Alright, so I finally got around to tackling the grime on the patio. It was looking pretty sad, you know? Moss, dirt, general yuckiness built up over who knows how long. Decided a water pressure machine was the way to go. Didn't own one, borrowed one from my neighbor. Big yellow thing.

Getting Started

First thing, had to figure out how to put it together. Seemed simple enough. Plugged in the main power cord. Then connected the garden hose for the water supply. That part was easy, just screwed it on. Then there was the high-pressure hose, connected that from the machine to the spray gun handle thing. Felt sturdy enough.

It came with a few different nozzle heads. Little colored things. No idea what the difference was, really. Grabbed the one that looked kinda middle-of-the-road, not too narrow, not too wide. Snapped it onto the end of the wand.

The Cleaning Part

Turned on the water tap outside. Then flipped the switch on the pressure washer. It jumped to life, pretty loud hum. Grabbed the spray gun, pointed it at a dirty slab, and squeezed the trigger. Whoosh! Water blasted out. Honestly, it startled me a bit, the kickback.

Started moving the wand back and forth across the paving stones. You could see the dirt just lifting off, like erasing a dirty mark. It was actually pretty satisfying. Took a bit to get the hang of the right distance and speed. Too close and it felt like it might dig into the stone, too far and it didn't clean as well.

• Tried a narrower nozzle for some stubborn spots, worked better but had to be more careful.
• Did the wooden fence next. Had to stand back further, didn't want to strip the wood bare. Just wanted the green slime off.
• Got spray everywhere. On my boots, trousers, the windows. Made a mental note to close windows next time.

It took a while. Longer than I thought. My arms started to feel it after about an hour, holding that vibrating wand. Had to take a couple breaks. But seeing the clean patches grow kept me going.

Finished Job

Packed it all up. Turned off the machine, disconnected the hoses. Water everywhere, of course. Had to let it drain. Rolled up the cords and hoses, gave it a wipe down before returning it.

The patio? Looks way better. Like, surprisingly good. The fence looks fresher too. Definitely worth the effort and the slightly sore arms. It’s not perfect, some really old stains didn't completely vanish, but the difference is huge. Yeah, pretty pleased with how that turned out. Simple tools can make a big difference sometimes.