Pressure washers are useful on durable surfaces, but their concentrated spray can ruin delicate materials and create serious hazards. These nine examples show what to clean another way.
The best approach depends on the appliance instructions, available space, and household needs. Check model-specific guidance before using accessories, cleaners, or unfamiliar settings.
It also covers basic appliance troubleshooting and appliance maintenance.
Pressure Washer Safety
- Review the manual for specific safety and usage instructions for your pressure washer before you use it.
- Make sure your pressure washer is properly grounded when it’s plugged in, and that any power cords used are kept out of the way and placed where they won’t get wet.
- Avoid using extension cords if possible, but if one is necessary, make sure you use a heavy-duty extension cord rated for use in wet locations.
- Wear protective gear: gloves, heavy-duty boots, safety glasses, long pants, and potentially protective ear coverings.
- Make sure you’re using the right nozzle for the job, and start with the largest degree spray tip possible for safety. You can adjust down from there as needed.
- Don’t operate a gas-powered pressure washer in an enclosed space. Gas-powered equipment produces carbon monoxide, which can be dizzying or even deadly if inhaled in large enough quantities.
- Clear your surroundings of loose items, such as stones or children’s toys. Your pressure washer puts out enough force that it can turn something small into a dangerous projectile.
- Make note of anything you can’t move that could potentially be damaged by a pressure washer, and try to work around those spots.
- Engage the safety lever on the handle when you aren’t actively using your pressure washer.
9 Things You Should Never Clean with a Pressure Washer
Pressure washers are designed to remove tough, stuck-on dirt, grime, and paint from surfaces like pavement and wood. Past those very specific situations, though, using a pressure washer is a risk.
Play it safe. Keep your stuff in good shape, and check out these 9 things you should never clean with a pressure washer:
1. Living Things
People, animals, plants, and trees can all be seriously injured or damaged by a blast from a pressure washer. Keep your pressure washer out of your garden, and never point it at people or animals.
Any plants you hit will almost certainly be destroyed, and even heartier trees will be left more vulnerable to disease, mold, and parasites for having their bark stripped away.
If you or a loved one are injured by a pressure washer, don’t assume it’s not bad just because it doesn’t look bad. Be vigilant, and get to an urgent care or your nearest emergency room (or veterinary clinic, if the injured family member is a pet) as soon as possible.
2. Windows
Best to stick with an ordinary hose and squeegee for those glass panes. A pressure washer can crack or shatter window glass, damage window frames, and blow away caulking or weather stripping, leading to leaky windows.
If you have double-paned windows, this can be especially troublesome, as a pressure washer can damage the seal between panes. Once this happens, condensation and window fogging can become a problem, and the only way to fix it is a costly replacement window.
3. Your Roof
No matter how dirty it is, there are a few reasons why you should never pressure wash your roof. First, there’s the danger the activity poses to you.
Second, certain common roofing materials, like asphalt shingles, can’t stand up to pressure washing. They can be damaged or knocked loose, leaving your roof more susceptible to leaking and mold growth.
4. Lawn Equipment
Online advice conflicts, but the safer approach is best here. While you may be able to efficiently clean the underside of your mower’s deck, you should still exercise care.
5. Electrical Meters, Outdoor Lights, & Other Exterior Fixtures
Although most exterior outlets, meters, lights, and other panels are generally weatherproofed, they are not designed to withstand power washing. Just like with cars, windows, and power equipment, you’re contending with water’s ability to get where it shouldn’t when highly pressurized.
6. Gutters
While your pressure washer may seem like a great way to quickly complete a very tedious chore, keep in mind that a pressure washer can cause some serious damage up there. Using a pressure washer at an elevated height is unsafe, and high-pressure water can wash away mortar or dent the gutters.
7. Filters
It might be tempting to quickly clean a filthy appliance or lawn equipment filter with a pressure washer, but this is a surefire way to guarantee you need a new filter for whatever it is you’re cleaning. Whether a filter contains paper, plastic, metal, or charcoal, a pressure washer can tear through it and make it useless.
8. Air Conditioners
It doesn’t matter which type of AC unit you’re trying to clean; you’ll want to keep your pressure washer away from it. This far into the article, you know why: high-pressure water will breach seals and reach sensitive electrical components, shorting out your air conditioner.
For large whole-house units, it can also potentially bend, ding, or even crack the fan fins and reach the fan bearing, which can make your AC run noisy or stop it from functioning at all. For window AC units, you risk puncturing the condenser coils.
9. Painted & Stained Surfaces
This one isn’t necessarily a hard no-no, but it’s definitely an “exercise caution” situation with several considerations:
- Never pressure wash anything that was painted with lead paint, like an older house. You risk releasing lead particles into the air and inhaling them, and you will definitely wind up with lead in the soil.
- If you’re trying to remove (non-lead) paint, sealant, or stain from a pressure washer-safe surface, go ahead and use a pressure washer. It’s a quick way to strip these things away.
- Use a low-pressure setting and wash from a greater distance if you must power wash something painted or stained and don’t want to remove that pigment. Otherwise, you’ll strip away the paint, sealant, or stain.
How to Plan the Work
Review these points first.
- Define the main goal and choose the smallest useful change first.
- Check the appliance manual, available space, materials, and household needs before starting.
- Gather supplies in advance so the work can continue without rushed substitutions.
- Protect nearby surfaces and keep children and pets away from the active work area.
- Test one change at a time so its effect is easy to judge and reverse if needed.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Review these points first.
- Trying every idea at once makes it difficult to identify which change produced the result.
- Ignoring weight, heat, moisture, or airflow limits can damage appliances and nearby surfaces.
- Using supplies that are not approved for the surface can leave stains, residue, or scratches.
- Blocking doors, vents, controls, or service access can create a daily inconvenience and a safety issue.
- Keeping damaged or rarely used items can take space and attention away from useful equipment.
How to Make the Results Last
Review these points first.
- Add the most useful check to a monthly or seasonal home maintenance routine.
- Clean spills, dust, grease, and lint before they harden or restrict airflow.
- Return tools and supplies to a set location after each use to reduce clutter.
- Inspect fasteners, cords, seals, filters, and storage hardware for early wear.
- Adjust the plan when household habits, appliance use, or available space changes.
Final Thoughts
A thoughtful approach to appliance use starts with household needs, available space, and safety. Small changes are easier to test and maintain. A regular cleaning and inspection routine helps the results last.