Alright, so the weeds were getting seriously out of hand between the patio stones. Decided it was time to break out the garden pump pressure sprayer. Found it tucked away in the shed behind the mower.

Getting Started

First thing, I gave it a quick rinse. Probably should have done that last time I used it, but hey, better late than never. Unscrewed the top pump part – sometimes it sticks a bit, gotta give it a good twist. Checked the seals, looked okay.

Then, the mixing. Grabbed my usual weed killer concentrate. Important bit here: read the label, folks. I always eyeball it a little, maybe shouldn't, but today I actually measured using the cap. Poured that into the sprayer tank first. Then added the water. I find adding the concentrate first helps it mix better when the water goes in, less sloshing needed.

• Poured in the weed killer concentrate.
• Filled up with water to the line marker inside the tank.
• Avoided splashing it everywhere, mostly.

Got the top screwed back on. Needs to be tight, really tight, otherwise, you pump and pump and nothing happens later. Learned that the hard way with my old sprayer.

Pumping and Spraying

Okay, time for the workout. Started pumping the handle. You can feel the resistance build up. Maybe gave it 15-20 pumps? Just until it felt pretty firm. Don't go totally crazy, though.

Picked it up, slung the strap over my shoulder – makes it easier than carrying the thing. Walked over to the patio. Held the wand, aimed at those annoying weeds popping up in the cracks, and squeezed the trigger. Pssshhhhhht! Out came the spray. Had the nozzle set to a fairly fine mist, covers better for weeds I reckon.

Walked along the edges, methodically hitting every green thing that shouldn't be there. It’s kinda satisfying, actually. You have to keep the pressure up, though. After spraying for a few minutes, the mist gets weaker. So, stop, put the sprayer down, give it another 10 pumps or so, and carry on. Did this maybe three or four times to cover the whole area.

Finishing and Cleaning

Eventually, the tank was empty. Sprayed until it was just spitting air. Before doing anything else, I carefully released the pressure using the valve on the side. Always do this! Don't just unscrew the top while it's pressurised.

Then, the cleanup. Dumped out any tiny bit left. Rinsed the tank thoroughly with clean water, swished it around, dumped it out. Did that twice. Then filled it partly with clean water, screwed the top back on, pumped it up a bit, and sprayed the clean water through the wand and nozzle for a good minute. This gets the chemical residue out of the hose and nozzle – super important if you don't want it clogging up or breaking down next time.

Gave the outside a wipe, unscrewed the top slightly to let it air dry, and put it back in the shed. Job done. We'll see if those weeds get the message in a few days.