October 10, 2005 -- Hold on, partner! Don't saddle up your pressure washer and ride off into the sunset just yet. Every spring, homeowners stake their claim to a clean garage floor. However, a summer-long onslaught of spider webs, oil stains and dried leaves can turn any little house on the prairie into a bug-infested bonanza.
“ Take a good look at the vile filth on your floor. ”
According to Jon Hoch, founder of Pressure Washers Direct.com (http://www.pressurewashersdirect.com), the fall is a great time to declare a high-noon gunfight in your garage.
"Take a good look at the vile filth on your floor. If you don't wash it away now, you will be living with it until spring," says Hoch.
Hoch, who personally pressure washes his garage every spring and fall, says you don't need any "stinkin' badges" to win this shoot out. But, some good advice always helps.
A Western With a Warning
Sure, safety tips aren't very macho, but they can save you from a premature trip to Boot Hill. Be extremely careful using a gas-powered pressure washer near a garage, warns Hoch. They emit odorless and deadly carbon monoxide gas. Make sure you always place the pressure washer outside of the garage in a well ventilated area.
The Magic Elixir
After you've moved your stuff off the floor, your natural reaction may be to start sweeping it with a broom. Don't, says Hoch. You can skip this step if you manage things correctly.
Hoch recommends spraying the floor with either a heavy-duty degreaser or a concrete cleaner first. By applying the soap and water combination under low pressure, you'll prevent the dust from flying into the air when rinsing under high pressure.
Wet Sweep
Don't be in a hurry to rinse, recommends Hoch. Give the solution time to work. You can sweep the larger particles outside by simply attaching a floor brush to your pressure washer wand. In addition to removing the bigger particles, the foaming bristles also work the detergent into the deeper stains.
Fire Away
Now comes the fun part. Switch to high pressure and start spraying. Start from the back of the garage and gradually push the dirty water outside.
"You don't have to flood your garage to get it clean," says Hoch. "Pressure washers use 80% less water than a garden hose. The high pressure will force the majority of the water outside."
Finishing Touches
If you want to keep the water from splashing on your drywall, consider getting Karcher's surface cleaner. The revolutionary product uses water pressure to actually hover over your garage floor, giving it a uniform shine.
If you want your floor to be squeaky clean, Hoch recommends using a squeegee to remove the remaining water.
Pressure Washers Direct (http://www.pressurewashersdirect.com) is an online pressure washer superstore owned and operated by Power Equipment Direct, Inc. The company also maintains Electric Generators Direct (http://www.electricgeneratorsdirect.com) and Air Compressors Direct (http://www.aircompressorsdirect.com).
