If your weather has been unseasonably warm like ours has here, it definitely doesn’t feel like it’s time to winterize… but it’s time to winterize our homes! We shared a checklist here of ways to make sure your home interior and exterior and vehicles are ready for the cold iciness of winter — but today we want to talk about fall cleaning to clean up after all the summer fun so you’re ready to party as soon as the snow melts next spring!
Cleaning up after summer fun sounds like work, and a lot of it — but one tool will help you do it all faster: a pressure washer! You could do all of these things by hand or with a garden hose attachment, but a dedicated pressure washer will do it all faster and with less scrubbing elbow grease required. And you can pick up a small pressure washer pretty inexpensively — see our picks for both the budget-friendly options and the workhorse options at the bottom of the post.
In addition to seasonal cleaning, a pressure washer is also great for prepping reclaimed wood for use, removing chipping paint, and general household cleaning of fences, home exteriors, tools, and vehicles — and that nasty garbage can will never know what hit it! So check out our picks for highly-rated pressure washers below, and get started with these 6 easy fall cleaning projects.
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6 Easy Fall Cleaning Projects
Clean Outdoor Patio Furniture
Kick off fall cleaning by washing outdoor patio furniture before storing it indoors or covering it with plastic. Using a pressure washer will provide deeper cleaning than a garden hose and is quick and easy. Before moving furniture into storage, be sure to let them dry completely.
image: FreeImages.com/Kenn Keiser
Clean a Grill in Minutes
If you don’t grill during the winter, cleaning your grill with a pressure washer will help ensure it is ready to go when grilling season comes around again next spring. For propane grills, first disconnect the propane tank and move it away from the area. Disconnect any electric lines, prop up the hood and remove the grates. Treat the entire grill with a degreasing solution added to the pressure washer’s detergent tank, working from the bottom of the cart up to the grill bed. Let the detergent soak for 3-5 minutes before rinsing. Be careful around gas hoses, connections, electrical components or heating elements. Using a general medium-pressure spray pattern, flush detergent and rinse away any residue, working from the top down. Let the grill dry thoroughly, then coat with a nonstick oil to help reduce future build up.
Wash Outdoor Windows
There is a good chance that windows have accumulated a coating of dust and grime over the summer. To keep the view from your home clear, use a pressure washer with high pressure to lift dirt, and high flow to wash it away. The high pressure and high flow capabilities of a pressure washer like Briggs & Stratton POWERflow+ make reaching second story windows and other high places easy without needing a ladder. Another option to increase reach is to add an extension wand or to use a 2nd Story Nozzle Kit designed to propel soap and water greater distances than normal pressure washer nozzles. Pressure washing exterior windows will make long winter days a little brighter.
Power Washing a Deck
While it sounds like a big chore, using a pressure washer to ensure the deck is free of mold and debris is one of the fall projects that is simple and easy to complete. A thorough clean also will serve to prepare your deck for weatherproofing with a stain or sealant before winter hits (read our tips for staining a deck here).
image: FreeImages.com/voy k
Tackle Gutter Cleaning
When it comes to winterizing your home, don’t forget about your gutters. Making sure they are free from leaves and debris could save a major headache down the road. Clogged gutters could cause water damage to the roof, which is much more expensive to replace than spending a couple of hours cleaning them out.
image: FreeImages.com/Lena Povrznic
Clean Garden Tools & Yard Care Products
When it comes time to put away garden tools and yard care products for the season, don’t just shove them into the garage or shed. Clean them up by pressure washing and wiping them down to remove dirt and debris. To keep them from rusting over the winter, apply a light layer of oil to them.
So what are you waiting for? Pick out the right pressure washer for you and get to cleaning!
Thanks to the folks at Briggs and Stratton for providing us this great list of fall cleaning ideas!
Best Pressure Washers for Homeowners
We put together our picks for highly-rated pressure washers, ranging in price from $90 for a smaller, lightweight electric pressure washer to $300+ for a workhorse gas-powered pressure washer with lots of additional features. Hiring someone or renting a pressure washer can cost hundreds of dollars, so purchasing a pressure washer can be a very budget-wise move in the long run!
Lightweight and budget-friendly:
A: SunJoe Pressure Joe/SPX1000 1450 PSI (available at Amazon and Walmart)
This budget-friendly 1.45 GPM electric pressure washer is light and compact. 2 year warranty, plus additional coverage available through retailers.
B: Campbell Hausfeld 1500 PSI (available at Amazon and Walmart)
Another budget-friendly option, this 1.5 GPM electric pressure washer has on-board accessory storage and comes with a 1 year warranty (additional coverage available).
Hardworking and moderately priced:
C: Karcher K3 Follow Me 1800 PSI (available at Amazon and Walmart)
The 4-wheeled design of this 1.3 GPM electric pressure washer makes it easy to move, and the on-board detergent tank and gun storage make it easy to use and store. 1 year warranty (additional coverage available).
D: Powerhouse International The Force 1800 PSI (available at Amazon)
This compact 1.6 GPM electric pressure washer features self-storing accessories and an on-board detergent dispenser. 1 year warranty (additional coverage available).
E: Ryobi 1700 PSI (available at The Home Depot)
Highly rated as easy-to-use, this 1.2 GPM electric pressure washer features a detergent tank and accessory storage. 3 year warranty (additional coverage available).
F: Craftsman 1700 PSI (available at Sears)
This mid-priced 1.3 GPM electric pressure washer features a durable aluminum pump head and comes with a 1 year warranty (additional coverage available).
Durable gas-powered workhorses:
G: Ryobi Honda Power Control 2800 PSI (available at The Home Depot)
This 2.3 GPM gas-powered pressure washer features an on-board detergent tank and accessory storage. 3 year warranty (additional coverage available).
H: Craftsman 2800 PSI (available at Sears)
Similarly priced, this 2.3 GPM gas-powered pressure washer features an on-board detergent tank with a “Perfect Mix” feature. 1 year warranty (additional coverage available).
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