How to Maintain a Pressure Washer

*Collaborative Post

It’s a Sunday morning, and you are all set to clean your car. You had your dose of coffee along with your favorite breakfast and started the pressure washer. But, unfortunately, the engine doesn’t come alive even after several tries!

We know you don’t even want to imagine this happening in reality. So, therefore, to avoid this situation from becoming real, you need to maintain your pressure washer.

But how to maintain a pressure washer is something that leaves people confused. Here is your detailed guide to maintaining the machine for best performance.

Reasons to Maintain a Pressure Washer

A pressure washer has a plastic body that does not rust, why should I maintain it? Well, inside the plastic shell, there’s a motor and some other movable parts that need your attention. Here are a few reasons why you should not take pressure washer maintenance for granted.

• It helps you avoid expensive repairs.
• Prolongs the lifespan of the motor.
• It helps the pressure washer perform consistently.
• It prevents chances of a breakdown.

A Quick Maintenance Checklist to Ease Your Work

Here’s a pressure washer maintenance checklist that you should keep handy when maintaining it. The checklist will help you cover every component that contributes to the performance of the machine.

Before Each Use

• Check fuel level (for gas-powered pressure washers)
• Check and clean the air filter
• Check oil levels (for gas-powered pressure washers)
• Inspect the pressure hose and clean it
• Check the water inlet screen
• Check the spark plug

After Each Use

• Empty the detergent tank and clean it
• Drain excess water, and empty the hose
• Relieve the pressure from the machine by engaging the spray gun trigger 

Follow this basic checklist to prepare your pressure washer for the task and to ensure it performs properly. Read on to find a detailed guide to maintaining a pressure washer.

Steps to Maintain a Pressure Washer at Home

Maintaining a pressure washer doesn’t require you to disassemble any part. Moreover, it hardly takes more than 10 minutes once you know how to do it the right way. So follow the steps mentioned below, and keep the pressure washer in a mint condition for years.

Check for Leaks

The first step is checking for leaks since leaks have a significant impact on the performance. If you have a gas-powered machine, check for oil or fuel leaks. Take a closer look at the oil tank and ensure the oil and fuel don’t drip.

Next, pay close attention to the water hose connection, and look for any leaks. Since electric pressure washers don’t have an oil tank, you should check the water leaks only. Once done, inspect the nozzles, inlet water screen, and spray gun for any leaks.

Sometimes the leaks are only visible when running the machine under full pressure.

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Note: If you find leaks stop using the pressure washer and contact the manufacturer immediately. Using the machine with a leak will worsen the problem.

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Clean the Air and Oil Filter

The air and oil filters in a pressure washer are as important as they are in your car. To clean the air filter, take it out from the compartment, and hit it on a hard surface. Get rid of the excess dirt, and clean it with a wet rag or air pressure cleaner.

For gas-powered pressure washers, you need to clean the air as well as the oil filter. First, remove the oil filter carefully, and place it on tissue paper. Now clean the filter using a soft bristle brush, and install it back. Cleaning the filter improves the flow of oil inside the motor, thus, boosting the pressure washer’s performance.

Lubricate all Moving Parts

A pressure washer uses water; therefore, corrosion is inevitable! However, lubricating the parts, such as the inlet/outlet connections and the spray nozzles, help keep corrosion at bay. Use a good quality lube and apply it to all connections.

Clean the Entire Machine

Just like any other machine, a pressure washer also requires cleaning. We recommend cleaning the machine with a dry and wet rag, since washing it is not a wise idea.

Dust can quickly build up around the pressure washer, and it’ll form stubborn grime after coming in contact with water. Therefore, keeping the pressure washer clean is necessary.

Store It Properly

The last step to maintenance is storing the pressure washer properly. Winterize it if you are not going to use it for months to keep the motor and other components in good shape. Also, remove the hose and other accessories before storing the pressure washer.

Final Thoughts

Here’s everything you should know about maintaining a pressure washer to prolong its lifespan and get excellent performance. No matter the type of pressure washer you own, you should invest time in maintaining it.

Lastly, if you encounter any issue with the machine, contact the manufacturer for a solution, and do not repair it yourself.

*This is a collaborative post. For further information please refer to my disclosure page.