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Our guide can also work for old tomato stains. If you’re trying to get rid of a lingering spot from spaghetti dinners past, you can skip step one and jump directly to step two. 

Pro tip: Allow soaking time for older stains. We recommend waiting at least 10 minutes between applying your cleaning solution and blotting it up.

You should avoid using a pressure washer on any surface or item that could be damaged by the high-pressure spray, as some materials are too delicate to withstand the force.

Key items and surfaces to avoid include:

• Electrical Components: Never pressure wash electrical systems, as water can cause short-circuits and create a safety hazard. This includes utility meters, breaker boxes, electrical outlets, generators, and HVAC or air conditioner units.

• Delicate and Fragile Materials: Fragile items can crack, shatter, or be stripped by the pressure. Avoid pressure washing windows, glass, light fixtures, shingled roofs (especially asphalt), and stucco.

• Painted, Stained, or Sealed Surfaces: Unless your goal is to strip the finish, do not pressure wash painted surfaces, stained wood (like decks), or anything with a protective seal that could be stripped away. Be especially cautious with older surfaces that may contain lead paint.

• Soft Woods and Certain Decking: Delicate surfaces like softwood, composite decking, and antique or wooden patio furniture can be etched or damaged. If you must wash wood, use a lower-powered pressure washer with a wide-angle nozzle to prevent damage.

• Living Things: Never use a pressure washer on people, pets, or plants. The force can cause serious injury and will destroy landscaping.

Because you likely don’t have the equipment to dry your oriental rug adequately, cleaning it with a hose or any deluge of water is a bad idea. The fibers of an oriental rug are especially dense, so water can cause damage like marking, fading, mold, and odor. Since sunlight can also fade an oriental rug, that’s not a good option for drying it to prevent damage.

The formula for neutralizing skunk smell is one quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide, ¼ cup baking soda, and one to two teaspoons of dish soap. The University of Nebraska says a chemist discovered that this mixture changes the thiols, the chemical compound that causes the odor, into acids that don’t carry a skunk smell, thus eliminating the odor.