Pressure washer soap?

[JonW]

I finally broke down and bought a pressure washer. I also emailed Meguiar's and asked them about using their products in the pressure washer, and they didn't recommend it. I really am hesitant about using the car wash stuff that Home Depot sells for pressure washers. Anyone have any experience along this line?

[Mike]

When I use my pressure washer to clean my deck, I just use water and then seal when it's dry. I've just used water when cleaning the driveway as well.

[CrazyCor15]

A pressure washer using plain water is ok. I use it to wet my car 5 feet away, but I will get closer to get around the bottom and wheel wells. I wouldn't recommend using it as if you were cleaning something like a deck. I wouldn't ever get closer than 2 feet from the car surface depending on any pressure. I occasionally get real close to zap the inside wheel wells. I've taken paint off a few times. Not on my personal car, but work trucks and such. I've also seen a co-worker obtain a puncture wound on his hand from the same pressure washer. Nothing is better than a hand wash.

[DeadVic]

I guess it all depends upon the PSI you're using. My personal one is 2800 PSI and I use the soap nozzle, which is low pressure application of the soap. Then I switch to a 20 degree nozzel and stay a good five feet a way as described above.

Then, soap again and hand wash. Finally, I hit it again with high pressure water to get soap off. Then, I hit the car with compressed air. Then, a microfiber towel.

I use Mequires Gold car wash and I dillute it with water, 3 parts water to 1 part car wash liquid. For the soap feeder I set it to about 1/3 the max.

[omarauder]

I wouldn't recommend it for under the hood. A service place did it to my old crown vic and the car felt like it was running on 2 cylinders until I had them dry out the plug wires. It still had minor problems for a week or so later until everthing dries out. The high pressure forces water into places you don't it to go.
regards

[JonW]

My car is a pleasure car, so it seldom gets dirty. But it does get dusty, and sometimes dusty enough I don't want to use a CA duster on it. So the pressure washer (on low pressure) will be good for rinsing it off.

[jawz101]

I used to detail for Oklahoma's largest FLM dealer, and my dad owns a detail shop. The only clever thing I've done is to hook it up to a water heater. the most you'd use a pressure washer for on a car is on the wheels and engine block using degreaser or some forms of cleaning acids. other than that you can use it at a decent distance from the paint. I've pulled paint off of a few front bumpers getting too close to a bad paint job.