Choosing the Right High Pressure Water Cleaner

High pressure water cleaners are becoming increasingly more popular in businesses and homes around the globe. These marvellous machines are incredibly flexible in terms of their uses. They can be used to clean roofs, degrease machinery, wash cars, and so much more. As with any tool, however, it is important to find a pressure cleaner with the right specs for the job.

1. Pressure

In a high pressure water cleaner, pressure is measured in pounds per square inch (psi). When choosing the right cleaner for your needs, you need to pick a pressure level that’s high enough to clean off your particular type of grime without causing damage to the areas/items you’re cleaning.

As a general guide, 3000 psi is a good general cleaning pressure for removing greasy or sticky substances. Once the pressure reaches 4000 psi, you’re approaching stripping territory. Removing bubblegum from a concrete floor or stripping paint, for example, requires roughly this amount of pressure.

2. Flow

A water blaster’s flow is measured in litres per minute (LPM). A flow rate of 18LPM is appropriate for most general applications. A much higher flow rate is needed when there is a large volume of substance to clean off.

3. Heating

High pressure cleaners can use either hot or cold water. Certain stubborn substances will only budge when heat is applied. Grease, for example, is pretty resilient in the face of cold water but will melt away a little better with the application of hot water.

4. Chemicals

Not all pressure cleaners have the ability to take cleaning chemicals. This is something worth considering before making a purchase. In most cases, chemical-free cleaning is perfectly adequate but in certain scenarios regular water just won’t cut it.