Alright, so check it out, recently I tackled cleaning my patio and sidewalk with a power washer, and the most unexpected hero? My trusty old broom.

First things first, the setup. I dragged out the power washer, the kind you can grab at any big box store, nothing fancy. Then, I made sure I had the right nozzle – I opted for a wider fan spray to avoid etching lines into the concrete. Safety glasses on, of course. Don't want any debris flying into your eyeballs.

Initially, I just went at it with the power washer solo. Blast away, right? Well, yeah, it worked okay. Got some of the surface dirt off, but there were these stubborn patches of grime and algae that just wouldn't budge. I spent ages going over the same spots, and honestly, my arm was getting tired. Plus, I felt like I was just spraying mud everywhere, not actually cleaning.

That's when I had the idea: the broom. Here's where the magic happened.

• Step 1: Wet the area. I gave the patio and sidewalk a quick once-over with the power washer, just to get everything damp.
• Step 2: Soap time! I mixed up some outdoor cleaner in a bucket – nothing special, just something I picked up at the hardware store. You could probably use dish soap in a pinch, but test it in an inconspicuous area first.
• Step 3: Scrub-a-dub-dub. This is where the broom comes in. I dipped the broom into the soapy water and started scrubbing the concrete. Really put some elbow grease into it, focusing on those stubborn grime spots. The broom bristles helped to loosen the dirt and break down the algae.
• Step 4: Power wash rinse. Now, here's the key: while the area was still soapy and wet, I went back over it with the power washer. The combo of the scrubbing action and the high-pressure spray just blasted away the grime. It was seriously satisfying.

The results? Night and day. The concrete was actually clean, not just superficially blasted. The stubborn algae was gone, and the patio looked like it had a new lease on life. Seriously, I was impressed.

A couple of tips I learned along the way:

• Don't let the soapy water dry. Work in sections to keep everything wet.
• Rinse the broom frequently to avoid just spreading dirt around.
• Experiment with different nozzles on the power washer to find the best one for your surface.

So yeah, that's the story of how my broom became my power washing sidekick. Who knew a simple tool could make such a difference? Give it a try, you might be surprised!