4 Things You Should Never Clean with a Pressure Washer (and 5 Things You Can)

While spring cleaning involves deep cleaning inside your home, summer cleaning usually means preparing your outdoor space to fully enjoy the warm weather — from dusting off your patio furniture to washing windows. One of the best tools to use to clean your home’s exterior is a pressure washer.

“Pressure washers are excellent for certain tough cleaning tasks where other methods fall short,” says Nate Cording, sales manager at Generators Direct. “They can save time and effort while providing superior cleaning results, but they must be used correctly to prevent costly and sometimes hazardous damage.”

Using a high-pressure jet of water, this tool can quickly and efficiently clean an array of outdoor surfaces. But before you go on a cleaning spree, you should know there are a handful of things that should never be cleaned with it. Below, experts share their insights on what can and can’t be cleaned with a pressure washer.

Rhonda Wilson, the quality lead cleaner at FreshSpace Cleaning, says that outdoor lounge furniture (especially the cushions and throw pillows) is better off in the washing machine or simply spot-cleaned. 

“A pressure washer could tear the fabric and mess up the stuffing, not to mention it takes ages for them to dry out,” she says. “Also, unless you have metal or plastic outdoor furniture, it’s best to avoid using a pressure washer on these pieces, as the pressure can totally strip off the protective coatings and leave your furniture vulnerable to damage.”

According to Scott Paul, owner of DeckStainHelp.com, you should never use a pressure washer on soft outdoor surfaces such as stucco because it causes permanent damage. 

Cording says it’s also best to stay away from spraying old mortar and painted surfaces (particularly lead paint). “High pressure can dislodge old mortar, causing structural issues, whereas using a pressure washer on lead paint can release toxic lead dust and chips into the environment,” he says.

These items have an array of small crevices and ledges that can take some time to clean, but Cording says it’s never worth it to use a pressure washer on any electrical panels and meters and most AC units. “You can damage delicate fins and coils at best and risk a short or fire at worst,” he says. 

Even if there is concrete around your AC condenser unit to be cleaned, or a dirty wall where your electrical panel lives, it’s best to find a less intense method to clean around these and prevent water from getting in. 

Although you may be tempted to give your glass surfaces a quick wash to get rid of smudges and dust, all three experts agree that using a pressure washer would be a costly mistake. “The pressure from the water jet could actually break the glass,” says Wilson. “Not to mention it can mess up the seals and cause leaks.”

If you’re still wondering what you can use a pressure washer on, both Wilson and Cording say they’re great for cleaning trash bins, fencing, outdoor grills (avoiding electrical components), and wooden decks using a low setting. 

Paul also says pressure washers can work wonders on just about any concrete surface, particularly driveways and garage floors. To make sure you get the results you want, Paul recommends using it in the same motion you would a broom, while Wilson suggests holding the wand at a 45-degree angle and working in sections from top to bottom. 

Wilson recommends the Sun Joe SPX3000 Electric Pressure Washer, while Paul says that any pressure washer with the right amount of pressure will work just fine.

“The higher the GPM (gallons per minute), the faster you will wash a surface,” he says. “Look for machines that are 2400 PSI (pounds per square inch) or higher and that have a minimum GPM of two to three gallons per minute.”