Can You Put Vinegar In Pressure Washer?
Pressure washers are incredible tools when it comes to cleaning around the house. These machines can help make your home look new again by removing dirt, mold, and mildew from surfaces. This brings us to the following question: can you put vinegar in a pressure washer?
There’s nothing wrong with putting vinegar in a pressure washer. Vinegar is a natural cleaning agent that can help remove mold and mildew from your home. It’ much safer than other cleaning products like bleach and it’s more effective.
Using Vinegar for Mold Removal
Vinegar is one of the best ways to remove mold in and around your home. This type of organic growth can’t be avoided – as black mold is likely growing places you don’t even know about.
Mold thrives in areas that are damp and dark – which is why it’s so common to find mold in basements. It’s important to clean up mold as soon as you see it, because it can lead to short and long term health problems.
Vinegar vs Bleach
When it comes to removing mold, vinegar is the preferred choice. White vinegar contains mildly acidic properties that help clean and disinfect surfaces. It’s also very effective at removing mold on porous and non-porous materials.
Even though bleach is a strong cleaning agent, it’s not the best choice when it comes to mold removal. The main problem with bleach is that it’s mostly made of water. That means when you treat mold with bleach it will grow back very quickly.
How to Use Vinegar in a Pressure Washer
Now that you now vinegar is safe to combine with a pressure washer, let’s talk about how you can use it when cleaning. Follow the steps listed below to clean your house, basement, or garage floor.
1. Wear Safety Equipment
Anytime you’re using a pressure washer it’s critical to wear proper safety equipment. These machines are powerful enough to cut your skin, so you will need to wear long pants and a long sleeve shirt.
There’s also a good chance your feet will get wet, which is why you should wear waterproof boots. If you’re using the pressure washer for mold removal, there are some additional pieces of safety equipment needed.
A respirator and eye protection will prevent mold spores from entering your lungs and eyes. Whenever spraying high amounts of water it’s common for mold spores to enter the air.
2. Prep the Area
Before beginning any home project, it helps to clean the area you will be working in. For outside jobs move any lawn furniture, children’s toys, or outdoor tools.
You don’t want these items to get in your way when cleaning, but you also want to prevent them from getting damaged in the process. Pressure washing can be a messy job, especially if you’re working in a small area.
Overspray will get on anything that is close by, so move all of the items you can find. If you’re cleaning a basement or garage floor, make sure to tape off the ceiling and walls with plastic to stop water from landing on these essential areas.
3. Add Vinegar
Now that the area has been prepared, it’s time to move on to the cleaning stage. Before you begin you will need to add the vinegar to your pressure washer. Most models built today have a soap canister attached.
You should pour the vinegar directly into this canister. Be careful not to pour to much and cause a mess. Avoid mixing the vinegar with soap, bleach, or any other cleaning agents.
Contrary to popular belief, this will not make the mold removal process more effective. The end result will be a weird mixture that could damage your machine. Stick with regular undiluted vinegar only for safe cleaning.
4. Start in High Areas
If you are using vinegar to pressure wash an exterior structure, it’s always best to start at the top and work your way down. This method helps in two ways.
For starters, it will be much easier to see where you are during the cleaning stage, because you will be able to see your progress in real time. If you follow a random spray pattern it will be much more difficult to figure out what areas have been cleaned.
But starting in high areas will also make pressure washing easier. It helps to work with gravity and let the water pull dirt and water down the side of the surface. You don’t want this dirty water passing over areas that have already been cleaned.
5. Let the Vinegar Sit
After the initial rinse down, allow the vinegar to sit for 2-3 minutes. This short dwell time will help the mixture soak into the surface. This is the most important step to pressure washing with vinegar.
Stubborn mold and mildew will not come off with water alone. That’s why you need to let the vinegar soak into this type of organic growth first. 2-3 minutes may not seem like a long time, but you also don’t want the mixture to dwell for too long.
If you’re working outside for example, the vinegar will dry up very quickly. This is more common in hot conditions, so don’t let the surface dry completely. You will have to respray the mixture and it will take you more time as a result.
6. Final Rinse
After enough time has been allowed for the vinegar to dwell, you can perform a final rinse down. Follow the same approach where you start at the top and work your way down.
You should take your time during this final stage, as it will produce professional looking results. You don’t want to rush the process and miss any areas, or leaves spots of vinegar leftover.
It helps to follow a consistent pattern when rinsing and walk with the wand. Avoid standing in the same place and forcing the gun to do the work for you. When you move with the pressure washer you will be able to achieve a more even finish.
Conclusion
Using vinegar in a pressure washer is not only safe, but it’s one of the best ways to clean areas around your house. When comparing vinegar to bleach, it’s much less harmful and more effective for mold removal.
Bleach is a powerful cleaning agent and it can remove mold – but it won’t prevent it from growing back. That’s because bleach has water in the list of ingredients. Any amount of water (no matter how small) creates the perfect setting for mold to grow back.
Don’t forget to wear proper safety equipment whenever using a pressure washer. You want to keep the high pressure stream of water from cutting your skin and causing damage. Always stay safe and make sure to take your time for this project.
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