Alright, let's talk about cleaning with the Karcher pressure washer today. My driveway and patio were looking absolutely foul after the winter months. Seriously, layers of green stuff and mud caked on. Decided it was finally time to tackle it.

Getting Set Up

So, I hauled the Karcher machine out from the garage. It's got wheels, which helps, but still needs a bit of muscle. First job was untangling the high-pressure hose and the power cable. Always seems like they tie themselves in knots when stored, right? Found the connection points – water inlet, high-pressure outlet, pretty clearly marked even for me.

Hooked up my garden hose to the water inlet. Made sure the little filter thingy on the inlet was clear first. Snapped the high-pressure hose onto the machine and then clicked the other end into the trigger gun. Felt secure. Then plugged the power cord into an outdoor socket. Double-checked the connection was dry, don't want any nasty surprises.

The Actual Washing Part

Okay, time for action. Grabbed the trigger gun, felt decent in the hand. I started with the Vario lance, the one you can twist to change the pressure. Turned the water supply on full blast at the tap. Then, flicked the power switch on the Karcher unit. Heard the motor hum. Pointed the nozzle at the dirtiest part of the patio, stood back a bit, and squeezed the trigger.

Wow, that water comes out fast! You can really feel the kickback in the handle a little. Started sweeping the water jet slowly across the paving stones. The difference was instant. Dark green and brown muck just vanished, leaving the clean stone behind. It's pretty satisfying, not gonna lie.

Some stuff I did:

• Kept a steady distance, maybe 6-8 inches away for the stubborn bits.
• Overlapped each pass slightly to avoid leaving stripes.
• Twisted the Vario lance to a lower pressure setting when I did the wooden fence panels nearby – didn't want to shred the wood.
• Had to stop and move the machine and hoses around a few times to reach everywhere.

Spent a good hour or so doing the whole patio and a section of the driveway. It's messy work, got soaked from the knees down from all the spray and splashback. Definitely wear old clothes you don't care about. The noise isn't too bad, just the hum of the motor cycling on and off as you pull the trigger.

Finishing Off

Once I was happy with the clean, I switched the machine off at the power button first. Then turned off the water tap. Gave the trigger a final squeeze to get rid of any leftover pressure in the hose – you hear a little 'pfft'. Disconnected the garden hose, then the high-pressure hose. Coiled everything up, wiped the machine down with a rag. The patio looks a million times better. Hard work, but the pressure washer made it way faster than scrubbing by hand would have. Job done.