I'm considering getting one. I would use it mostly for washing my cars.
The one I saw (Costco) is electric and can dispense car soap as needed. If
you have one, do you like yours? Are they powerful enough to get gunk off
of your car? I saw a gas powered one too, but I'm not going to pay that
much.

What else can you use them for? Cleaning gutters?

Thanks

daslf wrote:
I'm considering getting one. I would use it mostly for washing my cars.
The one I saw (Costco) is electric and can dispense car soap as needed. If
you have one, do you like yours? Are they powerful enough to get gunk off
of your car? I saw a gas powered one too, but I'm not going to pay that
much.

What else can you use them for? Cleaning gutters?

Thanks


Personally, I would not use a power washer on a car with surfaces that
are in good condition. Cars should either be hand washed or taken to a
car wash. A power washer IMO is too harsh, especially if it's not used
carefully.

Nor is a power washer good for cleaning gutters, unless you mean
getting the dirt off the outside, which they can do. The insides,
where leaves/debris accumulate are best cleaned by hand. A PW could
clean them, but the crap spraying everywhere is gonna make a bigger
mess than it's worth.

IMO, a power washer is good for cleaning siding, concrete
patios/driveways, walkways, decks, etc. Just remember to take it easy,
especially on any wood, as high pressure can easily raise the grain and
destroy wood.

On Tue, 28 Mar 2006 18:22:01 -0800, someone wrote:

I'm considering getting one. .... Are they powerful enough to get gunk off
of your car?

Sure, along with the paint.

Power washers are great. And as much as with any power tool, they can
also do a great deal of damage, as well as cause serious injury if
mis-used..


Reply to NG only - this e.mail address goes to a kill file.

I bought my dad a power washer a years back - about a $120 model. No
matter what you do, it seems that you have to use a soap rag to get the
dirt off the car. Isn;t that the same as a hose?

I agree they are best suited for cleaning siding, concrete, decks with
it's fine stream. How often will you actually do this? Probably not
very because the power washer has a thin spray of wate. I did a
neighbors wood fence (small suburb yard) with 3 other people and it
took a solid 2 days of swithcing off before it looked okay.

If you need to clean something to this extent, rent a professional
power washer for a few days. If I could do it over again I would -- my
dad's washer broke after about 3 years.