Having a decent pressure washer is half the puzzle solved, but it’s also about what you’re spraying that determines how good the job ends up. Detergent plays a big role in that, alongside making sure the water you’re using is clean and fresh.
We’ve heard countless examples of people using water collected from yard drains and re-used in an attempt to save money on water bills, only to cause the engine to be overworked and fail before its time. While you’re likely to be OK with rainwater collected in a water butt, what’s really important is there’s no contamination in the tank causing lumps like small stones to begin to clog up the engine, hose and nozzle of your kit.
In other words, don’t be tempted to try and save pennies on the water bill when the likely casualty is a multi-hundred-pound jet washer.
Clean water isn’t enough though, as it’s much like washing up at home – you need clean, hot water for that job, but also washing up liquid to get the grease off of the crockery and pots. In the case of a pressure washer, it’s a special type of detergent in the place of washing up liquid.
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Buy Pressure Washer Detergent
Here’s the current picks from Amazon if you need to buy some, and being Amazon, the delivery is likely to be fast and convenient too…
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Karcher 5 L Canister Pressure Washer Detergent - Stone Cleaner
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Kärcher T 5 Patio Cleaner - Pressure Washer Accessory & 5 L Canister Pressure Washer Detergent, Universal Cleaner
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Kärcher 1 L Ultra Foam Cleaner, Pressure Washer Detergent
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JCB - 2.5L Heavy Duty Patio Cleaner - Path Cleaner Concentrate - Mould Remover, Lichen Remover, Algae Remover - Pressure Washer Detergent - Lichen Control
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Spear and Jackson - 5 Litres Concentrate - Path Patio and Decking Cleaner - Green Algae and Mould Remover - Pressure Washer Detergent
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Detergent Brands
There’s a lot of companies making cleaning products to use with jet washers, all promising different things. Broadly speaking they actually all do the same thing, and while some are better than others, they’re almost all better than trying to use water on its own.
As a point of note, be sure to check the guidance that comes with your machine when it’s new, as some manufacturers insist on using a specific type or grade of detergent in their products. Otherwise, the may claim that the warranty is void in the case of problems needing to be rectified during the guarantee period (usually a year).
Karcher
Kärcher are a well known name across the power washing market, but more commonly associated with the electric machines rather than those driven by a petrol motor. They do however have their own cleaning solution available, which you can check the price on here:
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Karcher Universal Car Garden Patio Cleaner Pressure Washer Detergent K2 - K7 1 Litre x 2
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Karcher Stone Facade Cleaner 3in1 Pressure Washer Detergent Bottle K2 K4 K5 K7 1 Litre x 2
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Kärcher 5L Universal Cleaner Canister Pressure Washer Detergent by Kärcher
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Karcher 5 L Canister Pressure Washer Detergent - Stone Cleaner
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KARCHER Genuine Patio + Deck Pressure Washer Cleaner Detergent Fluid (Mixes up to 5L)
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Autoglym
Another heavyweight in the cleaning world, especially when it comes to vehicles is Autoglym. They’ve got a large range of cleaning products, some of which are suitable for pressure washing.
Here’s a price check link:
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Wolf Detergent Foamer Bottle Pressure Washer Attachment
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Kärcher FJ6 Foam Nozzle - Pressure Washer Accessory
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