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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.

No. In spite of its identical chemical makeup, sodium bicarbonate manufactured for blasting purposes has a particular type and size of particles that differs from grocery store baking soda. In addition, this method would not be cost effective because you would need several boxes of baking soda to equal one blast-sized bag of medium.

Oil can permanently stain a concrete driveway if it fully dries or sits for weeks without cleaning. Concrete is porous and absorbs the oil deeper over time. That’s why it’s best to remove an oil stain when it’s wet by applying an absorbent material, sweeping the area, applying dish soap, scrubbing, and then rinsing.

You can clean light stains off of concrete using a pressure washer with 2,000 psi, or you can clean tougher stains if you use a smaller nozzle and point the wand closer to the stain. You may also need to go over the surface more than once for a deeper clean. If you want to clean concrete faster, consider using a pressure washer with a psi of 3,000 or higher.