Expert Tips for Pressure Washing Sidewalks & Stairs

A simple broom or a garden hose can easily remove most of the dirt and debris  from your sidewalk and outdoor stairs. Simply sweeping your concrete surfaces usually should be enough particularly if those areas are regularly maintained to keep it looking clean and at tiptop shape. However, there are times when a broom and water is just not enough to do the trick.  Especially when it has oil stains, grease deposit, algae or mold. When the concrete surface is too dirty and using a broom is not enough. Most property owners often assume automatically that they can power wash the surface. Although this is somewhat the fastest and easiest way to clean concrete surfaces, hiring professionals for pressure washing sidewalks and stairs is a must for effective cleaning.

There are different types of concrete surfaces.  If you do not know what you are doing, it is better to let the professionals handle it. Cleaning sidewalks and stairs using pressure washers are definitely the easiest and fastest way.  This quickly improves your property’s curb appeal or enhances outdoor living areas without spending a lot of money. You will easily see the difference if your concrete is dirty and grimy from years of neglect.  Especially if they have mold formation or algae growing on them.

Why Pressure Washing Is Convenient Option

Pressure washing is a popular way to clean sidewalks and stairs. This is one of the most convenient options because the equipment is widely available. You can also easily rent one at a tool rental yards or bigger home improvement depots. And you also don’t need special skills figure out how to turn on a pressure washer.  Anybody can just aim and pull the trigger and use it. The fact that almost anyone can use them highly increases their appeal for tough and major cleaning jobs.

But on the other hand, even if you can easily learn the basic operation of power washers. Using it more effectively without causing damage to the property or to the user is an entirely different thing. Remember, this is a very powerful machine.  There are plenty of horror stories involving equipment and stripping paint off of the house, ripping off sidings and shingles. Possibly causing major damages on wooden decks, totally destroying car paint jobs. Some have even caused serious injuries.

Understanding The Equipment

The problem is not with the pressure washer itself. The problem lies on inexperienced people that use a pressure washer and easily choose the wrong nozzle or the wrong pressure. Using the wrong pressure needed and not understanding how powerful the pressurized stream of water is can cause serious damages.

When power washing your sidewalks or stairs, you have to understand the type of concrete surface it has. Is it pure cement, bricks or paving stones? It is highly possible to cause visible damage in the form of lines, pitting, or general surface degradation. When using the wrong nozzle and water pressure on a specific type of surface. This can also significantly damage the mortar between bricks and dissolve the joint sand in between paving stones. For concrete surfaces, concrete slabs that are installed just a year ago are likely to be damaged compared to much older slabs.

The wrong choice of nozzle and using higher pressure than what should you be using is often the major causes of surface damage. Also, pointing the wand too close to the surface or directly spraying at the same area for too long can also damage the surface.  This is why the professionals use surface cleaners and go through rigorous training to make sure they are cleaning and not damaging your substrate or covering.

Pressure Washing Sidewalks and Stairs – Let The Professionals Do It

To avoid damages on your sidewalks and stairs, it is best to leave the pressure washing with professionals. Making sure that the staircase of your home, building, or business premises is clean always is critical to ensure there is no safety risk to any users. Furthermore, it also makes certain that you are providing the best first impression to potential customers and visitors. Having a clean sidewalk can also add to that elusive good first impression.

Investing in professional pressure washing services is really worth the money. They already have the necessary tools and a team that knows exactly what they are doing. In South Carolina, SUNSET PRESSURE WASHING LLC offers pressure washing services for all types of surfaces. They have heated pressure washers that can remove oil and grease and kill mold and mildew with ease.