Alright, so I gotta share this little project I tackled last weekend – making a power wash attachment for my garden hose. You know, I’ve been meaning to give my patio a good cleaning, but those electric power washers are just a pain to drag out and set up. Plus, they’re kinda loud and overkill for a small job.

So, I started digging around online, seeing what kinda DIY options were out there. Found a few ideas using different nozzles and fittings. I figured, “Hey, I can probably whip something up with the stuff I already have in the garage.” Famous last words, right?

First, I grabbed my standard garden hose – nothing fancy there. Then I rummaged through my box of plumbing bits and found a brass nozzle that had a pretty narrow opening. It looked like it could give a decent stream if I could just boost the pressure a bit.

Next, I needed something to act as a handle and give me a little more control. I spotted an old piece of PVC pipe that was just the right size. I cut it down to about a foot long with my trusty handsaw. Nothing precise, just eyeballed it. I also used some sandpaper to smooth down the edges – didn't want any sharp bits digging into my hand.

Now, connecting the nozzle to the PVC pipe was the tricky part. I didn't have any threaded adapters that fit perfectly, so I had to get creative. I used some heavy-duty duct tape to secure the nozzle to one end of the PVC pipe. Yeah, I know, not the most elegant solution, but it was strong and held surprisingly well. I wrapped it nice and tight, making sure there were no leaks.

Then, on the other end of the PVC pipe, I needed a way to connect it to the garden hose. Luckily, I had a spare hose fitting that I screwed onto the end. Again, a little duct tape to seal the deal and make sure everything was snug.

Time for the moment of truth! I attached the hose to the faucet, turned on the water, and aimed my makeshift power washer at the patio. To my surprise, it actually worked! The narrow nozzle really did concentrate the water flow, and I was getting a much stronger stream than just using the hose by itself.

It wasn’t exactly a professional-grade power washer, but it was definitely enough to blast away the dirt and grime. I spent a couple of hours cleaning the patio, and it looks way better now. I even used it to clean my car a little bit – worked like a charm!

Of course, the duct tape isn’t going to last forever, so I’ll probably upgrade the connections with some proper fittings eventually. But for a quick and dirty DIY project, I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. Total cost? Pretty much zero, since I already had all the materials lying around. Now that's what I call a win!

• Materials: Garden hose, brass nozzle, PVC pipe, duct tape, hose fitting.
• Tools: Handsaw, sandpaper.
• Time: About 30 minutes.