Looking for the best pressure washers to clean your car? If so, then this article will not only list my top picks, but I also share my experience on what I believe you should look out for when purchasing a pressure washer for cleaning your car.
Guide To Buying A Pressure Washer For Cars
A pressure washer is an incredibly useful tool for outdoor cleaning, but what you are washing will determine the best type of pressure washer for your needs. I’ve been thinking recently about the right type of pressure washer for cleaning the car and there were a few things that sprung to mind which are essential in choosing the right type.
What Is A Pressure Washer?
You might hear a pressure washer being referred to as many different things including a power washer or a jet washer, but in essence, they are all the same things. These cleaning tools offer a very powerful water jet that is much more effective than spraying items with the garden hose. For tough and stubborn dirt, a pressure washer will make light work of the job.
Inside the pressure washer, there is a pump that is powered by a motor. Running on electricity, petrol or battery, this pump delivers a very high-pressure jet of water. They can be used for various tasks including sprucing up the patio, giving your garden furniture a clean and of course, washing the car.
Here are some of my favourite pressure washers for cleaning cars.
How To Choose The Right Pressure Washer For Your Car?
Your car is among one of the most expensive and important possessions you have and for this reason, it is essential to make sure that you don’t damage it while cleaning. Using the wrong pressure washer may cause problems in one of two ways; it could damage the car or it won’t be powerful enough to remove the dirt. Before choosing your pressure washer, be sure to keep the following things in mind.
Pressure
One of the first and most important things to think about when looking for a pressure washer for cars is the water pressure. You should look for a jet washer that has a pressure anywhere between 110 and 130 bar. If you go much higher than this, there is a risk that the high-pressure water jet will damage the paintwork or dislodge accessories attached to the vehicle. I know you won’t want a hefty bill for repairs!
That said, if you want a pressure washer for cleaning the car and other tasks that require more power, there are those that have variable pressure and attachments to accommodate varying needs. This is typically adjusted using a twist function on the nozzle or attaching a separate nozzle.
Pressure Washer Pressure Guide
| Task | Light Duty 50-110 Bar |
Medium Duty 110-130 Bar |
Heavy Duty 130+ Bar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patio | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Cars/Vans/Bikes | ✅ | ||
| Block Paving | ✅ | ||
| Decking | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Fences & Garden Furniture | ✅ | ||
| Commercial Vehicles | ✅ | ✅ |
Nozzles
You will notice when shopping for a pressure washer that there are several different nozzles that can be attached to the hose. Each nozzle will distribute water differently with some spreading it wide and others with a more direct flow.
You don’t want a very streamlined jet of water, especially at high pressures when cleaning your car, as again, this could cause damage. That said, you also don’t want to go for a nozzle that distributes the water over a very large area as this won’t allow you to target tough stains like oil or caked-on mud.
Again, there are pressure washers whose nozzles can be turned to adjust the flow of the water and this will put you at an advantage when cleaning the car. For example, you might use a more direct jet for those stubborn marks, under the wheel arches, and a wider spray for rinsing the entire car at the end.
Length Of The Hose And Power Cable
If you are lucky enough to have a driveway that allows you to plug the jet washer in without an extension lead, then you won’t need to worry about the length of the power cable. However, in most cases, the plug socket will be located some distance from the car, so it pays to look for something with a longer lead.
Moreover, it is crucial that you check the length of the hose. As a general rule, you can expect the hose to be around four metres, but this will vary by model. The benefits of having a longer hose is that you are free to move around the car without having to keep picking the pressure washer up. This is especially important if you are washing a larger vehicle or a van, for example. Just bear in mind that longer the hose, the more likely it is to tangle, and the more storage will be required. Look for a model that has a hose reel, as this makes storing much easier, tidier and prevents it from getting damaged.
It is inevitable that over time the hose will become damaged and may leak. You will therefore want to replace this without having to replace the whole pressure washer unit. Before purchasing, check that replacement parts are readily available and are reasonably priced. This is not an issue with brands like Karcher, however some cheaper and lesser known makes may not be so easy to replace.
Waterflow
As well as looking at how the water flows out of the nozzle, you should also check how much water is dispensed. This information is given in litres per minute and for domestic pressure washers, you can expect anything between 6 and 9 litre per minute. Of course, the more water that is dispensed per minute, the quicker the work will be completed.
Naturally, battery powered pressure washers will have a lot less water flow compared to electric and petrol models. Cordless battery models are ideal for cleaning cars and bikes particularly in remote locations.
It is also worth noting that some pressure washers allow you to draw water from a static source such as water butts, ponds and buckets, while others will need to be connected to the water mains only. Again depending on your location this is something you may need to take into consideration.
Pressure Washer Accessories for Cleaning your Car
Cleaning your car is a pretty versatile task and if you’re going to do it properly, you need a pressure washer that offers just as much versatility. Many of these machines come with attachments and accessories that can make cleaning your car a lot simpler.
What you get will vary by brand and model, but you should be looking for things like wheel brushes and a foaming kit. These foaming kits are great for applying car detergent and a snow foam lance allows you to apply the soap and leave it to work. After around ten minutes, you can rinse the soap using the wide spray on your nozzle.
So whether you are choosing a pressure washer to clean your patio & decking or for cleaning your car, you will need to ensure it comes supplied with the accessories that will suite the job at hand.
Car Pressure Washer Brushes
Brushes come in two types. A static triangle shaped brush and as mentioned above, a round rotating brush. These are both ideal for cleaning the bodywork and wheels of the vehicle where the dirt is more ground-in and will not remove with pressure washing alone. Look for a model that also has a detergent dispenser that is built into the machine, as this will dispense detergent/wax whilst brushing the car. If you are going to use the brush, it is important to remember to pressure wash the car first to remove any grit or sand first to prevent the brush from creating undesired scratches.
On the wheels use the triangular pointed brush as this will make it easier to clean inside the wheels and around all the edges.
Noise Level
The gripe for many people when using a pressure washer is that these can be very noisy tools. That said, there are some that create more racket than others, so it is worth looking for one that boasts being a little quieter, especially if you live in a built-up area with a lot of neighbours and want to clean your car early on a Sunday morning.
Summary
Using a pressure washer to clean your car can make a job that might otherwise take a very long time, a much quicker task. However, since not all pressure washers are made equal, it is important to look over the features before buying to ensure that you get a jet washer that will bring your car to a perfect shine without causing any damage.
Click here to see my full list of Best Pressure Washers for General Cleaning.
Click here to see my full list of Best Pressure Washers for Cleaning Patios and Decking.
