There aren’t that many different pressure washer soaps around. You are relatively limited on choice available, but there are different pressure washer detergents that do different things. Some will be more efficient for cutting through particular types of grime than others. And some work better depending on what pressure washer you have.
Foam or no foam?
Some pressure washing detergent is made to produce hardly any foam, and some are done so it foams up nicely. You may require foaming detergent and a non-foaming detergent for different purposes. If it is a detergent that doesn’t foam up, this should be marked on the bottle. Make sure you check as you don’t want to have bubbles when you didn’t want any!
You might want a detergent that produces only a small amount of foam for jobs liking cleaning your driveway or washing down your deck. But a pressure washer soap recipe which produces a little amount of foam might not be the best when it comes to cleaning your car.
Most people will lean towards a cleaning product which foams up nicely when cleaning a car, so they get the best results and end up with a shiny car!
Can you use dish soap?
Yes, you can use dish soap, but many people wouldn’t recommend it. There are lots of things that dish soap isn’t good for, so you should check whether it is appropriate for the cleaning you are doing before you start.
It’s also hard to get the ratio of water to dish soap correct, and lots of people end up having a foam party on their patio! Of course, you can use your discretion for this, but we’d suggest you stick with a proper power washer soap.
General purpose solutions
Most general-purpose power wash cleaning solution is biodegradable so that it won’t damage any plant life. This is particularly important if you are pressure washing anything in the garden, where the detergent may come into contact with shrubs and flowers. General purpose soaps are also safe to use inside the home and even on your deck. They are also typically excellent to use on stainless steel, plastics, aluminum, and cars.
Vehicle, boat and car wash solutions
There are many detergents out there, specifically designed to clean cars and boats. These products tend to foam up more than a general-purpose solution. They will also leave a noticeable shine on your vehicle.
Heavy-duty degreasers
These are most often used to remove oil and grease stains, for example, on driveways or in garages. These kinds of stains can be difficult to get rid of, and an ordinary detergent would not remove the residue. They contain special pressure washer chemicals that act upon the grease or oil and enable the water to lift the stain.
Being able to put the work you are going to be doing into the right category will allow you to choose the right detergent. The best soap for power washers will depend entirely on the job you are going to be doing.
Selecting the right detergent for the job will reduce cleaning time and produce better results.
Read more: How to Use Baking Soda in Laundry
