the lances on muddy ground.
Always return them to the holder or place them on a clean surface. Otherwise dirt and debris can clog up the nozzles.
I would never leave it in the shed over winter where it could freeze and break.
Keep it somewhere frost-free and always drain the water out before storing it. You don’t want to deal with burst pipes come spring!
I would never use a hose with a kink in it. This stops the water flowing freely, meaning you’ll get reduced water pressure.
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