Okay, let's talk about this hose pressure washer thing I tackled recently.

Getting Started

Right, so the patio out back was looking real nasty. Moss, dirt, you name it. Been meaning to clean it for ages. Finally decided to get that pressure washer out of the garage. It's not fancy, just one of those electric ones you hook up to a garden hose.

First thing, had to untangle the power cord and the hose itself. Always a bit of a wrestle, you know? Got it plugged in, then spent a good few minutes figuring out the hose connection. Needed to make sure it was tight, didn't want water spraying everywhere before I even started.

The Actual Washing Bit

So, I picked a nozzle. They give you a few, right? Went for a sort of medium spray one, didn't want to blast the paving stones to bits on the first go. Turned on the water tap, then switched the machine on. Makes a fair bit of noise, that thing.

• Pointed it at a grimy corner to test. Whoosh!
• The difference was immediate. Cut right through the green stuff.
• Had to be careful though, the spray kicks up a lot of dirt and water. Got my boots pretty mucky.

This part took the longest. Going back and forth, strip by strip. You gotta overlap your sweeps, otherwise, you get these weird clean lines next to dirty lines. Found a rhythm eventually. Stand back, aim, sweep slowly. Repeat. My arm started to ache a bit after a while, holding that wand.

Some stubborn spots needed a closer blast. Had to switch to a more powerful nozzle tip for a few patches of really ground-in dirt. That worked, but you have to be careful not to get too close, especially on older surfaces.

Wrapping Up

Once I'd covered the whole area, I switched everything off. Disconnected the hose first, then the power. Let the pressure out of the wand thingy.

The patio looked way better, honestly. Still wet, obviously, but you could see the actual color of the stones again. It made a mess, though – dirty water ran off everywhere, had to rinse down the edges of the lawn afterwards.

Overall, it did the job. Took a couple of hours, got a bit wet and dirty, but the result was worth it. Beats scrubbing on your hands and knees, that's for sure. Just need to remember to wear old clothes next time. And maybe boots, proper ones.