Okay, let's talk about tackling the grime with a pressure washer.

Getting Started with the Beast

So, the patio looked absolutely grim. Green stuff everywhere, dirt caked on. Decided it was time. Hauled the pressure washer out of the shed. Thing's heavier than it looks, always forget that.

First things first, gotta hook it up. Unwound the garden hose, made sure no kinks. Screwed one end tight onto the machine's water inlet. Grabbed the other end and jammed it onto the outdoor tap. Turned the water on full blast. Checked for leaks at the connection. Always check for leaks, saves a headache later.

Then, the high-pressure hose. Connected one end to the machine's outlet, the other to the spray gun thingy. Made sure those connections were really snug too. You don't want that high-pressure hose whipping around.

Picking the Right Tool for the Job

Mine's electric, so just plugged it into the outdoor socket. If you got a gas one, you'd be checking oil and fuel now. Good luck with that pull start!

Next up, nozzles. Usually comes with a few. Got the real narrow one for stubborn spots, like paint stripping almost. Got a wider fan one for general cleaning. Started with the medium fan nozzle. Snapped it onto the end of the wand. You hear a click, means it's locked in.

• Checked the water flow again.
• Made sure the power cord wasn't in a puddle. Safety first, right?
• Braced myself a bit.

Let the Cleaning Commence

Okay, deep breath. Pulled the trigger on the spray gun first, just to get the air out of the hose. Water came out, no pressure yet. Good. Flipped the power switch on the machine. It hummed to life. Quite noisy, actually.

Pointed the wand at a dirty corner of the concrete, not too close at first. Squeezed the trigger. WHOOSH. The kickback wasn't huge, but you feel it. Saw the dirt just lift right off. Magic, honestly.

Started working my way across the patio slabs. Used sweeping motions, overlapping each pass a little. Kept the nozzle maybe a foot away from the surface. Too close and you can etch concrete or splinter wood. Learned that the hard way on an old fence post once.

It's kind of satisfying, watching the clean path appear behind the spray. But man, it takes time. And holding that trigger down, moving the wand back and forth... my arm started feeling it after about 20 minutes.

Observations and Annoyances

Switched to the narrower nozzle for some really stubborn, black spots. Had to get closer for those. Worked, but you gotta be careful. Also tried it on the brick retaining wall. Did a decent job there too.

The spray mist gets everywhere. Got my shoes soaked pretty quick. Probably should've worn boots. And the noise... glad the neighbors were out.

Realized halfway through I should have swept the loose leaves and stuff off first. Would have saved some time just blasting them into a corner.

Wrapping It Up

Finished the main area. Went back over it with a wider spray just to rinse all the dirty water away towards the drain. Looked way better. Not perfect, some stains are just too deep, but a massive improvement.

Turned the machine off first. Then, squeezed the trigger again to release the pressure in the hose. Very important step. Then turned the water tap off. Disconnected the garden hose, let it drain. Disconnected the high-pressure hose, drained that too. Wiped the machine down a bit. Coiled up the hoses and cord. Put the nozzles back in their little holders. Pushed the whole thing back into the shed. Job done.

Definitely worth the effort, though. The patio looks usable again. But it's a proper workout. Next time, definitely wearing boots and maybe earplugs.