Okay, so I finally did it. I got myself one of those high pressure washer machines. My patio was looking really grim, you know? Green stuff growing on the stones, dirt everywhere. It was embarrassing, frankly.

Getting Started

Went down to the local hardware store. Looked at a few. Some were massive, gas-powered beasts. Too much for me. I just grabbed a middling electric one. Looked simple enough.

Got it home, pulled it out of the box. Lots of bits and pieces. Assembly wasn't too bad, mostly clicking things together. Hooked up the garden hose to the input. Then figured out the high-pressure hose and the spray gun thingy. It came with a couple of different nozzles. I picked one that looked like a general-purpose fan spray to start.

The Big Wash

Plugged it into the outdoor socket. Turned on the tap water first. Then, took a deep breath and squeezed the trigger on the spray gun. Woosh! That thing has a kick! Made me jump a bit.

Pointed it at the patio stones. Wow. You could literally see the dirt and green stuff just vanishing. It cut right through years of grime. It was actually pretty satisfying watching the clean stone reappear from under the muck.

• Started from one corner and worked my way across.
• Had to keep moving the machine and the cables, which was a bit annoying. The power cord always seems too short.
• Made a huge wet mess. Water spraying everywhere. Definitely wear old clothes and boots you don't care about. I got soaked.
• Tried a narrower nozzle for some stubborn spots. You gotta be careful with that one, it's powerful. Nearly etched a line into one of the softer stones.

Cleaning Up After the Clean Up

Took a good hour or so to do the main part of the patio. My arms were a bit tired from holding the gun. Then I had to rinse everything down, squeegee the water away, and put the machine away.

Coiled up the hoses and cord. Wiped the machine down a bit. Found a spot for it in the shed.

Was it Worth It?

Yeah, I'd say so. The patio looks a million times better. It's not perfect, there are still some faint stains, but the difference is huge. Way faster and easier than scrubbing on my hands and knees with a brush, that's for sure.

It’s a noisy machine, and it makes a mess while you're using it, but the end result is pretty good. Definitely a useful tool to have around for those tough outdoor cleaning jobs. Glad I finally got around to tackling that patio.