If done right, using a pressure washer is a fast and effective way to clean your car. Otherwise, it could damage your ride’s paint job and electrical components.
Using a pressure washer can rinse off stains, dirt, and debris quickly, making it more convenient than hand washing or scrubbing your vehicle. Let’s take a closer look at its advantages.
Pressure washing your car is a more effective cleanup method than washing it by hand. The water pressure is strong enough to dislodge and rinse off everything from dust and grime to stains and road debris in seconds. Having said that, some types of soiling simply won’t be removed by anything other than physical cleaning.
It can take hours of scrubbing, rinsing, and wiping to hand wash your car. In contrast, it only takes minutes to pressure wash it.
When done incorrectly, pressure washing your car does have cons, like damage to paint damage, issues with electrical parts, and increased risk of injury.
Using high-pressure water can chip your vehicle’s paint and coat, making the body more prone to rusting.
Similarly, if you’re using a car pressure washer somewhere with pebbles and gravel and you accidentally point the nozzle at them, the water could blast them toward your vehicle. They can cause scratch marks, chip the paint off, or even cause dents.
If water gets into your car’s electrical components, it could short-circuit them and cause various problems, so be careful when pressure washing.
While electrical connectors under the hood are designed to resist water entry, pressure washing can force water past the connector seals and into the connector, causing strange, hard-to-find electrical problems due to voltage signals crossing between terminals because of trapped water in the weather-sealed connector shell.
If you’re planning on washing your car with pressurized water, steer clear of the vehicle’s electrical components and connectors. You can also cover them with waterproof materials like plastic to protect them from the spray.
While electrical connectors under the hood are designed to resist water entry, pressure washing can force water past the connector seals and into the connector, causing strange, hard-to-find electrical problems due to voltage signals crossing between terminals because of trapped water in the weather-sealed connector shell.
– Richard McCuistian, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician
Anything that produces over 100 pounds per square inch (PSI) of pressure can cause injuries, and pressure washers can generate higher than that.
Similarly, electric shock can occur if misused and if safety procedures aren’t followed.
To avoid its disadvantages, here are some tips on how to safely wash your car with pressurized water:
Using the pressure washer close too close to your car can damage its paint job, so keep your distance.
One rule you can follow is the “six-twelve” rule. Keep the nozzle six inches away from the paint and 12 inches away from the trim. This helps keep the stream close enough to remove dirt but distant enough to prevent paint damage.
If some parts of your vehicle’s paint are damaged, skip them when you pressure wash. The strong water pressure can worsen its condition, peeling off the remains. It can also corrode the exposed metal, which causes rust.
To avoid making the parts with damaged paint bigger, wash them by hand instead. Use soft fabric and mild car soap to clean the area.
Pressure washers for cars have different-sized nozzles for cleaning different areas. Smaller nozzles produce a more concentrated and powerful stream than larger ones.
For the paintwork and glass exterior, a 40-degree nozzle would suffice. Meanwhile, you can use a 25-degree nozzle to get rid of the debris stuck on your tires.
Likewise, don’t go above 2,200 PSI, as the pressure can damage your car.
If you’re on the fence about pressure washing your car, consider these alternative cleaning methods.
Hand washing involves using a low-pressure hose, car soap, and a microfiber car wash mitt. It takes longer than a pressure washing, but it’s less likely to damage your vehicle.
Automatic car washes use a series of machines to wash your car. It’s one of the better ways to clean your vehicle if you’re in a rush. Not only is it efficient, but it also gets the job done between five to ten minutes.
The one downside to automatic car washes is the price and the occasional queue.
Touchless car washes are automatic car washes that don’t involve machines that scrub your vehicle. Instead, they spray your car with water, rinse off grime, apply cleaning agents, rinse it away, then apply wax or tire foam.
Cleaning your car with a pressure washer is perfectly safe as long as you do it properly. Weigh the pros and cons to determine if it’s worth using one, but be sure to follow the precautionary steps if you do!
And if the risks of pressure washing have put you off, there are safer alternatives. At the end of the day, maintaining your car’s cleanliness should be the priority.
Any information provided on this Website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace consultation with a professional mechanic. The accuracy and timeliness of the information may change from the time of publication.
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An interesting article on the pros and cons of pressure washing. I still prefer old-school hand washing with soft fleece mitt, and pre-washing with a hose & nozzle to moisten dirt and rinse off any grit before washing with soap.