Getting the Beast Out

Alright, so today was the day. That grimy patio wasn't going to clean itself. Decided to finally break out the pressure washer I got a while back. Thing's been sitting in the garage, looking intimidating.

First job, hauling it out. Heavier than I remembered. Got it onto the driveway. Unwrapped the power cord, then the hose. Felt like I was wrestling an octopus for a bit there. Hooked up the garden hose to the inlet, made sure it was tight. Didn't want water spraying everywhere before I even started.

Figuring Things Out

Plugged it in. Found the 'on' switch. Easy enough. Then came the wand part. Picked a nozzle that looked kind of middle-of-the-road, not too pin-pointy, not too wide. Snapped it onto the end of the spray gun. Took a deep breath. Grabbed the handle, pointed it at a patch of dirty concrete nobody really sees, just in case.

Pulled the trigger. Whoa! Thing kicked back a bit, surprised me. Water shot out, way stronger than a garden hose, that's for sure. Made a clean spot on the test patch pretty quick. Okay, this might actually work.

The Actual Washing Part

Moved over to the main patio slabs. Started slow, sweeping motion, side to side. You could see the dirt just lifting off, like magic. It was actually pretty satisfying.

• Got into a rhythm, back and forth.
• Had to keep an eye on the hoses, make sure they didn't get tangled or kinked.
• Tried a narrower nozzle for some stubborn spots between the stones. Worked okay, but you gotta be careful not to dig out the sand.

Man, it makes a mess while you're doing it. Muddy water splashing everywhere. Got my boots soaked pretty good. Should've worn older pants, too. Live and learn, right?

Results and Cleanup

Spent maybe an hour out there. The difference was huge. Patio looks way better, almost new in spots. Definitely worth the effort, even with the splashback.

Turning it off was easy. Disconnected the garden hose first, then squeezed the trigger to get the leftover pressure out, like the instructions mumbled about. Unplugged it. Wiped the machine down a bit. Rolled up the hoses – still a pain. Hauled it back into the garage. Done deal.

Overall? Yeah, pretty useful tool. A bit messy to use, takes some wrangling, but it gets the job done. Patio's clean, I'm tired. Good day's work.