Pressure washers are a great way to wash your car. They can remove dirt and grime at a deeper level than just your hose while also using less water. However, using a pressure washer can be intimidating to use if you don't know how to wash your car safely with one. Following these tips will help you to safely use a pressure washer to get your car sparkling clean without harming its paint job.

Proper Pressure Washer Selection

When washing your car with a pressure washer, there are few things you need to keep in mind. You must have a pressure washer with the right settings or you risk blasting the paint off of your vehicle.

First, you never want to use the narrow setting on the washer to clean your car. The narrowest setting forms a concentrated beam of water that will peel the paint away from your car. You always want to use a wide setting on the washer. Not only does the wider setting cover more surface area of your car at once, but it won't peel off your paint.

The other major thing to consider when using a pressure washer is how much PSI is being used to wash your car. The safest PSI for washing your car is around 2000 PSI or below. Anything more than 2000 PSI could damage the paint on your car.

Using The Pressure Washer To Wash Your Car

Now that you know some safety tips, it's time to wash your car. First, with your power washer set to the widest setting, gently go over your car with the spray to loosen any dirt on your vehicle. This first pass with the water also allows soap to spread more freely over the vehicle's surface. You want to make sure to hold the pressure washer nozzle at least a foot away from your car's surface.

Next, apply soap to your vehicle. Take some time and apply the soap with a nonabrasive brush -- using a more abrasive brush could damage your car's paint job. After you've applied the soap, leave it to rest on the car for several minutes to allow it to penetrate.

Finally, use your pressure washer to rinse away the soap and use a car-appropriate cloth to dry your vehicle.

Scratched Paint

If a pressure washer has scratched your paint, you should bring your car into an auto paint shop. They can match your vehicle's paint color and make your car look like nothing had ever happened. An auto paint shop provides an advantage to doing it yourself because if the pressure washer was at a high enough setting, it could've formed abrasions in your paint. Restoring the paint over these areas will help make sure your car's paint job looks great for years to come. 

For more information, contact companies like Sam's Automotive Reconditioning Center.

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